scentimental value
Just what do leather gloves and perfumes have in common? To the everyday person, the connection isn’t immediate, but for Italian perfumery Rance, the combination sparked off a life-changing historical moment that continues to leave a legacy to this day.
Founded in the 1600s in Grasse, the family-owned brand made a name for itself by designing leather gloves. A stroke of genius one day led it to infuse the leathers with scents as a way of masking unpleasant smells. Eventually, in 1795, head of the company Francois Rance made the decision to steer the company toward the perfume industry.
His scents caught the nose of Napoleon, and Rance subsequently became the political leader’s favoured perfumer. Year after year, Rance dedicated perfumes to the notable in society including Josephine, Napoleon’s first wife.
Towards the end of the 1800s, the company shifted its headquarters to Milan, where operations have remained until today. Seventh-generation heir, Giovanni Rance, now heads the brand operations. He talks about the art of Rance’s perfumes and growing up surrounded by scents, along with the changing olfactory preferences of the world.
We’ve been at the same location from the day we set up shop in Milan. We’ve been there for over a century. The last four digits of our telephone number even remain the same! However, the building has been completely restructured to reflect modern aesthetics, but the heritage and history remain.
As a child, I was exposed to many scents. At first, discovering new scents in the factory was like a game to me. Then it became a passion. I’ve dabbled in other things, but I finally turned to continue my family’s passion. I was fascinated by the transformation of individual scents that became one. You don’t get expected results at times, and that’s really fascinating.
I personally enjoy visiting our museum, which is in our headquarters. It showcases perfumes our French and Italian heritage. We have recipe and formula books, old machinery, and products from 1842.
A perfume is a piece of art. It’s meant to deliver emotions. Creating a perfume is akin to blending different arts together, from design and history to inspiration and research.
Each of our fragrances is accompanied by two verses of a poem by a French poet. We find poems that embody the ethos of our fragrances. They underline sensations and emotions we wish to evoke.
Hortense was inspired by formulas from our achieve. Named after the daughter of Josephine who travelled the world and eventually became the Queen of Holland, the scent mixes a blend of western and eastern notes. It’s spicy and oriental, but also uses milder scents like vanilla.
Designing a new scent is like cooking. There’s no right or wrong, but different amounts of each ingredient give a different result. You’ve to keep trying till you feel you’ve achieved the magical formula.
Scents no longer cater to one specific market. People are travelling and experiencing more, and are more adventurous when it comes to trying new things. Fragrances that weren’t accepted in some parts of the world are now more popular. In Arab countries, there used to be a large request for oriental notes, but now they are more open to ‘fresher’ notes.
There’s an evolution in purchasing behaviours of a consumer. More customers want artistic perfume, not commercialised ones that are sold and accepted everywhere. We don’t sell our brand, but Rance’s perfumes itself.
When I’m not working, I spend time with my sons. They are 13 and 15 years old. They’re interested in the family business too, and act as a constant reminder to live my life with passion.
