Our collections are made in France in accordance with the tradition of fine crafts (métiers d’art). The quality of every component and every step in the making of our book-works is of paramount importance to us.
In Cassis, at the heart of the land of aromas, our in-house flavorist takes care of elaborating our aromatic creations day after day. Each aroma is the result of careful analysis, combining of compounds, subtle dosage, highly discriminating selection, to devise the exact, stable aroma that cannot be falsified. These strikingly realistic scents are guaranteed to last more than 5 years.
Artist’s books
Our book-works call upon several senses: sight and touch but also smell, breaking at once from the conventional way we relate to books. Open it up like a jewel case, slip off its sleeve or wooden sliding top, and you will discover a book and a collection of small glass vials. Pick one and nose it: it will open up a whole new world for you!
Jean Lenoir’s brainchild is placed under the patronage of visual artist Daniel Spoerri, who gave him the idea of designing « book-objects » in 1980. The creator of « snare-pictures », vertically immortalized remains of meals, liked to gather different sensory experiences together. For example, he opened up a restaurant where he cooked.
Our book-objects are designed by graphic artists. In 2004, we entrusted Atelier ter Bekke & Behage with the visual identity of Editions Jean Lenoir. In 2006, Evelyn ter Bekke et Dirk Behage gave a new colorful graphic design to the entire collection of Le Nez du Vin, which has become a reference. They then translated the equally rich aromatic personality of whisky into another strong work, where materials and shapes unite with talent.
The graphic design of Le Nez du Café is by Franco-Swiss designer Roger Pfund, who is from Switzerland and from Burgundy. Le Nez du Café 36 aromas Passion won an award for “high design quality” from the famous Design Center in Essen (Design Zentrum Nordrhein-Westfalen).
An artisanal expertise
For every part of the work —e.g. glassware, paper, printing, screen printing— we rely on the know-how of talented artisans. As Evelyn and Dirk said about the making of Le Nez du Whisky in an interview with Visible magazine: “What’s most important in such an adventure is that each artisan passes the baton to the next. Every one is involved as a partner, not just as a simple executor. For months on ends, the professionals in these companies got together to work on this object ‘made in France’. They all spoke the same language, that of luxury. They all used the same vocabulary, that of individually and collectively high standards, that of quality and respect."