Q&A with perfumer Oliver Valverde of Oliver & Co
Oliver Valverde is our latests obsession and curator of our latests series on Instagram.
What are your influences for perfumes? What are your influences for books?
Honestly, I don’t have any influences for perfumes. When I start to
create a new formula or a new packaging, I never have in mind
something that has been created already. This is because I’m a self-taught
Perfumer and I never was taught by a Master Perfumer. When I began my own perfumery 6 years ago, I felt like a child discovering a new world full of possibilities. All those feelings were very pure and strong. I just trust and follow my intuition and inspiration in the creative process. I always say to many people: if you want to do something really different, your mind must be free of all those standard perfumery gimmicks. This is very important to me. It’s the DNA of the brand.
For books I very much like art books full of images. For reading, I like
Jodorowsky and his vision of the energy of the universe. But honestly,
I haven’t read too much in the last years.
What is your first memory of any scent?
I don’t remember very well. I think the smell of the cedar wood from
the wood pencils in school.
What is your favorite scent and what does it remind you of?
I don’t have any favorite scent, I like all of them.
Describe your collection in one word.
Unexpected.
Describe the person that wears your scent. Who are they?
What do they do on a Saturday night?
Well, tricky question! My elusive answer is: they live, they love, they
dance, they laugh.
I seem to smell a romantic freshness in the scents, did you intend that?
Honestly no, I tend to avoid any romantic or classical and bohemian
freshness when I work on new formulas in the laboratory. I work in
an abstract and experimental way, more cerebral than romantic. But
don’t misunderstand me. All I do comes from the deeper part inside
of my mind and soul. Even if I don’t intend to create romantic
fragrances, I’m very romantic and passionate in my work.
As I am sure you know, scent can directly connect one to
the past. For this reason, we plan to wear only one scent for
the fall of 2015. Then in the spring of 2016 we will smell it
again to take us back to this moment in time. Which one do
you recommend?
Nice experiment! For this I recommend you RESINA.
Do you listen to music while working? If so what do you listen to?
Yes, a lot. I love music, mostly electronic and avant-garde. Some
artist that I’ve listened to very often in the last few months are:
Shigeto, Flying Lotus, CFCF, Kelpe, Oneothrix Point Never,
Squarepusher, Shamir, Darkside…
Name secret talent you have that no one knows.
I’m very good creating electronic rhythms with a drum machine.
Favorite actress? Favorite film?
Tilda Swinton. I don’t have any favorite film.
Explore more of Oliver Valverde and Oliver & Co here and purchase his scents here
