Poppy Dharsono's scent created in France
Poppy Dharsono's scent created in France
JAKARTA (JP): Flowery. That was the scent French perfume
connoisseurs imagined would properly reflect Indonesian designer
Poppy Dharsono.
Their creation, Poppy, is a blend of rose, lily of the valley,
jasmine, violet, sandal wood, amber and oak. Experts in the
perfume city of Grasse in southern France combined these
fragrances and then put the result in 35 and 130 milliliter
bottles. It was then packaged in gold-accentuated black boxes in
Indonesia.
The procedure is of course not as simple as that. Perfume
experts in Grasse first had to know Poppy Dharsono -- her
profession, what she produces, how she looks, how she dresses and
1001 other things.
"They interviewed me, they asked people everything about me.
So, when I arrived in Grasse they had prepared several choices
from which I had to choose the one I liked," designer, photomodel
and businesswoman Poppy Dharsono told The Jakarta Post.
Poppy, the perfume, which has been on the market in Indonesia
since 1991, had been "nosed" by many experts and perfume lovers
before Dharsono decided on that particular aroma.
"I even brought it to Paris, to ask a friend of mine who was
working for Vogue magazine. She said it was wonderful," Dharsono
said, adding that her feeling for perfume is very good because
she has used perfume since she was 18.
Her first perfume was Channel 5. Later she wore Givenchy,
Guerlain and other top brand-names, which she said made her
appreciate only the best.
"When I decided to produce my own perfume, I wanted the best
quality and in good taste. That is why I couldn't produce it in
Indonesia, there was always something missing. Then my consultant
suggested that I go to Grasse," Dharsono said.
It takes technology and skill to produce perfume.
"It is like making wine. California has started to produce
wine, but the best is still from France. It is also valid for
perfume and Grasse has so many perfumeries which can provide all
you want," Dharsono said.
Selling perfume is a part of selling the image she nurtured
from years of involvement in the Indonesian fashion world.
"What I get from fashion is only mediocre although it takes a
lot of time to design my dresses. What I can use then is the
image. And it is not easy to get such an image. Fashion designers
around the world also earn their living from selling their image.
Channel for example," explained Dharsono.
"I, who has been involved for 20 years in the fashion world
and have created a public image, want to make use of it. Besides,
the market for dresses is very limited, but perfume which can be
sold at less than US$50 can surely reach more people," Dharsono
said.
Her high-profile prevented her from producing perfume of a
lesser quality.
"Cheap perfume uses synthetic fixative musk and a lot of
alcohol. Mine uses authentic musk and flowers. But, because I
don't have to pay a royalty to anyone else and the packaging is
done here, the price of my perfume is lower than imported ones,"
Dharsono said, adding that Poppy was created to adapt well to the
tropical climate. Its scent blends well with the high humidity
and hot weather in Indonesia.
Her perfume, targeted at the middle class, sells at Rp 25,000
($11.36) for the 35 milliliter bottle. Imported perfumes of with
the same quantity usually go for no less than Rp 60,000 ($27.27).
In 1994, Dharsono also launched Mask, a perfume for men.
"It is for men with good taste, not for a macho one. It is
more for a man with new taste, modern and likes new fashion
because the fragrance is spicy, aromatic and fresh," said
Dharsono, who is planning to produce soap and perfume for
teenagers.
Today, four years after she launched Poppy, her perfume is
sought out more than her other cosmetic products.
"Sometimes there is even a shortage of stock although I don't
advertise my perfume. I rely on around 200 door-to-door salesmen
all around Java and some department stores. It is no wonder
people have started to ask for it, because it is as good as
imported perfumes but cheaper," Dharsono asserted. (als)