Jean Paul Gaultier previews reinterpretation of Classique

Perfumer Francis Kurkdjian has reinvented Jean Paul Gaultier's iconic feminine fragrance Classique, more than 20 years after the launch of the original. The aptly named perfume, which comes in a flacon sculpted into the shape of the female body, has been reinvented in a new variation, Classique Intense, which will be released later this year.

Kurkdjian, who has worked closely with Gaultier since their collaboration on Gaultier's first male fragrance Le Mâle in 1995, has worked with the original Classique scent to create a new chapter for the signature brand. “Perfume is an extension of fashion... it was important to get the scent right, as we remember things through smell,” said Kurkdjian, adding: “it is important to think of the brand, and the target market... [the product] needs to be sellable.” He explained that creating a fragrance is not like art, it is made to be used and therefore it needs to smell good. When planning and designing the fragrance, Kurkdjian wanted to make the perfume recognisable as Gaultier. The original Classique is very powdery and floral, with top notes of rose and star anise, middle notes of ginger and orange blossom and base notes of vanilla and amber wood.

Not wanting to lose the essence of Classique, Kurkdjian wanted rather to build on it to create a new twist on the classic fragrance, to capture the current era. Modern developments in chemistry allow scents to be imitated almost exactly, and so adding an element of fruitiness was a must for this Jean Paul Gaultier scent. The idea was that there should be equal parts of floral and fruity notes, such that neither would dominate the other, and it would be difficult to separate the two. Classique Intense is therefore made up of two parts; the original perfume makes up around 40% of the new fragrance, and 60% comprises the newly created part.

The final product of Kurkdjian's work includes tiare flowers and jasmine petals, as well as orange blossom, familiar from the original fragrance, and to reinforce the intensity of the vanilla, patchouli has been added. The perfume will be released in Boots in the UK on 23 July 2014, and will then be rolled out across the rest of Europe in September.