Artist Residency Day Twelve (Final)
Where to begin? Moreover, where to end?
It was truly an honour to have the time, space, and interest of the Ethics Centre Australia. I learnt a lot, consolidated ideas, confirmed suspicions.
And so where do we stand, ethically, in perfumery? I spoke to Evaluator and International Globetrotter Clayton Ilolahia of Fragrances of the World about his thoughts on the big fragrance companies (not the perfume brands, but the companies that supply perfume ingredients and also, perfumers themselves).
“The focus is mainly on sustainability,” he says, “It can't keep being the elephant in the room forever, so, most of them have some sort of sustainability framework.”
He is, of course, correct. You can’t harvest ingredients from the earth and not discuss the sustainbility of the activity (unles you're a mining or petrol company, or an industrial agricultural farm, but even then they usually have some fancy webpage on how they're working on their carbon footprint… let's not go there). Symrise, Robertet, CPL Aromas, Givaudan, all have areas on their websites dedicated to The Cause, which is heartening at the least - I can't say that the most cynical of us would be totally convinced, but it's much better than an audacious lack thereof.
IFF goes a little closer to ethics by addressing staff diversity and inclusion plus a few other social responsbility topics. The Swiss approach of keeping everyone happy is alive and well. Facetiousness aside, this is respectable and modern business practice for such a powerful company and sets an excellent example of what the other (rival!) companies should be striving for.
So, to the scented painting and its many Australian ingredients. Have we got a hope of starting up an ethically-sound perfume industry in Australia? I ask Clayton. Clayton, I'll have you know, travels around the world sniffing fragrances from the whole industry; from your mass-market Chanel Chance flanker to your deeply niche, made-by-hand baby brand from Slovenia (or whatever). He is over 10 years deep in the perfume industry and has a firm grip on what the movement is both on the consumer side and on the brand side.
“Australian natives are seen more as ‘wellness' ingredients, such as for aromatherapy and candles, et cetera,” he says. I am inclined to agree, for the most part - I often ask my bespoke clients to sniff something and tell me their thoughts before I reveal what it is. 7 times out of 10, they won't realise it's a native, and 9 times out of 10, they like it anyway - the impression has already been set. However, if I say the dreaded ‘eucalyptus', the aversion begins before their nose reaches the scent strip.
However, let's not forget that mimosa, a favourite of french perfumery and their favourite “summer floral" is in fact our national floral emblem, wattle. Acacia dealbata, to be precise. It was taken by the Brits to southern France and it grows in the rocky Riviera region very nicely. So actually, a rose by any other name, it seems.
I look to Aesop, and Goldfield and Banks, and even Jo Malone - you can in fact capitalise on our native botanicals but you have to be VERY careful about it. There are Australian perfumer brands that incorporate our species nicely - Metascent, Cygnet, Wyalba, and The Raconteur (and subsequently Tsu Lange Yor) come to mind. Personally, I think the intrigue of us as a “far away" country and the hunger for new notes and ingredients will inevitably lead the industry here. It may take some time for the wave to gather volume and momentum but I do believe it grows.
And the painting itself?
It's currently still at the Ethics Centre, drying and gently gently glowing with scent. I gave it the colours I saw in my mind as I sniffed; many layers of them. Deep silver-greens of eucalyptus, and the dark ocean blue of citronellol. Bright fruity myrtles, and the pink yumminess of strawberry eucalypt. Vanillin gives it a powdery pearlescence, and way behind is a hint of baby blue for the ambroxan.
I don't know where it will live, or for how long. But I hope that it feeds thought and brings joy wherever it ends up.
Fin.
