“Why do you want to become a perfumer? »Asked his examiners during the entrance examination to ISIPCA. “Because I am a pianist” had eluded the young Jean Jacques, aware of his sidereal shortcomings in perfumery. Since then, he has made up for it, discovering a passion for this incredible world open to him, and boosted by his mentor Pierre Bourdon who was his first boss. After a few internships at Quest and Fragrance Resource, then four years at Kao, he joined Takasago in 1997 as a perfumer-creator, and also took on international responsibilities there on the harmonization of the catalog of the house’s ingredients. Ensure that the company’s perfumers can work with materials of the finest quality, and from exceptional terroirs, and evaluate the new molecules from the Japanese laboratory to make them available to all: “this is what constantly nourishes us to create new fragrances”. A job that is not, as Jean Jacques enjoys doing it. In full awareness and humility. And always in music.
The perfumer Jean Jacques answers you
My olfactory memory
“The smell of the sea, mixed with that of pine resin that stuck to our fingers when we were children we played hide and seek in Quiberon. “
My trip
” The emotional and cultural shock during a recent stay in India, in Assam, where I went to discover oud distilleries. “
My inspiration
” Piece Peace by Bill Evans, a jazz piece recorded in 1958, which inspired me to create a perfume. With the image of an infant on its mother’s tummy. A moment of bliss. Nothing can happen. “
My cult perfume
” Aromatics Elixir , a real shock, it’s olfactory, sensual and sexual Basquiat. “
My color
” Blue, optimistic and elegant. And the Note Bleue, blue note, dear to jazz musicians, for this little nostalgic dissonance in a theme. “
My dream
” Discover a natural for perfumery and set up its sector. For the raw material, but also for meeting those who work with it. “
My motto
” When inspiration comes, let it find me working: a phrase from Picasso that speaks to me … I don’t have a exceptional talent but a great capacity for work. »
My favorite raw materials
Ambroxan : an amber woody note that smells of life, a bed from which we take out children’s pajamas … L ‘humanity.
Irone : the molecule of the powdery-floral-violet note of the iris. The height of elegance, the heart of the iris diamond. All the more precious since it takes time for the irone to synthesize.
Bio Lily of the valley : from sugar cane, this Takasago molecule can replace forbidden lily of the valley notes. It is 100% bio based, bio degradable, and I am sure it is revolutionary!
The profession of perfumers qualifies as a creative profession at the heart of an industrial, technical and scientific process. Some see him in his most cynical aspect while others see him as an artistic passion. After all, isn’t that a sign of the great diversity of this profession? Jean Jacques, meanwhile, is an artist in his own right. It is for this very reason that he chose to embark on this path. So let’s take a closer look at what his ambitions were and what works sparked his talent.
Jean Jacques’ love for art in general
Before becoming a perfumer, Jean Jacques was above all a lover of the arts. Musician, this one is worth a true passion for jazz. Thus, Jean Jacques has always expressed the wish to do a creative job. What is more, it is, according to him, the only way to leave a trace of our passage on earth. However, we must admit that this idea has always obsessed him. It was therefore through a friend that he discovered the world of perfumery. Convinced of having found his way, he joined the most prestigious perfume school there is: the ISIPCA of Versailles. He graduated in 1992. Then, he spent four years at Kao, a company specializing in the manufacture of chemicals and more particularly aromas and fragrances. While he held a position in this company, he took part in the Young Perfumer Creator competition of the Société Française des Parfums. It was there that he got noticed by Takasago, a Japanese fragrance company. Today, he has been working for this Asian house for more than 15 years. Benefiting from its notoriety, this enabled him to work with the biggest brands on the planet such as Guerlain, Christian Lacroix, Davidoff, Givenchy or even Kenzo.
Jean Jacques’ sources of inspiration
In general, Jean Jacques likes fairly short formulas. He likes to go straight to the point and always tries to develop fragrances to create an emotion. For him, perfume is a very strong emotional product, sometimes synonymous with attachment, comfort or protection. For him, perfumery is far from futile. He then explains that he has certain favorite subjects. In addition, he is absolutely fascinated by ambroxan. He puts it in each of his compositions and makes it a sort of signature. “It’s the smell of life and love to me,” he said. I have used it in many key chords, reminiscent of my first blanket, crumpled sheets, breast milk, and I have it in almost every creation. “Furthermore, he believes that this ingredient is an ideal raw material to ensure the tenacity of perfumes. He even confides that he must do himself a little violence to avoid overdosing him. A very picky character, Jean Jacques then modestly confides that, despite his numerous olfactory successes, he is rarely fully satisfied with the results of his perfumes. Regardless, the public seems to appreciate it.
The perfumes imagined by the perfumer Jean Jacques
Adolfo Dominguez: Bambù for Men, Bambù for Women, Aqua di Bambù for Men, Aqua di Bambù for Women, Viaje a Ceylan (in duo with Antoine
Lie) – Avon: Infinite moment for men – Balmain: Balmya – Bebe: Bebe Sheer – Bourgeois: Night Games – Bugatti: Infinite blue – Christian Lacroix: C ‘ is
l a Fête (in duet with Francis Kurkdjian) – Courrèges: Hyperbole (in duet with Antoine Lie), Minijupe (in duet with Antoine Lie) – Davidoff: Cool Water
Wave (with Antoine Lie and Francis Kurkdjian), Cool Water Ocean Extreme (in duet with Antoine Lie), Silver Shadow Altitude – Givenchy: Gentlemen
Only Fraîche, Gentlemen Only Absolute, Gentlemen Only Parisian Break, Gentlemen Only Casual Chic, Gentlemen Only Intense, Gentlemen Only
(in duet with Francis Kurkdjian) – Isabey: all perfumes – Jean Paul Gaultier: Madame eau frais (in duet with Francis Kurkdjian) – Jil Sander:
Sun Rise Women, Sun Day Women – Kenzo: Totem Blue (in duet with Antoine Lie), Kenzo Floralista, Kenzo Couleur Violet, Kenzo Couleur Pink (in
duet with Sylvie Fischer), Kenzo Couleur Jaune, Eau de Fleur de Soie, Plum tree (in duet with Francis Kurkdjian), Yuzu, Camelia (in duet with
Francis Kurkdjian) – Mandarina Duck: All of Me for Men – Masaki Paris: all perfumes – Mirko Buffini: La Chute d’Eau – Molton Brown: Londinium
– Oriflame: Divine, Amethyste Fatale, S8 night men, Lovely garden, Urban lover women, Extravagance, Amazonia – Salvatore Ferragamo: Incanto
Amity (duet with Antoine Lie) – Sex Symbol: The Superstar – ST Dupont: Passenger Cruise Women (duet with Sylvie Fischer) – Stendhal: Noir
Divin – STR8: Unlimited – Ted Lapidus: Pour Homme, Lapidus Black Extreme – Torrente: L’or, L’or intense, My Torrente – Ulric de Varens: So Varens,
Love by Lilly prune, Hot Fragrance Extrême, Hot Fragrance Desire, UDV Fire, UDV Black, Varens Desire, Varens Love, Varens Uno, Varens Essentiel /
Delicate Violet / Rose Glamor / Muguet Secret / Musc Provocant, Musk Patchouli, Eau de Varens Fresh, UDV Night, Musk Collection GLAM –
United Colors of Benetton: United Dreams One Love, United Dreams One Summer – Yves Rocher: Un Matin Au Jardin Cerisier in Flowers (in duet
with Francis Kurkdjian).
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