In 2017, Catherine Laskine-Balandina founded STATE OF MIND in Versailles as a brand that nurtures the synesthetic connections between fragrances, teas and philosophy. Its mission? To recount the many shifts that shape the human mindscape.
“At State of Mind, narrativity is our religion,” states Catherine Laskine-Balandina.
She feels that this approach is what distinguishes the creations of an artistic perfumery house from other scented products. The brand’s founder likes to explore the sorts of emotions, frames of mind and impulses we might experience or wish to express:
“Our moods, whether they are natural or transient, form the complexity of our essence and lend themselves to being expressed as scents.”
In her view, the purpose of fragrance is to arouse a feeling, which means it has to convey a powerful idea. The names of her creations are inspired by literature, ballets and famous figures, and sound like some of the special gifts life has to offer: Sense of Humor and Spontaneous Generosity, to name just two.
“A mood sometimes becomes a frame of mind, forcing us to adopt a new attitude,” she continues.
Modern Nomad, for example, is an ambery rose that captures the boldness of explorers ready to confront the unknown.
A fellow fragrance, Creative Inspiration, uses its soft and powdery notes to address those who feel they harbor the soul of a sensitive artist – just like the character Novecento in writer Alessandro Baricco’s theatrical monologue Novecento.
With its focus firmly on narration, Catherine Laskine-Balandina’s approach aims to stand apart from the general tendency in traditional niche perfumery, where fragrances are often reduced to their ingredients. State of Mind sees raw materials as secondary, opting instead to step back from the literal in order to experiment with the depth of its compositions.
In Versailles, home to the brand’s beautifully appointed Olfactory Tea Room and boutique, customers can enjoy a multisensory experience as they discover teas and fragrances that mirror each other with their shared notes.
“It’s a haven of hospitality and happy encounters, an immersive space where teas and fragrances form two sides of the same coin – and that coin is the mood that inspired them.”
Expert tea taster Olivier Scala selects the teas for the collection while Karine Dubreuil creates the fragrances.“I only work with Karine: We have developed such an amazing level of trust and understanding that her trials are always extremely accurate!”Helped by an illustrator and drawing on a list of olfactory notes that correspond to the inspiration, she captures the mood that serves as the leitmotif for the fragrance and tea, which then express it in sensory form.The Art Deco-style bottle is the receptacle for these olfactory tales, enfolding them in a triangular shape that evokes the body-mind-soul trio.
A colored, generous object that embodies “exceptional luxury with disparate references, making it easier to embrace moods and feelings and practice the art of being happy,” concludes the State of Mind founder.
By S.D.
