FLORAIKU AND JAPAN IMAGINERY: DANCING ON A THIN LINE BETWEEN CULTURAL APPRECIATION AND CULTURAL EXPLOITATION

The European-based and owned perfume brand has built its identity on Japanese culture, but what are their connections with Japan?

A little cuckoo across a hydrangea(Haiga); courtesy of Wikipedia

"When I discuss cultural appropriation, I tipically start with the three P's: Power, Profit and People."- Emi Ito

   We all love an aesthetically pleasing perfume bottle.

We all love a good quality perfume too, especially when it involves various forms of art (printing, poetry and perfumery etc...).

Floraiku is one of the best brands in tea-based fragrances, and the imaginary behind their whole concept seems at first extremely dreamy and poetic.

While this is post is not meant as a crusade against the brand, we (=the perfume community) can't avoid to have a talk on how perfume brands are crossing the line between cultural appreciation and appropriation.

We spoke previously about the importance of decolonizing perfumery, and our full commitment to engage with the initiatives promoted by Scent Festival. We also wrote about modern Western perfumery and its troubling connections to fascism, imperialism and colonization. The example of a limited edition dedicated to D'Annunzio has sparked interest in understanding how Western perfumery is engaging with its sinister past, and if, in fact, dedicating a perfume line to someone that 1. yes, has contributed numerously to Western perfumery and 2. had also ambiguous connection to the fascist party and is still a complex figure to analyze in primis for historians, is really meant as a celebration or rather an attempt to show perfumery relations within certain oppressive movements and figures.

In the last period a lot has been said about the necessity to decolonize perfumery, starting from the descriptive language often use to refer to fragrances with resin, amber notes etc.

While a lot seems to start moving into a more inclusive and conscious environment, many brands still launch collections inspired to the concept of Orient (which is not only troubling, but also unclear on its meaning/references).

But let's go back to Floraiku and end up the introduction by saying that there are many ways the brand can implement their approach to the themes they are currently exploiting. And before trying to reflect together on how brands can improve on such delicate themes, we need to contextualize the history of the brand and why they are currently "dancing" on a thin line between cultural appreciation and cultural exploitation.

   The brand Floraiku was founded in 2016 by John and Clara Molloy, owners and founders of two other luxury brands (MEMO Paris and Hermetica,  the latter is one of the pioneers in producing entirely water-based fragrances). The brand was later acquired by Harrod's.

Since its foundation, Floraiku's concept was themed on Japanese haiku poems and Japanese culture and cerimonials blended with (very few) references to French perfumery and culture. A crucial element of the brand are fragrances composed with notes of tea. An exceptional focus is put on providing each juice with at least 50% of natural ingredients, and well, their fragrances are understandably awards-winning.

  While we are also two caucasian people and have to admit to be not very familiar with Japanese culture and Haiku, the brand -especially considering how finally the debates on colonization and imperialism are becoming more familiar within European/ western countries and society-,still has very little to do with Japan in practice.

Appreciating a culture is by no means wrong, but is drawing an entire brand (as in this case is crucial to remember also that is not Asian-owned) on such imaginary considered exploitation?

  Unfortunately the brand has not yet collaborated (or at least stated officially) with a Japanese nose, and the Haiku's popularization in English language and culture has been discussed in many different areas, yet not in perfumery. The brand collaborates mostly with perfumers like Alienor Massenet, Philippe Paparella-Paris, Symrise, Sarah Burri or Sophie Labbe, while artist Victoire Cathalan curates their prints (click here to check Floraiku's official words on their brand's inspiration). Haiku are used also as marketing slogans, like for example in their Shadowing collection:

"Rejoice!

Play with your shadows

Give your fragrance a new twist

Add a light or a dark shadow

To each Floraïku perfume

Side by side

You will raise

Ô secret inner me

Side by side softly

Please apply

Shadowing ain’t no mixing" (Floraiku)

While the problem is not the (high) quality of the blends or that they're worth the price, we do not feel comfortable in owning a full bottle for now, especially considering the potential of the brand in partnering or collaborating with Japanese noses, craftspeople or poets.

The owners have some incredible brand ideas like we've seen with Hermetica, a brand that allows people with skin issues or alcohol allergies to engage with perfumery in a more inclusive and innovative way. Because of their attention to inclusion, we would like to launch in our small reality an appeal to at least start promoting and collaborating with Japanese noses and professionals instead of just profitting from their culture.

An example worth mentioning for Floraiku could be looking at their competitors like Buly1803, which draws its entire luxury products and image on ancient and natural water-based perfumes, skincare, haircare, homecare lines based on "recipes" from all over the world, while making sure of working with local craftspeople and professionals, allowing a more transparent and equal work/brand ethics in regards to their use of different country's beauty "secrets" or customs.

EXTERNAL RESOURCES:

Articles on Western haiku appropriation:

-Beyond Haiku by Nuallain House

-And What of the Haiku? by Kwame Dawes

On Western appropriation of Asian cultures:

-AN OPEN LETTER TO WHITE MAKERS & DESIGNERS WHO ARE INSPIRED BY THE KIMONO AND JAPANESE CULTURE by Emi Ito

-THE APPROPRIATED GEISHA by Elisheva Perelman (academic article)

Our reading recommendations on Orientalism and cultural appropriation are available on the article on Perfumery and Colonization.