Heritage and tradition are fundamental roots in the foundation of the centuries-old fragrance industry. Something that perfumer Henry Jacques knows all too well. For decades the luxury French fragrance maison has been scenting the upper echelons of the Gulf’s most prominent families – despite not having a physical retail presence – based on its ‘if you know, you know’ reputation of quality and exclusivity.
But while Henry Jacques has been using it savoir-faire to craft some of the world’s finest scents for almost half a century, it has had to navigate the balance of respecting its traditions, while continuing to innovate for an increasingly evolving customer.
But if we put the proven elements of heritage and quality aside, another prime attribute that has allowed Henry Jacques to connect with the avenues of power within the Gulf has been its steadfast understanding of family values. The bespoke perfumer remains one of the very few family-run fragrance businesses in the industry with its CEO, Anne-Lise Cremona, proudly carrying on the company her father, Henry Cremona, started more than four decades ago in the south of France.
“When my father started this company in 1975, the perfume industry was engaging in heavy mass marketing,” explains Cremona. “This didn’t fit with what he was doing at Henry Jacques, which was dedicated to the art of bespoke perfumes – the whole process from the creation of the bottle to the perfumes.”
Initially assisting her father at Henry Jacques, Anne-Lise would go on to work for several other major companies in Geneva and Paris, before returning back to her roots. “I felt that nobody could continue the legacy that my father began except me,” she explains. “I knew exactly what I wanted to do, I knew we had to share our know-how with the rest of the world. Having that independence means that we have the freedom to express ourselves the way we want without compromising on our quality or vision.”
In the decade that Anne-Lise has been at the helm that vision has taken many forms, but none more exciting than its latest landmark project: the creation of Clic-Clac.
Following several years of extensive research and development, Clic-Clac is an exceptional tactile object that allows its owner to carry newly-developed solid perfumes cartridges with them as easily as it was their phone.
While the fragrance world is filled with bold and daring new scents, the arrival of new, innovative, technical objects is somewhat of a rarity. With the release of Clic-Clac, Henry Jacques has shown its willing to pioneering and push the industry’s limits when it comes to creativity, and take the art of great perfumery to the next level.
No bigger than a classic Zippo lighter, the sleek design of the object adds to its allure and is incredibly tactile – but it is the portable aspect of Clic-Clac that is paramount to its appeal. The device allows its owner to subtly carry with them a refillable, scented balm or paste which can be easily rubbed onto the skin without any oil or grease. Inspired by Haute Horology, the device was painstakingly engineered creating several patented mechanism that the watch industry would be proud of – strong, sturdy and snaps shut with a satisfying ‘click’.
Designed by Christophe Tollemer – a famed architect and the Maison’s artistic director – the task was immensely challenging, but ultimately a labour of love. “Our challenge was to identify how we could improve our customers’ lives by helping them bring a piece of their ‘home’ with them – whether that is overseas, or even out to a restaurant,” Tollemer tells Esquire Middle East. “Fragrance has always been very personal, and in an instant it can give you a sense of comfort like nothing else can.”
Knowing that there are very few times when something comes along and revolutionizes the industry – Cremona is fully aware of the potential that Clic-Clac has to the luxury male customer. “We wanted to create an accessory that would become as natural a part of a man’s daily accessories as a phone or wallet,” explains Cremona. With Clic-Clac, Henry Jacques has created a unique object that it calls an ‘objet quotidien’ that it hopes will reintroduce some charm into people’s day-to-day. Like a precious lighter or a cigarette case in the olden days, Clic-Clac was engineered to be a companion that gives its owner an elegant air of poise and nonchalance.
By nearly all metrics, there is a growing trend in people wanting to both bring the element of comfort and nostalgia with them and the Clic-Clac is something that offers that element at your fingertips. Available in avant-garde and precious materials such as carbon or titanium and rose gold (with jeweled versions coming soon), the care taken over every finish and mechanism showcases the quality of the product. The use of Grade 5 titanium—the highest grade—on the case ensures the reliability of the mechanism.
“The creation of the object surpassed all our expectations,” says Cremona. “Clic-Clac is our way of helping to redefine perfumery and its ancient traditions, by transporting them into modern day, all the while, being playful.”
While the physical object will unquestionably fascinate its owner (and those around them), the real secret to its success is the development of the interchangeable solid-perfume capsules. With the option to swap in/out the Maison’s 50-strong “Classiques” collection of scents, it not only adds a versatility to the product, but it also sets out the path in reviving the gesture of applying a solid perfume, rather than spraying on a liquid.
While revealing the prototype to Esquire Middle East ahead of its global release this month, it is clear how confident the Anna-Lise Cremona is about the success of Clic-Clac and the impact is could have on the future of the fragrance industry. “Our obsession was to create a fascinating object, resolutely masculine in its shape, material and mechanism but hiding an intimate, more emotional side, the perfume,” she says. And we, for one, believe her.
Prices start from AED 133,476