The 8 Most Famous Female Perfumers of All Time
The fragrance industry, since its inception, has been considered a male domain for the longest time. Women were either rejected or forced to remain behind the scenes. Several heritage fragrance houses were passed down exclusively through male members of the family. Ironically, Tapputi-Belatekallim, history’s first woman chemist from the 13th century B.C., garnered great fame by working as a perfumer for the king of Assyria. Excavations near Mesopotamia have led to the discovery of tablets with details of the ingredients she used and the processes she employed to make perfumes. You may also be interested in women-led perfume brands! Thanks to pioneering women who spent decades working tirelessly to break the glass ceiling in the fragrance industry, the world is a better place now. Female entrepreneurs and noses are thriving, assisting their male counterparts to break new ground in perfumery at every turn. Reportedly more women are joining the International School of Perfume, Cosmetic, and Flavor (ISIPCA) than men. As International Women’s Day is approaching, here are 8 successful female perfumers who have enchanted us with their creations time and again, and to whom we owe our signature fragrances.
Christine Nagel
Swiss perfumer Christine Nagel has been serving as an in-house perfumer for Hermès since 2016. She began her career as a research chemist and market analyst at Firmenich, where she became intrigued by Alberto Morillas’ work. Some time down the line, she shifted to Italy to launch her career as a perfumer. Within a year, she had bagged opportunities with major luxury brands like Fendi and Versace. She then moved to Paris in 1997. Her 2003 collaboration with Francis Kurkdjian, Narciso Rodriguez for Her, won the Fragrance Foundation France Award for Best Women’s Fragrance. Other notable creations by Nagel are Miss Dior Chérie, Armani Sì, and Guerlain Les Élixirs Charnels. She is also credited with Etat Libre d’Orange’s Archive 69 and multiple Jo Malone perfumes.
Sophie Labbé
During her childhood in Paris and the Charente-Maritime area of France, Sophie experienced the juxtaposition of urban city odors against natural countryside scents. Fascinated, she went on to pursue her studies at IPSICA and the Givaudan Perfumery School in Geneva. Labbé joined IFF as a junior perfumer in 1992 and has created many masterpieces over the years, including Jasmin Noir and Mon Jasmin Noir for Bulgari, Estée Lauder Pure White Linen, Signorina and Signorina Eleganza for Salvatore Ferragamo, and Calvin Klein Beauty.
Calice Becker
Becker, a French master perfumer, studied at Givaudan Perfumery School, the largest perfumery school in Grasse. Trained by respected perfumer Franchise Caron, Becker went on to create Estée Lauder Beyond Paradise (2003) and Tommy Hilfiger Tommy Girl (1996). In 1999, she worked with Dior on her award-winning masterpiece J’Adore. Becker is one of the most respected noses in the world. In 2018, she was the President of the International Society of Perfume Creators. and she has also won the Lifetime Achievement Award from The Fragrance Foundation. Kilian’s Love, Don’t Be Shy, the perfume that flew off the shelves after Rihanna revealed it as a favorite, is another of Becker’s most beloved creations. She is also the nose behind Versace’s Dylan Blue Pour Femme.
Daniela Andrier
German perfumer Daniela Andrier began her career as a trainee at Chanel. Interested in furthering her career, she pursued higher studies in perfumery at Roure. Over the years, Andrier has worked with major designer brands like Bulgari, Gucci, Prada, and Calvin Klein. Andrier is credited with some of Prada’s most highly-rated fragrances, including La Femme (2003), Infusion d’Iris (2007), Fleur D’Oranger (2009), and Candy (2011). Interestingly, Daniela is the nose behind Tiffany & Co.’s signature perfume.
Anne Flipo
Master French perfumer Anne Flipo has been associated with IFF since 2004. One of the most talented perfumers in the industry, she has created many beloved fragrances, including Yves Saint Laurent’s Libre Intense Eau de Parfum and Givenchy’s L’Interdit Eau de Parfum, both of which are known for their delicate balance between sensual appeal and extreme sophistication. Flip also created the iconic Paco Rabanne Lady Million with Dominique Ropion and Beatrice Piquet in 2010. She worked on Givenchy L’Interdit, alongside Ropion and Fanny Bal, and Burberry Brit Rhythm (2013). Flip is closely associated with the brand L’Artisan Parfumeur and became a pioneer in independent perfumery after creating La Chasse aux Papillons.
Ann Gottlieb
One of the most recognizable names in the perfume industry, Ann Gottlieb has spent more than a decade formulating memorable fragrances. Interestingly, she trained under Estée Lauder herself and went on to establish Ann Gottlieb Associates in 1983. She created the award-winning Dot and Decadence with Annie Buzantian for Marc Jacobs to create and Carolina Herrera’s 212 Men (1999). She is also credited with two of Calvin Klein’s biggest launches, CK One Shock for Him in 2011 and the award-winning Contradiction in 1998.
Nathalie Lorson
One of the most famous female noses in modern perfumery, Grasse-born Nathalie Lorson pursued studies at the Roure school before joining IFF in 1987. She began working at Firmenich in 2000 and went on to create iconic fragrances that continue to have a loyal following. She is the nose behind Flora by Gucci (2009) and Burberry Weekend for Women (1997). She also worked alongside Marie Salamagne, Olivier Cresp, and Honorine Blanc on YSL’s runaway hit Black Opium (2014).
Sophia Grojsman
A prolific perfumer whose creations continue to dazzle the pickiest of us, Sophia Grojsman received the Perfumer of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award from The Fragrance Foundation in 2016. Grojsman is the nose behind award-winning fragrances like Estée Lauder White Linen (1978), Calvin Klein Eternity (1988), and Paris by Yves Saint Laurent (1983), but her most beloved creation continues to be the floriental Lancôme Trésor (1990). Do you have a favorite female perfumer? Let us know!
