The Dutch design duo speak inspiration, muse and and every part in between.
Perfume has lengthy been about fantasy, and for style duo Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren of the Amsterdam-based luxurious couture home Viktor & Rolf, that figment is an extension of oneself. “By means of perfume, one can talk with out talking; it may possibly set off reminiscences and feelings,” say the synchronized Dutch visionaries (they’ve a behavior of ending one another’s sentences) over tea and pastries of their 4 Seasons Lodge Montreal suite, the place we meet to debate their latest launch, Flowerbomb Dew. Perfume additionally carries sartorial-esque powers. “The selection of fragrance—candy, contemporary, huge, discreet—says one thing concerning the wearer, identical to a well-chosen outfit.”
In 2005, Horsting and Snoeren dropped a bomb that disrupted the perfume world with each its design and scent. Their iconic Flowerbomb—an unapologetically candy oriental floral housed in a hand grenade-shaped bottle—marked the very first fragrance for his or her eponymous label. “We understand design as a laboratory by which to experiment and push boundaries,” replicate the designers. “In doing so, you shock your self and create one thing new and thrilling.”
Since its profitable debut nicely over a decade in the past, the unique over-the-top floral, which is laced with jasmine, orange blossom and patchouli, has racked up a cult following, and several other quirky and attention-grabbing flankers and restricted editions that echo Horsting and Snoeren’s collective boundary-pushing imaginative and prescient have since adopted. “Our intention as style and perfume artists has not modified through the years,” say the duo. “We intention to be authentic and to make expressive and daring statements. We now have at all times translated our model’s DNA into our fragrances, with the mission to create spectacular magnificence.”
This spring, the designers have deployed a brand-new rendition of their signature grenade. Dubbed Flowerbomb Dew, it’s a extra delicate floral revamp of their olfactory methods. “The Flowerbomb Assortment is a household with numerous intensities; you might have the traditional, which is an explosion of flowers, and now we wished to create a ‘sister’ for an individual who likes Flowerbomb however needs one thing a bit softer,” explains Snoeren, who describes Flowerbomb Dew as having a extra rose-filled aroma.
The designers referred to as upon main perfumers Domitille Michalon Bertier, Carlos Benaïm and Dominique Ropion from the Manhattan-based Worldwide Flavors & Fragrances Inc. to assist them conceptualize the bouquet. And just like the eye-catching pearly-white bottle, the brand new juice inside is an equally inventive feat. First comes a swoon of juicy pear and bergamot essence, adopted by a “dewy rose” accord (a hybrid backyard rose from the tea rose household that’s grown in water) and iris on the coronary heart. Finally, a musky and woody drydown settles on the pores and skin for an aura that’s “intimate and private.” As for the wearer of this floriental musk? “We envision somebody who’s intelligently glamorous and daringly stylish—an icon in their very own proper,” say the designers.
In the identical manner that scents can set off vivid reminiscences and visceral connections to one thing, so, too, can fashion-forward, bar-raising fragrance campaigns for these designers. “Fragrances generally had been like my portal into the style world,” reminisces Horsting about his youthful years. “The advertisements had been at all times inspirational.” Essentially the most memorable picture for Horsting? Dior’s 1985 launch of Poison, a spicy floral spritz housed in a spherical purple bottle. Within the accompanying visible, a mannequin poses along with her arms artfully crossed whereas her fingers clutch a number of flacons. “That could be a visible I clearly bear in mind,” he says. “I may have a look at it for hours.”
As for Snoeren’s favorite vintage-campaign second? Yves Saint Laurent’s 1977 print advert for Opium; it’s fronted by legendary mannequin Jerry Corridor, who’s photographed mendacity within the foreground of the surroundings. “It’s extraordinarily opulent, with orchids and gold—it’s insane,” says Snoeren.
Visible storytellers by nature, Horsting and Snoeren tapped American actress Anya Taylor-Joy to seize the concepts of their fashionable Flowerbomb Dew juice. “Anya completely embodies the message we need to share,” voice the duo. “She is sensual, mysterious and highly effective unexpectedly. To us, she displays a decided, outspoken and self-aware lady impeccably.” For the marketing campaign, a fresh-faced Taylor-Pleasure, clad in a ruffled shirt, attracts consideration in a radiant however refined manner. And for an actress who has carved a profitable area of interest for herself starring in darkish thrillers, it’s a distinct form of expression. “In every part we do, there is a component of contradiction; transformation is essential in our work,” clarify Horsting and Snoeren. “Flowerbomb displays this strategy. The identify is a paradox: It’s a contemporary form of flower energy.”
BACKSTAGE PASS
Like their fantastical, avant-garde designs, Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren have an clever manner of blessing showgoers with tantalizing hair and make-up. Forward, a few of the designers’ most unforgettable appears.
Purchase Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb Dew here.
