Video interview: Memo Paris and Blue Chip on the art of scent and ...
Watch the YouTube video above for the full interview with Memo Paris Co-Founder John Molloy and Blue Chip Co-Founder Flora Lee. Filmed in Cannes by Romain Piotrowski.
Introduction: Memo Paris, the luxury fragrance house co-founded by husband and wife duo Clara and John Molloy, is built on the idea that scent is a journey. Each fragrance draws inspiration from diverse destinations, transforming travel experiences into distinctive olfactory creations. For Molloy, the process of perfume-making mirrors the art of exploration: immersive, thoughtful and rich in detail.
During the TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes, The Moodie Davitt Report Brands Director Hannah Tan caught up with Memo Paris Co-Founder John Molloy and Blue Chip Co-Founder Flora Lee – Memo Paris’ exclusive distributor in Asia Pacific travel retail – to discuss the brand’s distinctive approach to fragrance creation and how their scent collections reflect a deep connection to the spirit of travel.
They also share insights into the evolving landscape of niche perfumery and why they believe the category is here to stay.
Looking back at the beginnings of Memo Paris, whose creation coincided with the early days of niche perfumery, Molloy says: “Memo Paris started 17 years ago with my wife and me. My wife wanted to do something different with perfumery, which is really when the niche category was starting out.
“She wanted to put perfumers at the forefront and show that they are incredible talents. So, she wrote this book called 22 Perfumers in Creation that became the bible in the industry. She then met this French perfumer Aliénor Massenet, who became the nose of Memo Paris and who has created most of our fragrances.”
“Our USP is finding beauty in those places and showing that beauty in a poetic manner so we can help our customers escape the day-to-day” – John MolloySince launching 17 years ago, Memo Paris has grown to launch in over 40 countries globally, with travel retail the next frontier. Commenting on the secrets to Memo Paris’ success, Molloy says: “There has been a lot of interesting developments in niche perfumery. These were driven by people who wanted to pioneer, show human traits and express themselves through brands and bring innovation to a sector which had been, in some ways, repeating what it has done through the years.
“What we’ve done at Memo Paris is to have a collection of perfumes, crafted by talented perfumers and sold by a quality team who can translate the perfume’s story, message and emotion to our customers around the world. People have fatigue in their purchasing because they were just being shown products, but our goal is to take them on a journey.”
Niche perfumery has been one of the big winners in the post-COVID landscape. Talking about what sets Memo Paris apart amid a competitive environment, Molloy says: “We want our users to find energy from beautiful places through our fragrances.
African Leather, Madurai, French Leather, Marfa, Irish Leather, Sinlé and Sintra are some of Memo Paris’ hero scents“Our USP is finding beauty in those places and showing that beauty in a poetic manner so we can help our customers escape the day-to-day. In my view, if we can make our customer smile for at least three minutes every day then we have done our jobs very well.”
Memo Paris recently opened its first point-of-sale at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) in partnership with The Shilla Duty Free. This opening marks a milestone for the brand as it continues to expand its presence in the Asia Pacific region.
Beauty specialists Blue Chip Group are the exclusive distributors for Memo Paris in Asia Pacific travel retail and Co-Founder Flora Lee is leading the brand’s expansion in the region. Lee says: “Memo Paris is quite new in Asia Pacific travel retail and so we believe we had to be in the centre of Asia, which is why we decided to start our business at HKIA.
“In Hong Kong, we have a great consumer base who are looking for something special, niche and something different from other brands.”
The Asia Pacific travel retail consumer has evolved, now demanding more niche scents that showcase their individuality, Lee saysMemo Paris is one of several niche fragrance and skincare brands in the Blue Chip portfolio and Lee believes that the demand for niche beauty will only grow stronger. “Since COVID, customer behaviour has dramatically changed, especially in Asia Pacific. Before, everyone went to the same luxury brands and followed the same trends. But now, they want to try something new, which is why under the Blue Chip portfolio we are focused on niche brands.
“In terms of Memo Paris, I believe this trend in niche fragrances will last another decade. Following our first project in HKIA, next year we are focusing on developing the Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia markets.”
Offering a final message to the industry, Molloy says: “Our message is come travel with us. ‘The journey is the destination’ is our motto but it’s the people we meet in that journey and what you learn that makes it happen. If you can keep that trust between your customer and your brand then you have a place in the industry today.” ✈
