If you think about it, scent is a very powerful thing. The most minute of spritzes can pique interest, initiate the first stirrings of desire or unearth nearly-forgotten memories from childhood. On the other end of the spectrum, the absence of it — and too much — can turn someone squeamish, cause deadly migraines or completely dissemble a possible love match.
It is either a passion juice or poison. An invisible come-on. A gentle reminder. Royalty, even from way back, give it as presents. So do lovers, sons and daughters, parents, employees, employers, courtiers and common folk. Its creators, unwittingly, being able to, in some small way, manipulate emotion and play Cupid, are some of the most influential people in the world. This should then make Jean Mane a powerful man.
Jean Mane (pronounced “man”) is at the helm of Mane France, one of the worldwide leaders in fragrance design and creators of scents for brands such as Givenchy, Armani, Gucci, Estee Lauder and, on the local front, Bench.
Yes, Mane France is partly responsible for the eponymous fragrances that have added more potency to Bench’s retail punch. The partnership, which started in 1990 with the production of the classic Bench scent, has produced most of the brand’s celebrity scents (Hug Me and Love Me Kris Aquino body spray, Conquer Richard Gomez eau de toilette), their body sprays ReCharge and ReFresh, anniversary fragrance 20, the recently-launched cause-oriented potion Inspire and the exceedingly popular Baby Bench series, among many more.
The Mane legacy and Jean Mane’s roots go way back to the late 19th century, when Mane’s great-grandfather Victor Mane started producing fragrance materials from plants and flowers found in the French region in 1871. More than a century later, this piddling business has expanded into an international company with extensive laboratories and plant fields in the south of France and 12 production units and 10 creative and research and development) centers in four continents. The innate process of creation, however, still remains the same.
“We are creators of fragrances and creators from father to son. We maintain this by the tradition of knowing and teaching from father to son, or daughter. There are methodologies in knowing and smelling that have originated in France and these have been passed on,” relates Mane matter-of-factly, the subtlest hint of pride resonating in his tone. In fact, one of the French company’s newest advertising visuals shows a baby in a nursery cot, its arm stretched out towards a vase of flowers beside it. The tagline underneath reads, “Mane. Designer of fragrances. Some are just born with it.” It doesn’t only assert the company’s distinctive reputation but serves as a token reminder of that the French are the pre-eminent “noses” in the world. “It all boils down to genetics. It is innate in us, in our being French,” says Mane but assuredly adds, “At the same time, it’s also about creativity.”
The creation of scents is a very sensitive, often precarious, matter. Unlike clothes, there is no “one size fits all”; unlike accessories, no “it” bag. Fragrances are more personal, more rooted in emotional preference rather than vanity. Says Mane, “The illusion has always been to have a fragrance that will appeal to three or four billion people. I don’t believe it exists. In order for you to have a perception of that smell, you must smell it. We have 500 different receptors in our nose. In your body, some receptors may activate a certain smell and, reciprocally, I may smell certain things that you don’t because you don’t have them. Since we have a different perception of the same fragrance, we have different reactions. What may drive you may not drive me.” And a good perfumer, by relying on his or her nose, is able to play more notes and reach out to a bigger variety of emotions and personalities across different cultures and generations.
Perceptibly, what will work in Indonesia or India (where the strong smell of curry and South Asian herbs permeate) may not be a hit in Spain (where they love anything citrusy or lemon-based). These days, however, there is a general turn to a certain kind of fragrance family. “We are into what we call ‘tasty’ notes such as peach and chocolate, scents that make us feel cozy,” explains Mane. “You are fragrancing yourself but at the same time, you find a little bit of the atmosphere that you find at home.” He describes them as scents that come in a cocooning fashion. “You use the fragrance as an envelope, like how a mother uses white linen for a child.”
These are scents that remind you of your childhood, your home or the place or time where you come from. Which probably explains why Baby Bench and Bench Baby Girl and Baby Boy Love are extremely well-received. These scents are both nostalgic and familiar, sweet and uncomplicated: bubblegum, jellybean, cotton candy, baby powder. In these scents, we find a little bit of what we once were or what we want to be again. It’s the stress-free zone. A moment where, with the most minute of spritzes, we can be happy.
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