Why do some fragrances have a cult following? Commercial success is not an ingredient; passion and talent are.
Even before Luca Turin -( dubbed by fragrance critic Chandler Burr as The Emperor of Scent in his book on Turin – published his acclaimed and critical guide to perfume with Tania Sanchez,Perfumes the Guide – I have been wearing 100% Love by S-Perfumes). "Both superlative oddness and mind-numbing comfort at the same time is pure brilliance," penned Turin in praise of 100% Love fragrance in his tome. "If there is a parallel universe in which smells are theorems, 100% Love would be something like a proof of Riemann's Conjecture Theorem," Turin continued, after which he proceeded to give the fragrance his highest rating of five-stars, anointing it a Masterpiece.
While Riemann conjectured what is now the most glamorous unsolved problem in mathematics, we conjecture that olfactive esoteric language aside, 100% Love smells great – evoking rose petals dipped in white chocolate, but without the cloying sweetness of a linear gourmand perfume. The nose was none other than the legendary Sophia Grojsman, given the Living Legend Award by the Society of Perfumers in 1996, and the Achiever Award by Cosmetic Executive Women in 1994. She created Lancome's Tresor, YSL's Paris, (the Reference Rose) and more recently Parisienne and Lalique Edition Limitee 2011 by Lalique. Calvin Klein Eternity, also her creation, was inducted into the Fragrance Hall of Fame.
Over the years, I have developed a friendship with the founder of S-Perfumes, Nobi Shioya, aka the Artist Sacre Nobi who came out of his studio for a look behind the bottle
Sophia Grosjman
Why did you choose Sophia for 100% Love?
Nobi Shioya: I first started to work with perfumers for my sculpture in '97; the first nose I worked with was Jean-Pierre Bethouart. The moment I entered the world of perfumers, I started to hear about a Russian woman called Sophia Grojsman. The more I heard about her, the more I wanted to work with her on one of my art projects one day. In the late 90s, I was still working around very dark, religious (Roman Catholic) themes, and the ideal perfumer for my projects was Annick Menardo (she is still my favorite perfumer). I didn't know Sophia at that time, and thought I had nothing that went with her style.
In 2003, my gallery at that time told me they were preparing a show call "Plastic Garden"; they were missing a center piece to fill the gallery since all the other pieces were going to be against the wall. I guess I was feeling LOVE in the air at that time! I immediately told them I'd make a huge shape of a heart on the floor in shocking pink that smelled like LOVE…and call it 100% LOVE. Of course, I already knew the perfumer had to be the great Sophia Grojsman.
What was your collaboration like?
NS: 100% Love has been an ongoing project since 2003, and we have changed the formula many times. It has been a great honor to work with Sophia, but above all, it has been such fun to be with her. People had been telling me that she was an amazing person, and to me, she's been a jaw-dropping person! Sophia doesn't know, but I call her "dynamo" when I speak about her.
Are you working on any new fragrances, Nobi?
NS: I am definitely phasing out of my "fragrance period" but 100% Love will always be with me, and will be given/sold in limited numbers each year. Making 100% Love with Sophia was such a special experience, that I am compelled to keep it forever. To make this a commitment, I have made the effort to obtain and maintain the trademark registration worldwide.
Definitely make the effort to visit S-Perfume.com and experience the fragrance for yourself. After all, the "proof" is in the wearing.
Other fragrances and installations by Nobi S-Perfumes, Lust by Alberto Morillas, Sloth (by Thierry Wasser)
– Michelyn Camen, Editor in Chief
Roman Zaslonov
Editor's Note: Nobi once told me that only people with sweet smelling skin can wear this in the way it was meant to be worn.
Thank you to Nobi for this draw. It is for 1.7 ounces of 100% Love. Please leave a comment about 100% Love, S-Perfumes, and why we hope Sacri Nobi doesn't phase out his fragrances. Draw ends February 21, 2011
あなたの優しさ、ミスターをいただき、ありがとうございます。 (MC used google) thank you for your kindness
SPECIAL UPDATE KEEP THE COMMENTS COMING TWO WINNERS NOW THAT NOBI SHIOYA READ YOUR COMMENTS