22 Perfumers, A Creative Proces book by Clara Molloy
One of the most interesting perfume books I have come across this year is 22 Perfumers, A Creative process. In this book 22 Perfumers are interviewed, including Olivier Cresp, Francis Kurkdjian, Francoise Caron and Jacques Cavallier. Although it costs 69 euro excluding postage, 22 Perfumers is really worth its price.
The book provides information you cannot find elsewhere as most of the perfumers in the book rarely give interviews. The ones I enjoyed most were with the interview with Calice Becker where she explains about the creation of Dior J´Adore and her special relationship with this perfume.
The interview with Sophia Grosjman impressed me most. She is the perfumer of many popular fragrances like Lancome Tresor, Yves Saint Laurent Paris, Eternity Calvin Klein and Estee Lauder White Linen. The life story of Sophia Grosjman is truly amazing, being born in the former Soviet Union, fleeing to Poland to immigrate in the United States, starting to work at IFF in New York and becoming a female perfumer. Her story was very inspiring and made want me to scent her fragrances again. Perfumes like Tresor, Paris and Eternity which have become so familiar to us as they are sold in local drugstores nowadays. The way they became famous, was quite special on its own.
Fragrances from the television commercials like J´Adore, Paris and Tresor are put into a whole new perspective by these interviews. They have added depth and a new dimension to them.
Did I miss any perfumers in the book ? Yes, two of my favorite perfumers: Pierre Bourdon perfumer of many fragrances but one of his most famous Davidoff Cool Water and Eduard Flechier, perfumer of Dior Poison. But the list of renowned and gifted perfumers gives a good insight on its own of the work of these 22 perfumers including Maurice Roucel, Christine Nagel and Olivier Cresp.
Interviewed perfumers are: Michel Almairac, Calice Becker, Carlos Benaim, Francoise Caron, Jacques Cavallier, Olivier Cresp, Francois Demachy, Jean-Michel Duriez, Jean-Claude Ellena, Sophia Grosjman, Jean-Paul Guerlain, Francis Kurkdjian, Sophie Labbe, Mathilde Laurent, Alienor Massenet, Annick Menardo, Alberto Morillas, Christine Nagel, Jacques Polge, Olivier Polge, Dominique Ropion and Maurice Roucel.
22 Perfumers can be ordered via the website of Memo Fragrances. The book comes in French and English. It was printed in October 2007.
http://memofragrances.com/en/books/70-22-perfumers-a-creative-process.html
Disclosure: own acquisition
Published: August 23, 2013
Updated: March 29, 2015