Behind the Bottle with Perfumer Paolo Terenzi of Tiziana Terenzi Fine Fragrances and Candles

What is your training as a perfumer and a little history of Terenzi as a chandler?

 TizianaTerenzi candles

I was born in a candle, breathing perfume! I am politically incorrect nose! Throughout my life I have felt the need to write notes about what I was experiencing, as if my hands, eyes and arms did not have enough room to store all the wonderful events. As a child I always linked the olfactory sense to my memories, trying not to use words but smells to tell the story of an emotion, a place or a meeting. Now that I have travelled all over the world, my library contains thousands of olfactory creations and memories, unforgettable moments of an extraordinary life and a journey that is not yet finished.

The scent is the driver of the evocative emotion that springs from life as a real experience and is crystallized in these innovative and "beautifully imperfect" fragrances as they become continuous like life. Every moment of our Life contains within it good and bad, joy and sorrow, light and darkness, and it is the search for this imperfect tension within perfection that is contained in these drops of essence. The olfactory structure abandons the idea of ​​the classic pyramid and becomes a universal language that takes the indelible emotions of real life and turns them into song. For this reason, the fragrances of the collection are "politically incorrect" and do not follow all the basic canonical rules of perfumery, but explore new paths, sometimes rough and difficult. It takes time to understand them, because perfection does not exist on earth, but this is the reason why it expresses Its whole and full beauty!

Travelling has always been an integral part of our Life. The desire to discover is like a wealth of knowledge passed on through experience, sometimes hard work; or like a challenge making us overcome our fears or limits; or simply like a moment of ozio cum dignitate, as the Romans said, listening to the sound of cicadas lulled by the heat of the August sun in a bay of the Mediterranean! Travel as a life experience that makes the soul grow.

Luiga and Guglielmo Terenzi

The Terenzi family has ancient origins dating back to the Roman days of the tales of Horace.
The surname derives from Tres enses (three swords), and fades back in time into the cradle of civilization. We can just mention here the Latin playwright Publius Terentius Afer, and the traces of our family in 15th century Rimini, with the nobleman Gabriele Terenzi, lover of art and alchemy, who died around 1450. A race of leaders, explorers, artists and – above all – inventors. Guglielmo, who truly embodied the spirit of the inventor and the artist, was a cavalry officer who loved everything that was beautiful and harmonious. He played the drums and wrote poetry, also devoting his time to philosophy and the search for the aesthetics of beauty. Alongside him throughout his long life, his wife Luigia (Bigia) – a strong, practical woman who indulged her husband’s interests with discretion while at the same time guaranteeing stability and solidity for the idealistic dreams of a man who met princes and kings during his military career. Luigia decided to channel her husband’s talents, and set up a little artisan laboratory in a small room of the big family home; the first brick in what would become a tale of over 40 years, passed down to the current day, generation by generation. Guglielmo had always loved perfumes, especially colognes; he created his own personal collection of them, using natural essences from his beloved land. His love of music and syncopated rhythm always seeped into his creations like an author’s signature.

Evelino Terenzi

He taught his son, Evelino, the art of olfactory harmony and the techniques of well-balanced tension, borrowing the language of the senses from the world of music. Evelino inherited his father's love of music – he plays the clarinet; and he tries out new paths with great inventiveness, fascinated by mechanics and progress. A true inventor, able to transform the family business into a haven of surprises, where even today visitors are charmed by a place that seems magical. The machinery in use was invented and produced by Evelino himself. The little artisan workshop gradually grew bigger, increasingly epitomizing the character of Evelino.

Paolo and his sister Tiziana

The bricks and floors, and every nook and cranny of the premises, are still seeped in his spirit and scent. An olfactory memory that guides his children, Tiziana and Paolo, in their ongoing search for a colossal new challenge amid the work carried out by their predecessors. Tiziana and Paolo share everything, uniting their skills in a blend that could probably never have emerged from one person alone. The family bond holds them firmly together, just as the oak sinks its roots into the ground, providing the fruit of knowledge for generations living beyond time. The music of their forebears still plays in their hearts, and the journey is always towards the sea. Even today, the focus is still on unique creations, natural and valued raw materials, and painstaking attention to detail, because every single creation that leaves the premises is a child of this family; it speaks of men and women who’ve knowingly encompassed the “absolute” in a spot of perfume, and “life” in a “spot of wax”.

The creation of these perfume essences comes from the never-ending quest to depict and capture emotions.

Can you tell me about the newest release Casanova?

The most romantic stop on this wonderful journey is Venice, where the fire of seduction still burns in the fireplaces of the beautiful eighteenth-century buildings, mysterious villas of undiminished charm, frequented by the famous Casanova whose presence can still be felt, if you pay proper attention to small signs. The memory of a winter's evening during the famous Carnival in Venice, inspired by a mysterious and ethereal Muse, the City of Doges.

The night's air seeped in perfume, heated by the scents of bonfires that light up the streets and Piazza San Marco. A dance of sensory emotions, accompanied by a beautiful and mysterious Lady, her face hidden by a precious golden mask, like the bottle that contains this valuable and secret essence. Letting yourself be overcome is your only defence in the face of such persuasiveness. This perfume tells of places of beauty and seduction, through its complex and fluctuating structure, which is entrusted to the rare and precious ambergris. A subtle journey through a city that inspires love and eroticism, through the paths described by Casanova in his memoirs:  memories of amorous adventures with the stunning backdrop of a city so ethereal that it lives floating on water.

TOP NOTE: Bergamot, Orchid, Jasmine, Leaf of Eden, Powder

MIDDLE NOTE: Ambergris, Pink pepper, Vanilla, Cardamom, Guaic Wood, Myrrh, Leather

BASE NOTE: Amber, White Musks, Ambroxan, Cedarwood, Oakmoss, Guaiac Wood, Tonka Bean, Cedarwood, Vetyver

Michelyn Camen, Editor in Chief and Perfumer Paolo Terenzi Sept 20, 2014 at Barneys New York Event

Did you ever find out the identity of the masked woman?

No I didn’t, but she is still alive in my breath as the beautiful rose in my garden that I never caught!!

Tiziana Terenzi Perfume Ingredients Display at Barneys New York Photo: Michelyn

 Why is it a limited edition?

The Anniversary Collection stems from the oldest perfume tradition. An innovative stylistic challenge that wishes to give perfume its original scent. The selection of high quality and rare raw materials only allow a limited annual production. Each precious bottle is catalogued with the year production. The recipe itself remains the same although, each year, it gets the sublime touch of nature. For this reason, each bottle will be a unique and collectible piece.  The stylistic idea of ​​this project lies in the pursuit of absolute purity. It is the desire to capture, without any "artificial" interventions, the extreme style of the most beautiful things that exist: nature with its wild, majestic and impressive rules.

From our lands, each year, there will in fact be a new crop of carefully selected raw materials, cultivated with care and love by expert hands. These raw materials will be macerated and mixed conscientiously following the artist's recipe to reproduce an invaluable perfume extract. The sun, wind, rain and snow will, in fact, have left their indelible and unforgettable mark on these ingredients, giving the molecules a unique character and the fragrance its own soul. Each bottle will contain the nectar of nature and will conceal its moods. All we must do is listen to them and admire them.This is the closest place to the expression of artistic integrity, far away from any possible contamination.

A long-term project for those who really love perfume. It will be a joy to meet in 5 years from now and talk about the time passed including all its unrepeatable uniqueness through the VERTICAL SAMPLING of these fragrances.

Tiziana and Paolo

 What other passions do you have in your life and how do they effect your compositions?

Before speaking about what influenced this collection we have to talk about sharing and brotherly love. The sharing of two people who become one with the creation itself, because behind these products, there are four hands working in synergy, in contrast, in tension with the sole purpose of going beyond one's own limits and personality. Alongside the creative and innovative designer Tiziana Terenzi there is the nose Paolo Terenzi.  Sister and brother united by a passion inherited from their grandfather and father. They merge their knowledge mixing and melting their talents together. This combination of different and at the same time complementary personalities allows them to create a signature style that is characterised by the search for emotional tension based on the lyrical music of jazz. The music and harmonies, as well as a dissonant diminished seventh on a ninth chord, are the foundation that influences the personal and irreverent style of the scents that speak to the heart. The musical past of Paolo blends with Tiziana's academic education and allows them explore boundaries that are as original and unique as their creations.

Evelino, Tiziana and Paolo Terenzi

Are you influenced by other perfumers from the past or present?

My Grandfather, Guglielmo, taught me all about perfumes. He was my Teacher. These perfumes embody the powerful Faustian desire to try to hold on to a beautiful moment, and the constant exploration of the “self and the non-self”.
The perfume uses its full power to evoke the experience of being by the fire – a moment which represents a life lived to the fullest and intense, squeezing the last drop, living in the moment – the sharing of an intimate moment with the rest of the cosmos. All the evocative essences of a beautiful memory are trapped inside the precious olfactory molecules, forever etched in our minds.

It is not simply perfume, but an actual journey through the emotions and memory. Because of its unique quality, these creations come from their having started out as a series of notes jotted down in old notepads narrating a journey which has yet to draw to a close. As well, the formulation of the molecules does follow the rules of traditional haute perfumery; instead it opens itself up to the freedom of exploring all possible alchemies, through “politically incorrect” actions. It manages to represent the true essence of life, including its imperfections, tensions, dissonances, all of which make the moment simply beautiful. There are no stylistic compromises here; each molecule has been selected because it must exist – almost independently of the author – because these creations are expressions of the truth. These perfumes cannot be worn like a simple piece of clothing; they are only for those who love to completely immerse themselves in life, fearlessly experiencing its essence to the very core.

They are complex creations which do not completely reveal themselves; they require reflection.
The notes are continually transforming, often invading the bottom of the heart and exploring uncharted territory. It is a precious alchemy in the making; and one which never stops generating new musical notes because of the continual evolution of our emotions and the way it is perceived.

To experience a perfume with this kind of structure requires time, patience, perseverance, and wisdom. In fact, it does not reveal its essence to just anyone. You cannot just decide to wear it.IT will be the one to choose YOU if it feels you have the right soul to truly understand it.

–Paolo Terenzi, Tiziana Terenzi Creator

Editor's Note: My first encounter with Tiziana Terenzi was as a free lance journalist writing an article on luxe home fragrances for a Dubai magazine.  The candles are magnificent; they are opulent and truly perfume encapsulated in wax.  With so many "parfums en niche" entering the market, I miss a few treasures. Our team often reviews a new fragrance collection before me.  I kept meaning to venture downtown to Osswald NYC after I read John Reasinger, Former Senior Editor's reviews of Tiziana Terenzi White Fire, MarchXIX, Gold Rose Oud, and Ecstasi.

Tiziana Terenzi sprays hand crafted Italian silk fans with their fragrances Photo: Michelyn

Fortunately I was invited to a Special Trunk Show Event at Barneys New York last month, which is when I met the charming Paolo Terenzi. I was impressed with his passion, knowledge and  commitment to creating fine fragrance; there is a complexity and special beauty to every scent in Tiziana Terenzi collection. There are four new perfumes that were introduced last month at Pitti Fragranze, Laudano Nero, Arethusa, Chimearaand the limited edition Casanova an enigmatic woody oriental that smells like gilded leather  brushing a woman's tawny bare skin  (only 1000 flacons were created).  Barneys is now carrying the entire collection and the new perfumes were  exclusively launched  in the USA at Barneys New York  Madison Avenue Store September 17, 2014. The candles and fragrances are available at Osswald NYC and the fragrances are at Luckyscent. Unfortunately the stunning silk fan that is used to waft the scent (much more sensual than  perfume mouillettes) is not included; I am working on that. (All photos are from Tiziana Terenzi or from my iPhone)

Thanks to Paolo Tirenzi of Tiziana Tirenzi we have a draw for 100 ml/$275 of Casanova perfume to any reader worldwide. To be eligible please leave a comment with what you found fascinating about Paolo, The Tirenzi family and the new limited edition Tiziana Tirenzi Casanova perfume. If you would like your comment to count twice please be sure to LIKE ÇaFleureBon Behind the Bottle on Facebook. Draw ends 10/17/2014.

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