“Odors have a power of persuasion stronger than that of words, appearances, emotions, or will. The persuasive power of an odor cannot be fended off, it enters into us like breath into our lungs, it fills us up, imbues us totally. There is no remedy for it.”
― Patrick Süskind
Throughout the journey of Papillon Perfumery, a business started by my mother three years ago, I have been fortunate enough to read some of the most exquisitely worded reviews of her three fragrances. Such reviews have effortlessly captured the personal and aesthetic interpretations that arise when writing about perfume, so often charged with intimate feelings and artistic ingenuity, no less than these fragrances deserve. Despite my closeness with the company (and of course, with its creator) I find myself unable to match the accomplished craftsmanship of these writers (all of whom will be credited at the end of this post) – I can only admire from an austere distance both the beauty of the perfumes and the reviews that cradle them.
So it is with frustration that I admit I haven’t reviewed the fragrances myself. However, from day one I have watched the precious Papillon seed blossom, and while still green, the fruits of three years of labor are already proving themselves to be impeccably sweet. So what can I contribute on such an important day in the Papillon calendar; well aside from skipping around the studio in a bubble of champagne and anticipation fueled excitement and sending the odd email, I can offer a very brief glimpse into what it is that I think makes Papillon so special. A little bias, and with a touch of whimsy, this is a story from dream to launch date, and I believe it is still only the first chapter.
When you watch someone who is passionate working it can be so many things. The first of these is inspiring. At an age where you are questioning your own future, watching someone pursue their dreams against all odds can ignite a strength in you to reject the mundane monotony that can creep into our lives before we are able to shut it out. It can also be scary. Not only for the inherent and practical risks that arise from starting your own business, but from the sheer stress that only manifests when you have truly placed your heart and soul into something. But watching the spectrum of emotions, and the ardor that remained at its core, unravel itself, inevitably arouses a silent mantra that underpins the highs and the lows of such a life changing experience:
“It could work. It will work. It has to work…”
In the beginning there was one perfumer, one garden, four children, a library of perfume bibles, a spattering of essential oils and an infinity of olfactory dreams ready to be unlocked.
At times, it was slightly chaotic…And the working environment wasn’t always a picture of professionalism and serenity as may be imagined..
Stylish in the studio
Daisy assisting with stock
Rowan’s creative sketches for the Papillon bottles
Just some cats probably not helping very much…
but gradually things began to take shape.
Penning Perfumes event – Bristol
Penning Perfumes event – Bristol: Liz & David Briggs
Scent Lovers event
Trademark
Things were spilled, smashed, changed, proof read, edited, filtered, re-filtered, decanted, tweaked, rejected…
To give you the three perfumes that are available today.
There is still one perfumer, one garden, but five children, a swollen library with bursting shelves of perfume bibles, journals and notebooks, a studio of the finest materials, a company, a financial director, a collection of three beautiful perfumes…and an infinity of olfactory dreams, still ready to be unlocked.
So what does the future hold for Papillon? The fragrances are now available from the Papillon website, and will be launched in Les Senteurs in London in July. After this? Well that would be telling. But keep your ear to the ground, because Papillon still has a lot of tricks up its sleeve.
Well done Ma, a beautiful day for a beautiful launch.