SACRE COEUR NOTES
Perfume clearly runs in Jacques Cavallier’s veins. He’s a native of Grasse—the world’s perfume capital since the end of the 18 century—plus his father, grandfather and great grandfather all work in the same industry. His hits include YSL Beauty’s Opium Pour Homme, Giorgio Armani’s Acqua Di feminine scent for Louis Vuittonwhere crisp notes of juicy pear come together with musky ambrette seed, sweet Egyptian jasmine, earthy patchouli and animalistic narcissus in a wonderfully fresh yet sensual potion. “Coeur battant” is French for “beating heart”—that feeling you get on a first date where you feel your heart beating because that moment provokes a positive emotion. I was dreaming of creating a perfume full of emotions, volume and signature scents, and looking for ingredients that would bring freshness, fruitiness and voluptuousness. For Les Parfums Louis Vuitton, my signature is to create perfumes based on contrast, by associating different and unexpected ingredients. Firstly, there’s pear—I wanted to evoke the freshness you feel when you bite into one. For that, I used a natural pear-derived molecule as well as a unique molecule called Cascalone, which adds a cascade of freshness to the scent. I used pear exactly as I used mandarin for Le Jour Se Lève. It’s very powerful and quite volatile at the same time, but it links to another ingredient that I use a lot in my creations: Ambrette, which smells like sesame seeds. The scent, extracted through distillation in Grasse, is long-lasting and powerful. Then there’s Egyptian jasmine, a sensual, fresh and radiant flower, much spicier and more sensual than jasmine from Grasse. I finished with patchouli, which adds sophistication and elegance, and illuminates the perfume’s floral heart. I just want to celebrate and enjoy the freedom of my creative process—the most important thing for me when I work on a fragrance. I like proposing new things, and travelling the world to find the best-quality raw materials and inspiration. I believe the most successful perfumes in the market are not only based on lastingness, but also on quality, volume and singularity.
