Originally, J.U.S was only a bet: Thierry de Baschmakoff, Artistic Director and designer, wanted to illustrate all the current trends that were not found in perfume at a trade show dedicated to alternative brands: upcycling, open-source (i.e., the release of the formula), DIY.
For instance, for this project, the bottles are recycled, their decoration consists of a self-made balloon envelope, the composition of the juice devised by Céline Ellena is communicated and displayed, the furniture is second-hand... At the venue, the concept is a hit among visitors and professionals alike.
"The perception was very positive, which we did not expect. The visitors’ reaction to the fact that the perfumer’s formula was released made us realise that this was a real enhancement of the perfumer’s profession," details Thierry de Baschmakoff.
With the support of Brigitte Worsmer and Jean Baptiste Roux, Thierry de Baschmakoff decided to transform the idea into a real brand with the priority of keeping the concept’s original ingredients.
J.U.S, for Joyau Unique et Sensoriel, was launched in 2018.
Nothing is lost and everything is said
The upcycling aspect lies in the reuse of old moulds from the glassmaker Waltersperger to make the bottles. "There is a mix of genres. We also used water-based lacquering to protect the juices from the light and give them a slight pop effect," adds the designer.
These screw-neck bottles can be refilled whatever their size via aluminium refills or at the perfume bar installed at Le Printemps Paris.
Upcycling also concerns merchandising. The material used at the point of sale comes exclusively from recycled materials, right down to the pencil jars from the 1970s.
The juices of the 12 fragrances were created by some of today’s most talented perfumers in the French perfume industry, in collaboration with Brigitte Worsmer, who was in charge of the olfactory creative coordination. Céline Ellena, Aliénor Massenet, Alexandra Carlin and Aurélien Guichard were given carte blanche, with the commitment to communicate their formulas in complete transparency.
"The idea of open source was not easy at first, but perfumers finally accepted it, realising that transparency is a fundamental trend. It also allows the perfumer’s work to be promoted and the ingredients to be highlighted. It leads to a more open and sophisticated language," assures Thierry de Baschmakoff.
With Asia in the crosshairs
Under the impetus and management of Jean-Baptiste Roux, the brand is gaining a foothold. In addition to its online sales platform, it is available in seven (and soon ten) perfume stores in France, as well as in the various Printemps stores. Internationally, it is present in various outlets in Russia and the Middle East. A recent round of financing has also enabled the company to accelerate its development in Europe, where it will soon enter stores in Spain, Switzerland and Poland, as well as in China and Korea, where new store openings are planned.
"We are on a good development trend. We still have plenty of markets to open in Asia, such as Indonesia, or Japan, where consumers could appreciate this type of alternative brand," adds the manager.
On the product side, two new formats of 25 and 50 ml are in the making.
"We are also working on new juices to go even further on the olfactory side. Next year, we plan to launch a new line of scented candles with an original approach in terms of design, still based on the upcycling of the item. Finally, we don’t rule out collaborating in a project on spirits one day," concludes Thierry de Baschmakoff.
