By Juan Markos
Los Angeles, CA (The Hollywood Times)
I had the pleasure of attending a master class on the new perfume release, Demon Dancer, hosted by Benoît Verdier, co-founder of Ex Nihilo. At Bloomingdale’s in Century City, for those unfamiliar, Ex Nihilo is a French luxury fragrance house founded in 2013 by Sylvie Loday, Olivier Roere, and Benoît Verdier, whom I had the opportunity to meet today. The name “Ex Nihilo” is derived from Latin, meaning “created from nothing.” What sets Ex Nihilo apart from other fragrance houses is their unique principle and creative approach: a carte blanche model that grants their perfumers, artists, and designers complete freedom without financial constraints. This avant-garde philosophy allows Ex Nihilo to blend artistic expression with technology, integrating high perfumery with biotechnology, which brings us to their latest release, Demon Dancer.
During the master class, Benoît Verdier showcased Demon Dancer by breaking it down into its individual notes. We had the chance to smell each note separately, accompanied by food pairings that enhanced our sensory experience. As many of you may know, I was a chef for over a decade, so this interplay of smell and taste made the exploration of perfume particularly fascinating for me.
Benoît Verdier, although not a perfumer, has a background in commercial arts, marketing, and advertising. He is both charming and knowledgeable, making the session enjoyable. Demon Dancer is my first Ex Nihilo. I’ve been collecting and reviewing perfumes across various price ranges for the past couple of years. Originally, I thought my first Ex Nihilo fragrance would be the Hedonist, as it was the first of theirs that caught my attention and I fell in love with, but it was beyond my price range at the time.
My collection began with nostalgic scents, and later I ventured into Middle Eastern fragrances, which deepened my appreciation for the artistry behind releases from niche fragrance houses. Demon Dancer was created by one of my favorite perfumers, Jordi Fernandez. The top notes include rhubarb, bergamot, and blood orange; the heart notes feature orange blossom and black currant; and the base notes consist of akigalawood, Georgywood, tonka bean, and Ambrofix. The base notes are distinctly reflective of Jordi Fernandez’s style. Notably, akigalawood and Ambrofix are biotech-derived captive ingredients from Givaudan that Fernandez frequently uses as foundational elements in his modern creations.
To get your own bottle of Demon Dancer, or other Ex Nihilo fragrances, visit your local Bloomingdale’s or check out https://us.ex-nihilo-paris.com/products/demon-dancer
