BEHIND THE SCENES: THE MAKING OF A FRAGRANCE SERIES - PURPLE HEART v.5
PURPLE HEART v.5 - THE HEART OF VALOUR
THE STORY OF VALOUR - CONTEXT
"The Purple Heart medal that is given to soldiers in the US for an act of valour was the inspiration for this scent. We were fascinated by the idea of how people can act in the most extraordinary of ways, instinctively, without thought to their own safety. Around this time the film Force Majeure came out about a man who prioritised his own safety over his family’s when an avalanche struck. Also around this time the Australian surfer Mick Fanning was attacked by a shark in South Africa when competing. His fellow Australian competitor, Julian Wilson, paddled to his aid without thought to his own safety – a great act of valour. We often wonder about that, what would we do given such a situation? We hope that we would be our best person but really we don’t know. For most of us who are not soldiers, or in dangerous situations, we may never be tested, so for us, it is about being the best we can be with little acts of kindness without any thought of reward. It is very much a fragrance for our times now, when so many of us are working without regard to our own safety in combatting the virus, so to you, we say thank you. We bow to you. It is you and your acts of valour, no matter how large or small that make the world a better place. Purple Heart v.5, the Heart of Valour, salutes courage, instinct and selflessness."
- Sarah Blair, Co-founder - Map of the Heart
THE STORY OF VALOUR - FILM BRIEF
"The Purple Heart V5 film is a story of valour. Valour is so instinctive it comes as a rush, quite often a reflex in an adverse situation. It is from an act of valour that an optimistic future often arises. We were in Chile filming another project and with the crew I had of art directors and tailors I was able to piece together a simple shoot to express the emotions we sought in visualising a fragrance we were all so captured by. A matador was the symbol we arrived at to personify valour. From the traditional matador image we took it to a more heightened place with a swirling purple cape and our female cast styled for attitude. We shot in a dustbowl out of Santiago igniting elements to bring an added sense of tension.
You feel from the piece a sense of non wavering strength and within her eyes you see that an act of valour will be realised."
- Jeffrey Darling, Director + Co-founder - Map of the Heart
BRIEF TO SENIOR PERFUMER JACQUES HUCLIER
"The briefing process for the Purple Heart v.5 was around the Purple Heart medal and it being for an act of valour. We discussed this idea of the selfless act, that it was something instinctive - almost reflex-like. For there to be this act, there had to be something to precede it that was terrible, unthinkable even, but from this comes an act of valour and the best of what it is to be human. Out of all this came the idea of inverting the olfactory pyramid. From darkness, brightness shall arise. Ink was the ingredient that Jacques suggested and in the next meeting he brought us this beautiful small bottle of ink that he remembered he had in his attic at home. Ink became, for us the teller of tales."
- Sarah Blair & Jeff Darling, Co-founders, Map of the Heart
THE SCENT OF VALOUR
"To create this feeling/emotion within our 5th perfume, a sort of experimental idea germinated: to turn the olfactory pyramid upside down, ie. start darker and then brighten out whereas most scents start brighter and then deepen in the drydown. But when I shared my thoughts with Senior Perfumer, Jacques Huclier, the answer was “I’m a nose, not a magician” 🙃😂 And then he took up the challenge and Jacques was 100% on board!🙌
At the first sniff of the Purple Heart v.5 it comes as a shock, with a strong intense start, lifting up the deep purple ink from the dry down, following with the explosion of the dark juicy fruits. Its dark heart of salty liquorice (salty to avoid the idea of a certain sweetness that liquorice can have), intense violet and purple rose rises to soar with the optimism of tonka-bean awash in ink: the teller of tales.
Jacques created the Purple Ink accord to reinvent the smell of ink used in schools some time ago. When we smell ink we perceive it as an animalic note, suggesting warm, carnal, and leather-like scent. When diluted in alcohol it melts into more pleasant musky fruity nuances. The Purple Ink Map of the Heart accord is “olfactively” this combination of leather note, violet notes and raspberry. With contact on the skin it softens considerably and leaves a very persistent and delicate leathery aroma. This aroma bestows to whom wears it an enormous aura of sensuality with a sumptuous long lasting result."
- Giovanna Aicardi, Fragrance Developer and Partner, Map of the Heart
THE COCKTAIL OF VALOUR
For the launch of Purple Heart v.5 in Paris, Benoît from Lone Palm Bar, designed and mixed a signature Purple Heart cocktail. They were super yum and definitely worth a try!
The Purple Heart:
- 4 cl Silver Rum
- 3 cl Hibiscus infusion
- 1.5 cl simple syrup
- 1.5 cl blue coconut milk
Pour all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well. Strain into a coupe glass. Enjoy!
THE COLOUR OF VALOUR
The colour purple was the first point in creating the scent and the story as it was inspired by the Purple Heart Medal. The colour had to be rich and deep, and a little bright to evoke the sense of hope. Many of the key ingredients were chosen to be in line with the colour too: violets, purple ink, purple rose. hat is good.