FINE AND EXQUISITE FRAGRANCE-MAKING
Ormaie
All-natural fragrances without synthetic ingredients are a rarity due to the complexity involved in their creation. French maison Ormaie, however, has mastered this intricate and secretive process. This unique, family-run perfume house was founded by Baptiste Bouygues, who has a background with Louis Vuitton and Givenchy, and his mother, Marie-Lise Jonak, an award-winning fragrance consultant affectionately referred to as ‘maman.’
Their attention to detail is evident in their collaboration with local French companies, using recycled glass for the bottles and wood from renewable beech forests for the caps. In this interview, we delve into the philosophy behind their exquisite fragrance house and learn about their meticulous production process.
Marie-Lise and Baptiste, how would you describe each other?
Baptiste: Maman is an incredible person. She’s the most loyal person I know, with exceptional emotional intelligence. Working with her is fantastic because trust is never an issue; I can always rely on her. She’s a genius in her field and, though she can be quirky at times, every son finds his mother a bit odd.
Marie-Lise: Baptiste was always a brilliant and creative student. He’s perpetually positive, loves peace, and enjoys seeing people happy. He detests hurting or criticizing others. His lifelong dream was to create a maison, and the inception of Ormaie was entirely his idea.
Baptiste, you had a successful career with Louis Vuitton and Givenchy. Despite Marie-Lise’s established career, why did you decide to shift paths and start Ormaie?
I’ve always been passionate about creation and expressing emotions through various media. Despite a successful career, I felt the need to channel this passion. I’ve always admired artisans, and from a young age, I was drawn to watching craftsmen at work. To be close to them, you need a maison. The shift was more a necessity than a decision, driven by a love for craftsmanship and a desire to focus on creativity and product quality.
You’ve spent considerable time in Asia, with Baptiste partly raised there. Do you see any Eastern influences in your fragrances?
Yes, attention to detail is one influence. Aesthetic codes from childhood stay with you. Our exposure to different scents and fragrances in Asia has shaped our olfactive culture, which is unique to us. I spent time in Thai temples surrounded by incense and flowers, fostering a special connection to nature.
As mother and son, you work well together. Do you ever clash?
We collaborate effectively, and working with family ensures a level of trust that’s unbreakable. In the realm of perfume, our shared experiences, like memories of scents from my grandparents’ home, make our creative process seamless.
Creating 100% natural fragrances is impressive. What’s your secret to achieving this?
Nature’s beauty and elegance inspire us. Our secret lies in time and quality raw materials. We spent nearly two years developing the scents, learning to work with natural ingredients. Natural fragrances need more time to rest, so we let the essences unite for three months before bottling.
Your use of recycled glass and renewable wood is remarkable. Is sustainability important to you?
Absolutely. Beauty and goodness are closely linked. When extreme care is taken in product quality, it extends to the production process. This intuitive approach resonates with many people today.
The typography for each product is unique. Why such attention to detail in labeling?
Typography is part of our creative process. Working with artists, we wanted the typography to bring life to the letters. Collaborating with Jean Baptiste Levée, we realized each letter needed an alteration to maintain creativity and uniqueness.
What is your creative process?
It begins with a desire to capture a memory or moment, like the jungle in South America for L’Ivrée Bleue. We crafted it with dark vanilla from Madagascar, cacao, rum, and iris for an addictive fragrance. Toï Toï Toï, meaning ‘good luck’ in German, features beautiful woods reminiscent of an opera.
How do you choose the names for your fragrances?
Naming is a critical, often lengthy process involving many discussions. Sometimes, the perfect name emerges spontaneously in conversation.
Which fragrance is your favorite, and why?
I love them all, but I wear Le Passant, dedicated to my father. Maman prefers Yvonne, which honors her mother.