Exclusive Interview with Ralf Schwieger - Creator of Lipstick Rose and Eau De Merveilles

Ralf Schwieger is a multi-faceted perfumer; a chemist by training, who says he approaches fragrances as if they were "construction toys," something "primary" requiring a highly developed sense of esthetics; his approach is partly intellectual yet always playful. He is the nose behind some of our favorite fragrances--en niche, prestige, celebrity and mainstream. His works include Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle‘s Lipstick Rose, Hermes Eau de Merveilles, Marc Jacobs Men, Yves St. Laurent Baby Doll, Naomi Cambell and Old Spice OS signature.

Where were you born? Please tell us about your childhood…

Ralf Schwieger: I was born in Germany in the rural region of Westphalia one might know from the opening sequence of Voltaire’s Candide… Centuries later it’s the same: nothing really exciting, a region with cold winters and lots of rainfall, although that I love.

I grew up near the forest, surrounded by greenery, perhaps the reason I like mossy, woody and green notes?!

What was your first olfactive memory?

Ralf Schweiger: Quite a difficult question, scent-wise. I don’t remember anything interesting, I recall flavors better: the red currant in the garden, grilled chicken, creamsicle-like ice cream and all these other crazy sweet things you eat as a child.

But there was the absence of smell: approaching freshly fallen snow on a tree with my nose and mouth trying to smell and feeling the purity and vulnerability of it…

Even your breath destroys the crystals… anyhow, I love when olfactive and tactile sensation are in unison, smelling mimosa is only the real thing when your nose touches the fluffy blossoms!

My mother used to wear Arpège, this I remember well.

At what age did you begin to study perfume and where? What was your first fragrance as a nose?

Ralf Schwieger: I started rather late, thirty years old, at Roure’s perfumery school in Grasse after having finished my chemistry training in Berlin (which was oriented towards fragrance chemistry); so this was my second training: I had to start over again and I felt humbled by the experience.

My first fragrance for an established label (and other than low cost imitations for small markets, the way you normally start as a junior perfumer in a big company) was ‘Golden Moments’ by Priscilla Presley (Muehlens), a flanker for a then successful brand in Germany.

Do you believe that Lipstick Rose from the Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle was a turning point in your career, as before that, your name was not known outside the industry. Since many believe perfumers have a cult following, have you noticed more interest in your work?

Ralf Schwieger: Frederic Malle certainly made my name become public as it is he who started to put the perfumer’s name on a perfume bottle just as the author’s name on a book. But I guess the real difference comes from the blogosphere which gained momentum during the last decade.

Can you tell us about the collaboration between yourself and Fredric Malle?

Ralf Schwieger: Frederic Malle used to work at my former company and he was interested to include one of their perfumers. He really liked the lipstick theme in its boldness. I guess it helped that his wife liked it too… He had a couple of ideas to alter and improve it --the whole collaboration was a very smooth process. He certainly is a good critic and a great editor!

Which raw material has been the most problematic in creating a fragrance? Which fragrance was the most challenging?

Ralf Schwieger: It is not very easy for me to work with vanillin, the synthetic counterpart of vanilla, it remains a challenge to do something new with it. Fruity fougere themes are problematic for me, I really do not enjoy smelling most of them, and I especially dislike the fruity pineapple-like (allylic) top notes which are often used in detergents as well.

Eau des Merveilles by Hermes is a striking scent that many of our readers love. What was its inspiration and please explain the development of its composition from concept to your final achievement?

Ralf Schwieger: This started with an accord I worked with Véronique Gautier before she took over the perfume division of Hermès (and later hired Jean-Claude Ellena). She is one of the last remaining decision makers in the fragrance business who doesn’t rely on consumer testing but rather on their gut feeling and aesthetic ideal… as in the old days.

The main idea behind Eau des Merveilles is ambergris, the fabled ingredient coming from the sea, a complex ambery note with salty aspects.

We focused on:
-  the salty skin sensation, like what is left on your skin after a bath in the ocean
-  diffusion, leaving a trail or "sillage"
-  long-lastingness on skin as well as fabric and fur

One important aspect of Eau des Merveilles is the absence of any traditional floral-rosy note; it is essentially an amber-woody scent with a sparkling start.

Were you surprised that Jean-Claude Ellena created an interpretation of this scent and how does it compare and contrast with your original?

Ralf Schwieger: No, I was aware of that. Jean-Claude Ellena took over as in-house perfumer at Hermes shortly after the launch of Eau des Merveilles, yet we worked together on ‘Parfum des Merveilles’ but for ‘Elixir des Merveilles’ he had settled in and quite naturally took over the whole fragrance creation for the company.

In the parfum the woody-ambery aspect is enhanced. (In order to do a concentrated parfum or extrait version you traditionally would emphasize the floral aspect by adding expensive and long-lasting floral absolutes, in the case of EdM this was impossible because of the lack of floral notes.) His Elixir gave a candied, "sucré-salé", spin to it… interesting challenge, especially for Jean-Claude Ellena who always has a distaste for the sweet and cloying.

What perfume do you wish you had created?

Ralf Schwieger: I recently rediscovered New West Skinscent for Her by Aramis/Lauder, created by Mane perfumer Yves Tanguy. I remember having smelled it around 1990 in Berlin and it was the first time I asked a lady what she was wearing… I was slightly embarrassed.

This really is a unique scent--it might have been too modern for its time. It was an early over dosage of Calone, the marine/ozonic chemical which a little later became popular in scents like L’Eau d’Issey or Kenzo pour homme or Escape for men. But it is not Calone which is the secret to its uniqueness, it is only a facet, there is another ingredient even more important… The fragrance is rich and full of ideas und I would definitely recommend it as a "skinscent for him" as well!

You refer to a ‘dynamic triangle’ that is the foundation of your perfumery. Please explain what this is.

Ralf Schwieger: Although I consider my serious perfumistic exploits "art," I have to sell them within an industrial setting. This is definitely a challenge but sometimes helps overcome indecision and blockage.
 
Modern day commercial perfumery is not a fairytale; it is a highly competitive environment with an outcome that is so mediocre that one might question whether it is worth all the competition.  This industrial setting is the current foundation of perfumery and very much its ruin too.
 
I definitely see some perfumes as works of "art" (as opposed to the "craft" of copying and twisting existing market types) and I guess that’s your opinion too. And this is exactly the problem in modern day perfumery, you aspire to do art but you have to do it in an industrial setting, meaning you have to sell it, it’s an industry which seeks to make a profit.

What aspect of culture has had the most profound effect on your work?

Ralf Schwieger: I have quite a curious and open mind. I like to explore the universe. Anything might have an effect on me…insects… jewelry… contemporary dance…the art of cooking.

Favorite food?

Ralf Schwieger: I am fond of Asian cuisine, especially Japanese… and I am not talking about sushi! I love French and Austrian patisserie. I really like sophisticated vegetarian cuisine which is unfortunately difficult to come by, it is so much easier to get interesting flavor out of animal products (I don’t like easy!). Anyway, I love to eat and cook, I find fragrance creation and cooking closely related.

Favorite artist?

Ralf Schwieger: Pina Bausch just passed away… so sad.

Favorite place to vacation?

Ralf Schwieger: The seaside. This is one of the reasons I like living in New York City!

If you could capture elements of nature in a fragrance what would they be?

Ralf Schwieger: The scent of silk… the effect of rain on hot asphalt… some "illegal" scents… and bad smells!

If you weren't a perfumer, you would be...?

Ralf Schwieger: A scientist, a sculptor, a dancer, a singer, a cook…

You have worked on both high end niche and mainstream fragrances. Is it difficult to switch "hats? "

Ralf Schwieger: No, not really, especially working in a big company (Mane) you try to please everybody. Their primary goal is to sell successful fragrances.

Perfumers always work on many themes at the same time: accords, sometimes just a couple of raw materials put together with a strong but perhaps not necessarily very refined message; some themes you might never accomplish because they are too difficult, too new or too unusual to be understood (you might have difficulties yourself…).

And then you have the "commercial" themes tested and evaluated by many in order to streamline and polish… Some scents are developed in a couple of days, sometimes it takes years, so you are wearing many different hats each day.

As a perfumer at Mane, we realize your work is highly confidential. Is there a glimpse into a fragrance you are working on now?

Ralf Schwieger: Last week I worked on a biscuit kind of note, with fruit… patisserie again! That was unusual territory for me but fun.

  Images: Ralf Schweiger, Frederic Malle, Hermes, Vandelizer, Toni Frissell

Michelyn Camen is New York City based fragrance writer and specialist. Michelyn is an Editor.  In addition, she is the Fragrance editor for www.fashiontribes.com, a top ten beauty blog, and the Fragrance Columnist/Diversions for http://www.uptownsocial.net. 

Michelyn is the former Senior Contributing Writer for Sniffapalooza Magazine, New in Niche Columnist for Basenotes and Editorial Director/Fragrance Editor for Beauty News NYC & LA 
Ms. Camen is the owner of Fifthsense N.Y.C.  which provides personalized fragrance consultations based on body chemistry, fashion and lifestyle and consults for luxury, media and fragrance companies.