Nostalgia in a bottle is the mood of the new Jo Malone London Raspberry Ripple Cologne out now …
A light, summery scent with a sparkle of red fruit, it celebrates delicious soft scoop ice cream. We talked to Celine Roux, Head of Fragrance at Jo Malone London, to find out more about this most summery of scents …
In the 16 years you’ve been with Jo Malone London, how has the world of fragrance and our tastes changed, in your view?
“I think, especially with female scents, we accept a much higher level of sugary gourmand and edible notes. You can play with certain notes, but you have to do it in the brand’s DNA.”
Why do you think we’re craving nostalgia when it comes to scent? Is it about comforting ourselves in troubled times, and a bit of escapism?
“The nostalgia part that we are attracted to is happy memories. When there’s a world of uncertainty, it’s reassuring to go back to what you know; it’s comforting, something familiar. If you think of the seaside, you have a happy memory on a pier somewhere with an ice cream. At Jo Malone London, we’re about tradition, but it’s relevant everywhere – wherever you go in the world, who doesn’t have an ice cream in summer? The funny part that I learned in England is that you can have an ice cream regardless of the weather forecast. I guess in some other countries you might adjust what you eat, but I love the fact that when you’re at the seaside you’re not going to change your routine depending on the weather! It’s comforting to find a scent that makes you feel good. Raspberry Ripple Cologne is like a smile in a bottle.”
“There’s no age limit to wearing or liking gourmand scents. The reason we crave sweet treats is that they make us feel good. When you smell something sweet, it makes you smile.”
We always expect younger people to love sweeter scents, but do you find that they appeal to a wider audience too?
“Younger souls definitely have a desire for a sweet scent. I think we become so used to it. It’s universal and it’s not just one generation. I would say for men – many like a little bit of a sweet, fruity note. It’s appealing. This fragrance has something quite young and happy about it.”
What do you think of the trend towards intense scents and going back to the blockbusters like of those of the ’80s?
“When you spend more money on the bottle, you want quality. For this Raspberry Ripple fragrance, we have blackberry extract to bring across the naturality and white musk to represent vanilla ice cream. As for strong scents, I feel that when people came out of lockdown they wanted to be recognised and have an identity, so stronger scents became even more popular. We’ve definitely seen a rise of more longer-lasting scents.”
What’s particularly inspiring you in London and beyond right now?
“I feel like London is an amazing playground. Even though it’s a big city, there’s a sense of community in different neighborhoods which I find quite inspiring, and also the diversity. England has a lot to offer from the countryside to the seaside. It’s a blank canvas. There’s so much to play with in terms of culture, and also ingredients. And being a foreigner and living here for 16 years, there are still things that I discover and appreciate.”
Can you tell us what you’re working on at the moment and what’s next?
“In terms of edible notes, there are other elements to sweet and fruity. There are things we’ve been working on that take edible notes in a different direction, not just fruits.”
Jo Malone London Raspberry Ripple Cologne, €68 for 30ml and €145 for 100ml, available from counters nationwide from July 1.
