- Yili Li Perfumer:
Yili Li is a remarkable and independent perfumer hailing from China, celebrated for her profound contributions to the art of perfumery.
In 2018, Yili founded her own brand, Yili Olfactory Art (YOA), which is based in a studio located on Gulou East Street in Beijing, with a view of the historic six-hundred-year-old Bell and Drum Tower. This strategic location provides her with an inspiring backdrop for her creative process. YOA is not just a brand; it is a platform dedicated to promoting the art of perfumery in China. It is committed to being a unique olfactory art studio, striving to support local perfumers and explore the limitless possibilities of scent combinations.
Yili's journey into the world of perfumery began at a young age. Influenced by her mother, who was a fan of Anna Sui's "Magic Mirror" perfume era and had a penchant for buying and using perfumes, Yili developed an early interest in the diverse scents held within different bottles. This childhood fascination led her to start collecting perfumes. As she grew older, her passion evolved from simply admiring the bottles to experimenting with handmade perfumes, which she would gift to friends for their "tasting."
Yili's creative approach to perfumery is deeply rooted in her belief that olfactory creation, like other forms of art, serves as a means of "expression and storytelling." She recognizes that communication between humans often faces barriers, and scent can be a powerful tool to bypass these limitations. Yili views the sense of smell as a unique and direct connection to the brain, as the olfactory nerve is adjacent to areas associated with memory (the hippocampus) and emotion (the limbic system). This understanding shapes her creative process, allowing her to infuse her perfumes with deep emotional resonance.
One of the defining characteristics of Yili's work is her use of natural ingredients. She has a deep understanding of the properties and transformations of various raw materials, having worked closely with them for many years. This expertise enables her to create perfumes that are not only aromatic but also full of life and emotion. Yili Olfactory Art is dedicated to the artisanal craft of perfume-making, with each bottle being carefully handcrafted. The brand also takes pride in using ingredients that are self-extracted in the YOA workshop whenever possible, believing that the soul of the fragrance lies in the hands-on, human touch, even in the face of advanced modern perfume manufacturing techniques.
Yili has an extensive portfolio of work, with 11 perfumes currently in the database. Her works cover a wide range of themes and styles. For example, the "Witch" perfume, created in 2019, is a Chypre fragrance. It is a deep, dark, and somewhat wet and bitter scent that showcases the beauty of natural oakmoss. Another example is "Old Man," launched in 2020, which is part of her "Contemporary Chinese Olfactory Sketch" series. This fragrance, with its strong herbal notes, draws inspiration from the scents associated with the elderly in her memory, exuding a sense of calm and stability.
Yili's perfumes are not just scents; they are olfactory stories. Each fragrance often has a unique origin, such as personal experiences, dreams, or cultural encounters. For instance, the "Fougère Mama" was inspired by Yili's dream where she yearned for motherly love. It represents a return to the primal female image of a woman who collects herbs and nurtures her offspring. Another work, "Rou Ti," was inspired by the third act of the opera "The Marriage of Figaro." Its name in Italian means "Gentle Breeze in the Woods," and in Chinese, it is related to the description of a woman's tender and white hands in "The Book of Songs."
In conclusion, Yili Li is not only a perfumer but also an olfactory artist. Her work enriches the global perfume landscape with a unique Chinese perspective, combining traditional elements with modern creativity. Whether through her innovative use of natural ingredients, her deep exploration of emotional themes, or her commitment to the artisanal craft of perfume-making, Yili continues to push the boundaries of what a perfume can be, inviting perfume enthusiasts around the world to embark on a journey of discovery through her scented creations.
