Most of us have heard of the name Philippe Starck in the context of design. His name is associated with some of the most memorable pieces of contemporary design (objects, furniture, etc). He is like a rock star and his bright personality shines through everything he does.
His concept of democratic design made him work for renowned houses like Alessi, Vitra and Kartell. In 1983, the French President François Mitterrand, on the recommendation of his Minister of Culture Jack Lang, chose Starck to refurbish the president's private apartments at the Élysée. The following year he designed the Café Costes in Paris.
The Famous Alessi Juicy Salif Citrus Juicer by Philippe Starck
His work is seen in the collections of European and American museums, including the Musée National d'Art Moderne (to which he has donated several pieces, in particular prototypes) the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, the MOMA and the Brooklyn Museum in New York, the Vitra Design Museum in Basel and the Design Museum in London.
The Louis Ghost Chair for Kartell by Phlippe Starck
More than 660 of his designs were inventoried in French public collections in 2011. From hotels to restaurants around the world, to our houses in hundreds of objects, Starck has made his bold statement, proving his genius.
The Nina Ricci L'Air du Temps Starck Edition
This is not the first time that the mind of Philippe Starck enters the perfume world. In 2010 he designed a new, limited edition bottle for the classic Nina Ricci L'Air du Temps. After so many years and fields of design, he is now entering the world of fragrance with his brand Starck Paris.
The three fragrances in the 40ml version
But the link between Philippe Starck and perfumes goes back a long way. In fact, he grew up smelling all the exotic and chic perfumes in the back of his mother's perfume shop. “I loved to take refuge in this place; I was nowhere and at the same time I was everywhere. Because of the aromas, the exponential sum of the perfumes, beauty creams, lotions and shampoos, I traveled through an uncharted territory filled with incredible riches. What I did not know at the time was that I was growing up inside the most powerful vehicle for the mind and the unconscious," said Starck.
The creation of fragrances has always been something that lived in the back of Philippe's mind. Though he has attempted it in the past, the project always ended up on a shelf. Now he has turned to three master perfumers - Daphné Bugey, Annick Ménardo and Dominique Ropion - and an experienced Spanish perfume company - Perfumes y Diseño - to make his dream come true. This idea resulted in a line of three perfumes: Peau de Soie, Peau de Pierre and Peau d’Ailleurs. Three fragrances in perfect harmony with his idea of what we are: what we have been, what we are and what we perhaps will be.
Contrary to what is considered a rule in the perfume industry, Starck doesn't want to reveal the notes of the perfumes. Instead, we are offered a rather elusive and conceptual description, and that's all we will get.
Peau de Soie
Perfumer Dominique Ropion
