What do you think is common between oud wood, bergamot, moroccan rose, sandalwood, vanilla, amber, iris, musk, orange, patchouli and skin? The answer can be only one - this is the creative genius of the French perfumer Pierre Montale. He has created unique compositions for his niche brand Montale, which include both the above-mentioned exotic ingredients and many others. Who is this magician who has managed to harmoniously combine the French sophistication and oriental mystery?
World of scents
Smell is one of the most ancient and main feelings, which contributed to the survival of animals and humans. It is simply impossible to imagine our world without smells, although most often a modern person can only divide them into pleasant or unpleasant, or designate somehow. However, without the smell of grass, coffee, freshly baked bread, flowering meadows, red-hot earth on which the first drops of rain fall, our life would have lost a great deal of pleasure.
But even considering the special significance of smells in a life of human, it’s very difficult to imagine that some French boy dreamed of becoming not an astronaut, actor, fireman, or, at worst, a footballer, but a perfumer. And there is no doubt that this was supposed to be a conscious decision. The future creator of the Montale brand, Pierre Montale, saw his future in the world of fragrances.
The master keeps his personal life in secret, so we can only speculate. It is likely that Pierre had a delicate sense of smell, absorbed odors and dreamed of creating his own unique fragrances. Maybe he just wanted to find love, like Grenouille believing that "the one who owns the smell, owns the hearts of people." Moreover, it is rumored that Pierre Montal began to learn the basics of perfumery art precisely on the basis of the classic works of the masters of the city of Grasse (Provence), as well as the mentioned character of Patrick Suskind's novel “Perfume”.
Montale received his diploma at the International Institute of Perfumery, Cosmetics and Food Flavors (ISIPCA), which was founded in 1970 by another famous master, Jean-Jacques Guerlain. The course in this rather expensive institution is designed for two years. It is limited for only 20 students who already have a chemical education, but half of them are eliminated during the training process. But if you graduate from this institute, many doors in the perfume industry will be open for you. Pierre Montale was among the best students. After receiving a diploma, he got an internship in the famous perfume house.
In the early 90s, Montale created his own company and began to produce fragrances for elite customers. Things seemed to be going well, but Pierre wanted to create something special. In search of himself, flavors and unusual ingredients, he went to the East, which beckoned him since childhood. There was a fateful meeting, thanks to which the whole world learned about the Montale brand.
Eastern fairy tale
While traveling, Pierre Montale often carried out individual orders for sultans, sheikhs and other representatives of the high society of the Arab world. However, a real breakthrough in his work was an acquaintance with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. Abdullah ibn Abdul Aziz al-Saud decided to pamper his four wives a little, and asked the French perfumer to create 10 unique flavors for each.
As in many oriental tales, the dream of a little boy came true. Pierre Montale received unlimited resources for his work. He tried many new and unusual ingredients, and eventually found the one that became the main symbol of the Montale brand - oud.
Wood of the gods
An oud (agar) tree, also known as aquilaria, grows predominantly in the Middle East. For centuries, its resin was used not only in this region, but also in India, China and Japan for the manufacture of oil and incense. But the name “wood of the gods” did not just stick to the oud.
The thing is that only half of the 15 types of aquilaria can produce the necessary resin. Moreover, a tree that is not less than one hundred years old must be hit by a special type of fungus. And as the form of a defensive reaction, it will begin to emit a particular resin that accumulates in the affected areas (usually the core). And only this resin can become a material for obtaining oud oil.
You can say that it would be madness to use such a rare and expensive ingredient as a basis for your perfumery line? Maybe, but precisely because of this risk, Pierre Montale has created something unique, and everyone started talking about his brand.
French sophistication and oriental mystery
Having created exclusive fragrances for the wives of the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, Pierre Montal transported them in special aluminum alloy bottles, which made it possible to protect precious essences from sunlight and other external factors. These containers have become another feature of the author’s brand Montale, which was officially registered by its creator in 2001. Two years later in Paris, the perfumer presented his unique collection consisting of two conventional parts: European and Eastern.
Only for this brand, Pierre Montale has created almost 140 flavors. He made a real revolution in the art of perfumery and brought fashion on oud to Europe. In addition to the beloved tree, the master often uses sandalwood, patchouli, orange, vanilla, musk, rose, amber, cedar, saffron and grapefruit. Montale fragrances are easily recognizable, they are used by the most sophisticated audience in Europe and the Middle East.
Pierre Montale claims that his daughter is his muse, and prefers not to spread about himself. The French perfumer believes that his creations speak of the master, and the fragrance should prevail over the person.
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