Dana Cheong and Margie Van Elten Blommaert visit Les Fontaines Parfumées in Grasse
Freida Smits, Margie Van Elten Blommaert, Dana Cheong and Brandon Cheong at Les Fontainees Parfumees Louis Vuitton in Grasse. (Photo: Rachel Nething, Louis Vuitton)
Beauty junkies know that meeting the master perfumer of your favourite fragrance is a once-in-a-lifetime experience few people would even dream of. But when you're a VVVIP of Louis Vuitton, all it takes is a day trip after the Paris Fashion Week shows to be whisked away to beautiful Grasse, in South of France, to do just that.
Singapore Tatler friends Dana Cheong and Margie Van Elten Blommaert tell us about their amazing experience.
(Related: How VIPs Experience Paris Fashion Week)
Brandon Cheong, Freida Smits and Dana Cheong at the Fragrance Creation Laboratory. (Photo: Rachel Nething, Louis Vuitton)
At the Fragrance Creation Laboratory with Jacques Cavallier-Belletrud. (Photo: Rachel Nething, Louis Vuitton)
Jacques Cavallier-Belletrud explaining about the Louis Vuitton fragrances. (Photo: Rachel Nething, Louis Vuitton)
A look at the fragrance trunk in Jacques Cavallier-Belltrud's office. (Photo: Rachel Nething, Louis Vuitton)
Dana Cheong and Brandon Cheong. (Photo: Rachel Nething, Louis Vuitton)
Les Fontaines Parfumees Louis Vuitton in Grasse. (Photo: Rachel Nething, Louis Vuitton)
(Left to right) Alexandra Gowdie, Freida Smits, Margie Van Elten Blommaert, Jacques Cavallier-Belletrud, Dana Cheong, Brandon Cheong. (Photo: Rachel Nething, Louis Vuitton)
How was it like visiting Les Fontaines Parfumées in Grasse?
Margie Van Elten Blommaert I've never toured much outside Paris, so it was so lovely to visit the South of France.
Dana Cheong It was beautiful—definitely a change from my usual Paris Fashion Week experience.
Do you have a favourite Louis Vuitton scent?
Dana My favourite is Turbulences. It’s an interesting and strong scent, made from a mix of rose and jasmine. It's very refreshing and you can wear it easily in a warm climate like Singapore.
Margie I actually wear three out of seven of the fragrances. Apogée is a really calming scent, which I love. I also wear Rose des Vents as the base and layer Matière Noire on top. Matière Noire is quite heavy and it's seen as a nighttime scent, but I like it because it really lasts throughout the day.
What was it like meeting Mr. Jacques Cavallier-Belletrud, the master perfumer behind some of your favourite scents?
Margie He was absolutely lovely—what a gentle soul! He was very welcoming and he made you feel as though you had already known him for a long time.
Dana It was such a great experience getting to meet the nose of the Louis Vuitton perfumes. He was very friendly and seemed like such a spontaneous and inspired person.
What was your favourite memory from the entire experience?
Dana Perfume making is very similar to making wine. You need the right ingredients to complement each other, and the right conditions for your ingredients to grow in. I loved that the rose and jasmine found in Turbulences were actually sourced from Grasse itself.
Margie When I told Jacques that I layered my Louis Vuitton perfumes, he was absolutely delighted and laughed saying, "Of course you do! There aren't only seven different types of women in the world." What a charming man.
(Related: Hot New Scents! Louis Vuitton Returns To The Perfume World)