Perfumers

PORTRAIT OF A PERFUMER
PIERRE BOURDON

Career

Before being a perfumer, Pierre Bourdon studied at “Sciences Po” in Paris. After his graduation, he started studying raw materials at Roure (now Givaudan) in Grasse in 1971. At the same time, he was also working with Edmond Roudnitska, who teaches him techniques to formulate perfumes. He explained him his vision of perfume as an art work. After five years of training, he joined Roure’s team located in Paris, working more particularly on toiletries (shampoos, deodorants, body creams, etc.) He spent eleven years with Roure. His first successes were Kouros For Yves Saint Laurent and Darling for Elida Gibbs.

In 1982, he worked for Takasago Europe and became chief perfumer. He stayed nine years with Takasago and created perfumes as Cool Water for Davidoff and Joop! Homme. In 1993, he became CEO for the French subsidiary of Fragrances Ressources in Paris. His role was to manage the creative sector, and the commercial activity of the firm in the field of upmarket perfumery in Europe. He then createdDolce Vita for Christian Dior.

Main Creations

Christian Dior: Dolce Vita – Davidoff: Cool Water Woman, Good Life for Men, GoodLife for Women – Editions Frédéric Malle: French Lover et Iris Poudrée – Escada: Escada et Escada Magnetism – Inès de la Fressange: Inès de la Fressange – Jops!: Joop! Night Flight, Joop! Homme – Juduth Williams: Oriental Mandarin, Narcotic Magnolia Flowers of the Valley, Glamourous Jasmine, Vibrant Patchouly et Majestic Lily – Ferre: Blue Musc, Bergamot Marine et Frerre Masculin – Lacoste: Challenge – Lancaster: Esprit for my Peace – Montblanc: Femme – Romea d’Ameor: Les Espionnes du Tsar, Les Souveraines d’Egypte, Les Princesses de Venise, Les Grandes Prêtresses Incas, Les Impératrices Japonaises, Les Maîtresses de Louis XIV, Les Grandes Amours du Taj-Mahal – Serge Lutens: Féminité du Bois – Smalto: Full Choke – Ted Lapidus: Fantasme – Yves Saint Laurent: Kouros, Live Jazz.

Phillip Bousseton

Philippe Bousseton first came into contact with the world of fragrance when he was only five. His maternal grandfather was a perfumer. Attracted to working in perfume, he began to study chemistry. In 1971, he was one of the five students at ISIP C A, a perfumery school that had just opened. The school year was only just over when he joined Dana. When the company closed in 1979, he went to work for O ril Fontarome. It was in 1982 that the doors really opened for him when he joined Takasago, a new name in the European world of fragrances, with Michel Almairac and Pierre Bourdon at the helm on the creative side of the business. It was a fabulous period for Philippe Bousseton, who spent his time juggling between toiletries and perfumes. He got used to it that it actually became his philosophy of life, one in which he finds pride, humility and joy.

Wins

Adidas: Adidas Dynamic, Adidas Ice Dive, Adidas Original, Adidas Original Masculin – Bugatti: Design & Motion Extreme – Charriol: Gold Men – Alain Delon: Samourai Light, Samourai Silver Plus, Samourai Black Light Men – Anne Moller: L’Eau, Carmen Sevilla - Coty: Esprit Life Hit, Beckham Intimately – Dali: Lovely Kiss – Davidoff: Cool Water Summer 2006, Cool Water Wave, Cool Water Man Summer 2007, Cool Water Freeze Me, Cool Water Ice Fresh, Cool Water Men Cool Summer – Fa: Sunset Mambo, Fa Wild Freshness – Ferrari: Masculin – Freya: Women – Gant: Indigo – Givenchy: Ultra Marine Ocean Cup, Ultra Marine Men Summer 2006, Ultra Marine Women Summer 2006 Intense Ultra Marine Wild Surf, Ultra Marine Intense Blue Laser – Jaguar: For Men Summer 2006 – Joop!: Hot Summer, Chill Out Summer 2007, Hot Contact Men – Lancôme: Aroma Source – Leonard: Eau Fabuleuse – Madarina Duck: Duo Men & Women – Mexx: Men – Scorpio: Animal Intense – Schiaparelli: Eau de Cologne – Shiseido: Men – Van Cleef & Arpels: Tsar, Tsar Cologne – Van Gogh: Van Gogh Men – Vichy: Vichy Homme.

Preferences

Intense olfactory memory: The smell of his grandfather, a mixture of the essences of violets, mimosa and roses.

Motto: Respect other people

Personality: Eric Tabarly

Period: Now

Little everyday pleasure: Watching day dawning

Film: “Le Sauvage”

Cult perfume: Magie Noire by Lancôme

Raw material: Ambroxan and ginger