BAZAAR

Last year, Hermès’s first ‘millenial’ fragranceburst onto the perfume scene with itsexuberant ginger and tuberose notes—a white floral with a fun twist. This year,to give it greater lasting power, the brand hasextended Twilly (the name refers to the slimHermès scarves that women often tie totheir handbags) into an entire bathtimeexperience with a perfume, soap, body wash,and moisturiser to indulge in.What was the idea behind the extensiveTwilly d’Hermès Le Bain range?Seeing. Smelling. Touching. Discovering.Listening. Melting.A bathtime ritual is an invitation to all thesenses, and offers a perfuming experiencejust as intense, intimate, and special asapplying perfume itself. The concentrationis not the same, and so you can apply several layers with theTwilly d’Hermès.While creating the Twilly, what was your aim?I was inspired by young women who turn convention onits head, who are creative, almost irreverent. Playfulness isin their nature. I observed them, watched them lead theirlives, and I got a sense of them. I then discovered an obviousconnection between Hermès’s free spirit and these youngwomen. To represent them, I chose three ingredients andgave them a twist: Tuberose, ginger, and sandalwood.Which is your favourite product from the collection?No favourites—they are all my children, but as I’mespecially sensitive to texture perhaps it would be theMoisturizing Body Balm.Was there a moment in your life when you knew thatyou wanted to be a ‘nose’?I remember it like it was yesterday. I had this absolute certaintythat I will be a perfumer, that I had to be a perfumer. It wasobvious, a necessity.I belong to a generation where there are very few womenperfumers. When I started, nothing predisposed me to this``````profession. On the contrary, I had anumber of handicaps—I was not thedaughter of a perfumer, I did notcome from Grasse, and I was awoman. At that time, to be a womanand a perfumer were incompatible.Fortunately, times have changed, andI am very thrilled about womenbecoming stronger, even in fieldsusually dominated by men.Tell us of a scent memory thatstands out clearly in your mind.The smell of Borotalco, the Italiantalcum powder that my motherused. It was a constant during mychildhood, and my first realolfactory memory. I am still drawnto products that contain some ofthe elements that make up that talc. It’s my version ofProust’s madeleine.What is a note that you particularly enjoy workingwith, and why?My love fluctuates and I have no preconceptions aboutany ingredients. When I discover an ingredient, I want toknow everything—I want to knead it, crush it, work it,experiment with it. I want to take it where I like, coax it.I want to push its boundaries. I want to force it, tame it.I work sparingly, with few raw materials, because I’mconvinced that what matters is by definition simple.At Hermès, the beauty of raw materials is central to alltheir crafts. It’s an absolute luxury that lets me go whereno one else goes.Fragrance is so entwined with nostalgia. Is theresomething that you are nostalgic for?I don’t think about nostalgia but about emotion.Fragrances create emotions and touch the sensibilities ofthe people that will wear it. They resonate with ourmemories and hopes, because they represent somethingpersonal and emotional. ■``````For the launch of the Twilly d’Hermès Le Bain collection,perfumer Christine Nagel speaks exclusively to Bazaar about beinginspired by playfulness and her love for fragrancesHIGH NOTEChristine Nagel``````SEE WHERE TO BUY FOR DETAILSALL IMAGES COURTESY THE BRAND