Photographer Olivia Haudry – Talent Thibaud Crivelli of Maison Crivelli – Interview by Marco Martello
What’s your earliest memory of perfume?
Perfume has always been a part of my life. From what I remember, my first contact with perfume came from raw nature. I grew up in a small town, surrounded by beautiful nature. We’d spend the summer months on the FrencSantal Volcanique’, and ‘Oud Maracujá scent of local aromatic notes and fruit: laurel, rosemary, pine trees, citruses.
Then in autumn and winter, we’d spend the weekend walking or horseback riding in the forest. I remember afternoon strolls in colourful, misty, and moist forests, with the scent of saddle leather, undergrowth, or freshly cut trees filling the air. Also, moments when we’d eat grilled chestnut directly prepared in the chimney! All those experiences have really increased my curiosity to explore more since a very young age.
Thibaud, I’ve read that you’ve lived in many different countries in the past few years. Has any of the people you’ve met during your time abroad been a source of inspiration for you as both a man and creative?
For each perfume, I take inspiration from an adventure I’ve lived, a perfume ingredient I’ve encountered in a very surprising and sensorial way. For instance, discovering iris flowers on the edge of an oasis in the desert, smelling burnt sandalwood on top of an active volcano, exploring rose fields on the seaside, or smelling orange blossom while doing a walking safari. My vision is that our life is a sensorial adventure, full of surprises and beautiful encounters. Perfume is also much more than a scent: it’s a combination of many different sensory elements intertwining altogether.
The collection of Maison Crivelli is built as a notebook of my most cherished and surprising adventures. It encapsulates all my favourite moments of perfume discoveries.
What’s the fragrance that made you fall in love with perfumery?
The perfume I loved the most whenMahajád’, ‘Santal Volcanique’, and ‘Oud Maracujáwas the perfume used by my mother until we launched the first creations of Maison Crivelli. Now, she enjoys wearing ‘Hibiscus Mahajád’, ‘Santal Volcanique’, and ‘Oud Maracujá’.
Let’s take a step back, you grew up in La Roche-Posay, a small town in western France that’s known all over the world for its thermal water. A colourfule your eyes and think about your childhood, what’s the first smells that come to your mind?
Well, the first thing that comes to my mind is our garden in spring, which was filled with flowers: roses, honeysuckle, geranium, artemisia, peonies, and a huge wisteria. A colourful garden with large trees and many bees, and very often the scent of freshly cut grass warmed up by the sun.
In 2018, you launched the perfume brand Maison Crivelli. Can you tell us about the challenges you’ve faced and, of course, the greatest satisfactions you’ve obtained so far?
There were many challenges at the beginning of the project: how can we develop a brand in such a saturated market? How can we ensure that our creations will resonate and speak to people? How can I find the right approach to embody the brand? How can we surprise people? This is not an easy venture.
Given this, my biggest satisfaction is when I meet customers in the stores, or when I read comments online, and people express how much joy we bring them, and how much they enjoy discovering our creations. This is the most beautiful feedback I can get!
Going off this, do you remember what it felt like the first time you met a stranger wearing one of your creations?
Well, I remember the first customer who purchased our fragrances in a store. More specifically, he bought Santal Volcanique in October 2018. I was in the store myself to present the collection and sell the fragrances. I felt very motivated to see his reaction.
But I must say that the nicest feeling is when I see a customer come back and be loyal to the brand.
‘Tubéreuse Astrale’, a milky take on tuberose, is Maison Crivelli’s new release. Can you take us through the making of this addicting Extrait de Parfum?
To create Tubéreuse Astrale, I was inspired by childhood memories spent with my father, who was a huge fan of astronomy and aviation. He always enjoyed looking at the Milky Way and the stars, and I loved to accompany him. We spent many evenings outside in open fields with the wind blowing and crickets singing, just gazing at the stars together. During these outings, I remember smelling the tuberose. It’s a delicate, sparkling white flower that only showcases its true beauty at night.
The choice of working with Quentin Bisch on this new fragrance was instantaneous. He has a unique talent for creating great sillage, and I feel his signature and originality correspond to Maison Crivelli’s spirit. For Tubéreuse Astrale, I wanted to use tuberose essence but in a different way, a way that’ll astonish tuberose lovers but also convince people who usually don’t like it. Very quickly, the idea of the infinite night and twinkling stars inspired Quentin to work on a sparkling tuberose contrasting with the smoothness of velvety leather, with hints of peach skin. The feedback has been outstanding so far!
I read on your website that you have a deep connection with nature and are committed to sustainability. What do you think the perfume industry can do to help protect the Earth?
Nature is the source and inspiration behind every perfume, the key element without whom nothing would even be possible. Global warming and human activities already have, and will keep having if nothing changes, a strong impact on the quality but mostly availability of some raw materials. This means an increase of the sourcing and raw materials’ costs, of course, which would directly reflect on perfumes’ prices. But this also and mainly means that we’re in constant need of adaptation regarding the raw materials we can use and the ones we should limit due to their rarity.
I believe that everyone can do their share when it comes to sustainability. Maison Crivelli is far from being perfect, as I am as an individual, but we’re trying our best and are always looking for improvement. For example, we’re currently in a partnership with the Coeur de Foret charity to sponsor the production of sustainable patchouli. Through this collaboration, we contribute to teaching farmers how to keep a traditional way of producing and cropping the patchouli without fertilisers, using the burn and slash method, or even extending the land. The main objectives of this partnership are to guarantee perennial production, limit soil depletion or deforestation, avoid chemical fertilisers, and maintain a high level of quality. For every purchase of three bottles, Maison Crivelli finances the planting of one sustainable patchouli cutting, ensuring that every purchase made by customers contributes to a better and more sustainable future.
I’d love to end on a light-hearted note. If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be and why?
Well, I’d be where I’m going on holiday this summer, deep in the equatorial jungle, hoping to meet gorillas and mandrills! Alternatively, I’d be scuba diving somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. I love exploring the seashores and haven’t done it in some time. It’s a sensation I look forward to experiencing again soon.