​NOTES FROM THE PERFUMER: Floris London Vert Fougère

NOTES FROM THE PERFUMER

Nicola Pozzani, Floris London

"How to reinterpret a style which has been loved for more than a century? When Edward Bodenham, 9th generation Floris family member, set the task, I felt both inspired and challenged." We hear from Floris in-house perfumer, Nicola Pozzani as he speaks about his own inspiration behind our new scent and his interpretation of the iconic Fougère fragrance.

"Revolutionary in its composition, Fougère, the French for fern, can be described as the first example of ‘abstract’ in perfumery, as an ‘olfactory imagination’ of the fern. A Fougère to me is a perfect marriage of opposites: crisp, smart freshness versus sensuous, indulgent warmth. It’s sparkle and mystery, light and shade, it's citrus herbal notes mingling with the woody oriental."

"This one we’re creating is a Floris Fougère so I thought of London but also of our Mediterranean roots: it has to be understated and vigorous, I told myself. Fern brings us to a garden landscape, and so these natural references became for me the metaphor in composing this new Fougère interpretation."

"I first envisioned an English herbal garden at twilight, so I took that very English scent of lavender, made it dewy and dark green with patchouli and the sappy scent of galbanum - green notes were my first love in perfumery. In contrast, I crafted a touch of Mediterranean sunlight in the background, with a bittersweet citrus floral accord of bergamot, grapefruit and neroli. A thin layer of cool spice, ginger, cuts through with palatable freshness. This is a timid sunlight, like that of an autumn morning."

"Fougère stands for endurance so there comes the robust smell of cedarwood, coming from a red wood which can last thousands of years. Finally I played with cashmere woods, a hint of vanilla and benzoin and boosted it with a ‘smoke accord’ for coziness."

"Like all novelties I hope Vert Fougère will take you on a journey and become a new classic in your fragrance wardrobe."

Nicola Pozzani has been working for Floris for 5 years and this marks his first creation into the Floris Private Collection.