Edward Urrutia
Burberry Goddess has been flying off fragrance shelves since it hit stores, and for good reason: its layers of vanilla make women feel feminine, radiant and confident.
Senior perfumer Amandine Clerc-Marie reveals her inspiration and the process behind the new fragrance.
Marie Claire Australia: What was your inspiration for this scent?
Amandine Clerc-Marie: For Burberry Goddess, I had the desire to communicate the value of female empowerment, strength and confidence inspired by the collective power of a pride of lionesses. So I built a fragrance that was both protective and powerful. Femininity is a very layered concept and can mean different things to different people. How did you tackle femininity with this scent? To translate the complexity of how I perceive women’s collective strength and femininity, I’ve used a vanilla that can be as multifaceted as a woman: an accord that is soft yet powerful, an olfactive chiaroscuro.
What does the Burberry Goddess look like in your mind?
AC: Social changes recently made us more aware of our impact as women. I wanted to translate the process of this empowerment in a perfume that will incarnate this archetype – stronger and assertive, able to be as radiant as the sun while as fierce as a lioness. The Burberry Goddess represents a strong universal archetype with which women of today can connect, someone who is unafraid to embark on a journey of self-discovery, unleash their power within and motivate.
What were some sources of inspiration?
AC: The idea of the Goddess was very inspiring. The Goddess is powerful, transcendent, supportive and omnipresent, inspired by the power of a pride of lionesses. The sun has also been an important component of my creation process. I wanted to translate how comforting and powerful it is. As vanilla needs more sun than any other plant – to grow and then to dry before extracting its scent – it solidified my path to use it as a central element.
How do you begin the creative process?
AC: I start with one or two materials to create a specific accord, which should be strong enough to be reworked for months and will serve as my North Star, my guiding light and the signature of this fragrance. Once I have the initial accord, I surround it with other notes.
Burberry Goddess is a new interpretation of a vanilla-based scent. How have you done this?
AC: I really wanted to deliver a fragrance that could still be very feminine but also reveal another perspective of this woman. My goal was to expand upon the common use of vanilla [and] deliver a new kind of rich, olfactive experience. For this purpose, I used Burberry senior perfumer Amandine Clerc-Marie. three distinct types of vanilla extraction. The first is a vanilla infusion, which provides the brightest woody-vanilla possible. Then I used vanilla caviar: this innovative technology enables us to extract vanilla, obtaining a sweet, rich and animalic vanilla. It’s a first in a fragrance. Lastly, [I used] vanilla absolute, which is darker and richer, and gave the fragrance a mysterious, milky aspect.
What are some other notes in the fragrance?
AC: I wrapped the precious vanilla with notes of bright lavender and earthy notes of cocoa and ginger roots. It is classified as an ambery vanillic woody fragrance.
How many iterations did it take to get Goddess right?
AC: We tried between 350 and 400 different combinations. Even the smallest details are important to achieve the perfect formula. It requires a lot of patience.
How do you want women to feel when they wear the fragrance?
AC: I want women to feel confident, strong, and embrace their power within.
What were some sources of inspiration?
AC: The idea of the Goddess was very inspiring. The Goddess is powerful, transcendent, supportive and omnipresent, inspired by the power of a pride of lionesses. The sun has also been an important component of my creation process. I wanted to translate how comforting and powerful it is. As vanilla needs more sun than any other plant – to grow and then to dry before extracting its scent – it solidified my path to use it as a central element.
Shop the Burberry Goddess EDP, 100ml, $275 at David Jones
