Very little information and biographical details of the perfumer Jean-Yves Leroy, composer of Shiseido's Nombre Noir can be found and any insight into his life/career. .
Shiseido Nombre Noir (it is the only perfume that he has his name attached to) was released in 1982 composed by Shiseido in-house perfumer Jean-Yves Leroy under the nascent creative direction of Serge Lutens. Messrs. Leroy and Lutens decided to go very big with their composition and at the core was a precious osmanthus and an overdose of damascones. Damascones are one of the key components of rose oil. In rose oil they are the molecules which impart that jammy aspect of the best rose oils. On their own as a raw material they explode with kinetic vibrancy and it took an equally unique osmanthus to hold this together. It causes the early part of Nombre Noir to smell like the most expensive lipstick accord ever as another equally inspired choice of orris sets up this rich floral opening. It eventually softens into a really silky honey-based accord by the end.

Developed under the creative direction of Serge Lutens for Japanese cosmetics giant Shiseido, the perfume apparently cost more to make than the company could charge for it. This was due, in large part, to the precious ingredients used in its creation — most notably, osmanthus — and a unique, stoppered black-glass bottle.

Already a losing proposition, when the bottles began to leak in transit, the company decided to discontinue the scent.

Most accounts agree that the remaining bottles were recalled and then steamrollered, en masse.

It has been said that Shiseido’s in-house perfumer at the time, Jean-Yves Leroy, committed suicide over the affair. Only Nombre Noir is linked to his name in existing perfumery databases. How much truth there is in either of these claims is still a matter of debate among connoisseurs.

Ссылки: