Portraits of Perfumeurs

A native of the Cotswolds in England, John Stephen developed an olfactory sensibility from childhood, nourished by the surrounding nature. A chemist by training, he has devoted over 50 years to the art of perfumery, running Cotswold Perfumery, a company dedicated to creation and training. John Stephen has distinguished himself by collaborating with prestigious brands to create fragrances that blend opulence, history and emotion. His signature lies in his balance between technical mastery and...

‘To be irreplaceable, you must always be different’, Christian Provenzano likes to say. Currently Global Director of Perfumery at CPL Aromas, this creator has had a long and fruitful career, marked by collaborations with prestigious houses and the founding of his own brand, illustrating his passion for the art of scent and his desire to constantly innovate, with a deep passion for noble ingredients as a common thread.

‘I still remember the smell of freshly picked citrus fruits in my grandmother's garden. That's where it all began.’ These words from Marco Genovese capture the essence of his olfactory journey. Today, this Italian perfume designer is recognised worldwide for his luxurious and innovative creations. With his resolutely original approach to niche perfumery, he transforms each fragrance into a work of olfactory art, captivating luxury perfume lovers around the world.

Pierre Wulff, born in 1953, is a Swedish-born perfumer who now works in the USA. After training in perfumery in Grasse, he built an international career marked by major collaborations, notably with Byredo. His olfactory style is both narrative and emotional, drawing on memories and landscapes, translating abstract concepts into immersive sensory creations. ‘My fragrances are never a simple juxtaposition of ingredients, they are emotional landscapes,’ he sums up. Humanist and committed, he...

Margaux Le Paih-Guérin is one of the rising stars of contemporary French perfumery, embodying the fusion of tradition and avant-garde in her creations. Trained in the art of perfumery from childhood in a family perfumery in Brittany, she was influenced by the genuine natural landscapes that surrounded her and by the great perfume classics.  She has developed a highly personal style, sometimes even described as experimental, incorporating artistic collaborations and exploring the limits of...

For Amélie Bourgeois, perfume is much more than a technical composition: it's a fragment of emotion, of identity, a piece of intimate history. She remembers a key moment in her childhood, when the smell of the wooded dunes of the Landes region mixed with the salty breeze of the Atlantic coast left a deep impression on her. Today, she is a leading figure in independent perfumery, and co-founder of the FLAIR creative studio, a place where she brings to life unique creations, shaped by her...

The name Jean-Claude Gigodot may not be familiar to perfume lovers, as he is not one of those perfumers who get a lot of media coverage. Throughout his life, this creator of numerous niche fragrances was a discreet man who enjoyed great respect from his peers. In this article, we sketch the portrait of a perfumer in love with his craft, a leading figure in niche perfumery to whom we owe some of L'Artisan Parfumeur's major creations.

The first Franco-Sudanese perfumer, Maiada El Khalifa embodies boldness and innovation. After a successful career in finance and technology, this polymorphous woman who is also an artist founded her own niche perfume brand, TAYSHABA. Born in Sudan and having lived in several countries, she draws on her multicultural roots to create unique fragrances, combining Sudanese heritage with contemporary influences.  This is how she defines her approach, where each creation is a symphony of daring and...

In the world of perfumery, few people manage to capture the essence of an era, a place or an emotion as accurately as Nathalie Templer. A true alchemist of scents, she plays with raw materials like a painter with colours, creating olfactory harmonies that leave a lasting impression. From Grasse to Dubai, her career is an ode to daring and passion.  Nathalie Templer's creative approach is marked by a deep respect for the balance and simplicity of her formulas. She prefers to work with reduced...

Gökhan Şimşek is a perfumer who was born and raised in Turkey, but has made his home in the perfume capital of the world: Paris. With a background in chemistry and a passion for the art of perfumery, Şimşek has made a name for himself, notably signing Äican to Kajal Parfums Paris. In addition to his work as a perfumer, Gökhan Şimşek is also a writer and critic, and has contributed articles to Fragrantica and other fragrance publications. He is known for his poetic and emotional approach to...

Christian Carbonnel is a fragrance designer whose family heritage and passion for scents have shaped his career. Born into a family where the art of perfumery is a tradition, he has been able to perpetuate and enrich a tradition that goes back almost a century. He literally grew up surrounded by bottles and essences, and this early immersion in the world of scents has enabled him to develop a unique expertise and exceptional olfactory sensitivity.  He is also known for his relentless quest...

Alix Miral developed a passion for perfume at a very early age. As a teenager, her collection of perfume posters marked the beginning of her true vocation. After studying chemistry at the University of Montpellier and ISIPCA, she began her career at Laboratoire Monique Remy in Grasse, before joining Chanel in Paris. There, she perfected her skills and developed an in-depth understanding of ingredients and olfactory compositions. Since 2001, Alix has been a key figure at DROM, working in New...