If niche perfumes often aim to transport the senses, Memo Paris has made it their credo. Created in 2007, the Parisian house imagines perfume as an epic, evoking the olfactory landscape of distant destinations. All of this is set against a backdrop of poetry. This summer, the brand takes us to India with one of its latest unisex fragrances, Madurai. Here’s why you’ll love it as much as we do.
Niche perfumery, which emerged in the 1980s, is more popular than ever. Aimed at connoisseurs, these avant-garde fragrances seek to create the unexpected by daring to use surprising blends. They cater to a smaller audience, looking for scents that can’t be found just anywhere. And it works! Proof of this is the total number of niche perfume launches, which reached a peak of 1563 in 2023, an increase of 16% compared to 2022, according to perfume expert Michael Edwards.
Among the still little-known houses competing with industry giants, Memo Paris stands out for the quality of its unisex creations, as well as the worlds it creates. Each perfume evokes poetry and storytelling that awakens a desire to travel. . This is reflected not only in the visual design of the perfume, created by an illustrator, but also by being displayed in treasure chests at various points of sale.
Memo as Memory
Behind Memo Paris are Clara Molloy, a Catalan poet, and her husband John Molloy, an Irish entrepreneur. Passionate about travel, they decided in 2007 to launch their own perfume house to transcribe their memories into olfactory creations. They surrounded themselves with renowned perfumers such as Marypierre Julien, Juliette Karagueuzoglou, and Gaël Montero.
Their process begins with the choice of a destination and a guideline, written in the form of a poem. This is how the founder shares the emotions felt during her journey. The perfumer then has total freedom to express their creativity and craft unique compositions. They also have carte blanche in the choice and quality of ingredients.
Although the brand now has three collections (Fleurs Bohèmes, Graines Vagabondes, Cuirs Nomades), it is known for being one of the pioneers in using leather scents in its fragrance compositions. The Cuirs Nomades collection is one of Memo Paris’s best-sellers.
Niche perfumes, an art form!
In addition to the original compositions of its fragrances, which provide a multitude of emotions, Memo Paris stands out for the very intimate worlds it creates. Art holds a significant place in the hearts of the founders. For each creation, an artist is invited to give their own vision of the perfume through a drawing. The illustrated bottles of these niche perfumes allow one to immerse themselves further into the ambiance of the chosen destination. Note that each fragrance has its own dedicated book to further populate its world.
Dreamlike, the Parisian house is also socially engaged. Throughout the year, it participates in various international fairs to present the works of the artists with whom it collaborates.
Escape to the Lands of India
This season, we’re falling for Madurai, one of Memo Paris’s latest unisex products from the Fleurs Bohèmes collection. Legend has it that this sacred city in southern India was born after a drop of divine nectar fell from the hair of Shiva, one of the most important gods in Hinduism. From this journey, Clara Molloy remembers the thousand colors of the Mînâkshî temple, the scents of jasmine, turmeric, and the colorful market stalls. The result is a sunny composition by Gaël Montero, a perfumer friend of the house (he designed the Cappadocia perfume).
Madurai opens with the zesty and aromatic freshness of lemon, bergamot, clary sage, and peach essences. There is also a hint of turmeric in the top notes, adding a spicy touch. The heart becomes more floral with jasmine sambac, tuberose absolute, and tagetes essence, also known as small-flowered marigold. In the base notes, sandalwood essence and a suede blend (which recreates the animal and woody scent secreted by musk deer) bring creamy and voluptuous aromas to the fragrance. The bottle is inspired by the hypnotic patterns found on the ceiling of the Mînâkshî temple.
As you can see, Madurai is one of those colorful, highly nuanced niche perfumes that inevitably makes us want to escape. To continue this Indian escapade, we recommend another one of our favorites from the house, Indian Leather. This perfume blends a heart of cypriol (a plant with a woody and spicy scent), oud essence, and a leather blend.
And if your heart desires, journey to Turkey with Cappadocia, the latest creation from Memo Paris, where saffron is magnified by a soft floral bouquet, creamy woods, and resins.
Price: 2770 DH for a 75 ml bottle.
Available at Esthécare.
Picture (c): Memo Paris
