Matiere Premiere is a brand that is easy to love. The basic idea that gave birth to this French brand, Matiere Premiere (“Raw Materials” in English), is pretty obvious from the name: the respect for precious raw materials from around the world used as an inspiration for unique perfumery gems. The brand does not use synthetic coloring agents. The color of their perfumes is natural and can evolve, without altering their quality.
Matiere Premiere was created by Aurélien Guichard, a 7th-generation Master Perfumer born in Grasse, raised in Paris and Grasse, who is famous world-wide. After 14 years at Givaudan, the world’s leading flavour and fragrances company, Aurélien Guichard became the senior perfumer of beauty conglomerate Takasago, and the nose behind some of the world’s most appreciated fragrances, from Tom Ford’s Sole Di Positano to Gucci’s Guilty and even Comme des Garçons’ whimsical Play. Aurélien Guichard also worked with Carine Roitfeld, the fashion icon, on the creation of the first scent of her „7 Lovers” Collection. The pair’s collaboration was so memorable that Carine decided to name one of the fragrances after him.
His „Ars Poetica” aka his creative profile is, in his own words, the following: „One idea, taking shape around one exceptional natural ingredient. Each raw material is sublimated to create unique, impactful, genderless fragrances. Natural raw material is the essential basis of creation, for a perfumer. Its selection according to the terroirs, growth and transformation methods (from which its quality flows) is the starting point for an extraordinary creation; it is at the center of my conception, of a perfumer’s work. It is part of our promise, and MATIERE PREMIERE holds it in its very name.”
In 2016, Aurélien Guichard - together with his family founded a Rose Centifolia organic farm in the famous Grasse region, known as the “perfume capital of the world”. He is the only Perfumer to own and produce his own Rose Centifolia. Following a family and regional know-how, he cultivates thousands of Roses on an exceptional terroir, recognized as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2018.
Rose Centifolia, also known as Rose de Mai is a hybrid rose developed by Dutch rose breeders in the period between the 17th century and the 19th century. It is one of the herbs mentioned in all ancient scriptures of Ayurveda and it has pharmacological use including in treatments for asthma, hypertension and bronchitis. It is widely cultivated for its fragrance, clear & sweet with light notes of honey. The widespread uses of Rosa Centifolia in traditional systems of medicine have resulted in their extensive chemical analysis for their bio-active principles.
After years of development, Aurélien Guichard has launched his own collection of fragrances: Matiere Premiere. The line, consists of six, unisex fragrances inspired by the world around us: Cologne Cedrat, Parisian Musk, Bois D’Ebene, Neroli Oranger, Santal Austral and Radical Rose.
Daring and elegant, the perfumer meticulously created each scent around a single note that he found in nature. Obtained only through local and organic harvests from around the world, these six key ingredients are brought to life by an array of natural notes that create interesting and complex interactions of scent.
Parisian Musc, for instance, is based on ambrette seed found from Peru, and combines woody notes from cedar oil with musky ambrettolide supreme. Meanwhile, Neroli Oranger plays with the purity of Tunisian orange blossom and highlights its freshness with citrus oils found from Lebanon and Italy, ylang-ylang, and floral musks. The most carnal experience of the collection, though, is Encens Suave, a sensual incense accentuated by notes of labdanum, benzoin, coffee, and vanilla.
Inspired by the tradition of high perfumery, all six Matiere Premiere scents are bottled in vial-shaped glasses that reference the science of the development process. The result of a search for balance and harmony in the natural world, the collection is a straightforward approach to what is often perceived as the enigmatic art of perfumery.
At the beginning of the creative process of each fragrance is an original idea, embodied by an overdosed raw material, then faceted by the composition work of the perfumer. All natural raw materials are selected by Aurélien Guichard himself according to very strict criteria, with traceable and controlled origins, maceration and maturation.
The bottles are entirely handmade using the same technique used in crystal glassworks.
Matiere Premiere offers a personal, contemporary approach to French high-end perfume creation structured around one exceptional, carefully sourced natural ingredient. Each and every fragrance sends a clear and direct message, from a bottle designed with style in a coherent, accomplished work of art.