Photographer Lluis Camps – Talent Natalia Outeda of Frassaï – Interview by Marco Martello
First of all, what’s your earliest perfume-related memory?
More than a perfume, I’d say it’s a scent. In fact, one of the first memories I have is of the fallen leaves in the neighbourhood where I used to live: every time I’d go to school, I’d step on the wet earth and crush them.
Natalia, you were born and brought up in Argentina. If you close your eyes and think about your childhood, what do you see in front of you?
Well, I see myself playing outdoors, my best friend, the parquet floor of the studio where I’d take dance classes, and the dark, dusty library of the camp I’d go to in the summer…
Have you tried to recreate any of these memories in your perfume collection?
No, I haven’t. They’re almost too precious!
That being said, what’s the perfume that’s special to you because of the memories, emotions and sensations it evokes?
‘Teisenddu’, because it was a perfume that, beyond the technical part of it, really had to feel like something that could give you a warm feeling when you need it most, and the latest one, ‘Dormir al Sol’, which represents where I am now, and it’s this idea of seizing the moment or slowing down. That’s a statement I want to make with this perfume, but also something that I’m personally searching for. I spend much time in the city and also travel a lot, so every now and then I need to take a moment to reconnect and find myself again.
Earlier on you commented on the coral necklace I’m wearing, saying that it reminded you of your grandmother. Is there a scent that connects you with her?
She used to wear Revlon’s ‘Charlie’, so that’s one of the associations I have with my grandma. She also made this cake, ‘la torta negra’ (in English ‘the black cake’, E.D.) which inspired ‘Teisenddu’. It’s a Welsh cake, but it’s originally from Patagonia in Argentina, where my grandma lived before moving to Buenos Aires with my grandpa. It’s a cake with lots of spices, rhum, and raisins, and it’s just very special to me.
If you were to pick three olfactory notes that describe you as a woman, creative and entrepreneur, what’d they be and why?
Jasmine, which is classic and timeless, but also feminine. I really love white florals, because they give me a connection with nature. Herba mate, because for me it’s very much Argentina. Mate is not just a green bitter note or something to drink, it’s about being open and sharing a moment, which is very much part of our culture. And the third one that’s very special to me is green peppercorn from the north of Argentina, which I also found in some places in the south of France and Italy. I love it because it’s an ancestral tree, and it makes me think of how I really like to focus on a classical concept of perfumery, that’s adapted to the modern times.
In the early days of your career in the perfume industry, you worked as an evaluator. What’s the greatest lesson that experience has taught you?
It’s taught me a lot. First, I’ve learnt that the nose can be trained. I don’t come from a ‘perfume family’, and I never thought that I could be in this industry, but I’ve come to realise that you can still find your voice and creatively express your culture, even using ingredients that come from all around the world. It’s also taught me that it’s really a team effort: from harvesting the fields to putting the labels on the perfume bottles, it’s not something you can do all by yourself.
In 2013 you launched Frassaï, the brand you’ve built on your experience of your homeland, its culture and landscapes. What’re the goals you set for yourself upon embarking on this adventure?
I didn’t have any plans back then. In fact, I’m very much someone who follows their intuition. I didn’t really have any investments or savings, I just left my job at Givaudan in New York City, I went back to Argentina, I took a break from perfume, because as you know it’s a corporate world, and then I wanted to find myself again. So I started laying the foundation for my brand, putting my freedom first and making sure I had no constraints of any kind.
Natalia, if you could change anything about today’s perfume industry, what’d it be and why?
I wish we were more focused on beauty, on doing things that add value. For me, perfume is something that should connect wit your soul. Surely, there’s something for everyone and it’s a natural evolution just like in any other industry, but I kind of like this idea of slow perfumery and launching fragrances with a purpose, a meaning.
Going back to your brand, you just launched ‘Dormir al Sol’, a scent you created with Latvian nose Irina Burlakova. Can you share with us the story of how the two of you first met?
We met, in 2008, when she moved to New York. I was in evaluation and she was in perfumery, and we got to work on some projects together. She was always very open and kind, so there was this easy dialogue, and we became good friends. I ended up moving to Argentina, and she moved to Hong Kong, but we did keep in touch. As to ‘Dormir al Sol’, in 2020 Irina went to the Blue Mountains in Australia, where she smelt the mimosa. We were in different parts of the world but with a similar climate, so we tried to understand how to work on this idea and recreate a moment of pause, beauty, and reset. I think Irina has this that’re, the way she works with ingredients is very unique…
As you already know, this series of interviews for The Greatest’s website revolves around the concept of a handshake. So, what’s the handshake you’ll never forget?
The first thing that comes to my mind is not really a handshake, but I’ll tell you anyways. In 1996 or 1997, I went to see a concert at The Palladium in New York City, and Gustavo Cerati’s Soda Stereo, which was the most famous band from Argentina in the 90’s, was playing. I remember that I managed to do something that would’ve been impossibile in Argentina, which was sneaking to the front, and at the end of the concert Gustavo Cerati, who was such a legend, gave me his guitar pick. For me it was magical, almost like having a personal connection!
Lastly, what should we expect from Frassaï in the near future?
I’m continuing to expand the home collection, and I’m also working on the release of a new fragrance that’s inspired by my grandfather, which is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time! For this perfume I’ve played with a retro, modern feeling, always being consistent with this idea of doing things that’re authentic and making sure that everything in the collection is something that I love, wear and are proud of.