Rainbow In A Bottle: Mark Buxton

Mark Buxton is considered to be one of the most talented and prolific perfumers in the world. He is the nose behind commercial, designer and indie fragrances that are worn and admired by millions. He was the first commercial nose to create his own brand, without hype, without press and with humility. A pefumer of the “old school” (he is a fan of classic perfumes like Nahema, Eternity and Chanel No. 5), yet he is the nose behind many contemporary fragrances - Comme de Garcons and Le Labo. Mark Buxton is a self described “lover boy” who never heard of a blog until six months ago. It is our honor to welcome the legendary Mark Buxton to Fragrantica. 


Mark Buxton Perfume line: Around Midnight, Black Angel, English Breakfast, Hot Leather, Nameless, Sounds & Visions, Wood & Absinth.

What was the first fragrance you created and when did you create it?

Mark Buxton: It was 22 years ago and I  was still at the H&R Perfumery School in Germany. I created a feminine fragrance called "Indiscrete.” It  never made it on the market (yet), but it did get me to Paris. It was a spicy tuberose theme; I think perhaps it was ahead of its time. One day, I hope one day to launch it.  

Where did you grow up and how much did that shape your future as a perfumer?
 
Mark Buxton: I was born in Derby, England. At the age of 8 yrs old, our family left to live in Germany, where my parents opened a restaurant. I loved helping in the kitchen, the odors  were  WOW... amazing. Even today my favorite hobby is cooking.

What was your first olfactive memory?

Mark Buxton: When I was very young, maybe 5 yrs old, I broke my mother’s bottle of Chanel No. 5 in the bathroom; I think the smell stayed for years… it is with me now.
 

Which of the dozens of your perfume creations was the most challenging to create and why?

Mark Buxton: Every new fragrance is a challenge, but each client is different and some clients give me more creative latitude, which makes a big difference in the final perfume. “Niche” concepts in general are rather challenging. Perhaps some of the "eau" interpretations I worked on, such as Cologne noir by Van Cleef or Light Kapsule for Lagerfeld. I had to find new and inventive ideas and to reinvent ‘eau de colognes’.

How different was it for you to create a "‘pop" fragrance like Hello Kitty and a ultra  exclusive perfume like Le Labo Vetiver 46?
 
Mark Buxton: Hello Kitty … yes, I had to think young, pink, and fun. I had to imagine what young girls like and remember that Hello Kitty may be popular worldwide but it is essentially very Japanese in its character.

The Le Labo fragrance was “just up my alley” as you say in America; vetiver is one of my favorite raw materials. In its composition I added notes of amber incense and huge doses of spices. For me, this was NOT just another fragrance. 

Many perfumistos associate you with the woody incense accords of CDG. In reality what raw materials do you enjoy working with the most?

Mark Buxton: I love woody notes in general - vetiver, cashmeran, Isoe super, Ambrox etc.; spicy notes, cardamom, ginger, pepper, elemi, incense, absinth, coriander, musk and animal notes.

Which perfume do you wish you had created?

Mark Buxton: Lots of the good “oldies:” Chanel No. 5; Knize 10; Guerlain Nahema; Nocturne de Caron; La Nuit de Paco Rabanne, Shiseido Feminite du Bois, and Calvin Klein Eternity. I am not a big fan of the so called ‘modern perfumery’. 


There was a lot of press surrounding Francis Kurkdjian creating his own House fragrances and impressive retail distribution... But you were first with an eponymous line of fragrances. Do you plan to emulate Kurkdjian and take the department store route in the USA or open your own shop in Paris?

Mark Buxton: Yes, I was the first, but I have no backers behind me; initially, I created my own line with a Russian customer of mine. 
Italy is the biggest and most open niche market in Europe. My distributor is very strong in Germany and believes in my work. I am planning to expand my presence in the USA as well.

If you can capture the ‘rainbow’ in a bottle what would it smell like? What notes and raw materials would you use?

Mark Buxton: I would use notes of mint, rose, ginger, lily, peonies, cardamom, freesia; the raw materials would all be natural, but very light.

Which artists inspire you?

Mark Buxton: They are very diverse; I am inspired by the impressionism of Monet, the surrealism of Dali, and the pop art of Andy Warhol (also I am inspired by the art of my sons)! 


What was your last dream?

Mark Buxton: If only it was true; I won 1 million euros in a world poker tour!

Who is your favorite author or what is your favorite book? 

Mark Buxton: Joseph von Eichendorff’s.. Der Taugenichts, (MC - Life of a Good for Nothing) which was written in 1826 and explores many themes; a father and a son, journeys, art and much more.   
 
 

 
Mark, you were truly ahead of your time. You reworked Route du Thé (possibly the first "private label" fragrances ever created and launched in Barney’s NYC in the mid 1980s), most certainly among the precursors of today’s “niche” fragrances. What do you think of the term ‘niche’ twenty years later? 


Mark Buxton: Ah everyone uses this term now; it is not ‘fresh’ anymore. Every year, for five or six years, there have been too many new launches calling themselves “niche." But I am hopeful, as there are still some good new perfumes to be found ‘en niche’. 
 
 


You have told me you are not very tech savvy. I have noticed this trend to avoid social media with many of the world's greatest noses... young and older. Yet we live in a world that is internet driven, how do you stay relevant with your fans, i.e. blogs, etc?


Mark Buxton: Mac, PC, etc. are not really part of my world; it stops with the i-phone and i-pod. I know the basics - like e-mailing and i-tunes, and that’s about it. Ohh yes!!! A friend put me on Facebook, but I am not really in contact with ‘fans.’ I didn't even know what a blog or blogger was until 6 months ago. But I’m not a snob; it’s just not ‘my world’. 

Olfactively, in your Mark Buxton line, you use color to guide the wearer to selecting a fragrance, please explain why you believe this to be an accurate way of selecting a fragrance. I chose indigo and yes, my favorite is Black Angel!
 
Mark Buxton: I just like giving my fragrances a ‘color,’ it isn’t a test and it doesn’t always work. But I am glad you chose Indigo, it is mysterious, just like Black Angel.

    
 

What are the challenges of 21st century perfumery... do you believe that every era has had challenge, or is the IFRA regulations going to truly effect fine fragrance going forward?

Mark Buxton: The challenge is, to find new and interesting accords, hopefully with some new raw materials. It’s also a question of taste and fashion, which now a day’s changes very fast. IFRA is a kind of a problem, by banning lots of products. Nitro muscs, and animal products which cannot be replaced.  

Yet, there is an upside; we must find new products or accords, which could smell similar. 

I hope that perfumery will partly return to its roots, more rich and natural fragrances. I can't stand this cold and synthetic perfumery; I dislike calone, cold watery, aggressive green notes and even aldehydes, when they are cheapened and not used properly.

Who is Mark Buxton the ‘man’ (under 50 words)?

Mark Buxton: Hmmm good question... He is fair, open-minded, childish, a player, impatient, passionate, dreamer, a lover boy, a fool on a hill, too fast to live, too young to die, great sense of humor, sensible, and he is spontaneous.

Images: Mark Buxton, Le Labo, Un ragazzo chiamato Bi, Shahram Sharif

Michelyn Camen is a New York City based writer and consultant who is a former Brandweek Marketer of the Year and Ad Age 100 recipient. She slipped off her power suit to pursue her passion for beauty and fragrance. Camen is a fragrance specialist and the owner of FifthSense N.Y.C., where she consults for niche luxury, fashion, beauty and fragrance companies.