Head of the House, François, is a fourth generation perfumer; the son of Guy Robert, creator of Caleche, Amouage, Dioressence, and the great nephew of Chanel Perfumer Henri Robert. He grew up exploring the jasmine and rose fields of Grasse, and started training at Parfums Rochas at just 14-years-old to become the master perfumer he is today. François is a professor at famed school of perfumery ISIPCA, and has worked in France, the USA, India and the United Kingdom. Throughout his storied career, he’s crafted masterpieces for Lanvin, Mary Greenwell, Londonder, Hermès, Saunders & Long, Les Parfums de Rosine and Charlotte Tilbury, creating her award-winning fragrance, Scent of a Dream.

After starting out her career as a quality control chemist with Roure Bertrand Dupont in America, Kari’s curiosity for scent creation led her to perfumery school in Grasse. There, her love for fragrance and story-telling through fragrance bloomed. Several times per year, she visits food shows, fashion shops and travels the world in search of new inspirations for her creations. She now channels those experiences, passion – and her chemistry expertise – into iconic concoctions that are enjoyed the world over. “My happiest times as a perfumer are spent working closely with a client, bringing their story and vision to life through scent”.

Growing up in a French castle in Loire Valley, Mireille was enchanted by the aromas in her mother’s garden. Magnolia, freesia, primrose, lilac, peony, honeysuckle – the list goes on. This early love for scents transitioned into a keen interest in men’s fragrances, which led her to perfumery school in Provence and, in 1998, to working with us at Quintessence. Recently, Mireille’s father found out that his great grand uncle was Georges de Laire, the first chemist to create some of the most used chemical ingredients used in perfumery today. A family affair, indeed.

At just seven-years-old, Nathalie set up her own fragrance lab in her parents’ garage, where she mixed up potions and dreamed of a future making her very own perfumes. This dream became a reality when she went on to train as an Analyst Perfumer at ISIPCA, before joining our team here at Quintessence. Now, Nathalie creates scents with a focus on conjuring memories for consumers. “For me perfume takes us to a different place, whether geographically or in time,” she says. “All of my favourite smells are strongly connected with memories.”

After studying chemistry at university, Tristan went to Montpellier – the former perfume capital – to study perfumery and flavours. As part of this training, he worked in Grasse and in Beijing. Through these experiences, he discovered two sides of the fragrance industry: traditional perfumery and a more modern approach to the art. Now, “I create fragrances the same way I paint; by using colours and layers,” explains Tristan. “For me, each ingredient – natural or synthetic – has a colour, a texture, a way to resonate and diffuse, and that is how I construct my creations.”

After studying chemistry and then perfumery at the Perfumery School in Montpellier, Elodie met our very own Director of Perfumery, François, on the Île Sainte-Marguerite near Grasse and was taken under his wing. “He guided me and allowed me to explore my dream of becoming a Perfumer,” says Elodie, who went on to join Quintessence, bringing her signature blend of science and creativity. “I strive to create fragrances that are capable of triggering people’s emotions, transporting them to new places or back in time to deep memories,” she adds.