Galerie Folie
ABOUT
Folie À Plusieurs
AN INCOMPLETE MANIFESTO
for Life, Creativity, Madness and Perfumery
2013 - Present
A MEDIUM
Perfume is a medium. Use it like the hammer that extends the arms and the wheel that extends the legs.
USE
Perfume should not be used as an accessory to the body, but an accessary to the mind. They are not to be worn by you, but should live through you.
SEEING
Don’t see a perfume as they are, see them as you are. Whatever story a fragrance company tries tells you about a fragrance, know that it is incomplete without its lead character - You.
ADDICTION
A good perfume is a narcotic, highly addictive and subversive. Like an illegal substance or conspiracy it is restricted by commercial perfumery, but finds its light in darkness and its place amongst the rebellious. Seek them out. We are here and you will be embraced.
ASPIRATIONS
A perfume must have an aspiration that extends beyond just smelling good on a person and occupying a cabinet or perfume counter. Look for its aspiration, and not only will you connect more deeply with it, it will serve to expand you in some many ways.
IDEAS
Let your ideas become your ideals. Anyone can arrive at a good idea for a perfume at some point in their life, and many have, but few can create one with a true aim of endeavor, a purpose beyond onto itself and its industry, and assigned function — free of compromise.
SEASONS
Perfumes don't engage with seasons, they are timeless. Do not create for the market, create the market. An artistic perfume takes whatever time it needs. Don’t let the schedule of the industry, trade fairs, distributors or shops dictate your creative process.
BRANDING
Less branding the better. No branding the best. If the branding deteriorates over time in itself it becomes a performance. If it disappears — its a work of art or magic. Let people follow you for the meaning and experience of the brand and products... not only for the image. If you remove your name or logo from your creation they should still be identifiable.
IMPERFECTION
We are all fractured individuals, but through these cracks we find the light. Break everything, even yourself or a few hearts. Force the crack open and let the light shine through.
ANTICIPATION
The most anticipated is boring, as you already know.
EMOTIONS
Be irrational, be difficult, be emotional. Be whatever you feel. Creativity can not exist without emotions, much less a perfume. Do not let any business person or anyone tell you stop being emotional. Your business is to be creative and the currency of creativity is feelings.
PROCESS
The process is always the product.
PAIN
Get your heart broken and if you survive, break it again. The deeper the grief, the closer you will come to the true creative yearnings of the heart.
HONESTY
Be honest and you will reveal yourselves. Avoid the impulse of trying to be "An individual" or "Different" from others; this will come naturally if your honesty, don't force it.
ACCOUNTABLIITY
You are not accountable to anything but the creative process. You do not owe anyone an explanation or answer... if there was ever an answer in the first place.
UNDERSTANDING
"The insane spend their lives trying to understand. The sane live there lives trying to know." Those that understand us, enslave something in us. Choose insanity, it will offer you freedom from definition in perfumery and in any other creative discipline.
SACRIFICE
Always sacrifice the lesser goals for the greater.
DISTRIBUTION / SALES
Contemporary perfumeries that aim to create true cultural value and have real purpose should not be sold in any apothecaries, department stores or concept boutiques, but in museums, galleries or any other spaces that enable human expansion and foster creativity. With the financial needs of a company this could be challenging at first, however aim for complete independence from traditional retail and distribution channels. Foster a direct relationship with your patrons. Shops come and go, loyal fans make good brands live forever.
OUTSIDER
The things that stay outside the perfume industry, ultimately influence the industry. Inside, the perfume community is small, but outside is everything else. Position yourself outside and you will actually have a wider view.
LUXURY
The small committee that have defined modern concepts of luxury have cheapened it. Create new notions of luxury… and it has nothing to do with a material object, and everything to do with creating a meaningful human experience.
OPPOSITES
Do everything in opposites of the expected and you will attract an outcome of true differentiation. It is such a simple concept and creative process, but it holds all the weight and magic in the world.
FAME & LOVE
Fame and love will never come in one bottle. If you aim for fame expecting love and miss your target you will see the true number of people that really love you. Put love in what you do, and if it is true, people will feel it… and will find you. If not, who cares... as long as your having fun.
INCOGNITO
Be incognito. Leave the stage for pop stars. Sometimes no communication, is all the communication you need. If you go missing from the scene or are inactive on social media — don't fret. Good ideas come with disconnection, experimentation and times of solitude. Observe from the shadows and appear when they least expect it. The element of surprise is an erotic element of excitement.
PARTNERSHIPS
If you have a partner that does not share your vision, he/she will never see your product. Run! It is better to finance it yourself and struggle, then to compromise on the whims of a person with absolutely no creative vision or real passion for the industry you occupy.
AWARDS
"Awards are like hemorrhoids, every asshole gets them at some point." and we will probably be the assholes judging your work. Don’t let an award or some perceived respected figures be the only validation of your worth/work. If you can avoid awards completely, please do.
THE WAY
"What comes in the way, becomes the way", there has never been truer words said. Obstacles are opportunities camouflaged and the breaking point is often the point of break through.