Thierry Wasser, Guerlain's Master Perfumer, Discusses the Craft of Emotional Perfumery

Wasser asserts in this exclusive interview to live freely, engage profoundly, and embrace the liberty to create without constraints.

Photo: Courtesy of Guerlain

Guerlain is a renowned name in the realm of perfumery. For than two centuries, the brand has epitomized luxury scent, encapsulating the essence of emotions and memories within each bottle. Established in 1828, the Maison has produced perfumes that transcend mere scent, making bold statements and establishing trends rather than adhering to them. Consider classics such as Eau de Cologne Impériale and Shalimar; these are not merely fragrances, but rather iconic legends encapsulated in a bottle.

In 2008, Thierry Wasser assumed the position of master perfumer, marking the first instance of a non-family member directing Guerlain's fragrance development. With his Swiss heritage and innovative outlook, Wasser adopted Guerlain’s essence while infusing a defiant element. It is claimed that his nose can detect a minimum of 3,000 odors.

It is noteworthy that Wasser had no intention of pursuing a career as a perfumer. His initial attraction to smell was purely coincidental – a letter dispatched to a Geneva laboratory on a whim. “At 19, I was naive and lacked direction,” he admits. “They evaluated my olfactory abilities and granted me admission to perfumery school.” Subsequently, I find myself enamored with it. It is particularly fortuitous that at the age of 13, Wasser was already using Guerlain Habit Rouge fragrance for men, which he continues to wear to this day.

Wasser readily emphasizes that his trajectory diverged from conventional paths. “I did not attend university for this,” he states. “I acquired knowledge through practical experience.” A self-identified proponent of apprenticeships, he urges youth to pursue alternative routes to achievement, particularly in a society that frequently emphasizes formal education. His initial education as a herbalist, focusing on traditional medicine, has influenced him in unexpected manners. “It is now comprehensible, but at that moment, it was merely employment.” He reveals that, were he not a perfumer, he would aspire to be an orchestra director, “but it requires too much effort and I am indolent,” he admits with a chuckle.

The Scent as a Means of Communication

The newest addition to the L’art & La Matière collection is Patchouli Paris ($840 for 200ml), a woody floral musk eau de perfume inspired by the captivating nightlife of Paris.

Guerlain's perfumes feature a distinctive note known as Guerlinade, comprising a combination of six components: jasmine, bergamot, rose, iris, tonka bean, and vanilla. However, do not anticipate Wasser to adhere to a strict formula when crafting his perfumes. “It is not concerned with formulas; it pertains to the experience,” he states. He characterizes his methodology as improvisational, reacting to recollections, emotions, and instances. “One day you may desire chocolate; the next day you may find it repugnant—this applies equally to perfume.”

In the recently introduced Patchouli Paris by Guerlain, in-house perfumer Delphine Jelk pays tribute to the captivating nightlife of Paris, encompassing its clubs, cabarets, concerts, and music halls. By enhancing the unrefined, robust characteristics of patchouli, Jelk maintains its intrinsic flaws, embodying its untamed essence and terrestrial elegance. To refine its erratic edges, she has meticulously incorporated iris, vanilla, sandalwood, and musk, notes that mitigate and elevate patchouli’s potency, resulting in a smooth, velvety finish. The outcome is a scent that embodies both audacity and equilibrium—a tribute to patchouli’s wild allure, captured in authentic Guerlain opulence.

In a society frequently fixated on components, Wasser emphasizes that the enchantment of a fragrance is in its capacity to evoke emotions, rather than merely to dazzle. For him, smell transcends mere elements, resembling a grocery list. “Bergamot, rose, jasmine—who is concerned?” he derides. For him, creating a fragrance resembles composing a narrative, with each ingredient representing a word and each blend forming a phrase.

“My words serve as raw materials, each imbued with emotional significance while also being empirical.” The process involves repeatedly returning to the lab and your office, refining the narrative until it aligns with your envisioned outcome. One can convey a color, depict a scene, or articulate a conversation—everything serves as a wellspring of inspiration. “Its brilliance is ubiquitous,” he elaborates. “Disregard anyone who advises you, ‘Do not combine this with that,’” he states bluntly. “If it has an appropriate odor, it is acceptable.” Similar to a dialogue.

In his preferred fragrance, Mitsouko, he discovers that elusive bond. “What is the reason for my affection?” “I am uncertain,” he concedes. I prefer to be uninformed. There are matters that should require no explanation. Mitsouko, a fragrance as legendary as Wasser himself, encapsulates the essence of Guerlain: it is intricate, multifaceted, and enduring.

Engaging with the Natural Environment and Individuals

Photo: Courtesy of Guerlain

Wasser's endeavors extend beyond a Parisian office; he allocates up to 40 percent of his time traveling, procuring ingredients and engaging with their cultivators. “Typically, perfumers do not engage in the procurement, sourcing, and manufacturing of raw materials; however, we have been doing so since 1828.” “That was the transaction of Jean-Paul Guerlain,” he states.

His journeys, spanning the sandalwood fields of Australia, jasmine plantations of South India, and patchouli farms in Sumatra, have established a network he refers to as “brotherhood and sisterhood” among global farmers. However, there exists a more challenging aspect to this labor, evident in the expressions of individuals who cultivate, harvest, and extract the essences incorporated into each bottle of Guerlain. “These are actual lives,” he states. “In the struggle for survival, concerns about purchasing the latest iPhone are irrelevant.”

“I desire for individuals to comprehend that each bottle contains more than mere fragrance; it is imbued with love, hope, and humanity.” The cultivators and collectors laboring under challenging conditions to procure these resources are engaged in more than mere employment—they are generating supplementary revenue that enables them to sustain their families, educate their children, and enhance their quality of life. This endeavor is not centered on pleasures but rather on survival and dignity.

He remembers a sobering interaction with a tribal leader in the Amazon. Wasser presented a strategy to conserve specific trees for future harvesting, and the elder posed a singular inquiry: “Why?” The query persists in his mind, highlighting that his aspirations for sustainability and preservation do not consistently coincide with the interests of the land's inhabitants. “Who am I to instruct others on the management of their forests?” he contemplates. His work reflects a profound reverence for the natural world and the laborers that inhabit it.

Genuineness Prevails Over Fads

Photo: Courtesy of Guerlain

Wasser's contempt for fragrance trends is another characteristic that distinguishes him. While numerous brands pursue widespread popularity and transient trends, Guerlain stays resolute in its commitment to crafting enduring fragrances. Upon being inquired about his forecast for forthcoming perfume trends, he elevates an eyebrow and emits a quiet chuckle. “I am unable to disclose that information.” “I forgot my crystal ball at home,” he quips. “We do not engage in mass marketing or large quantities; that is not our focus.” His objective is to formulate fragrances that are intimate and timeless, encapsulating experiences rather than transient fashion trends.

He cites Angel by Thierry Mugler, a once niche fragrance that unexpectedly established a global trend. “It was specialized and highly experimental.” “No one anticipated its explosion to the extent that it occurred,” Wasser reflects. Instead of trying to reproduce such experiences, he underscores the need of producing without anticipation. “It is impossible to anticipate what will resonate.” One may only articulate one's truth.

As Guerlain's bicentennial in 2028 nears, Wasser contemplates the brand's history and legacy. “Our history is intricately interlaced within each bottle we produce,” he explains, alluding to the distinctive Guerlinade as the cornerstone for forthcoming advancements. While Guerlain commemorates its legacy, its attention stays resolutely on the present. “You must immerse yourself completely in life,” he asserts. "This is the sole method to produce something genuinely significant."

He is unable to disclose his current project—“It’s so confidential that even I am unaware of what I am developing,” he states—but if he were to formulate a fragrance to commemorate the Maison’s milestone, he would base it on the six elements of Guerlinade. “What type of authority would I bestow upon it?” I would allow it to expand with wood elements and elevate it towards the heavens. The six components serve as the foundation to stabilize you, enabling the woody trunk to expand continuously.

Thierry Wasser’s commitment to intuition above trends, profound regard for the individuals and locales associated with each raw material, and conviction in the emotional resonance of fragrance all highlight his distinctive approach to luxury. In a day where commercial appeal frequently eclipses artistic expression, he provides a revitalizing reminder: Perfume transcends mere fragrance; it encompasses the emotions it evokes.

“Why approach the experience of a fragrance with excessive rationality?” He inquires. “Experiencing emotions is indeed more challenging as it renders one vulnerable, necessitating the revelation of one's inner self.” I am not suggesting that one must disrobe in public at a Guerlain shop to be receptive to exploring the fragrance. Essentially, affirmative. Contemplate, what emotions does it evoke in you?