Forbidden Whisper: an olfactory and artistic interlude at the Ritz Paris

We had a very special experience at the press luncheon for the launch of the perfume “Forbidden Whisper”. This meeting still resonates with us, as much for the delicacy of the moments as for the encounter between visual art and perfumery.

As soon as you enter the famous Ritz Paris, Place Vendôme, the atmosphere envelops you. The elegance of the setting, the gilding, the muted lighting – everything seemed to be in perfect harmony with the theme of the day. All around us, hushed voices, discreet laughter and the impression of being in the heart of a precious jewel box.

The concept: art + fragrance

The launch of Forbidden Whisper fragrance is based on a very “made-to-measure” collaboration. On the one hand, Megan Hess, a renowned illustrator whose work blends fashion, dreams and sophistication.
On the other, HFC Paris (Haute Fragrance Company), a French niche brand that creates ambitious, visually sophisticated fragrances.

The idea? That perfume should be not only a scent, but also a visual emotion, a “wearable memory”. Each HFC olfactory creation is accompanied by motifs, illustrations and graphic aesthetics.

This blend of Megan Hess’s line and the perfumer’s compositions gives birth to Forbidden Whisper, a fragrance that whispers more than it imposes, a mysterious sweetness.

Lunch highlights

We were invited to an exclusive press lunch, in the intimacy of a Ritz salon. The refined menu was designed to echo the notes of the perfume: subtle accords, delicate contrasts.

Around us, Megan Hess talked about her approach: how she translates an idea, an emotion, a color, into line and texture; how she worked on the perfume’s visual identity, not just as an illustration but as a visual narrative (bottle, packaging, campaign visuals).

On the HFC side, the teams shared the technical challenges: how to preserve the intensity of the accords while maintaining lightness; how to compose a juice that evokes a “secret breath” rather than an imposing presence.

We were able to smell Forbidden Whisper at different times of the day – morning, noon, end of meal – and observe its evolution on the skin: a soft floral facet, a slightly amber base, a discreet but persistent signature.

HFC Paris: a brand to discover

HFC Paris (Haute Fragrance Company) is a young company, recently launched in France, whose ambition is to combine haute parfumerie with a signature artistic style.

Today, the brand offers more than twenty “scented prints”, fragrances conveying a universe, a mood, a moment, conceived as olfactory works of art.
The brand’s collections are available in a variety of styles (Original, Black, Magic, Oud, etc.), so you can choose according to your olfactory preferences.
Collaborating perfumers include Vincent Ricord, Benoît Bergia, Céline Ripert and Raphaël Haury.

This positioning, somewhere between auteur perfumery and visual art, makes HFC a daring brand, capable of appealing to a public as sensitive to shapes, colors and graphics as it is to olfactory raw materials.

Paris as an inspiring backdrop

Organizing this launch at the Ritz Paris, Place Vendôme, is no mean feat. Paris remains the historic heart of haute parfumerie, luxury and artistic creation. This prestigious setting echoes the ambition of Forbidden Whisper: to be a sophisticated, narrative fragrance, supported by a Parisian setting.

This interlude at the Ritz also reminded us that Paris, city of art and perfume houses, remains a privileged stage for these creative encounters. The link between the place, perfume and illustration was a natural one.

An experience to be recommended

We came away from the morning with the impression of having experienced something rare. The balance between the visuals of Megan Hess and the olfactory elegance of HFC Paris resulted in a refined, measured and sensitive launch.

If you like fragrances that tell a story, elaborate visuals and places where every detail counts, keep an eye on this brand. And if Forbidden Whisper goes on sale, don’t hesitate to try it out: it’s a fragrance that whispers, but leaves a lasting impression.