When François Demachy created Sauvage for Dior, it was a men’s fragrance revolution. It has fresh citrus notes grounded by a rich lavender that’s then punched through with the intensity of Ambroxan. Dior’s perfume creation director Francis Kurkdjian refers to this as a “fascinating composition” and one that sets the stage for boundary-pushing ideas. “I wanted to take up the challenge of creating absolute nobility in a men’s extrait. Because an extrait is quite simply the ultimate expression of a fragrance—its quintessence and its culmination,” Kurkdjian said.
Sauvage Extrait is the result of Kurkdjian’s endeavour. Like its name suggests, the very existence of an extrait fragrance means that the most exquisite ingredients were required to craft its olfactory imprint. Kurkdjian introduced oud wood—specifically Vietnamese oud wood that’s known for its rich yet subtle character—to the Sauvage line as the Extrait’s backbone. Dark Atlas cedar and patchouli from Indonesia make up a robust woody accord that’s contrasted with a more luminous woody accord consisting of pale Virginia cedar and vetiver from Madagascar. This play of woody notes as well as the Vietnamese oud wood, all harmonise with the Sauvage’s signature Ambroxan and its Provençal lavender accord.
It takes 42 days for the Sauvage Extrait composition to mature and macerate. But with anything of exceptional quality, the wait is merely part of the process. Sauvage Extrait reaches record concentration levels with remarkable longevity on the skin—like the tattoos that are part of the personality and image of the face of Dior Sauvage, Johnny Depp.
If previous campaigns of the different iterations of Sauvage have always focused on its freedom-baring aspect, this time around, Sauvage Extrait takes to a place of solitude. Deep in thought with an intensity to match that of the new expression, this is perhaps the one that Depp embodies the most.
“When I was last with Francis Kurkdjian, he put these wonderful scents together and challenged me with a guessing game, which was a way for him to allude to this new adventure. Francis is both an artist and a scientist… He has a unique way of recording a smell that you react to in an emotional way.”
“There is a common relationship between scent and what I do in my day job. You smell one scent—sometimes a very simple one, like lavender or honeysuckle—and immediately, without asking for it, you are transported to a moment in your life. A scent can take you back to another time, place or memory the same way music can take you back to a very precise place in your life. Scent is one of our most important gifts.”
“I got my first tattoo when I was 17. Like I was saying about scents and memories, my tattoos represent different moments and chapters of my life. They are all tied to memories or dedications of love, for my kids, and for some of the people that I have lost.”
“I have always admired those who are committed to their art: Charles Baudelaire, Vincent Van Gogh, Antonin Artaud, Marlon Brando, Lenny Bruce, Chuck D… There are so many of them. I also painted Patti Smith, who is my balance in the world, my fairy godmother, an angel who I am so blessed to have as my dear friend and sister. More generally, I suppose the folks that seem to grab a hold of me are the ones who display everything, that have honesty and a great kindness. When I was a young man, I couldn’t even have dreamed of becoming friends with Keith Richards, Patti or Jeff Beck… These experiences have been amazing.”
“I watch a lot of documentaries. They’re a great way of sorting through various volumes of the encyclopaedia. I also dig into the works of some heroes of mine. For instance, Amadeo Modigliani, who didn’t sell a single painting during his lifetime. Thinking of it makes me realise how lucky I’ve been to have a chance to be in movies and act. I feel incredibly fortunate.”
“The moment I arrive in the Bahamas, I’m instantly and totally anonymous. There, I can find the isolation that helps me decompress from the months spent making films and travelling around. I arrive and I don’t have to say a word to anyone for days. Talk about being a lucky fellow.”
