Meet Fabrice Penot, the Co-Creator of Le Labo at Barneys New York in Chicago

Barneys New York (15 East Oak Street in Chicago) is known for stocking some of the best products in the world of beauty. On Friday, September 25th, from 4 pm to 7 pm, you will get the chance to meet Fabrice Penot, co-creator of perfume brand Le Labo. He took a few minutest to talk to us about how he created the brand, what key products everyone should have, and what's unique about them, telling us to, "come, spray them on your skin and let the magic happen... pretty soon, you'll know."

FACTIO MAGAZINE: Tell us how you came up with creating Le Labo.
FABRICE PENOT: Well, that might be as long as a book one day but in a nutshell, Eddie ( my creative partner) and I wanted to share with the public the awe we were living everyday in the perfume labs we were working in (we were developing fragrances for Mr. Giorgio Armani). And, that was the original idea: creating stories that would be a representation of a perfume lab, where all perfumes would be prepared to order by lab technicians.This is why we called it Le Labo, which means the lab in French.

FM: What are the most unique aspects to the brand?
FP: Beyond our industrial aesthetic that reminds us that the idea was born in Grass (capital of perfume in France) but raised in New York, the brand is unique in the fact that we are the only brand in the world which makes every fragrance to order: we have no stock and we keep the essential oils of each formula in a fridge until you order your perfume, protecting them from the light and heat, the worst enemies of a fine fragrance.

Also, what makes Le Labo unique is that we personalize every label, from our candles to perfumes. This makes them great gifts for yourself, or others.

FM: Which products should everyone have and why?
FP: Well, we try to make every creation we launch a "must-have". That's why we don't launch a lot...every new creation has to have a meaning, a real added creative value. Because the world does not need a new perfume on the shelves of stores, but people need better and higher-end perfumery. Hopefully, we contribute to this by only doing "Artistic" perfumery, trying to create a true aesthetic. Our exclusive partnership with Barneys in the US is meaningful in that regard because they built in the last few years the most interesting selection of niche, visionary, perfume brands in the market and know to say "no" to the "new" and the mediocrity. We like that...

For more info, visit www.lelabofragrances.com