The mothers of our perfumes

Behind each of our creations is a perfumer, a "nose". These individuals, with boundless creativity and keen olfactory sensitivity, are artists, chemists, and enthusiasts all in one. All endowed with an olfactory signature, a unique style, perfumers translate their talent into their scented creations.

For Mother's Day, the idea of paying tribute to the mothers of our perfumes naturally came to mind. Here are the portraits of these women, mothers of our fragrances, without whom our olfactory compositions, from the purest to the boldest, would not have seen the light of day.

The perfume creation process

Before introducing you to our three perfumers, it is appropriate to explain the different steps involved in creating a perfume, to better understand them.

It may not be obvious at first, but it is undeniable that olfactory creation is no small feat. Months of hard work, dozens of trials, combinations of materials, and readjustments are necessary to create the perfect blend of scents.

Our first step is to define the desired fragrance universe. Internally, our perfume evaluator, advised by the marketing teams, prepares a very precise brief for the creative companies, to which many perfumers are attached. The olfactory universe is determined upstream, as are other information such as the olfactory family in which the new perfume will be placed or the story we want to tell with this fragrance.

Once briefed, perfumers begin their tests and combinations of fragrant raw materials with the ultimate goal: to create a captivating and intoxicating home fragrance, capable of evoking emotions. From there, a close collaboration between Estéban and the perfumer begins: several back-and-forths are necessary to determine and olfactively readjust the perfume, until the perfect fragrance is obtained. This step lasts between 4 and 9 months and requires nearly 30 to 40 different olfactory trials and adjustments. A long-term effort that our perfumers take to heart to create, ultimately, the perfect olfactory combination that will make your home a fragrant haven of peace.

But who are these women behind these memorable creations?

Irène Farmachidi: creator of Citronnelle & Menthe, Ambre & Vanille Étoilée and Néroli & Frangipanier (among others)

To start, we must mention the talented Irène Farmachidi, mother of many of our perfumes. From woody to aromatic fragrances, and even floral ones, no note holds secrets for this renowned perfumer.

Bold and curious, Irène Farmachidi draws inspiration from nature and more broadly from "beauty" to create her perfumes. According to her, everything is a pretext for creation and a source of inspiration: music, landscape, art, colors, atmosphere... For over twenty years, she has combined the language of brands with her own writing to create perfumes imbued with a unique and singular universe. For her, it is essential to make her perfumes resonate to create emotions and offer pleasure.

The story between Irène Farmachidi and Estéban goes back a long way. She is the creator of several of our collections (current and past) including Citronnelle & Menthe, Sapin Exquis, and Néroli & Frangipanier.

In her work, she prioritizes, when possible, natural raw materials to create sophisticated and original perfumes. She is attracted to rich and complex materials and seeks to enhance them. She favors short formulas where each note has its place and, in turn, gives a subtle identity to the perfume.

Her Proustian madeleine: vanilla. It is therefore not surprising to find it in several of her creations, such as:

• - Monoï Soleil, where vanilla combined with musky base notes highlights the scents of a sun-drenched Tiare flower.
• - Ambre & Vanille étoilée, a unique harmony between the gourmand vanilla accord and warm amber, starting with a hint of hesperidic and slightly aniseed freshness.

A multi-talented creator with whom we are delighted to work.

Emilie Bouge: creator of Iris Cachemire

Mother of only one of our perfumes, but an important one, Emilie Bouge is a perfumer with a strong olfactory signature. Her name will be familiar to all perfume lovers, and it's not surprising as she comes from a family of renowned perfumers. Emilie Bouge has been immersed in the world of perfume since her early childhood. In her family, being a perfumer is much more than a profession: it is a true tradition, a passion, a heritage passed down from generation to generation.

Drawing inspiration from art in general, and more specifically from painting and literature, Emilie Bouge has been a perfumer for nearly twenty years. For her, the use of natural raw materials brings authenticity and diversity to perfume.

In her creations, this perfectionist enjoys reinterpreting classics and creating new accords. Woods, ambers, spices, and fruits are very inspiring materials for her. Having worked in Asia, she has developed a certain ease in working with traditional accords. However, Emilie Bouge stepped out of her comfort zone to create a home fragrance that has since become a best-seller at Estéban: Iris Cachemire.

When this collection project was still in its early stages, three different avenues were favored. We had only one certainty: the perfume had to be in a delicate, nude, and cocooning universe, with powdery notes. Rose was one of the preferred avenues, which is why notes of rose petals are found in the heart of Iris Cachemire. It was Emilie Bouge who had the clever idea of combining it with iris absolute, bringing that very powdery touch initially sought. This floral yet woody scent, so delicate and complex at the same time, brings buttery inflections to the perfume.

Both an artistic and commercial success for this delicate perfume with undeniable chic!

Clarisse Aparici: creator of Figue Noire, Pin et Fleur de Sel and Thé en Fleur

Clarisse Aparici is a perfumer who resonates with us because she makes it a point of honor to create committed perfumes. Indeed, she considers sustainability a key factor when formulating her perfumes. Like her aforementioned colleagues, she favors natural raw materials. To go further, Clarisse Aparici carefully selects the components of her perfumes, taking into account their origin, their extraction method, their carbon footprint, and their social impact. A true admirer of home fragrances, she challenges her creativity to create sophisticated perfumes, which, according to her, could almost be likened to body perfumes.

This perfumer draws inspiration from everything (art, nature, environment). Through smell, touch, or sight, her senses are continually alert to nourish her imagination and creativity. It was very likely the memory of a walk on the maritime paths of the Mediterranean that inspired her creation Pin & Fleur de sel. This perfume, where the freshness of sea spray mingles with the warm, woody notes of the pine forest, immediately transports us to the coasts of the French Riviera. You can almost hear the cicadas singing…

The Mediterranean seems to be Clarisse Aparici's spearhead, as she is also the creator of the emblematic woody-fruity perfume Figue Noire. This perfume perfectly embodies the irresistible trail of the fig, a fruit so characteristic of a Mediterranean climate. At first olfactory contact, Figue Noire seduces us with its aromas of violet leaves and black fig. Then, we are immersed in a world marked by fig wood and sandalwood. Finally, the base notes of Figue Noire blend to give way to Labdanum and some musky accords.

A master in creating refined perfumes such as Figue Noire, Clarisse Aparici also allows us to glimpse another facet of her creativity with the perfume Thé en Fleur: a soft and refined fragrance, with the enveloping trail of a pure white tea.

A perfumer who, undoubtedly, will continue to make us dream with her authentic and delightful creations.