Symrise strengthens its position in the Chinese fragrance market and inaugurates The Little Red House, an intimate, immersive and collaborative creation hub in the heart of Shanghai. Located within an iconic building designed by French architect Jean Nouvel, this unique and inspiring space is a new place for fragrance creation to spark ideas and co-create in real time.
A modern showcase for creativity
Located in the Xuhui district, The Little Red House is Symrise's new creative center dedicated to the Asian market, inaugurated on May 18 in the presence of Ricardo Omori, Deputy President of the Fragrance Division, Eder Ramos, Global President of the Fragrance Division, perfumers Alexandra Carlin and Maxime Exler and other key members of the Symrise team. The name refers to the Symrise logo and the red walls of the iconic The Roof building, designed by French architect Jean Nouvel to capture the quintessential soul of Shanghai.
Dedicated to fragrance creation, market research, creative arts and olfactory culture, The Little Red House will be the venue for exclusive events and cultural programs such as masterclasses, meetings with perfumers and trend conferences aimed at learning, connecting and sharing knowledge. Symrise customers, perfume enthusiasts, influencers and journalists will be able to exchange ideas in this collaborative space and be nourished by genuine creative energy.
"China is a strategic market for Symrise. We inaugurated a new R&D center in 2019 in Pudong, invested €200 million in a new factory that opened in 2020 in Nantong. Now, The Little Red House offers us a dedicated space to co-create with our local and international customers, and showcase many of our high-tech skills. The Little Red House marks Symrise's continued expansion and the reinvention of fine fragrances in Asia, says Ricardo Omori.
"We believe it's important to be at the forefront of innovation and to listen to our customers. Like L'Appartement Étoile in Paris, The Little Red House is strategically located in the center of Shanghai and will enable us to be closer to our customers, while offering a modern ambience that leaves room for creativity."says Julianne Pruett, Global President Fine Fragrance.
A new Laire base to celebrate fine perfumery and China
To celebrate the opening of The Little Red House and pay homage to China, perfumers David Apel (USA), Maxime Exler (China) and Suzy Le Helley (France) worked to rework an iconic Laire base, Piviane, to offer a new, modern interpretation. The new base was previewed at the inauguration.
The new Piviane Impériale DL takes up the leathery signature of the emblematic Piviane, in which the animalic note has been replaced by a gentle smoky sensation to create an intoxicating, delicate floral scent. A blend of natural and synthetic ingredients, and exclusive Symrise captives, Piviane Impériale highlights Mada- gascar vetiver and longonza, artichoke Symtrap and Symrose.* and Sympep**. "This new Laire base is the quintessence of floral sophistication, a chiaroscuro between a luminous, flowery peony wrapped in a smoky, leathery facet. The ultimate touch of majestic femininity. A celebration of fine perfumery and China," says Symrise.
"It was an extraordinary journey to dive back into the world of Laire, even more so for a project like this. We modernized the base by replacing the signature animal leather with a smoky facet. To achieve this, I played with our new Sym-pep captive and a touch of longoza refreshed the floral heart. The result is still a floral explosion, with a unique premium touch, which is ultimately what Laire bases are all about."explains David Apel.
"Having spent the last two years in China, this new base is a true tribute to Chinese beauty and its love of fragrance. I love exploring new ingredients and challenging myself, so in addition to our Symrose captive, I was keen to add Artichoke Symtrap which brought a unique fresh note."says Maxime Exler.
The contrast between the delicacy of the flowers and the leatheriness of the original base has always fascinated me. In Piviane Impériale DL, I wanted to play with our elegant Madagascar vetiver, which adds a sublime smoky note. In this way, we were able to preserve this astonishing contrast in a new, gender-neutral interpretation.explains Suzy Le Helley.
* A complex floral ingredient that enhances the naturalness and radiance of floral fragrances with an intense note of rose, very natural and clean, with a light touch of geranium and lily of the valley.
** Natural aromatic composition obtained by a patented process from an essential oil with woody, peppery notes with moss, balsamic and patchouli facets.
Photo:
From left to right: Ricardo Omori (Deputy President, Fragrance Division), Karim Lisi (VP Business Development, Fine Fragrance APAC Division), Eder Ramos (Global President, Fragrance Division).
