“Smell is the oldest sense, it touches the most emotional part of the brain” – Roja Dove, the only ‘Professeur de Parfums’ in the world.

Suspended above Monaco in the medieval village of Eze I was invited by perfume house Galimard to develop my signature scent. As I embarked on this fascinating journey under the guidance of Galimard’s resident ‘nose’ Parisian Sandra Dziad (formerly of Chanel and Jean-Paul Gaultier) I was overcome with an immense feeling of self-expressionism – to have your very own scent is the ultimate personal luxury.

Bespoke perfume encapsulates the evolution of the luxury goods market, while sales for the $37 billion global fragrance industry are flat, fashion houses Christian Dior, Cartier and Guerlain are tapping into this niche – at dizzying price points. Christian Dior charges 40,000 euro for a bespoke fragrance while Cartier charges a reported 55,000 euro.

According to Christian Dior: “A woman’s perfume tells more about her than her handwriting”. With this firmly in mind I pondered what it was that I wanted my personalised olfaction to embody. Sandra begins our journey by asking about my favourite smells and we discuss fragrances that I have worn in the past.

Seated in front of the scent organ, a glass of champagne in hand, Sandra outlines the process, stressing that it relies heavily upon emotion and instinct. As I begin sniffing the blotters before me I am transported to childhood memories of hot summer days spent frolicking on the beach and through my base note selections I channel the sweet warmth of a light summer breeze. The heart notes reveal a love of florals with peonies, lotus and magnolia heavily punctuating the finished product. While the addition of tomato leaf, bamboo and green tea add sharpness to the top notes.

Although mixing my perfume was not haute science (this was done patiently with a dropper and beaker) Sandra’s carefully considered formula, devised from the nineteen notes I selected is the result of years of study and training. And with a bibliotheca of 2000 notes her assemblage is the key to my scents success.

Unlike Cartier who jealously guards its prices and recipes and only allows customers a five year exclusive on each scent, Galimard keeps your formula on file ensuring your signature scent can be re ordered for generations to come. To capture and create ones individual scent is a true style statement, an unforgettable experience that cannot be replicated.

by Kelly Cooke

La Maison Galimard
Place du General de Gaulle, Eze Village, France 06360
+33 (0) 4 93 41 10 70
info@galimard.com

Our Tip: if you’re planning to surprise someone special with the Galimard perfume creation experience, why not book a Scent…Sational Package via the Fairmont Hotel in Monte-Carlo that includes a perfect accommodation, buffet breakfast and of course you’ll get a VIP treatment at the Galimard Perfumery.