Interview with Mona Di Orio of Mona Di Orio Perfumes: “olfactory chiaroscuro”+ Les Nombres D’Or Draw

 

 

 Mona Di Orio fragrances have always enjoyed a cult following among a select group of the cognoscenti. Mystery surrounded her inaugural line (reminding me of another Mona) from its launch to the present.  One day they were at Bergdorf Goodman, Aedes and other shoppes in NYC. Then poof they were gone. Many say based on a perfume critic's negative reviews. There were even rumors the House was going out of business. But Mona loyalists ordered from her website and stayed true.

 

 

Now a new  direction of Mona Di Orio fragrances have  been welcomed by many and appeal to a wider niche audience- Les Nombres d'Or. I fell in love with Musc and Ambre, and found them to be beautifully constructed (and  for me personally just as complex as her previous line  but infinitely more wearable). In this interview  Mona reveals herself, so  that her fragrances have a context for those who are unfamiliar with her work, for those who are dissapointed by the new direction and those like me who applaud it.

 

You were born in France to a Spanish mother and an Italian father what aspect of each culture has influenced you olfactive and personally?

  It’s above all a deep Mediterranean influence. My grandmothers and my mother are all excellent cooks and I spent a lot of time observing them when they were in their kitchen or going with them to the market, I was always trying to touch and smell the fruits and vegetables. Indeed the market is the first place I visit when I travel, it informs me about the habits and customs of the country.
 Our meals were always full of flavor, color and happiness
 . 

 


I am steeped in Mediterranean culture, where cuisine and conviviality have an important place. Obviously all these scents and flavors influenced me a lot as they always attract me really deeply.

 When did you decide to become a perfumer?

 Quite early I must say ! Well, as a young girl I was already captivated by all the different fragrances around me, I was literally fascinated with the "olfactory world" and trying to capture each tiny scents. When I had created my first "perfume", blending some rose petals and fresh lemon juice from my aunt's Mediterranean garden, I was 6 years old ! Such an adventure!!!!Few years later I was deeply convinced that I wanted to become a perfumer…

 

  

Please tell our readers about how you met the great Edmond Roudnistka and how you became his pupil? How old were you and how long were your studies with him?

 I was 17 years old when I wrote to Edmond Roudnitska. At this moment I had read all the books he wrote  that I was able to find in the little town in the middle of the Alps where I lived then. I was incredibly fascinated by his writings. (unfortunately some of them were not published anymore).In my letter, I asked him first how and where I could find his other publications, but I also told him about my deep and true passion for the perfumes. A couple of days later, I received a little box containing all the books I was looking for, but above all an invitation to meet him the following summer, I was ecstatic !!!!! So I met him regularly in Cabris where he lived, a small village on the heights of Grasse, during the three years I have continued my Art and Literature studies.  Then, he proposed me to become his pupil, what a wonderful news it was !!! During all these years, I had never dared to ask him if I could become his pupil in his perfumes laboratory….

So, can you imagine my surprise and my huge happiness !!!!! My most cherished dream became reality….I was 21 years old when I arrived in his laboratory where I spent 6 years with him until his death, and again 11 years with his wife and his son Michel.

 

Is there any fragrance you wished you had created from any perfumes of the past ? Which have influenced you the most ?

 Oh….. A lot !!! L'Heure Bleue, Vol de Nuit, Mitsouko of Guerlain, Narcisse Noire, Royal Bain de Champagne, Farnesiana of Caron, Cuir de Russie, Bois des Iles of Chanel, Bandit of Piguet, and of course Femme of Rochas, Dior Dior, the wonderful Eau Sauvage !!!! And so many other !!!

 

 If you travel back in time whom would you like to meet and why ?

I would have loved to meet Colette who is my favorite author, she wrote so many beautiful things about the scents and the flowers, I'm still fascinated by her amazing books and her great sensibility…But also Germaine Cellier who was the first woman who became a perfumer; she was so talented and had such an incredible personnality !!!

 Let's talk about your first collection which I remember at Bergdorf Gooodmans !!! Is it being discontinued or is it on hiatus. Why ?

 As we said previously, we want to focus now on our new collection "Les Nombres d'Or" but our first collection will be relauched little by little… It's a surprise…

  

Les Nombres d'Or fascinate me for many reasons; they are a bold departure from any of your perfumes as they talk on the name of a single note. What was the creative process ?

 

I also studied architecture and painting and I was intrigued by the "Golden Ratio" considered as a divine proportion, a key to reach the beauty and the perfect balance.
So I have been thinking that it could be fascinating to refer to this theory considering the perfume creation. I work around a beautiful natural ingredient as I'm going to enhance one of its facets in particular, to accentuate its personnality, trying to sublimate it and looking for the perfect balance….

With your classical training, it must have been tempting to work for a House. Why did you stay independent and not work for a House ?

 What I love about  being independent is that I have the wonderful opportunity to use all the best and marvellous natural ingredients as I want, without any compromise, I don't have any brief, no prices limit, I'm totallly free and nowadays it is an incredible and rare privilege and a great  luxury.

 

Please tell us about your use "olfactory chiaroscuro" ?

What I name a "olfactory chiaroscuro" means for me: the lights and the shadows as in a painting. I feel in a perfume that the the " lights" are the top notes, the shiny citrus, the sharp green leaves… And with the heart notes, we are going to enter slowly in a different mood, to experiment a certain density, more smooth, velvet-like including for example the woods, some flowers and spices… And then to reach finally the bases notes which are deeper, more intense, sensual, animal and darker (animales notes, crystallized products, resinoids…). I do not like "flat" perfumes, some fragrances are linear, they smell the same from the begining to the end, it makes me bored as I don't travel, I don't feel a story… I need to feel a movement, to follow a development.

 Are you an introvert or an extrovert ?

 Well, both of them, it depends of the situation, I love to share my passion, to meet people and I could talk about fragrances for hours and hours. but when I create, I become very inaccessible, I like to be alone and focus on my creation so I can be on my own for days without talking, just smelling and thinking….

 

Maryse Casol©

Your most vivid memory of nature ?  

One of my first olfactory memory, the strongest one and certainly the most beautiful and vivid one is…. When I  was a little girl, my grandparents lived in the South of France, each evening as a ritual I was watering the garden with my grandmother. The most magical moment was when she watered the geraniums… Suddenly the smell of crackling dry earth, the intense and suave perfume of the geranium wet leaves. This deep intoxicating fragrance is still one of my favorite which brings me back immediatly to my chilhood and it's it's so precious and it's one of the reasons why I wanted to become a parfumer…

 

In what way do you take after your mother? What was her perfume ?

 My mother is a very elegant lady, she comes regulary to visit me in Nice in my laboratory and she loves to discover my new creations and of course I enjoy a lot when she cooks especially for me my favorite recipies and always with a good bottle of wine I keep preciously for her ! When I was a little girl, I remember her wearing a lot of different fragrances and of course I was more than happy to discover some new perfumes ! I remember Shalimar and Nahema from Guerlain, Je Reviens from Worth, Complice from Coty. As soon I began to create some perfumes she was really happy and proud to wear my creations. She used to wear Carnation for a long time I must say and now since a couple of months she is deeply in love with my Vanille !!!

 

 

Who is your favorite  painter, (btw your beauty reminds me of a Modigliani) ?

 Thank you, I love Modigliani ! I like so many artists like Balthus, Gustav Moreau, Pierre Bonnard, Egon Schiele, Gustav Klimt, Edward Hopper,Van Dongen and I enjouyed so much all the illustrations Grau made !!! But I enjoy also a couple of photographers like Nick Knight, Steven Miesel, Herb Ritts.

 

Those are some of my favorite artists as well Mona  (especially Schiele, Balthus and Klimt)  and I just discovered Van Dongen. I want to talk about your flacons. As Edmond Roudnitska said "you see through your nose". There are many perfumers who says its all about the jus. Is the aesthetic of both important to you and to your brand ? Just like a perfume, how was your signature flacon conceived ?

 

Photo courtesy : Jeroen Oude Sogtoe

Of course !!! I really enjoy the poems of Alfred de Musset, but  I do not agree what  he said : "Qu'importe le flacon pourvu qu'on ait l'ivresse", (what importance does the bottle have as long as you are drunk) Baudelaire would never have wrote anything like this !

No, Baudeleire said "my love swims on your perfume", much more romantic! But now to the flacons.

 

Photo courtesy : Jeroen Oude Sogtoen

Seriously, what I mean even our bottle is still the same for each fragrance, it's very important for us to introduce a perfume in a beautiful flacon as in a luxurious box. As you know, Jeroen Oude Sogtoen, my business partner is a designer, he is the "eye", I' m the "nose", what a perfect team .Being so demanding with the quality of my raw materials, I don't see how it could be different with the flacon. Maybe for certain perfumers, as they are not personnaly involved in the brand, they just have to focus on the perfume creation and the big brand for who they work is going to take care about the packaging and the marketing too. When we began, Jeroen Oude Sogtoen, (my partner), to speak a couple of years ago about how we would like our perfume bottle, we had in our mind a certain shape, an elegant flacon, timeless, both female and male, very chic and unique. The box is also important, because it protects in a lovely way, the perfume from the the lights which could accelerate the aging of the perfume itself.

 

The "muselet" of champagne that covers the cap was not happened by chance, but it's a "wink" to my passion for the champagne wines. I have a lot of admiration and I enjoy particulary the champagne from Jacquesson, which is one of the oldest and greatest vineward of champagne and it's also their ancestors who had invented this famous muselet of champagne. When you drink a glass of a good champagne it's always a moment full of happiness you wat to share… it's the same for a perfume, it's a magic moment…

 

Passions outside of perfumery ?

 

Yes ! Wines, I studied oenology for years, I visited some great vineyards in France and Italy, and I had the opportunity to taste some excellent wines which let me some wonderful memories… Few years ago, I enjoyed to give some wines trainings and to learn people how to smell and taste with a lot of attention wines and champagnes, it was a great experience. But I love also to cook and it was a great pleasure and an honour, a couple of years ago, to be involved in the development of a book in the kitchens of the famous chef Alain Ducasse !

 

  

Which fragrance of Les Nombres d'Or took the most time to create and why ?

 Until now, the Oud has been the perfume the most difficult I've created. It is such a particular essential oil, with an incerdible strong personality ! I never experimented an ingredient which needs to macerate for such a long time before being totally integrated to the other components. Normally I'm used to wait one or two days before being able to smell my sample and checking where and how it goes. But with the Oud essential oil, I had to wait for several days before to be able to smell a sample totally and perfectly blended, this product needs a lot of time to integrate the other ingredients. So it was a very long and complex creation which drove me crazy sometimes ! Perhaps because I wanted the Oud to  complement the absolute Osmanthus which also has a 'big' personality and it took a while before to find the ideal proportion.

Will  Les Nombres be a  limited series with a fixed number of scents ?

 Not at all, I have so many ideas, I can't stop thinking about my next creation and there are so many stories to tell, so many dreams to translate….

 They have simple names but i find they are quite compex. For example Musc shows its sweet side on my skin and Vanille has no sweetness at all on me. In some ways they remind me of Le Labo where the main note is a concept. Would you agree or are you trying for a true vetyver, a true amber, a true leather ?

 What I wanted to express is my own idea about a vanilla, a tuberose, a leather…. Some of these ingredients exist already in the nature, but the perfumer is going to interpret these subjects of inspiration with his own sensitivity, his olfactory vocabulary as a musician will be able to write a partition with notes of music that already exist but he will make them unique, so it's going to be its own melody, through his own style and talent, it's exactly the same thing…And for example, the leather which doesn't exist as a natural ingredient, it's a blend of different natural and synthetic components, a stylization, but you do recognize the leather when it's a good interpretation.

Nature is an inexhaustible source of inspiration… The imagination and the experience of the perfumer is able to make exceptional the fragrance of a flower or anything else and above all unique and timeless…

Your new perfume Oud, there is so many on the market place right now. How is your Oud different ? One of our readers Gojira Todd Torres would like to know if you distill the oud by hand ?

 

Yes, it's true there's a lot of different perfumes called Oud or claimimg that they do contain real oud… But what is important to know to understand this subject is that most of them contain a synthetic base which reproduces the scent of oud and not the essential oil of oud, itself which is very different. I have studied both of them and the aura, the intensity, the beauty, the depth of the natural one is so fantastic, so magical, so mysterious and complex compared to the synthetic one which is simply a nice woody, leathery, spicy base without any vibration or any mystery. And regarding the prices it's again another story, the difference is huge…

 

The first time I smelt a sample of an oud essential oil, I was not convinced, there is also many different qualities and origins, as I was not seduced I was not really interested to work with it… Last year my provider called me, he just have received a new quality from Laos and this time when I smelt it, i was totally subjugated, intoxicated… Such an aura, such a essential oil, at this moment I realized deeply why this product was so mystical, intimate and secret for thousands of years and through many religions in the world. Just to give an idea about its value… 18.000 euros for one kilo…I wanted to create something unique and I thought about blending oud with somethimg rare and also precious, really different and unexpected like the absolute osmanthus from China which smells a little like jasmine and apricot confit and finally such a good match. My perfume is created from a real oud essential oil which is distilled by hand and traditionally in Laos, and especially it comes from a tree that has been replanted and cultivated with the fair trade mention. The demand is high but the offer is small of course, there are a lot of contraband and falsification, but we have also to take care to preserve the natural specie of this wood.

 What is the percentage of natural ingredients in your parfums ?

 Always at least 50%, sometimes a little bit more. Of course I do need synthetic ingredients for many reasons a pure natural perfume would not be nice and certainly a bit boring ; but also as I can't find certain notes in the natural ingredients anymore, I mean all the animals components (castoreum, musc, civette…) There are some beautiful natural ingredients as there are some nice synthetic ingredients. Quality is my goal, one of my main concerns ; I won't use any essential oil or concrete if the quality is not perfect, it's all or nothing and it's the same with the synthetics ones.

 

Which language do you dream in?

 Well, I forgot almost all my Spanish as I don't practice it so often. Sometimes it happens I dream in English but let's say that most of the time it's in French.But maybe soon I would dream in Dutch as I begin to learn it, who knows?!!

 An artist can work in any palette (look at the limited palette that Edmond Roudnitska had while he was creating perfume amidst the rubble Nazi occupied France when he created Femme de Rocha) how does IFRA which you must adhere to affect you art ?

 I can understand that IFRA has to protect consumers against the potential dangers of certain cosmetics ; as I think it was an excellent decision to stop the use of the animal products in order to preserve their species. Although synthetic products are indispensable, in my opinion they do not have the same vibration, the same depth.. It makes me sad to see some of them rejected by the IFRA new amendments. Of course there is always an alternative but at the end is simply different. I could not imagine myself creating a perfume without a single drop of natural products.
I sincerely hope that IFRA is not going to forbid more products than it's necessary….

 Again, when Edmond Roudnitska had created Femme of Rochas during the second war,of course he had a limited palette but the few products he used were some beautiful raw materials, both natural and synthetic and he created a masterpiece with his knowledge, his intuition, his artistic sense and his heart.

 Working with a limited palette can be a challenge but only if the products are qualitative.

 A sneak peak of what is next a hint ?

 Surprise! As I mentioned it, I will continue to focus on "Les Nombres d'Or" collection but we are going also to reintroduce the previous collection little by little…

Michelyn Camen, Editor in Chief 

For our draw, it is reader's choice  provided by Mona di Orio for Les Nombres which include Musc, Ambre, Vetyver, Cuir, Tuberouse, Vanille, and the new  Oud. CHOOSE ONE.  in addition, you can suggest which  Di Orio fragrance from the first collection you would like Mona  to re-introduce first OR a suggestion for her next etude. To be eligible for a full flacon you also must leave a comment on something you found interesting about our interview. Creativty counts twice. and please like Cafleurebon on facebook! Draw closes August 25, 2011

Our thanks to Mona and Jerome!!!

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62 comments

  • Thank you so much for this great in depth interview. She is such a sympathetic and interesting person. What I particularly enjoyed was to hear in her own words, about how she got to be a student with Roudnitska, reading his books, visiting him in the summer holidays, I really love the ambition and passion about it. And also the fact that she makes (and as she describes, only cares for) perfumes which take you on a journey, NO linears!
    I love Mona’s fragrances, and as sad as I am to see the old ones go, I think the Nombre D’Or collection is really exciting, and as you put it ‘infinitely more wearable’. And it’s just excellent news that she’ll keep the old ones in rotation:-) I think my favourite there would be Oiro. And of the new collection I have a hard time choosing A favourite, but my immediate love was Ambre. It’s just amazing, love it:-)

  • Until now I have just heard about her line but you have presented her whole personality to her better, Michelyn. It was one of the best reads so far and that with so many interesting questions. I think in this interview Mona has beautifully explained the difference between natural and synthetic oudh. I have the same opinion about this majestic wood.
    My choice would be Musc as I find this note magical and seducing in a humble way.

  • The interview is great. 🙂
    My admiration for the work of Mona di Orio is boundless. I adore her perfumes.
    If I were to choose one from Nombre d’Or collection, I think I’d go with Vetyver but the rest are great as well.
    I was sorry to hear about first collection being pulled away but if they are going to be coming back, I’d like to see Jabu first. I find that one to be happiness and sunshine bottled as a real perfume.
    My favourite part of the interview is the description how champagne got worked into the bottle – especially as champagne is my favourite drink (and now I even have a suggestion which to try next). 😉

  • what a wonderful article, i’m very impressed by Mona’s anwers and her personality as it radiates from her words. she sounds like a true artist. so fortunate that she can create on her own, without an artist. i almost jumped up and down when i read about her sending a letter to Roudnitska 🙂

    and her heritage! what an awesome mediterranean blend! 🙂

    since i haven’t tried the les Nombres d’Or it’s very hard to choose one i’d like to experience the most, but since i love osmanthus and Mona talks so passionately about her Oud, the ingredient so overused and popular lately, i’d love to try it – i’m sure her style and sense and talent will shine though beautifully.

    i hope Mona does a version of a rose… the queen of flowers.

  • I have sampled all of the Les Nombres except for Tubéreuse and Oud, and bottles of Vétyver and Vanille are going to be mine in the near future… Possibly also Cuir. For the draw I’ll choose Oud if I’m lucky, I’m sure it’s good!

    From the first collection I’ve sampled Lux, Carnation, Nuit Noire and Amyitis. Lux was my favourite (I own a decant) from those, a luminous creation which goes smoothly from citrus to amber.

    I’d love to see Mona continue Les Nombres d’Or with Incense, Patchouli and… Tea/Mate! Tea is a note that I would love to see implemented in a more creative way than the usual fresh “green” (usually with jasmine/bergamot/lemon) or the obvious “chai” compositions. . I also love mate, used for example in Annick Goutal’s Duel and Cartier’s XIII and IV -hours.

    I’ve read some of the same things written here in different interviews of hers (things about raw materials for example), but I found the personal history about becoming a perfumer most interesting and it’s something I hadn’t seen around before. Thanks!!

  • marcopietro says:

    Very interesting interwiew! Great Mona, I admire her creations.
    From first collection my favourites fragrances are Lux and Chamarrè, and between Les Nombres d’Or I have Cuir and in a next future will be mine Vetyver or Vanille or… damn! I love all the line.
    For the draw I’d like to know her interpretation of Oud.

  • I was fortunate to meet Mona and her partner at Aedes de Venustas during Sniffa when she debuted here line . She and I spoke for almost an hour , as I applied each scent on skin and she told me about them . She is indeed so passionate and refined . Carnation was my favorite , although I own a bottle of each of the original line . I am fascinated with Amyitis , but cannot seem to wear it on skin .
    I loved hearing about how she “seduced ” Roudnitska with her passion for fragrance ! To be able to read his books , and spend the last years of his life with him is beyond fortuitous !
    My choice would be the OUD – in her deft hand the gorgeous Laotian oud must be transcendental .
    Thank you for the wonderful draw .

  • Congratulations on the interview. I had no idea Mona had such a diverse cultural and family background.
    I knew she had been Roudnitska’s pupil, but the way she got there has been the most interesting part of the interview for me. I think it’s such a wonderful way of making one’s dreams come true!
    I loved when she talks about her childhood too. I have smiled when I have read about the scents of the marketplaces and the earth after watering, because I have always been enthralled by those scents too.

    I have a soft spot for Mona di Orio’s perfumes because this is one of the first niche lines I tried, some years ago. My boyfriend (now husband) and I loved Lux, and he owns a full bottle of it. I hope it is reintroduced in a near future.

    The new collection sounds wonderful and it’s hard to choose one, but I would pick Vetyver 🙂

    Thank you!

  • Wonderful article, wonderful woman. I haven’t tried any of her works but of the new collection I would choose Tubereuse. I am surprised how courageous was she in her 17th when she wrote to Mr. Roudnitska and all the story around (receiving the books, etc.). She was so young but seriously into this olfactory area.

  • Thanks for the interview! I never smelled any of her fragrances but she sounds really interesting, and I’ve read praise about her perfumes. The story of her relationship to Edmond Roudnitska was my favorite part of the interview! I didn’t know about that.

  • Carlos Powell says:

    What a wonderful interview. Interesting to learn that she studied with Mr. Roudnitska. I liked where Mona compared creating a perfume to a musician writing music. Very interesting concept. Was nice to see a reader question in your interview. Would love to see Jabu still in rotation. Of the Nombres, Oud sounds amazing. Thanks for the opportunity.

  • I have heard of this line but never had the good fortune to sample. After reading this splendid interview I will have to now! Her dream come true working relationship with Mr. Roudnitska was the loveliest part of the story. I would love to see a future summery type scent:honeysuckle, lime blossom, cherry blossom,perhaps? As far as the draw goes all of the scents sound gorgeous so it is quite hard to decide! Perhaps I will go with the Oud since that is the latest creation.

  • Wow! I greatly enjoyed reading this interview. Her relationship with Roudnitska, her artistic, culinary, and literary influences all found a home within her work. I have tried several from her first collection and would love to try anything from her current works. I would love to smell her interpretation of something fleeting or difficult to capture–cherry blossom or orchids or gardenias? She could certainly do it! Please enter me into this wonderful drawing. Thank you. If I win I would like to try Cuir.

  • Got closer to Mona’s ideas after the interview. Haven’t smelled all of her works, but liked two absolutely different ones – Cuir and Vanille. Liked idea about the interview on flacon design and the “muselet” of champagne. Really would reach for the flacon only for special occasion, although Cuir to me smells not like champagne, but like scotch whisky.
    My choice would be CUIR.

  • Wonderful interview! She’s so lovely! I’m extremely interested in Mona’s fragrances – I own her Cuir already and think it’s the most interesting interpretation of leather in modern perfumery! It has that special vibe that was in vintage Diorling or Bandit but is completly gone in contemporary scents..
    It would be logical to see “Patchouli” in Nomres’d Or collection, but Mona seems to be so artistic so logic simply doesn’t work here)) Maybe Mona’s working now on Lily of the valley and soon we’ll see the new star like her teacher’s Diorissimo?
    It was interesting to read Mona’s explanation ’bout natural and artificial oud. So interesting that I’d pick her Oud if I win)
    Thank you for this draw!

  • This line is one that I’ve been looking to try for quite some time. I’ve heard many positive things, and the bottles grabbed hold of my eyes from the moment I first caught sight of them.

    As much as I’m interested to try anything in her line, the new Oud mentioned sounds quite inviting. I’m finding oud to be the new “in” thing in the fragrance market, and is already getting redundant in some ways, and my initial reaction to it was quite similar to hers. However, being once unimpressed myself in the past, I’m dying to experience the same Laotian oud that completely seduced and reshaped her perception of it, and inspired her to step out and craft something with it.

    Though the entire interview helped to shed light on her character, and made her line more inviting to myself, who has never had a chance yet to experience any creation of hers, the part that was the most impressive to me was when she recalled her work and personal relationship with Edmond Roudnitska. I believe that is the sort of thing that anyone from any walk of life can relate to fully, no matter if they’re into fragrance or not. It’s a sort of dream fulfilled, the unimaginable materializing in front of you. First being able to contact the person who inspired you, then to be given a chance to build a relationship and eventually be offered to work under them, and learn directly from them. That sort of situation I think is the kind of dream we’ve all harbored in our hearts for something, yet most of us have never been able to make that dream a reality. It’s incredible that she was able to live that, and I know her line has instantly ascended to the top of my “to try” list.

    A very unique artist for sure. I’m convinced I won’t be disappointed!

  • What a great interview! I loved reading about her experience with Edmond Roudnistka. Here was this young girl of 17 already having such a clear vision of what she wanted to do with her life! I admire her character as well as her artistry.

    I agree that Mona really does favor a Modigliani portrait. Uncanny.

    A beautiful perfume bottle has always been part of the attraction to perfume for me, and how lovely to learn that so much thought and regard for that aspect is given with this line.

    I have had the good fortune to try Jabu from the original line and the Vanille from her current line. I would most like to see what she has done with one of my favorite notes: amber. So Ambre would be my choice if I am lucky enough to win this incredible draw! Many thanks for the opportunity.

  • What a great interview, I really enjoyed reading it, many thanks. Mona’s vivacious personality and passion for her work and art really came across and I like her all the more for it. The most interesting part for me was to learn that not only did she receive a reply from the “fan letter” she wrote to her hero, Edmund Roudnitska, but she got to meet and work with him. Surely very few of us get a response like that! Her excitement at this really comes across, even after all this time.

    If I was lucky enough to have the chance to pick one of Les Nombres d’Or for myself it would Vanille. I have heard such wonderful things about and I am sure it’s the vanilla I’ve been seeking to add to my collection. The next elude I would love Mona to create would be Tobacco. I think she would really give us a very nuanced take on the note with light and shade, not just something flat or overwhelming likw many tobacco fragrances. I’ll keep my fingers crossed!

  • What a lovely interview. I concur with everyone that how she met her hero, Mr. Roudnitska was magical! I loved Carnation. As a future scent I would love to see her rendition of orange blossom. My wish for the draw would be Musc. Thanks so much for this offer!

  • Mona sounds like a great lady and is an outstanding perfumer! I was surprised to hear that Mr. Roudnitska actually responded to her and took her on as his apprentice- what a great story! I adored Lux. As fall approaches I am thinking a Violet scent would be lovely for her next etude. If I should be so lucky as to win I would pick Vetyver: a perfect fall scent.

  • Di Orio, D’Or, oud and osmanthus…oh la la. Such a passionate, sense-ual woman would certainly have a luscious take on Tuberouse.

  • Truly one of the most informative and fascinating interviews I have read with a perfumer. Her career is a combination of luck (Roudnitska responding) and talent. They say luck is being in the right place at the right time and making the magic happen. I particularly am interested in her experiments with the Golden Rule. I have also addressed this in my perfume design, with my background in architecture and landscape architecture. I am sure her perfumes smell divine, crafted by such a skilled hand and nose as hers. As for IFRA, more EU perfumers could take a stand and just demand the right to have a warning label, much as we do with allergenic food items. I believe this could stop the onslaught of prohibiting or restricting our beloved naturals.

  • Tuberose makes me dream in flower speak. I would love to swim in her tuberose.
    How romantic, “my love swims on your perfumes.” That is so loving it melts me . I am lucky if I get notices for wearing something new.
    IFRA, makes me feel comfort that animals are being considered. I live in an area of the world where puppy mills abound and veal is the family pet until the Thanskgiving feast. It breaks my heart to see animals about this earth with less than no rights. But if animals can help us and likely be not harmed or maimed in the prosess I say its great.
    What a diverse background she has and such a down to earth air about her.
    I would love to win her Tuberose of course. But how about a salted mapleleaf, truffle and lime for a next creation. Thanks for the draw.

  • The whole interview was fascinating, but my two favorite parts were the perfume she developed when she was six (lemon juice and rose petals), at the beginning of a lifelong fascination with fragrance. And I also loved the news that she uses real oud in her oud fragrance and that half the ingredients in her fragrances are natural. That quality–and unstinting dedication to artistry–was obvious to me in the one fragrance of hers that I have smelled so far, the Vanille. It was so beautiful and unusual, smoky, dry, and utterly delicious, and that would be my choice for a full bottle.

    My suggestion for a future fragrance would be rose because it is a classic perfume note (not to mention that I’m still searching for my perfect rose fragrance).

  • For some reason I think this approach of starting and centering around one note gives us a better insight into a perfumer’s mind and creativity. No matter how beautiful a seamlessly constructed perfume may be, to see the evolution of vetiver or vanilla or any other ingredient in a perfume by Mona di Orio is actually a travel with the creator.

    Of course it is a good thing that the original line will be coming back. I loved Nuit Noire! In the future I would love to see a Mona di Orio Gardenia or Violet.

    I was particularly moved by her , mentioning experimenting with rose petals and lemon juice because this reminded me of myself. I started mixing in the kitchen rose petals, peach skins and mint when I was about 9. Instead of moving to perfumery I started cooking and although I didn’t follow this professionally I am a pretty good cook my guests appreciate this.

  • I appreciate that she is willing to stand up for using the ingredients that make the art work-natural or synthetic.
    I would love to win the Cuir.

  • What a wonderful article of a fascinating person, with the lovliest images. Mona seems to have so much passion for creating beautiful perfumes. I wish I could feel that passionate about my work. So interesting to read of her early experiments and apprenticing for a master perfumer. I wanted to sample Mona’s Vanille before I even read this…now it is on my Santa wish list. I do not have a vanilla fragrance that I love, but I bet this will be it. Champagne is my favorite wine. I love Mona’s description of the bottle’s design, with a nod to Champagne. I would like to see a perfume that incorporates the fumes of Champagne. Thanks for the draw.

  • I really enjoyed reading this wonderful interview. The questions were perfectly chosen to give Mona’s fascinating story the ideal room.
    I particularly enjoyed reading about the start of her career, what a fortunate, fated step it was to write to Edmond Roudnitska and receive such a response.
    I only know Lux, of Mona’s previous line and I love its unusual combination and play with light and dark, as she explains with the chiraroscuro simile.
    The Nombres d’Or line sounds fascinating and I want to try each and every one of the perfumes, should I be so lucky as to get to choose one, I would go with oud, because it is rare to find the real thing in a perfume, and I love an osmanthus note very much as well. And finally a theme I would love to see in a new Nombres d’Or perfume would be orange blossom (and iris, and incense… 🙂 )

  • It’s a powerful post we just had an earthquake in Ny my samples are safe 😉
    I really love this interview because unlike most I had very little info I knew from Michel about Mona and his father but nothing else
    My favorite section was on cooking with Alain Ducasse and our shared love of certain art which was uncanny
    I couldn’t wear any of the former formulations but I really like ambre and musc
    I would suggest gardenia or datura

  • Excellent interview. What I’ve always admired about Ms. Di Orio is her honesty and integrity. Those qualities shine through in her creations and clearly in this interview. Thanks very much.

    I am really looking forward to Oud and would love to see Ms. Di Orio bring back Nuit Noire 1st. That is such a landmark and singular piece of perfumery to fade into the history books.

  • Real oud?? Of course I would love to try that one. And I’d love to see her try a Myrrh….

  • Thank you for this interview. I’ve been so intrigued reading about her scents, it is nice to read about the person behind them.

    What I found interesting was that she said she would find a 100% natural perfume a little boring. I really appreciate that she would boldly state her opinion on that, b/c naturals do seem to be very popular at the moment. I don’t really have an opinion about it, but I always think it’s cool when someone has an opinion and isn’t afraid to say it!

    I’ve read wonderful things about Vanille and would like to try it. Thanks for the draw!

  • Henrique Brito says:

    I have to say that the first Mona di Orio that i tried disappointed me a lot. I was expecting a lot of it, and then when i sampled it, i hated it intensively. But i was wrong of think that all of her fragrances were like it, and then i had a chance to sample some of her Nombres d’Or creations. There is no one that i haven’t like so far from the ones i have tried! I still need to test Oud, so i’d be happy if i had the luck of win a sample of it.
    Tks for the draw!

  • Wow! Just finding out that she was the pupil of Edmond Roudnitska is unbelievable, I have to try more of her creations, so far I just tried Vanille and Vetiver and really like both of them, I have to keep trying the rest of the line, if I win I’d love to get the Oud, the combination of Oud and Osmanthus sounds simply out of this world!

  • This was a wonderful and fascinating interview. Mona came across as a true artist, uncompromising and multi-talented, determined to walk her own path.

    I enjoyed hearing about her connection to Roudnitska — I can only imagine what my life would be like if at 17 I’d written to a hero of mine, and not only gotten a response back, but an invitation to work with them! And then she gets to work in Alain Ducasse’s kitchen, too! She really needs to write an autobiography…

    I’ve never had the luck to try her scents, but they’ve now moved to the top of my list, so I’m glad she’ll be re-releasing her original line for me to sample. If I’m fortunate enough to win, I’d like to get the Oud. It was interesting to hear her take on it; and the differences between the synthetic and natural. I loved that she simply wasn’t interested in working with it until she came across a sample that actually moved and intoxicated her. It sounds amazing!

  • That was a really great interview. Mona’s work I have been slowly discovering this past year. Lux being my favorite of the original line. That one has to be brought back. Then she goes and introduces 4 new ones this year. I have gotten to try 3 out of the four. Tubereuse being the last one I need to try. The best part was seeing her explain how she had obtained her Oud. Plus not liking the first sample she tried. Oud is extremely hard to get a hold of that is of any real quality.
    I own 2 of her recent releases Vetvyer and Vanille and love them both. The oud is still one that I can’t get over. Just a brilliant piece of art. As you can tell I would like to win a bottle of the Oud.

  • Fantastic interview,now I feel like I almost know Mona di Orio in person.I was invited on a meeting with her and I regret I didn’t go.She is such an inspiring person.Her passion for parfumes realy makes me curious about her creations.I would love to try Oud.I love the oil and if I have luck I would love to try what is the result of the hard work.

  • Having an Aromatherapy background I’m always drawn to fragrances that have a high percentage of natural/plant ingredients. I was therefore very interested to hear that Mona di Orio’s have 50% plus natural extracts. That details gives them so much depth and complexity, they are just divine. I would love to try Oud and am very happy to hear her original line will make a come back. I’d suggest Carnation to be relaunced first.

    As perfumistas we are all very lucky to have her creating with such careful thought to the raw ingredients.

  • What an enjoyable interview! Her story is amazing – the connection to perfume a life-long affair! Clearly Roudnitska saw this.

    Again, a wonderful interview. I learned more from this one article than in the last few weeks of discussion and research. Hats off to a great job by both the interviewer and subject.

    I agree – an autobiography, or maybe even a biography. Such good stuff.

  • This has been a great interview to read! My favorite description was that of Mona’s “olfactory chiaroscuro,” which was eye-opening to me. I love her idea of the use of light and shadows in perfume, and I think such a complexity is what makes a perfume interesting & great. In fact, that juxtaposition of light and shadow is such a metaphor for her personality, as well, the introvert takes to the shadows while the extrovert seeks the brightness of light, and I can relate to that, too. I would love to try Les Nombres d’Or Vanille, as I’ve heard such amazing things about it. I would love Nuit Noire to be re-introduced, as well!

  • I am working my way through decants of Mona di Orio’s line, but so far my greatest passion is for Vanille- so that is the one which would satisfy my heart’s desire…I would also love to see a MdO sandalwood…As for what I loved most about the interview with Ms di Orio…I felt that some of the artists she chose as favorites gave insight into her creative process vis a vis her perfumes…For instance, the dark sexuality in many of the paintings of Balthus, Schiele, and Klimt is perfectly reminiscent of her incredible fragrances…

  • sonia garcia says:

    It is a really good interview and I am totally amazed at her take in oud, first using the real stuff (that I have no idea how it smells like) and pairing it with Osmanthus instead of rose, it is something that I’d love to try and win!
    I am amazed at her career and that she was a Roudnitska pupil, how many people could say that? She is simply amazing and I tried and love the new Vanilla, I have to keep exploring her line.

  • ah, i would love to have vetyver.

    and would like to try lux from the old line, too.

    and i must say, ms. di orio *does* resemble both the mona lisa and a modigliani.
    uncanny, yes, is the word.

    i’d like to see her do what i always want: a coniferous wood in the sun perfume (those dried pine-needles are heavenly to me 🙂

  • I would love to have the Oud. I breifly tried Mona’s original perfumes,,,,and like Jabu,,,but find that Les Nombres d’ors are infinitely more wearable. Tubereuse is my favorite, with the nutty-like vetyver second place.
    Her “scientific” approach i.e. the “Golden Ratio” applied to perfume has served her well with these latest creations. These seem to be perfectly balanced and beautiful!! I would love to see her do a Rose!!

  • Mona di Orio posses a great sensibility as artist and I was amazed reading the interview how gifted and eclectic is she as an artist. Fascinating how she linked her creations with colors, I think one can understand more deeply the meaning of her creations and how spiritual is everything she does. Also, amazed she had never smelled Oud and how challenging was creating this perfume. My choice is new Oud

  • The whole interview read like a novel, which is not that surprising given that it is a story of life with unexpected twists and turns. Perhaps because I did not know a whole lot about Mona di Orio and her line, I had no idea that she was a pupil of illustrious Edmond Roudnitska. I was really impressed by this — I had no idea!

    I enjoyed reading about the design of the bottle. Yes, invocation of champagne works great here and does make one think about a celebration!

    If I am a lucky winner, I’d love to uncork Amber.
    If I were to have a say for a next project — Lilac, if I may.

  • Whoops – forgot to make a choice. Such a hard choice, though. Vanille sounds very nice – I love Mark’s description of it. Yet, the combination of oud and osmanthus…. so wild. The fact that she found the perfect proportion…. golden ratio.

    That’s it – that’s the one for me! I would love the Oud.

  • What a great interview, always refreshing when you can feel the passion jump off the computer screen.
    Describing the process of how her oud fragrance is created was quite helpful, especially knowing the free trade aspect is beneficial knowledge i do believe.
    The oud fragrance is something that I am very excited to get a sample of, either by being insanely lucky on here, or trying to get my hands on one elsewhere.
    Thanks for another great article.

  • I’m delighted that Gojira’s question made it into the interview! Fabulous! It’s quite nice to know that the perfumer cares about the environment, and explaining that her audience needn’t be afraid of synthetics!

    I’d like the Amyitis to be relaunched, perhaps with the violet pumped up.

    I’m most interested in the Ambre.

  • Tourbillion says:

    I would love to smell Di Orio’s take on Oud. The scent and I go way back, and I am actually glad that it is now popular in the West. I agree that the natural scent is different than the synthetic–the synthetic being a much easier scent, I am wondering how she managed the natural oud. It seems a difficult one to blend.

    I think that a natural note for her to work on next is Tobacco, since her Nombres D’Or line seems to me to be her take on this kind of popular note.

    What I found enlightening is that she and I have similar tastes in literature. I don’t have a single favorite author, but I find poetry in the prose of Colette. I find her descriptions of scents inspiring and I experience scent (and life in general) differently after I read her work. I hope that I can find that same inspiration in Mona Di Orio’s scents as well.

  • I loved the story of how Mona came to be the pupil of Roudnitska – such aplomb for such a young girl, and how lucky to be taken under the wing of a master.

    Let me see if I can come up with something a little different for the next Nombre – maybe salt.

    Which one would I want? Might have to be the Oud. I love the Vanille and the Vetyver, but that oud sounds amazing.

  • Michelyn, I must thank you so much for this wonderful interview. And Mona di Orio, of course, for being so candid and engaging with you (and I had been looking at the photo at the top of the article for several moments, also thinking of a beautiful subject of Modigliani!).

    I have become such a huge fan of Mona, though I’ve only experienced and owned a scant handful of her creations for about 3 years or so. Jabu touched me especially deeply (I treasure my beautiful bottle, box, and the scent inside). Therefore I was pretty crushed upon hearing that the original line was being “discontinued” — that dreaded word — although of course I believe new creations are always exciting with a genius and artist such as MdO. My praise and fawning may induce eye-rolls and sound insincere, but I believe this artist’s work really touches the soul, and I enjoyed reading more about her background, education, and her amazing opportunity to learn from a true master and then have the luxury, as she recognizes, of having her own line.

    I could go on and on, but I will lastly say that I am really OVERJOYED to hear that the old line will “be relaunched little by little” as surprises. So despite my love of Jabu, I think perhaps LUX should be the first to re-emerge, only because I can think of no better symbol of what Mona di Orio represents: a LIGHT into the future, ensuring us that brilliant, sometimes difficult perfumes are still being made with care, intelligence, artistry, and love/passion. No need to lament the past.

    And while many of Les Nombres d’Or tempt me (I already am in love with Tubereuse), I cannot help but wish for the Oud, which I can only try to imagine in combination with the osmanthus note I find so wonderful. Thank you, Michelyn & Cafleurebon, for the draw opportunity, and for this terrific interview. And thank you, Mona, for doing what you do.

  • As a Roudnitsk-fanboy I enjoyed this part of the Interview.
    From the old line I would lik to see Amyitis.
    My favourite in the line is probably Oud (So far i diid only read several reviews).

  • Although I only tried Carnation I am very interested to smell more. Starting from Oud.
    What is somehow visible through entire interview is her passion (for life, not just perfumes) and courage. It is great combination for perfumer. I simply adore her writing to E. R. True inspiration.

  • Michelyn, thank you for this interview. I have a decant of MdO Lux that I’ve been puzzled by for years, and the interview inspired me to put it on again and wear it as I read. This is the one that I would suggest that she revitalize. It’s a unique perfume (captivating) though harder to understand than most in my collection. I’m at a loss as to explain why. But it’s very intriguing none the less.

    I love her story about writing to Roudnitska and her apprenticeship under him, of course. But most of all, I loved her description of her grandmother watering the geraniums.

    I am dying to try Vanille from her new line. I have read such good reviews of it everywhere– it seems everyone loves it. And I think that she should re-introduce Lux, which I don’t often read about, but which is truly charming.

    Her fragrances are so dense that I was surprised to hear that they are 50% natural. I always thought of naturals as more fleeting (or oily). Very interesting!

    Best of luck to her with the new collection.

  • Michelyn, your interviews continue to be illuminating and enlightening and your illustrations are just brilliant.

    My favorite idea in the interview was that of “olfactory chiaroscuro”, developing depth and dimension through the contrast of light and dark notes. Mona di Orio’s perfumes do remind me of the 17th and 18th century paintings (Caravaggio, Rubens) that explored that technique, and like many of those paintings I find her perfumes have the power to summon phantasms out of the shadows. They have an element of wildness, almost savagery. (It’s so surprising that her mentor was the elder Roudnitska, whose perfumes were quite otherwise,).

    Her earlier perfumes were a bit too much for me, but I’ve liked the new Nombres d”Or much better. Of those I’ve tried, the Tubereuse is the best on me and that’s the one I would choose.

  • Thank you Kathryn yes the style of Edmond Roudniska especially later in his career was very different
    There is a sensual quality to the new line without the heaviness of the original at least for me and the 50% natural composition was a surprise Perhaps that’s why the fragrances are so chameleon like on the skin Good luck to all and the draw ends tonight Thursday est

  • I agree with Joe Jabu or Lux should be first on the relaunch list. I feel I would enjoy Ambre from the draw. I was very touched by the story and a young girls dreams brought to life from the genorisity of Roudnitska and I am sure his intuition in helping to develope Mona’s gifts and talents. She was able to learn and work with the best IMHO. Lovely article on a Lovely woman. I Enjoyed this greatly.

  • Dear ALL , Thanks for all your nice words. and A big thank you to Michelyn and Mark for this wonderfull interview. We will keep in mind your suggestions on the re-introduction of our first line. Sincerely Jeroen

  • Mona was truly an artist. Her fragrances are unique.
    I also love Femme and of course the Guerlain classics. I still have a mini of Femme. I wore it years and years ago when I first fell for perfume.