New Cartier fragrance laboratory recalls a chic Parisian apartment
Cartier perfumer Mathilde Laurent unveils her art- and design-filled fragrance laboratory in Paris
Cartier perfumer Mathilde Laurent has created a singular fragrance laboratory in the heart of Paris’ golden triangle, on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. Laurent has been the in-house perfumer for the brand since 2005 and her previous lab in the Fondation Cartier building was a captivating blend of clinical and commercial aesthetics, featuring perfume-lined shelves that recalled Damien Hirst's Pharmacy and a glass-paned office reminiscent of American fashion designer Halston’s in the Olympic Tower (as seen in the eponymous Netflix series).
Laurent’s new interiors maintain the appealingly clean style of the former space, but are infused with the warmth and cosiness of a Parisian apartment.
Nestled under a row of rooftops, the cloistered space has been designed to evoke the natural world, with a Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance chaise longue evoking a cluster of trees, a Nendo for Moroso table of clouds, and Stéphanie Marin pebble-like ‘Livingstones’ cushions.
An oversized plaster nose modelled after a sculpture in the Hellenic collection of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs emerges from the wall and greets visitors as soon as they walk in. Upstairs is a terrace with a plant sanctuary where fresh herbs and flowers are gathered and used to make herbal teas, which are served as a ‘warm perfume’.
Laurent thinks of Cartier’s fragrances as invisible jewellery and her new studio does have the ambience of a jewellery workshop, with precious design objects scattered around its various white surfaces.
For Laurent, art, design and fragrance are all fundamental elements of Cartier’s identity. As she told us ahead of the launch of the house’s OSNI 1 art installation in 2017 (a cloud- and perfume-filled glass pavilion at the Palais de Tokyo), ‘I’m not an artist, but it’s good to remember that Cartier has always considered and been close to contemporary art – from the creation of Fondation Cartier in the 1970s. I feel that to create a piece like this is our duty as a house because it’s important that we sustain olfactory art like all others. Sense of smell is very important.’
INFORMATION
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Mary Cleary is a writer based in London and New York. Previously beauty & grooming editor at Wallpaper*, she is now a contributing editor, alongside writing for various publications on all aspects of culture.
-
Tech Editor, Jonathan Bell, selects six new and notable Bluetooth speaker designs, big, small and illuminating
These six wireless speakers signal new creative partnerships and innovative tech approaches in a variety of scales and styles
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
As London’s V&A spotlights Mughal-era design, Santi Jewels tells of its enduring relevance
‘The Great Mughals: Art, Architecture and Opulence’ is about to open at London’s V&A. Here, Mughal jewellery expert and Santi Jewels founder Krishna Choudhary tells us of the influence the dynasty holds today
By Hannah Silver Published
-
London bar Bauhaus Warehaus is a factory by day, drinking den by night
Mixologist of the moment Remy Savage shakes up the world of cocktail-making with a hardworking sibling to A Bar with Shapes for a Name, his Bauhaus-inspired bar enterprise in east London
By Neil Ridley Published
-
Reimagining roses: experimental takes on rose perfumes
Rose perfumes – the most traditional of fragrances – are being given an unconventional edge by niche and big-name brands
By Mary Cleary Published
-
These California-inspired perfumes are perfect for summer
California-inspired perfumes from Celine, Louis Vuttion and more are an ode to the multifaceted personalities of the Golden State
By Mary Cleary Published
-
Jasmin Bonheur is a new perfume from Guerlain and Maison Matisse
Guerlain Jasmin Bonheur is the fragrance house’s colourful collaboration with Maison Matisse. Perfumer Thierry Wasser tells us more
By Mary Cleary Published
-
Cartier unveils its latest fragrance installation, OSNI 2
An artistic project from Cartier’s head perfumer Mathilde Laurent, OSNI 2 transforms fragrance into a tangible experience
By Mary Cleary Published
-
A glimpse inside the strange and secretive world of Serge Lutens
Serge Lutens – whose career encompasses fragrance, beauty, photography and film – has launched his first home fragrance collection. To mark the launch, we tour Lutens’ sprawling Marrakech foundation, a kaleidoscopic complex of beautifully decorated riads
By Mary Cleary Last updated
-
The best perfumes for women take a cue from history
The best perfumes for women look to both historical and fictional figures to inspire their inclusive take on femininity. We share our selects here
By Mary Cleary Last updated
-
Diptyque’s classic florals blossom into digital bouquets
Diptyque reimagines its signature floral fragrances through the work of digital floral artist Bas Meeuws
By Mary Cleary Last updated
-
Seeing scent: the moodboard behind DS & Durga's new fragrance
The New York perfumers give us an exclusive peak at the images that inspired their latest fragrance enhancer, ‘Crystal Pistil'
By Mary Cleary Last updated