Ex Nihilo has just launched our new favourite scent for its 10th anniversary. Ahead, founder Benoit Verdier talks us through the creation of Blue Talisman.
Earlier this year, we took a trip to Paris with Ex Nihilo, where we spent two days getting an inside look at the fragrance house’s inner workings. From an intimate tour of Givaudan’s Paris HQ to sharing sessions with founder Benoit Verdier and a visit to Ex Nihilo’s iconic Rue St Honoré flagship, it was a trip to remember.
READ: 5 Things you didn’t know about Ex Nihilo
Now, we’ve had to keep the details of our French excursion under wraps as we were also getting an exclusive preview of Ex Nihilo’s 10-year anniversary special: The Blue Talisman EDP. Well, the fragrance is finally launching on our shores, so we’re here to share everything we’ve learned about it.
READ: How Ex Nihilo is reinventing the world of fragrance as we know it
Blue Talisman is an exquisite showcase of Ex Nihilo’s strengths, coming together to create a fragrance that captures the vanguard spirit of the house. Clad in Ex Nihilo’s iconic rich blue hue and created in collaboration with the house’s long-time partner, Jordi Fernández, the fragrance is a mesmerising work of art—a beautiful blend of fruity-fresh pear and bergamot top notes and an intoxicating base of Ambrofix, musk and Akigalawood. Complex and unusual, it is a timeless scent, created to be worn throughout this season and beyond.
Don’t just take it from us, though. Ahead, we speak with Verdier to get an insight into the inspirations behind the new scent:
How would you describe the new Blue Talisman fragrance?
“It is a beautiful eau de parfum that is easy to wear and very versatile. You can share it, you can wear it during the day, go to work in it, and even have a cocktail party with it. I love the idea that you can wear it round the clock, 24 hours a day. It’s the case for most of our fragrances, but especially this one.”
What was the inspiration behind Blue Talisman?
“When we briefed the perfumers, it was very precise. The more precise you are and the more constraints you give, the more they can work freely. Keeping things too vague can make their interpretation process difficult. The idea was that Blue Talisman would be a celebration fragrance that would embody the quintessence of Ex Nihilo.
“It put a lot of pressure on our perfumer, Jordi Fernández, to capture the brand in terms of know-how and creativity, bringing in some new ingredients that could be natural or synthetic, but also incorporating our brand IDs like ambrofix.”
Why was Jordi Fernández—also the nose behind Ex Nihilo’s iconic Explicite and The Hedonist fragrances—the right perfumer for Blue Talisman?
“Jordi is very internationally-minded. He has this European background but also has a bridge with the Middle East, which makes his creations very interesting. I think we found a very nice balance between the bergamot, the pear and the Ambrofix which created a very addictive yet comfortable quality to the fragrance while keeping the scent niche.”
To celebrate 10 years of Ex Nihilo, Blue Talisman incorporates a lot of your brand’s signatures. Which fragrance notes would you consider to be the DNA of Ex Nihilo?
“I think fresh florals and super addictive scents are our signature. But, when you see the construction of our fragrances, of course, they always start quite fresh or spicy. I also like The Hedonist particularly, and the signature there comes from the ginger and the Akigalawood. We also love working on the long-lastingness, comfort, and silage of our fragrances, and that often comes with adding some white musk on the end.“
What feelings are you hoping to evoke with the new fragrance?
“We like to create joyful scents: Something that sparkles, something that puts you in a good mood, something that also is sensorial. We love the idea of creating fragrances that are very addictive, not only sexually but also for yourself. We are very proud of what we have created.”
Ex Nihilo’s Blue Talisman EDP will be available here at Amaris Malaysia soon.
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