Dive into a world of captivating scents and enchanting stories as we sit down with PHILIPPE SOLAS, the visionary co-founder of UNE NUIT NOMADE. From a serendipitous encounter in the music industry to the creation of a fragrance house that captures the essence of distant lands, Philippe shares the inspiring journey behind their brand. Discover how each perfume transports us to breathtaking destinations, the collaboration with master perfumers, and the philosophy that drives their quest for olfactory excellence. Join us in uncovering Une Nuit Nomade’s allure.
So, Philippe, could you please share your journey into perfumery and the inspiration behind the creation of Une Nuit Nomade? What is the brand’s ethos, and how did you develop it?
We created ‘Une Nuit Nomade’, Alexandra and I. We met when we were working at the same music label at Universal. Alexandra was an A&R and I was the marketing director. It was a time when the music industry was suffering a lot and we had the opportunity to change our lives.
Following a trip to Bali, we fell in love with the luxuriance there and came back with the idea of creating a body care protocol under the brand ‘Une Nuit à Bali’ which included a perfume as the last step of the protocol, ‘Fleur des Fleurs,’ still the first opus of the Bali collection. Our hearts were already inclined towards perfume at the time, and we were already nomadic. We decided to become a full-fledged maison de parfums, but creating a brand solely dedicated to Bali would have been too restrictive olfactorily. Thus, we created ‘Une Nuit Nomade’, to elegantly awaken our desire to roam from continent to continent, in search of fascinating and breathtaking destinations. We want to tell stories through perfumes, relying on an ultra-colorful illustrated universe, to bring poetry and French elegance.
‘Une Nuit Nomade’ is an invitation to a motionless journey where each inch of your skin becomes a new frontier, meant to reveal a new fragrance, a new emotion. Our quest for a fragrant world is limitless.
Une Nuit Nomade’s portfolio is divided into four main destinations: Bali, Oman, Montauk (USA), and Le Cap (South Africa). Why did you choose these locations as sources of inspiration?
As I mentioned earlier, we want to be storytellers, not travel guides. We choose destinations we have visited and for which there is an olfactory story to tell. There are readings and archives that have inspired us and made us want to create perfumes. This was the case with Montauk, where our entry point, our starting point, was Andy Warhol’s installation in Montauk and all the artistic effervescence that followed. An anecdote, a personality, a moment of the season – all these things feed our imagination. Another example is Oman, which is the land of the Thousand and One Nights, the place where Atlantis is said to be buried. Thus, we sail on these stories to transcribe them into scents.
How do you select the perfumers you work with, and could you walk us through the creation process? How do you brief them to bring your vision to life? Please give one or two examples.
It’s true that we adore perfumers. We have immense respect for their work and the creation process. From the beginning, our desire was to collaborate with very different talents. Each of them has their own way of formulating. There have been encounters that sparked the desire to create. Serendipities and readings have led us to contact certain perfumers.
We had a dream of collaborating with Annick Menardo (for us, one of the very great master perfumers), and a chance event allowed us to present our universe to her. This was for Montauk. We came with a rather detailed brief for what became ‘Memory Motel’. Lots of images of the Stones in Montauk during the summer of ’75, the desire for an androgynous, vintage, sexy perfume like Mick Jagger, with studio recording atmosphere notes. It was quite complete, and she imagined ‘Memory Motel,’ a perfume with great artistic originality. For Oman, we reached out to Jérôme di Marino, a very young nose. We had read a profile of him that explained his love for the Middle East and his apprenticeship alongside Francis Kurkdjian. We met him to develop the collection on Oman. He had some free time and decided to travel with a guide to Oman for inspiration and came back with ideas.
All our processes with the perfumers we collaborate with are different.
The fragrance descriptions on your website highlight natural ingredients such as flower absolutes and resinoids. How do you source them, and how do you address sustainability?
Each natural ingredient or extract from a more virtuous process for nature is unique to each company that provides us with its concentrate. We request in our formulations that the balance between natural and chemical elements be even, and for the natural elements to use only the best of the best. For example, as an anecdote, in Mr. Vetiver from the Bali collection, we used Piri Piri in the base notes (a kind of papyrus with woody and smoky notes) cultivated by the Shipibo Indians in limited quantities. Only brands like ours can have access to this type of ingredient, and that’s what makes the difference in a note.
Who is Une Nuit Nomade’s consumer base, and how do you attract and engage them? Has any release surpassed your expectations in terms of market acceptance and sales?
Our customers are from all over the world, of different ages, and increasingly younger. They are looking for an authentic, unique brand with reasonable prices. They are passionate about niche perfumery. We have a clientele that fits the virtuous circle between store presence, online presence, and influences. We were very pleasantly surprised by the launch of Sugar Leather last year, which quickly became our best seller across all countries, especially in US. There was a real crush on this cinnamon, leather, and caramel accord.
How do you assess the current state of the perfume industry, particularly the niche sector? How do you envision the brand evolving in the next five to ten years?
The perfume niche sector is experiencing notable growth. Consumers are increasingly attracted to unique and exclusive fragrances, seeking artisanal creations and rare ingredients. This trend is driven by a desire for personalization and individuality, moving away from mass-produced perfumes that are often more commercialized. Niche brands emphasize authenticity, high-quality raw materials, and captivating stories behind each fragrance. The growing popularity of online boutiques and social media has also allowed niche brands to reach a wider audience, even beyond major fashion capitals. However, there are more and more new brands entering the market, and a lot of discernment is needed.
We hope to grow organically with all our current clients, and this is already happening. We aim to expand into new territories where we believe our brand, with its DNA and olfactory universe, is well-suited, such as the United States. We also aspire to open our first boutique, although the location remains a mystery for now. And, of course, we intend to continue creating meaningful olfactory stories.
What mark would Une Nuit Nomade like to leave in history?
This is not an easy question. We all hope to leave our mark, especially in the world of fine fragrance. But its history is already rich and commands humility. We would already be very happy to be recognized as an authentic and elegant brand that pays great attention to detail, always striving to renew itself olfactively and in original ways. To have made a large number of perfume lovers travel without moving. The best compliment we can receive comes from someone who has lived in one of our destinations and thanks us for being able to relive a sensation from the time in Montauk, Oman, etc.
In 2 or 3 words, how would you define perfume?
Perfume is a very personal matter; it tells a lot about oneself. It is often the first piece of information another person has about you. However, the time when one thought of finding their lifelong olfactory signature is over. I like to think that one can embody very different olfactory choices depending on the season, mood, or occasion. All while always maintaining the same nobility. Perfume is a second skin.
Philippe, thank you for your time and for sharing valuable insights with us. Would you like to add something before we wrap up?
As I have often said, we love stories. We try to carry them with our hearts, humbly maintaining a delicate balance between connection to nature and refinement. We advocate for a praise of slowness, a praise of scent.
A gift for the ScentXpress readers: UNE NUIT NOMADE has generously provided a free bottle as a special giveaway exclusive to our readers. To be eligible, you just need to sign up for our newsletter and leave an insightful comment below. The winner will be drawn from the comments within 2 weeks from the date of this article’s publication and contacted via email directly.
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Check out Une Nuit Nomade: https://www.unenuitnomade.com
(images cortesy of Une Nuit Nomade, except for the perfumers)
