Behind the Scents

The Successor

Dominique Ropion was destined to create fragrances: his mother and grandfather both worked in the industry. With more than three decades of experience, he's regarded as one of the best in the business.

How should women select a new perfume?
Some fragrances deserve a little more time to be understood and to fully reveal all the facets of their personality. So don't make your choice after only one trial, but after wearing it for a while.

How do you go about creating a new fragrance?
Like a sculptor or architect, I like the idea of working with perfume as an olfactory form; going to the core of a natural, raw material and being seduced by its beauty. I often find my inspiration in a central theme composed around one ingredient, and then I work on its contours, volume and contrasts.

Which perfume did your mother wear in your youth?
She wore Rive Gauche by Yves Saint Laurent.

What are the new trends in the fragrance business?
I expect to see a renewed interest in very noble, natural materials with a simple structure. To bring joy and happiness to face the sluggish economic environment, expect more optimistic fragrances, with an evolution of fruity, sunny, or gourmand notes.

Ropion's Fragrance resume (left to right): Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb EDP, $159; Givenchy Amarige EDT, $112; Frederic Malle Carnal Flower by Dominique Ropion, $335.

The Powerhouse

From designer fragrances to shampoos and deodorants, Ann Gottlieb adds a touch of luxury to our day.

How did you get into the perfume industry?
I worked for Estee Lauder during her reign, and she became my mentor. It was she who discovered that I had a really good nose.

Where do you get your inspiration?
It depends on who the scent is for. If it is for a designer or celebrity, their personalities inspire me. For a product like Impulse Body Spray, my goal is to create a scent that smells like a designer fragrance, but without the price tag.

What is your favourite smell?
I would have to say vanilla. I find the relationship between taste and smell quite potent. I love fragrances that contain edible notes, such as fruity and sweet gourmand, that are blended subtly. I find them yummy and sensual.

Which perfume did your mother wear in your youth?
She wore Jean Patou Joy, but only for special occasions. When I smell it now, my mind is flooded with childhood memories.

What are the new trends in the fragrance business?
Dark, mysterious fragrances with gourmand notes at their heart are one of the key directions. Happy, optimistic scents that are light and sparkling are another.

Gottlieb's Fragrance resume (left to right): Britney Spears Curious EDP, $79; Marc Jacobs Lola EDP, $120; Dior J'adore EDP, $130.

The Director

Karyn Khoury, senior vice-president, corporate fragrance development worldwide, has been with The Estee Lauder Companies for almost 30 years and has shaped its most famous perfumes.

What inspires you?
Sometimes art (a Georgia O'Keeffe painting inspired me when we created Estee Lauder Pleasures), or it might come from smelling something in the wild. I do a lot of travelling and discover great materials, such as spices, along the way.

What is your process when creating a new perfume?
[For some fragrances], Evelyn Lauder and I work on ideas and concepts together, for maybe five years, and no-one else smells them until we're ready. We play with the scent and give it time to reveal itself and be perfected. This gives us the opportunity to preserve our artistry, frees us from the constraints of daily life ... [and] business.

Which scent are you the most proud of?
Every fragrance I've worked on is very personal. There's a little drop of me in every one. Working on Beautiful with Ms Estee Lauder was an incredible experience. Also, Pleasures is something that I'm never going to forget because it was the scent I was creating when I started dating my husband, and the first compliment he ever gave me was on my perfume.

What are the new trends in the fragrance business?
During a recent trip to Paris, I met with many of the world's leading perfumers, and they're in wood heaven. I smelled creamy, nutty vetivers, breezy summery cedars, and the sheerest patchoulis.

Khoury's Fragrance resume (left to right): Island Michael Kors EDP, $138; Tom Ford Bois Marocain EDP, $290; DKNY Be Delicious EDP, $105.

The Protege

His father Jacques - who has been with Chanel for more than 20 years - is perfume royalty, so it was inevitable that Olivier Polge would follow in his fragrant footsteps.

How do you go about creating a fragrance?
It takes about 18 months to create a scent. I want to express a clear emotion, a simple message, with my formulas. The starting point is very much linked to the brief I receive, and to the brand. Then, I try to define what it means to me olfactively, and I translate it through ingredient combinations, which will define the signature of the product.

How should women select a new perfume?
You need to take your time and smell it on your skin. Only buy it if it feels like a second skin.

Which women's fragrance do you wish you had created?
L'Heure Bleue and Shalimar, both by Guerlain, and Chanel No. 19 ... as well as many others.

What are the new trends in the fragrance business?
I think there is a real return to craftsmanship in perfume, and to authenticity.

Polge's Fragrance resume (left to right): Giorgio Armani Code Pour Femme EDP, $125; Jil Sander Jil EDP, $120; Bulgari Rose Essentielle, $120.