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Talking To Top International Perfumers
By Janetta Mackay 9:16 AM Wednesday Oct 16, 2013 Janetta Mackay talks to two renowned perfumers who collaborated successfully before finding their own fragrance fame. Christine Nagel and Francis Kurkdjian. In the 10 years since they created a hit fragrance together, perfumers Francis Kurkdjian and Christine Nagel have each separately reinforced their standing as leading international “noses” with stellar solo careers. Both products of the tradition-steeped but commercially demanding French perfume industry, their innovative approaches have a boutique style that sets them apart. Their names are linked professionally as co-creators of the distinctively musky top-selling Narciso Rodriguez For Her perfume, but each has an impressive solo resume and a unique approach to their craft. Kurkdjian found early fame at age 25 when he created Le Male for Jean Paul Gaultier. He became a “go-to guy” for many luxury brands, among them Dior, Armani, Yves Saint Laurent and Ferragamo, most recently creating Elie Saab’s first fragrance. He has also opened his own bespoke boutique brand, Maison Francis Kurkdjian, in Paris and worked on art installations, including creating giant perfume bubbles spotlighted for public exposition at Versailles and in Shanghai. He combines artistry and accessibility, having also crafted Elizabeth Arden’s perennially popular Green Tea spritz and a shelf full of men’s top selling colognes including Joop, Kouros Sport, Davidoff Silver Shadow and, more recently, Rocawear for Jay Z’s company. He has reworked the classics for Acqua di Palma and bottled modern cool for Juliette Has a Gun. Christine Nagel’s newest fragrance, Si, for Giorgio Armani, is about to launch in New Zealand and, judging by sales overseas, seems destined to be another standout. Hers is the name behind a string of designer fragrances, including Miss Dior Cherie, Dolce & Gabbana’s The One and commissions for Kenzo, Lagerfeld, Lancome, Mugler and more. In recent years she has been busiest as master perfumer for the ever-so-English company Jo Malone, helping broaden its global reach. Like Kurkdjian, she is in her 40s, still relatively young for a perfumer. As their answers to Viva’s questions show, the pair’s working connection may have been brief, but the passion they share for perfumery seems set to ensure enduring excellence. Perfumer Christine Nagel. CHRISTINE NAGEL Do you have a signature style? I have the desire to look for new accords, new associations of ingredients. For [Jo Malone] Peony & Blush Suede, the peony flower does not exist as a natural essence in perfumery. This is where a poetic fragrant vision comes into play. The peony essence in Peony & Blush Suede is unique to Jo Malone London as it is my own interpretation, as a woman and a perfumer, of an English peony. The Jo Malone London collaboration runs to about 20 fragrances now, how is it evolving? I consider myself the olfactory instrument of the brand. I always take into consideration the values of the brand and create scents that connect with its philosophies and values. Even if the fragrances are from different families – fruity, woody, floral – there is the same philosophy. The brand has a real style and the fragrances are easily identifiable. I am extremely happy to create fragrances for it. Do you have a favourite Jo Malone London creation? English Pear & Freesia, one of my earlier creations, is a beautiful, light and refreshing fragrance. The newest addition, Peony & Blush Suede, is a very special fragrance to make, taking over two years to create. This fragrance is elegant and sophisticated. What is the fragrance you would have loved to have created? Feminite du Bois by Shiseido is a fragrance I admire; there is so much femininity infused in those woods. How do think women should approach the appreciation of fragrance? Fragrance to me is an aromatic message we send to everybody who has not yet perceived us. Therefore you have to feel at one with your fragrance . . . at this point, you are charming, appealing, seductive. In perfumery, there has been a return to authenticity, to fragrances with an asserted femininity. Once you have decided on a [fragrance] family that suits your style, spend time getting to know the scents to find your distinctive scent combination. Francis Kurkdjian. FRANCIS KURKDJIAN Is perfumery art, craft or a combination? I live my metier as an art. It is an “endless question” whether modern perfume-making is art, craft or business. No matter what, as a perfumer, you need the art of science and the science of the art. What matters to me above all are the emotions I have when I create and the pleasure I give to people who appreciate my work. What is your earliest olfactory memory? I have a lot. My grandmother used to wear Femme by Rochas. I recall the scent of my grandfather’s aftershave lotion he used to blend himself and of my grandparents’ apartments. My father used colognes at night only. The first time I smelled fresh-cut grass is something I remember still. The fragrance you wished you had created? Fougere Royale by Houbigant, the first fragrance that mixed natural and synthetic molecules in 1882. Is there a fragrance note you consider a signature? Notes/ingredients are my vocabulary. My technique is my grammar. Overall, I think my style is about balance and sensuality. I am a storyteller, using scents. In terms of a trademark I may have, it’s always difficult to have enough distance to be able to analyse. I do not know if my style has evolved over the years. I have always been a huge fan of essentials [oils]. Each ingredient must have its position and its reason to be in. Less is definitely more in fragrance-making; however, you have to be careful not to be anorexic. The scent has to be big enough and have a nice, appealing trail/aura. I have tried to touch all kind of fragrance families to cover the biggest olfactory spectrum possible. What is the costliest ingredient you have used and how does it deliver? The most expensive ingredient is orris root absolute (the root of the iris flower). It costs about €$75,000 per kilo. I have used orris in my latest fragrance, Amyris for woman and Amyris for man. The most exotic? Think about a lavender field under the sky of Provence, France, or blooming orange tree flowers in Sicily overlooking the Mediterranean, women hand-picking rosebuds in Iran or Bulgaria when the sun rises in May. To be honest, I do believe each of the natural raw materials I use in my fragrances is exotic. The last I have used is oud oil or agarwood oil, a natural raw material that comes from the south Far East. I have used it in one of my latest works, named OUD, as a tribute to this extravagant, extraordinary ingredient. Do you discern any particular emerging trends in modern fragrance styles? Trend is not something I look at as I work at least 18 months ahead of a launch for my own house and sometimes it’s 24 months for other brands. So by the time the trend comes, I am already working on another fragrance and I have moved on to something else. However, right now there is a comeback on very sexy, glamour and feminine fragrances. Couture fragrances are back to the prestige market while celebrities’ fragrances remain popular. Any advice you would like to share? Perfume is not a beauty product. It is not lipstick, mascara or a nail polish. Perfume is not even a product because perfume is invisible. So let it lead you by the emotion of what you smell and experience. Read about perfumer Christine Nagel’s work with Giorgio Armani here. – VIVA Continue reading
Q&A with Steve Yuzpe of Sprott Resource Corp Discussing Agriculture and Water
“There is absolutely no substitute for water at any price” – Steve Yuzpe Ideas get bigger when you share them… New York, NY, Point Roberts, WA – September 18, 2013 (Investorideas.com Water Stocks Newswire) Investorideas.com, an investor research portal specializing in sector research for independent investors including water and agriculture stocks issues an exclusive interview with Mr. Steve Yuzpe, Chief Financial Officer at Sprott Resource Corp. Mr. Yuzpe provides insight into global trends and opportunities within the sectors. Q: Investorideas.com Where do you see the biggest opportunities in agriculture and can you give us some of the publicly traded companies you like? A: Steve Yuzpe of Sprott Resource Corp Sprott Resource Corp. is the private equity group within the Sprott Group of Companies … so public stocks are not my specialty. That said, the Ag sectors that we like are fertilizers (especially phosphate), healthy food themes and water Q: Investorideas.com Outside of traditional agriculture companies and related suppliers like seeds, fertilizer and transportation do you see agriculture getting more into technology, for example water management and treatment technologies within the actual umbrella of an Ag company? A: Steve Yuzpe of Sprott Resource Corp Yes. I think technology and water management will be very important sub-sectors within the agriculture sector. Technology: has to be part of the solution to deal with the increase in primary production required to feed the planet in the next 40 years. The population will grow by 40 – 50%, but the global grain and oilseed production will need to increase by 80 – 100%. Technology will impact every aspect of primary production (for example, off the top of my head, seed genetics, variable rate farming, farm machinery (smart, auto-steer seeding units), efficient / secure storage, water extraction, enhanced food preservation, etc.) Water: 70% of global water use is from agriculture and significantly more water will be required to increase global production. Improvements in technology, awareness and conservation are all part of the solution. There is absolutely no substitute for water at any price. Q: Investorideas.com How do you see the global eating trends of organic, vegetarian and vegan impacting agriculture, for an example the growing shift from sugar to alternatives like stevia? A: Steve Yuzpe of Sprott Resource Corp The trend in wealthy countries is an increase in ‘healthy diets’ … I think the themes of organic, hormone free, antibiotic free, nitrate free, grass fed, etc. are poised to gain mindshare of consumers, which should lead to investment opportunities. Q: Investorideas.com I have read that countries in the Middle East and China have bought up agricultural lands with water rights globally in anticipation of drought and bigger issues in food supplies from climate change. How will that impact the global picture long term? A: Steve Yuzpe of Sprott Resource Corp The counties you mention have to deal with the very real threats of food security and food inflation. The rise in commodity prices has already contributed to the overthrow of regimes in the Middle East and in the last 5-years has led to riots across from Bahrain all the way to Morocco and is driving up costs in China and India. The way that water is priced and managed globally leads us to believe that localized water shortages are inevitable. As mentioned above, Canada is lucky that we have significant water resources. Opportunities exist because agriculture is facing serious issues in the near and long-term. We will likely solve some of the issues we are facing, but I don’t see how we can solve them all. The long-term impact is tough to predict. All over the world there has been a strong pushback against foreign buyers of farmland. Q: Investorideas.com Are you looking at South American opportunities and if so where? For example I published an article from another writer recently entitled “It’s a good time to buy land in Argentina”, based on falling coffee and sugar prices . A: Steve Yuzpe of Sprott Resource Corp We like certain jurisdictions in South America and would definitely avoid others. Our investment style considers geopolitical risk, currency risk, etc., in addition to return profile of the investment. For example, we have a large position in Union Agriculture Group, a large farming operation in Uruguay. We also have a large position in Stonegate Agricom, which has a phosphate deposit in Peru. Q: Investorideas.com What will be the driving force to get more investors into agriculture and water? Do you think like a lot of other sectors, that it will be event driven (water shortages, drought, and contamination) or simply pocket book related as prices rise? A: Steve Yuzpe of Sprott Resource Corp The agriculture segment is much smaller than other investment sectors. To bring more investors into the sector, we also need to build and develop more companies and products to invest in. It could legitimately be from either event driven or market driven (inflation protection) event, but likely it is from a linked event. A geopolitical or production crisis (weather, etc.) would start prices to rise and fear and greed would exacerbate the price moves. Q: Investorideas.com Where do you think Canada fits into the global market? A: Steve Yuzpe of Sprott Resource Corp Long term, Canada has a very important role to play in primary food production … a large arable land base, already a net exporter of production (with a small population, so little chance that production will be held back from export in a food crisis), significant water resources, geopolitical stability, infrastructure is in place, experienced farmers and a system of strong food safety standards. About Steve Yuzpe, Chief Financial Officer Mr. Yuzpe has over 10 years of financial administration management experience with public and private corporations. Over his career, Mr. Yuzpe has developed specific expertise in financial and internal reporting, strategic development and business planning, corporate governance, investor relations, regulatory compliance, treasury, financings and restructurings. Since 2009, Mr. Yuzpe has served as the Chief Financial Officer of Sprott Resource Corp., and is currently the chairman of One Earth Farms Corp., as well as a director of One Earth Oil and Gas Inc. Mr. Yuzpe has also been involved with Street Kids International, a charity focused on youth at risk, as the Treasurer, member of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors for more than 10 years. He was also a founding board member of Inroads to Agriculture Institute, an organization whose mission is to help Aboriginal people secure full time employment in the agricultural industry through training and employment support. Mr. Yuzpe holds a Bachelor of Science, Engineering (Mechanical) degree from Queen’s University along with the Professional Engineering designation (P.Eng.) and a Masters in Business Administration from the Richard Ivey School of Business in London, Ontario. Mr. Yuzpe is also a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charter holder. Continue reading
Biochar Symposium Scheduled For Oct. 13-16
U.S. Biochar Initiative September 9, 2013 Biochar has the potential to increase crop yields and nutrient value, conserve water, combat climate change, and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, according to the U.S. Biochar Initiative (USBI). The problem is that relatively few people have heard of biochar, a form of charcoal that can help restore soil carbon, filter stormwater runoff, and reduce greenhouse gasses. Farmers, foresters, researchers, biochar producers, entrepreneurs, and environmentalists will convene in Amherst, Mass. on October 13-16, 2013 to learn more about biochar and share the latest research and application techniques with their peers. The 2013 USBI North American Biochar Symposium, titled “Harvesting Hope: The Science and Synergies of Biochar,” will take place on the UMass Amherst campus and include farm tours and a “carbon negative” banquet of delicious foods grown with the help of biochar. The conference is sponsored by USBI. “The biochar industry is turning waste into ‘black gold’ for agriculture,” stated conference director, Karen Ribeiro. “Biothermal energy companies are extracting the biochar as a byproduct and selling it. Farmers are enriching their soil by adding biochar. The biochar-enriched soil is sequestering carbon, which can reverse the carbon build-up in the atmosphere,” she added. “The biochar movement is heating up,” Ribeiro said. “Biochar producers are reaching a point of profitability. Everyone wants biochar to scale up faster, from the gardener who’s creating their own biochar in a cookstove to companies like Cool Planet Energy Systems, which has attracted investors like BP, Google Ventures, and ConocoPhillips.” She added, “The symposium is a space where activists and investors can find common ground.” The conference will feature keynotes by Congressman James McGovern and renowned author Frances Moore Lappe, as well as a plenary with international biochar authority Johannes Lehmann of Cornell University. Activities will range from an introductory half-day workshop for farmers and gardeners on Sunday, Oct. 13, that is open to the public to presentations from scientists and researchers from around the globe. “Expanding the use of biochar can simultaneously help address food security, conserve water and reduce our dependence on fossil fuel,” said Ted Wysocki, chair of the Pioneer Valley Biochar Initiative, which is hosting the conference. “We need to get more people and companies involved. So in addition to the tracks on the science and benefits of biochar, policy and community engagement, and feedstocks and production, we’ve got an entire track focused on scale, sales and marketing,” Wysocki said. Attendees won’t just be talking about biochar, they’ll be chewing on information at a “carbon negative” banquet on Monday, Oct. 14, from 5-9 p.m. at UMass, which is also open to the public. “Our ‘Biochar Banquet’ will feature delicious local produce grown in biochar-conditioned soil, as well as a variety of local meat and ‘adult beverages’ enhanced by biochar,” Wysocki explained. The public is also invited to a free Video Lounge featuring Ted Talks, feature films, and select YouTube videos on Oct. 14 and 15, from 10 a.m.-10 p.m., and on Oct.r 16, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. To view the conference schedule, visit http://scholarworks….u/biochar/2013/ . To register, go to http://symposium2013…ar.org/register . Continue reading
