Let’s start with how my day ends. Before leaving the office, I load all my formulas into the system to have all of them freshly compounded in the morning. I then head home to have a relaxing evening and this is really when new ideas will start to unfold for the next day. In the morning, when I get to the office, I can start with my fresh ideas and I smell the creations from the previous day. At around 10am, I’ll start to meet with the development teams to work on all our various projects. When lunchtime arrives, I take a long break, about two hours, to recharge. This break is a crucial part of my day as it allows me to be efficient in the afternoon. Then, we come back to the end of the day… I work in a very rhythmic way. I started this routine 30 years ago and it works well for me.
Throughout my childhood I was surrounded by the fragrance of wild flowers and vegetable gardens. I grew up in the Picardie region in the north of France and this is where I learned about nature and the art of living for simple pleasures. My passion for scent started at a very young age. I was fascinated by nature. My creative roots are twofold, I think: my Italian origins and my house in the country, isolated in nature. I went to perfumery school very early, which meant that I had the chance to start my training with Master Perfumers quite fast. After my baccalauréat, I went to the ISIPCA School (Institut supérieur international du parfum, de la cosmétique et de l’aromatique alimentaire). This is when I discovered the magic of essential oils and their evocative power. It was when I started to associate and weave together different ingredients, during my apprenticeship, that it became a revelation and a game I never stopped playing.
This is just a taster, you can browse the full article with more stunning photography on pages 117-118, issue 107.
DETAILS
Interview Catherine Coyle
