One of the answers to the question about being a perfumista from a couple of weeks ago was “I know what a ‘nose’ is and have several favourite noses,” which, in my opinion, is one of the significant indicators of someone being “into” perfumes. I still can remember the time when I didn’t even think that there was anything else to my favorite perfumes beyond a brand name.
Saturday Question #161:
Who Is Your Favorite Perfumer?
Do you have a favorite perfumer? How do you define this? Do you follow that perfumer’s work?
My Answer
I’ve never been good with names. Writers were probably the extent of my ability to remember names. I could go through several book chapters without remembering characters’ names but just visually recognizing a combination of graphemes. Actors, singers, politicians, etc., have to be very significant for me to remember their names, not even actively to say it but even as a passive recollection when someone else refers to them. So, while I appreciate the work perfumers do creating perfumes I love and wear, and I even add this information to the perfume’s description in my database, I rarely remember who was the nose for those perfumes I wear – unless they are brands’ creators. So, when I asked today’s question, I wasn’t sure what my answer would be.
I know and recognize many names. But without checking the database, I wouldn’t have been able to choose the one. After running some queries, I now know that not only did I try the highest number of perfumes created by Bertrand Duchaufour, but also, out of those I tried, I liked more perfumes created by him than by any other perfumer. It probably means that Bertrand Duchaufour is my favorite perfumer. Though the last new fragrance from him I tried was Corpus Equus for Naomi Goodsir (2021). I checked Fragrantica, and it looks like these days he creates perfumes for brands I haven’t heard about before, which makes me less interested in these new creations.
How about you?
Undina's Looking Glass 
Excellent question!
Like you, I had to check my collection. Other than my large number of 4160Tuesdays, all by Sarah McCartney, there is no single nose whose work I lean towards.
To decide, I looked at those scent I genuinely love & reach for regularly. There are three noses who score best here, Christopher Sheldrake from his work with Serge Lutens, Bernard Chant & Edmond Roudnitska.
Who knew, at heart I am a classic perfume lover?
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Bernard Chant – so many wonderful perfumes! Do you have a favorite?
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Vintage Azuree with Aramis & Aliage tying for second
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Aliage is one that I more appreciate than love, but Azuree and Aramis are love-loves. :)
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Sheldrake and Roudnitska were on my “short list.” I love and wear several perfumes from each of them.
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Most of the perfumes in my collection are from Olivia Giacobetti. I really love her work!
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I considered her as well!
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I own more bottles by Bertrand Duchaufour than anyone else. Still, I haven’t tried anything new by him in a decade. So is he really my favorite, I wonder. Coincidentally, last night I looked up Olivia Giacobetti and was surprised by the number of perfumes she’s created that I love. Currently, I’m keeping an eye on Cecile Hua who is the nose for Arielle Shoshana. I own two of the three perfumes she’s created for the brand. A new one is in the works which I’m looking forward to trying.
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I’m behind trying Arielle’s perfumes since I didn’t love the first one. But I’ll catch up eventually.
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I wouldn’t be surprised if I have a good number of Bertrand Duchaufour’s perfumes; however, I do not pay attention to perfumers (gasp!) nor to the type (double-gasp!!). Perfume is perfume. Period.
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You, rebellious you! :)
Nobody asked to love any specific perfumers or types. The question was rather about: out of those perfumes that you love, is there a “nose” who created the majority/large number of them? ;-p
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Bertrand Duchaufour was definitely an early favorite – but Annick Menardo, Andy Tauer, Geza Schoen (Ormonde Jayne), Patricia de Nicolaï- how does one choose? I think based on numbers alone it would be Nicolaï, based on what I have actually chosen to purchase and wear. But I love Duchaufour’s creativity.
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I would have probably named Geza Schoen as well, but I’m unclear on Linda Pinkerton’s role in creating those perfumes :)
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I asked myself this question a few years ago and found it difficult. What made it easier is that I found that several unrelated perfumes I own were by Frank Voelkl. However, I know next to nothing about him. Perfumers who have a passion for teaching and making perfumery more accessible are the ones I admire, like Sarah McCartney and Christophe Laudamiel; but I can’t say I’ve tried or liked more than a few of the perfumes they’ve created (because there are so many). I have attended one of Sarah McCartney’s workshops and watch her videos—love her personality, so I’ll go with her as my favorite perfumer.
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While I like personality of several indie perfumers, I usually prefer more “industrial” perfumes. So, even though I try to support them, I can’t consider them favorite perfumers.
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Think fast answer: Bernard Chant. He created my all-time favorite EL Estee, and several other Estee Lauder, Aramis and Clinique classics that I love and wear regularly. He also is credited with Halston Classic. (All this info. via Fragrantica) He made the kind of gotta-a-lot-goin’-on powerhouse scents that warm my heart. I love them now, and they give me many nostalgic memories, too. I probably love and wear more perfumes by Jacques and/or Jean-Paul Guerlain, but Mr. Chant’s are more in my desert island class.
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Bernard Chant Created Antonia’s Flowers that I liked and used to wear. Estée was great, but I grew up to like it by the time it got reformulated – so, I didn’t want the new version.
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Excellent question, which for me has an easy answer – Annick Goutal. But I’ll have to add Isabelle Doyen, and Camille Goutal, because to me they work as a team. I know that this house makes incredible perfumes that come in beautiful bottles and while the ideas and images can be surreal or just out of this world-the fragrances themselves are meant to be worn. I usually don’t find them challenging-they can be intriguing or fun or sensual or just plain great smelling – these three women together make perfumes that work for me. I also believe they give their audience some credit for having intelligence and I think it’s a brand that respects its customers, for the most part. Eau d”Hadrien is a scent that I’ve purchased and repurchased for close to thirty years. I wouldn’t hesitate to give it as a present and I love that it has accompanied me for so long. I ever love the variations-Nuits d’hadrien, and Bois d’hadrien, which is still available at the discounters for an awesome price in a beautiful bottle. A totally different kind of freshness and a totally different idea of femininity in fragrance.
And when I think that Annick Goutal and Isabelle Doyen worked for years to complete Ce Soir ou Jamais, while Annick was taking cancer treatments and trying to stay alive-it makes me appreciate her on an entirely different level. Camille Goutal gave an interview and she spoke of having lunch with her mother, not long before her mother died, and Annick was worried about Camille being able to support herself as a photographer. To me it’s the idea of a mother who is working and trying to enjoy life and taking some pretty invasive treatments – and making something beautiful, too. I find that concept inspiring.
Great question, and I’m interested in what other people have to say. It’s a bitterly cold spring here with temperatures around zero every night-but the sun is increasing its presence and the daffodils are starting to bloom-crocus too. I’m going out to rake and clean up the yard. I can’t decide what to wear – but maybe a spritz of mon parfum cheri, around the ankles. Hope everyone’s week is both productive and delightfully uneventful :)
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I could have picked those perfumers too, now that you’ve reminded me. I have five or six AG perfumes, and Songes has been a re-purchase a few times. It’s on my desert island list ❤️
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Have you tried their new all natural line, Voyages Imaginaires? They work together and have created about 5 or 6 really beautiful scents! I highly recommend them!
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I read about hem, but have not tried them yet. Can’t find them in Canada. Might have to take the plunge and order a sample set, if there is a sample set of this line. Do you like them, Dubaiscents? Wearin Eau de Sud today-used JM Lime Basil Mandarin, for a shower gel, then very discreet amount of the Sud body cream , and a spritz of the EDT. I love this scent.
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A friend gave me 5 ml of Ce Soir ou Jamais five or six years ago. It’s gotten better with age. Thank you for sharing this story. It makes me love this perfume even more.
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You told this so beautifully that I immediately felt an urge to revisit some of the brand’s perfumes. I have several favorites – Ambre Fétiche, Heure Exquise, Nuit Etoilee and Petite Cherie. But since stores around stopped carrying the brand, I didn’t have access to these perfumes any longer.
I hope your weather is improving and soon you’ll be able to wear all your spring and summer Annick Goutal favorites.
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Great, but tough, question. I have so many perfumes by different perfumers that it’s difficult to pick just a few. So, I’ll answer by picking the perfumers who are independent and whose creations have resonated with me to a greater degree than others. So, Andy Tauer, Laurie Erickson, Francesca Bianchi and Diane St.Clair. I also love Geza Schoen, have great success with any of his creations that I’ve tried, and own or have owned several.
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Tauer, Erickson and Schoen are my favorite perfumers also.
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Jean-Claude Ellena is at the top of my list. Love his brilliant creations, Bvlgari Au The vert , Hermes Ambre Narguile and Hermes Jour, his creations for Laboratorio Olfattivo, among others. Also love Patricia de Nicolai’s creations and Thierry Wasser’s work for Guerlain.
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I have several favorites created by Jean-Claude Ellena: Dia and numerous Hermes perfumes. Thierry Wasser is also well represented in my collection.
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I like some classics by Bernard Chant but the most bottles from a single perfumer i own are from Sarah McCartney
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I liked Estee (from 80s), Beautiful was nice (but not for me), but most others I’ve never tried.
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This would be a perfect answer for last weeks question about how you know you’re a perfumista – you have a favorite perfumer and actually know that a perfumer is different than the creative director or celebrity promoting the scent :-)
My favorite perfumers tend to be more indie or artisan perfumers with their own brands such as Spyros Drosopolous (Baruti) although he does do scents for other brands as well. But if I limit myself to a more “traditional” pick I have to say Julien Rasquinet from IFF. His earlier work for Naomi Goodsir and Fidelis for Histoires de Parfums are some of my all time favorite scents. He had also done a bunch for Creed and Arabic brands (Madawi for Arabian Oud along with Dominique Ropion) and lived in Dubai for many years so, maybe that is why I am inclined towards his style. Great question!
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Ahhh! Lovely question.
I also love Bertrand Duchaufour’s work but I think my favourite (today) is Mathilde Laurent. Her work for Cartier has elevated the brands prive perfumery into the stratosphere.
There are a few others whose work will inspire me to try the perfumes created too.
Portia xx
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I feel that Jacques Guerlain, through some crazy anachronism, created perfumes with me in mind (L’Heure Bleue, Après L’Ondée, Sous Le Vent, Mitsouko). Otherwise, I adore Ernest Daltroff for inventing Mousse de Saxe, the most beautiful base ever. (I love my vintage Carons.).
These days, 4 perfumers are my favorites, judging by how much appreciate their perfumes, not by the number of bottles I own. They are Diane St. Claire, Marc-Antoine Corticchiato, Liz Moores and Hiram Green. If an evil demon were forcing me to choose to wear fragrances from only one perfumer for the rest of my life, I would choose Corticchiato. The man has great, immediately recognizable style.
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I had the same confusion as to whether citing Geza Schoen in relation to Ormonde Jayne was an adequate answer. But actually I don’t have a favourite perfumer and could easily name a good dozen whose work I like. And I agree that I don’t always pay attention to who the nose is in the first place. Off the top of my head I do admire and enjoy the creations of JCE and Dominique Ropion, Olivia Giacobetti, and Liz Moores, not forgetting Bertrand of course, but these are just a few.
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