Facing A Brainiac2:14
Facing A Brainiac2:14
A good briefing inspires and ignites a perfumer.
The development process for a new perfume involves coordination across various design disciplines: The creative director is not only responsible for the perfume’s name and theme. He is also in charge of preparing the perfume concept (or «brief») and coordinating the overall product fabrication. The photographer shoots the campaign photography. Packaging designers create the bottle, cap and box that will eventually house the perfume when it is finally displayed on the department store shelf. A writer composes press releases and other texts used to market the perfume. Finally, there are the perfumers who develop the fragrance. An additional challenge is that the above designers are often geographically dispersed throughout the world. How is organizing accomplished in such a context that requires coordination among all the designers? How come it does not impede their creative freedom?
In this case the independent designers and their sub-products are coordinated by means of a visual concept which consists of three collages, known as a «mood board.» A mood board is an aesthetic device that connects senses and emotion. It is able to encourage multiple conceptual interpretations while also having a directing and aligning effect. But do the perfumers really care about the concept? For Christophe it is clear that the concept goes beyond the technical brief that dictates raw materials and identifies a target consumer. The concept challenges the perfumer’s creativity. This clip reveals the perfumer’s personal attachment to the concept and its performative qualities: «It is a brainiac».
Revisiting a scent wheel1:57
Revisiting a scent wheel1:57
What you see is what you smell
Circles and wheels are common formats used for knowledge visualization in different contexts. The color wheel organizes the relationships between primary, secondary and tertiary colors and visualizes color relationships. In the field of music the circle of fifths visualizes the relationships between major and minor keys. Accordingly, wheels are used to highlight relationships, identify families based on fundamental similarities, and illustrate different grades of intensity. In the olfactory domain, wheels were used in the 16th century to classify the smell of urine for medical purposes. Since the early 20th century the wheel has become a popular format in perfumery. In the world of perfumery the fragrance wheel serves as a handy tool for classifying perfumes. However, many questions are more puzzling than a neat visual design might suggest, as Christophe points out in this clip.
Sketching a scent2:19
Sketching a scent2:19
The ephemeral materiality of scent eludes the common conventions of visualizing.
Instead, the qualities inherent to the sense of smell remind us of the limitations of our visual culture: But can scents be rendered visual? Pyramids are widely used forms of visual representation when developing or discussing a fragrance. This clip documents Christophe speaking to a client over the phone. Actually, it is a briefing for a new candle scent. After listening to the client Christophe outlines his ideas. Interestingly, he continuously visualizes his ideas: A scent is drawn. Is this merely an illustration? We doubt it. Since the days of the historical Bauhaus vision has been recognized as a «cognitive power in its own right». The ongoing discourse on visual culture reflects on the visual dimension and its implications for society, culture and business. Thus, the agency of sketches and even the seemingly most banal visual artefacts is increasingly acknowledged. There is more than meets the eye.
