Like many industries, perfumery has traditionally had men at the helm.

Now, however, more and more women are entering the field and creating iconic fragrances that express complex and beautiful visions of femininity. We feel there's a change on the horizon – and we're proud to be a part of it by championing our female perfumers.

There's something about women creating for women that we think is extra-special – a female perfumer might have a closer understanding of what other modern, multi-faceted women desire. Some of our fragrances are thoughtfully created by female perfumers, and each designer has her own story to share about how she entered the profession and what inspires her most. Allow us to introduce you to the visionaries behind some of our most evocative scents.

Dora Baghriche

Co-creator of our beloved Invisible Touch Eau de Parfum with Nicolas Bonneville, Dora dreamed of becoming an international reporter before she fell in love with perfume. Both her grandmothers were pastry chefs and her first fragrance memories are the scents of pine nut cream, cinnamon treats and almonds.

What inspired you to become a perfumer?

Curiosity, a love for creation and nature were my first driving forces.

Was it difficult to get into the industry as a woman?

I can't say it was. I had multiple doors open to me. As a self-made person, not knowing anybody in this microcosm, and having never been to Grasse before that time; let's just say being a woman was not my main challenge in entering this world. I think women have to allow themselves to be charismatic – it's in our own hands.

Have you seen more women enter the industry?

The numbers certainly suggest an increase in representation. But work still needs to be done, to attract more women into perfumery and give them visibility. 

Women are complex, and the perfumes they wear should reflect that.

Do you prefer creating feminine, masculine or genderless fragrances?

Due to market demand, I naturally create more fragrances for women than men, but I try to come up with creative propositions that take women into another dimension, and not put them into the boxes women tend to be placed in. Women are complex, and the perfumes they wear should reflect that. I like working on genderless fragrances also – they allow more freedom, more universality, and they often stand apart from clichés.

What do you think the future of fragrance looks like?

The future of our art will be bright if we focus on creativity again. There’s been a shift towards sustainability, which is necessary, but creativity needs to move forward, too. New extractions, a return to forgotten ingredients like ambrette and responsible products like 100% biodegradable musks are exciting to see.

Does being a woman inform your creations?

Roxanne Kirkpatrick

Parisian based Roxanne is the creative behind our energising Villa Sorrento Eau de Parfum. Athletic as a child, Roxanne was a US champion ice-skater before venturing into a career in fragrance.

What inspired you to become a perfumer?

The profound impact a fragrance can have is pure magic. I love that I can be an alchemist of emotional energy for anyone who wears my fragrance.

What are your other passions?

I love sports, travelling, and being a mother.

What part does gender play in a fragrance?

I hope genderless fragrances are the future. I have loved working with traditionally masculine notes, particularly woody ones, or fresh notes for traditionally feminine scents, but I think fragrance should be uplifting, inspiring, and mood-enhancing, regardless of who they're for. Especially as the definition of gender and how people identify is evolving. 

The older I get, the more I recognise the depth of beauty, strength, capability and also the capacity for love that women have. I find that unbelievably powerful.

Do you feel being a woman brings a special dimension to your creations?

I think as women we can tap into emotion. The older I get, the more I recognise the depth of beauty, strength, capability and also the capacity for love that women have. I find that unbelievably powerful. I really developed this appreciation since I became a mother. We can create life, and the fact we carry that potential generates a unique, mystical quality that adds to our creativity. It's phenomenal.

Caroline Dumur

The creative mind behind our sensual Once Upon A Garden Eau de Parfum, Caroline has always had a passion for perfumes- they fascinated her even as a child.

What inspired you to become a perfumer?

My passion for fragrance stems from my mother, who always loved perfumes. When I was growing up, our home was filled with books about fragrance and the history of perfumery. I remember the pleasure of reading those stories. Later on, I travelled to Egypt with her and during that trip, I discovered a new world of unknown scents… It changed my life. Becoming a perfumer then became my life goal. I've always been surrounded by strong, powerful women like my mother as well as my mentor, master perfumer Anne Flipo, who have both been inspirational.

Do you prefer creating fragrances for women?

The industry is still led by feminine fragrances, so I do work on more of those, but I don’t have a preference. It's more a matter of the raw materials or notes I like to work with. What I look for in a creation is not its gender. It's the olfactive parti pris (direction) of the project.

When it comes to whether being a woman informs my creations, it's really more down to each individual perfumer rather than his or her gender. Each perfumer brings their own stories, desires, memories and passions into their creations.

What’s your take on genderless fragrances?

It's still a very niche area. I prefer to call them non-gender than genderless. I have a friend who wears an iconic men's fragrance and I love it on her. I like the idea that perfume is rule-free and that a fragrance can work interchangeably between genders. Ingredients are not gendered – history and the industry shaped them to apparently fit one gender more than the other. Things are changing, however: there is more demand for floral, vanilla and coconut scents in masculine perfumes than ever before. On the other hand, women are looking for more aromatic and woody scents. I love that the palette is now more widely open.

Do you feel being a woman informs your creations?

It's really more down to each individual perfumer rather than his or her gender. Each perfumer brings their own stories, desires, memories and passions into their creations. That’s why each perfume is unique.

Louise Turner

Perfumer Louise Turner is the woman behind two of our most loved scents; sensual and mysterious Possibilities and the entrancing La Perla Signature Eau de Parfum. Louise sees perfume as an invitation to reflect on beauty and loves the meeting of art and science behind her craft.

What inspired you to pursue a career as a perfumer?

I kind of fell into the profession, really, as I didn't know such a job existed before.

Do you have other passions?

I love my garden and being outdoors, and I'm currently learning how to fly a light aircraft plane.

Has the industry changed much in regards to female perfumers entering the field?

There are certainly more women in the industry than ever before, and I think that trajectory is bound to continue as the younger generation comes up.

I think there is more freedom and variety of expression when designing female fragrances today.

Do you prefer creating fragrances for women or men?

I seem to have more of an aptitude for creating scents for women maybe because the projection is easier for me. I think there is more freedom and variety of expression when designing female fragrances today.

What about genderless fragrances?

I think marketing has a lot to do with this. If we totally removed the concept of gender, it would be a very different world for perfumes.

What do you think the future of fragrance looks like?

There is a desire amongst brands, and consumers, for more environmentally-conscious options. So I think we'll see more naturally-derived materials, carbon-neutral processes and ethical sourcing of ingredients in the creation of fragrances in future.