Perfumery on a Pedestal
An Interview with Kilian Hennessy
“Modernity is the transient, the fleeting, the contingent; it is one half of art, the other being the eternal and the immovable.”- Charles Baudelaire
Kilian Hennessy, the soft spoken and charming ’scentsation” behind the By Kilian fragrance brand, could easily have walked out of 19th century France, realized that PDAs and cell phones are extremely useful, and decided to stay awhile in the 21st century to shake things up.
One can imagine him using a fine quill pen and a notebook to jot down the formulas for his fragrances. Hennessy is a dichotomy; as comfortable in the realm of ancient Greek history, 19th century symbolist poetry as he is admiring the very latest hand bag collection at Louis Vuitton.
When he speaks of the works of Rimbaud, Baudelaire, Verlaine– his black eyes shine; he is engaged and intense. Don’t be put off by references to Faust, ‘Fleurs de Mal’ and Zenon (No, not the warrior princess, Zenon the Belgian physician). They are part of Hennessy’s world, these poets and philosophers who challenged the mediocrity and restrictions of their eras; their courage and art are intrinsic to Hennesy’s fragrance philosophy.
Hennessy is one of the new ‘fragrance innovators’ who are challenging the large corporations for market share. These corporations may spend millions on a single launch, saturate the market with media and promotions; strategies Hennessy knows well. He is a former marketing executive for L’Oreal.
From its launch in the U.S. just a year ago, his inaugural fragrance collection L’ouevre noire (difficult for those who don’t speak French to pronounce and to translate) has been controversial, (his website includes the exact formulations for each of his fragrances; unheard of in an industry of secrecy) and has captured the attention of a swarm of editors’, retailers and bloggers’. Hennessy is somewhat of a media darling; yet his provocative and singular approach to fragrance has its share of admirers and detractors.
To his credit, he has the finances, resources, and savvy to use only the finest
ingredients, to control his perfumes’ extremely limited distribution and to to have
a plan and to take his time. By Kilian fragrances are packaged lavishly and elegantly,
sparing no expense, in their black laquer wooden boxes. Each silver engraved plate
bearing the fragrances’ names are covered by protective plastic tape, and the interiors
are lined in black satin.
Hennessy’s mission is to elevate contemporary perfumery. Hennessy may shock,
he may dazzle, but ultimately the proof will be in the juice. Each scent must
stand on its own, and engage the wearer— from its top notes to its drydown.
MC: Kilian, you seemed to explode onto the fragrance scene last year with
L’oeuvre noire (the Black Masterpiece), and the industry was all abuzz about
your ‘overnight’ success. Was it really overnight; what is your background?
KH: I have always worked in the fragrance industry. I started my career at Dior,
and then I worked with the Puig Group on Paco Rabanne, then the Gucci Group
on Alexander McQueen and finally L’Oreal on Giorgio Armani.
MC: Unless my translation is incorrect (L’Ouevre = masterwork or masterpiece)
naming your first collection a ‘masterpiece’ might be misunderstood by some
as arrogance. What was your motivation behind the collection’s name?
KH: I did not name my first collection the black masterpiece but “L’œuvre noire”, which is VERY different. Calling a first collection a masterpiece would have been very arrogant I agree and that is really not my personality!!!
L’oeuvre noire, for me, is homage to a great French author: Marguerite Yourcenar who wrote a book called “L’Oeuvre au noir” and talks about a man – Zenon – who is a philosopher, a doctor and an alchemist during the time of church inquisition. He symbolises the man who searches the truth and is ready to confront established ideas in search for this truth. We are not far from the mission I assigned to this collection: place perfumery back in its pedestal by going back to the truth about perfume!
MC: The even fragrances in the collection correlate to three themes; the Ingenues, the Artificial Paradises, and the Parisian Orgies. First, let’s review each category and then the fragrances in context of your overall concept.
KH: I’ll try! These themes are poem titles by great French poets, called the « poètes maudits » or « cursed poets ». The Ingénues is a poem by Verlaine. The two scents in this group are Love don’t be shy and Beyond Love prohibited.
The Parisian Orgies is a poem by Rimbaud (Liaisons Dangerouses and Cruel Intentions) and the Artificial Paradises is the way Baudelaire called l’ Absinthe, (Taste of Heaven absinthe verte was inspired by this). Again, the reason I chose these poets is because these poets – who belonged to a movement called the Parnasse Movement – felt that they had a mission: put poetry back on its pedestal, back at the top of the mountain Parnasse (in Greece!). Again…very close to my mission with perfumery!!!!!
MC: Each fragrance has a subtitle…for example Cruel Intentions is also subtitled ‘tempt me’. Is the collection auto biographical?
KH: Maybe….How can it not be?
MC: You have worked with some of the greatest perfumers of our time. Thus, if there is one woman’s scent you wished YOU had created what is it and why?
KH: With no doubt: Feminite Du Bois. For me, it is a masterpiece…this one is!
MC: What is your opinion about the state of fragrance industry?
KH: In a very bad condition…That is the reason why I left these large fragrance companies. But hopefully, individuals such as Serge Lutens, Frederic Malle or Tom Ford will show that there is another perfumery possible, a perfumery that one day is the only perfumery.
MC: As a follow-up, how do you feel (as an independent perfumer) about the large Fragrance companies frenzy to flood the market and confuse the consumer by churning out so many new yet mostly forgettable fragrances?
KH: The good part is that they have created a need in the public…a need for more unique, more creative, more expensive, more exclusive fragrances.
MC: Do you have immediate plans for new fragrance collections or brand extensions?
KH: Of course! As you know, I launched a candle collection last March. … Our latest scent, (and I know your favorite, Prelude to Love-invitation) recently debuted . And a very special product in November; limited edition bottles (there will be a total of 50 made) featuring designs by artist Sophie Matisse...
The bottles can be filled with any of the 7 fragrances in the By Kilian line, then one new scent each year hereon out. Once all 10 scents in the collection are complete, I am starting a new collection under the By Kilian brand.
MC: There is a lock and key for each of your fragrances, suggesting being able to keep something secret, precious or forbidden. What do you keep under lock and key?
KH: Secret!
MC: Can you tell us one secret?
KH: In Paris, I drive alone for hours…after midnight.
By Kilian fragrances are available at Bergdorf Goodman and online www.bykilian.com.
Kilian Hennessy, Founder of By Kilian
Fleurs de Mal is a volume of poetry
written by Charles Baudelaire.
L’ouevre noire at Bergdorf Goodman, New York
French author Marguerite Yourcenar
Beyond Love prohibited! by Kilian
Taste of Heaven absinthe verte
Feminitie Du Bois by Shiseido
By Kilian Candle Collection debuted in April 2008 and Lmtd. ed. bottles by American painter Sophie Matisse
By Kilian’s signature lock and tasselled key
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By Michelyn Camen
