PROGETTI

SULPHUR & MERCURY
nu_be elements 2013

Sulphur and mercury are two “demanding” elements. Their fame, the wide spectrum of their scientific employments, the thick weave of their interpretations and their historical value have represented an unmissable challenge for nu_be, always involved in the composition of its olfactory periodic table’s mosaic. It deals indeed with two of the three key substances of Achemy (the third is Salt), but also with extremely important elements: the first one because of its pharmaceutical properties, the second one from a technological point of view. They are also in their own way “infamous”, because of their awkward “aura”, whenever they are not openly feared for their dangerous aspect. Their translation into perfume required thus an open-minded and brave approach, according to the philosophy previously inaugurated by nu_be with the first five elements of its collection. This chance presented itself on the occasion of Pitti Fragranze 2012, when Antoine Lie (the visionary and unconventional perfumer who already composed Hydrogen [1H] and Oxygen [8O] ) expressed to Alberto Borri, Fluid Ounce’s director, the wish to attend on the two new elements, particularly congenial to him. From that moment on, it started a mutual collaboration that brought over a year to the development of the new fragrances. The interpretation, tuned together by Fluid Ounce and the perfumer, magnifies the magmatic, mysterious and restless qualities belonging to the cultural heritage of the two elements. Sulphur [16S] discloses thus its “mephistophelian” face, instinctive and visceral, while Mercury [80Hg] offers to the nose a funambulist and dynamic facet, a futuristic and feverish scenery, evoked by a metallic and technologic fluid. To celebrate this new outcome, the visual aspect of the product matches the two elements’ charisma: it has been changed to an elegant and enigmatic black version of the famous nu_be’s packaging.

SULPHUR [16S]

Luciferian sulphur, mephistophelian character, but that’s not all... The sulphur that I breathe is the real one, the smell of the Earth below that is alive, teeming, bubbling, bustling and dangerous. It is associated with underground places, the smell of the miners. It is colour that can tinge the air with surreal atmospheres.

Intense and profound, it features a contrast between the spicy notes and the intensity of the woods. The vetiver takes us to a far-off alien place. It is volcanic fire that tinges the air with with shades of brown and yellow, ochre and deep red.