By Hend Seif El Din
When did you first realize you wanted to be a professional perfumer?
The idea of being perfumer came to my mind during my studies in chemistry. Then I decided to enter a perfumery school, ISIPCA. After graduating with a diploma from ISIPCA, the well-known school of perfumery in Versailles, I entered Créations Aromatiques, where I studied with Perfumer Michel Almairac.
In 1991, I joined Firmenich and created fragrances for the market whose signatures left little room for indifference.
What inspires you?
I am inspired by everything around me.
Nature could be also an inexhaustible source of inspiration for perfumers. Based on the best things nature can offer, a perfumer may suggest new tones, create new signatures and new emotions. Through various methods of extraction, we revisit the potential of some ingredients which allow us to recreate some new olfactive accords and facets.
What do you look for in a fragrance?
Creating a perfume is a question of precision and diffusion. When I create a fragrance I am also looking for a unique signature and a strong identity that make it memorable.
What makes the perfect fragrance?
It is very difficult to say. For me there is no perfect fragrance. Each fragrance could be perceived as perfect for someone. A fragrance is very personal. Only you can find the perfume that suits you best.
Do you sometimes match scents to different personality types?
I’m more thinking about the concept, the brand universe and the emotions than a special type of personality when I create a fragrance.
Do you believe that every person should have their signature scent? Is there a “perfect” scent for every individual?
Perfume is a very personal thing. One person might only use one perfume throughout their life, whereas another might feel the need to have several different ones. There aren’t really any hard-and-fast rules – it’s all a question of taste!
Which notes are best for the summer season?
All the fresh, juicy and floral notes like sparkling citrus (lemon, bergamot, mandarin), juicy fruits (nashi pear, apple, blackberry) and some airy flowers (freesia, muguet).
You’ve recently worked with Lolita Lempicka on their newest fragrance, L’Eau Jolie…did you enjoy it?
It is always a pleasure to work on a new Lolita Lempicka fragrance. I like the philosophy of this brand.
This isn’t your first collaboration with the brand…you also created their iconic First Fragrance, why did you choose to work with them again?
I created the emblematic Lolita Lempicka – First Fragrance perfume and since the success story continues with this new fragrance – L’eau Jolie. It was natural for me to be part of this project.
Tell me more about the notes you chose for L’Eau Jolie.
Lolita Lempicka – L’Eau Jolie is a fresh airy fragrance built around some spring flower petals and fruity juicy tonalities.
Which emotions, in your view, does the fragrance stand for, or represent?
My inspiration for Lolita Lempicka – L’Eau Jolie was a journey in the heart of a spring garden. The first glimmerings of the day reveal a smiling and delicate femininity… The sublimation of a simple beauty build around the softness of a flight of silky and sensual flowers. A floral fruity fragrance, fresh, natural and airy and in the same time very feminine and sensual.
Which “type” of woman–in your imagination–is L’Eau Jolie made for?
A natural and lively woman who lives her life with passion and energy without scarifying her femininity. She reckons on her self-confidence to make her own choices. She likes fresh and light fragrances and still remains sensual and seductive. She enjoys being in contact with nature.
If you had to describe L’Eau Jolie in a few words, how would you do that?
A fresh spring bouquet, very natural and sexy in the same time.
