Memo Paris and Olimpia Zagnoli collaborate on the launch of Cap Camarat New fragrance inspired by the landscapes of the Provençal coast

Memo Paris presents Cap Camarat, the new fragrance inspired by the light and landscapes of the Provençal coast, through a collaboration with Italian artist Olimpia Zagnoli, invited to visually interpret the brand’s solar and Mediterranean universe. The result is a project that merges perfumery and illustration into a vibrant, pop-driven imagination, where the limited-edition bottle, alongside a series of exclusive objects, becomes an extension of the fragrance’s narrative. Between evocations of sea, sun, and untouched nature, Cap Camarat stands as a sensory invitation to travel, while the maison founded by Clara Molloy strengthens its connection to evocative destinations and strong artistic identities. We speak with Clara Molloy and Olimpia Zagnoli, protagonists of this meeting between scent and image. We interviewed both to understand how this collaboration came to life, and how two such distinct and unique worlds can meet and reinforce one another, just in time for Milan Design Week, of course.

Interview with Clara Molloy

Cap Camarat is born from a deeply Mediterranean inspiration. How did you transform the beauty of this destination into a tangible fragrance, from the opening notes to the final trail?

As with all our fragrances, we aim to evoke a sensation, an emotion in harmony with the destination, while also giving the perfumer great creative freedom. For Cap Camarat, the idea of opening with fresh, sparkling, watery notes such as pink pepper and an apple accord is tied to that initial visual and sensory impact that can be summed up as: seeing the sea. The anticipation of its grace, the thrill of a dive, the feeling of water on the skin… Then, to evoke summer and the Mediterranean, that radiant fullness, the heart of the fragrance features the brightness of sambac jasmine and lysylang (the most precious part of ylang-ylang), alongside the soft embrace of vanilla absolute from Madagascar and sandalwood. Finally, to complete this sun-drenched base, like the end of a day spent by the sea, benzoin, labdanum, patchouli essence, and amyris wood bring warmth and enveloping amber and woody notes.

The olfactory pyramid combines ylang-ylang, vanilla, and amyris. How did you arrive at this combination to create the “caress of light” effect on the skin?

We owe this trilogy to Nadège Le Garlantezec, a talented perfumer with whom we often collaborate. These three precious ingredients represent the key to radiance, endless summer, and enveloping warmth. Ylang-ylang has a unique white floral signature with a distinctly solar effect; vanilla brings a caressing sensation thanks to its sensuality, its delicately leathery and woody sweetness, its depth, and its facets of caramel and tonka bean. Amyris wood, with its rich and complex aroma and slightly spicy woody intensity, helps anchor this summer moment on the skin.

Creating a perfume means telling a story through emotions as well as aromas. What is the main message or feeling you want to convey to those who wear Cap Camarat?

Let summer last forever, on your skin and in your mind. Keep the heartbeat of the Mediterranean close to your heart.

You collaborated with Olimpia to translate the fragrance into a visual project. How much did the artistic vision of the bottle influence your olfactory concept?

To be precise, the fragrance concept already existed when we invited Olimpia to collaborate on the visual side. We introduced her to the perfume, its name, and its notes, and it was from her initial intuition that she imagined the landscape of Cap Camarat, bringing it to life with vibrant colors, radiant light, and an enchanted sea.

This project celebrates the French Riviera and Mediterranean light. How important do you think geographical and natural inspiration is in contemporary perfumery?

For us, geography and nature are essential, as our fragrances are an ongoing tribute to the beauty of the world, inspired by destinations, places, cultures, and landscapes that carry a certain aura and create connection. But geography and nature should be central to all contemporary perfumery, because raw materials are tied to specific places where they can best express their qualities. Our aim is to combine all these aspects, creating fragrances that respect the earth as much as they celebrate it.

Interview with Olimpia Zagnoli

Your bold, colorful pop style has made the Cap Camarat bottle iconic. What was the first visual inspiration that guided your choice of colors and shapes?

The atmosphere of the South of France, one of my favorite places, on a summer day and the smell of hot sunscreen.

Working on an object like a perfume bottle means merging art and product. How does your creative approach change compared to illustration on paper or digital work?

My approach remains essentially the same, regardless of the project I’m working on. I try to imagine an atmosphere and translate it into images, which I then adapt depending on the medium they will be applied to.

Cap Camarat is a Mediterranean destination full of light and nature. How did you translate the sensation of sun and landscape into such a stylized design?

By breaking down the landscape to get as close as possible to the experience of being surrounded by nature. The blinding sun that makes it impossible to focus, a small boat passing silently at sunset, sunburned skin, the distant sound of seagulls.

In this project, the design extends to tote bags and travel cases. How important is it for you that art can become an object carried into everyday life?

I like to think that high and low can coexist. That you can work on a unique museum piece while also designing a collection of handkerchiefs sold in supermarkets for a few cents. This flexibility of art is something I find fascinating and enjoy playing with.

You’ve collaborated with different brands before, but this time art meets perfumery. What challenges or freedoms did this field give you compared to more traditional projects?

One of the most precious aspects of perfumery is that it is a private experience. Much like literature, even if we read the same book, each person imagines unique landscapes and characters and responds in a completely personal way. In a world where everything tends to be standardized and tastes are shaped by algorithms and unsolicited suggestions, smelling a perfume remains a deep and rebellious act, because no one can read your mind and know what you are feeling in that exact moment.