Jazz, a fragrant rhythm by Yves Saint Laurent It was in 1961 that Yves Saint Laurent founded his fashion house, with the help of his friend, Pierre Bergé.
Released in 1988, “Jazz” is the olfactory expression of a music that is nothing if not rhythmic. Because jazz is a very particular musical movement, it implies here a unique momentum, not only joyful, but one that touches the soul deeply as jazz has done in the past. Born in the United States at the beginning of the 20th century, jazz carries within it the blending of different American cultures. “Jazz” thus expresses the paradox of this musical style, and offers striking contrasts. Signed by Jean-François Latty, the composition of “Jazz” is defined as woody aromatic.
Jean-François Latty plays olfactory jazz
It was the perfumer Jean-François Latty whom Yves Saint Laurent chose to create his so atypical fragrance. Born in Grasse, Jean-François Latty was immersed at a very young age in the world of scents. He joined the Roure perfumery school, and was hired by one of its subsidiaries once he graduated. In 1970, he joined the company IFF (International Flavors & Fragrances) and remained there until 1987. He then founded his own company “JFL Créations”, specializing in the creation of perfumes and the trading of natural raw materials. Jean-François Latty is also the official perfumer of the brand Théo Cabanel. Jean-François Latty is behind numerous creations, such as “L'Eau Dynamisante” by Clarins or “Alahine” by Théo Cabanel.
Jazz, fragrant notes built on contrasts
Jean-François Latty created the fragrance “Jazz” like a piece of jazz, meaning that the composition begins in a soft and sensitive way, gradually increasing in intensity to deliver a dazzling finale. “Jazz” opens then with aromatic notes, namely those of mugwort, star anise, lavender, juniper berries, all enhanced by a touch of coriander. Mugwort is an herbaceous plant that grows naturally in temperate climate regions. Legend has it that mugwort takes its name from the Greek goddess Artemis, daughter of Zeus. Mugwort has long been known for its many medicinal properties. While mugwort has very tall stems (between 40 cm and 1.20 m), it is especially known for its very pronounced scent. In perfumery, mugwort gives off herbaceous and bitter tonalities. The heart of “Jazz” is rather feminine, which is quite rare in a masculine perfume. It indeed combines geranium, rose and carnation, contrasted with cinnamon, a sweet spice. Geranium originates from South Africa, and its name comes from the Greek “geranos”, meaning “crane”, due to the appearance of the seed. Originally, there were about 400 varieties of geranium, but gardeners have created numerous hybrids. In perfumery, geranium gives off tonalities that are at once spicy, minty or rosy. Finally, the base of “Jazz” is meant to be woody, but above all powerful and fiery. It combines sandalwood, vetiver, oakmoss as well as patchouli, offering an ultimate, stunning and ultra-virile sillage. The “Jazz” bottle today belongs to YSL's “Collection des Parfums Classiques”, and takes a shape resembling a clean-lined glass cube. The black label, Yves Saint Laurent's signature color, appears as if encircled, which contrasts with the transparency of the glass... A little gem!