Harris: I have spent endless days trying to develop my signature style and work through my materials, and it never stops (All photos: Perfumer H)
Options: What are some of your most evocative olfactory memories?
Lyn Harris: I have so many. My grandparents had a smallholding in Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, in Scotland, and I spent beautiful long summers with them. Grandfather was a carpenter and had his workspace next door while grandmother baked and cooked from the garden the minute she started her day. Waking up to the smell of baking and the charcoal in my grandfather’s hands and tools … I’m particularly fond of these memories as they awakened my olfactory being.
You credit summers spent with your grandparents in Scotland as among your fondest memories. Describe a fragrance that captures your childhood summers.
There’s not a day that goes by when I don’t think about that place — it never fails to bring me so much inspiration. I’ve expressed different aspects of those memories in many of my creations but Dandelion perfectly captures that period of my life: the remembrance of long afternoons spent outdoors, blowing seeds from the top of a dandelion’s green stalk and watching its cotton-white down dance in the wind ... transporting me to a place that is joyful and free. I created Dandelion as a modern fern: top notes of sweet Sicilian lemon, Tunisian orange flower and Italian mandarin are heightened by the freshness of green leaf, the intensity of Iranian galbanum and a bright note of plum. Wild herbs rest on a vetiver base, where the soft depths of sandalwood and cardamom are enveloped in a romantic musk. Youthful, fresh and full of possibility.
What are the most important things you learnt over the course of your career, as well as the lessons picked up from your time with Monique Schlienger and the Robertet Group?
To be patient. Perfumery can sometimes be such a frustrating vocation. I have spent endless days trying to develop my signature style and work through my materials, and it never stops. It’s like something takes over you, training your olfactory memory and developing the ability to create a fragrance. You never truly stop; you go on holiday or out for dinner, and you find yourself analysing every scent — but this is also why I love it. It’s a part of who I am — I never stop. If I have an idea, it just stays with me until I’ve fulfilled it.
How would you describe Perfumer H’s house style?
Perfumer H is a reflection of my style, pared back, delicate and intimate. I wanted to create beautiful fragrances that resonate with life, creating poetic landscapes of nature.
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What are some of your favourite raw ingredients to work with?
I love the scent of materials … it’s something I’m constantly checking and I find that each day I can get something new from nosing a material I’ve smelled for many years. I work with a palette of almost 500 raw ingredients and have many favourites. I love vetiver Haiti, angelica seed, orange flower absolute Tunisia, cedarwood Virginia … I carry a small bottle of frankincense with me when I travel and often dab a bit on a tissue; it helps cleanse my palette and shields me from other scents. I’m obsessed with it — whether pure or diluted, it offers a sense of clarity and comfort that I find endlessly inspiring.
Which destinations excite you most as a perfumer?
I love travelling and nature so I really cannot choose. But there was a period when I was visiting Morocco a lot and lying by an orange tree was the best thing I could ever imagine. The late afternoon with the sun going down. The heat of the day had passed but was still present enough to let the scent of orange blossom infuse the surrounding air. I recently visited Shanghai and Seoul, and it was an incredible trip. The architecture there is really interesting as lots of tradition is mixed with extraordinarily structured modern buildings using so many different materials. There’s something incredibly beautiful in the air and I loved meeting our partners and making new friends. We are planning something very exciting for next year that I think will break new ground in retail.
Your perfumes are said to “elevate the everyday”. But if not from a scent-oriented perspective, how do you elevate your own day?
I find beauty and pleasure in very simple aspects of everyday life — books, the park, music, friends and familiar places I visit often. I cherish the space I work in very much ... to reflect without disturbance, but it’s the elements that surround me that bring the most joy: La Fromagerie, Primrose Hill [London], time with my son and family, my dog, my glassblower, tea from Postcard Teas, the people I work with and the communal gardens where I live. Each of these brings me immense pleasure and happiness which, in turn, fuel my creativity.
Have you been to Malaysia before? If you were to create a scent for the country, what ingredients would you strongly consider using?
I haven’t been to Malaysia but I am looking forward to coming very soon. I’m looking forward to experiencing the heat and humidity and how it touches nature there. I’m sure I will fall in love with the food and people very much.
What are you reading right now?
A Thousand Feasts by Nigel Slater.
What are you listening to right now?
I love all types of music, from electronic, jazz hop and techno to easy jazz and some classical with a twist. Lately, I’ve been listening to a lot of Hania Rani, Ryuichi Sakamoto and Matthew Halsall.
Describe your idea of a perfect weekend.
A simple one — being surrounded by nature and loved ones, just experiencing life and enjoying its essential moments.
Perfumer H is available in Malaysia at Ken’s Apothecary outlets in One Utama, Petaling Jaya, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur and Gurney Plaza, Penang.
This article first appeared on Nov 25, 2024 in The Edge Malaysia.
