PIERRE BOURDON
Pierre Bourdon was born in Paris in 1946. He initially studied political science but ultimately decided to follow his passion for perfumery. In 1971, Bourdon met legendary perfumer Edmond Roudnitska in the south of France. This fateful meeting inspired him to study perfumery for five years at the Roure in Grasse, where he studied under Roudnitska and Jean Carles.
After completing his training, Pierre Bourdon joined the Roure Paris, working on scented personal care products such as creams, deodorants, and shampoos. He then spent a year in the United States before creating the hit fragrance Kouros for Yves Saint Laurent in 1981. In 1982, Bourdon co-founded Takasago Europe, where he served as head perfumer for nine years. At Takasago, he created Davidoff Cool Water, a revolutionary scent that changed the trends in perfumery in the 1980s.
Ten years later, Bourdon became creative director at Quest, where he worked for two years before being appointed CEO of Fragrance Resources’ French subsidiary in Paris. Under his leadership, the company expanded into luxury fragrances, and in 1995, Bourdon created Dolce Vita for Parfums Christian Dior.
Pierre Bourdon has created some of the most iconic and beloved fragrances of his illustrious career, including YSL Kouros, Davidoff Cool Water, Serge Lutens Feminite du Bois, Creed Green Irish Tweed, and Montblanc Individuel. He has recently created perfumes for Éditions de Parfums Frédéric Malle and the French niche house MDCI.
As Edmond Roudnitsky’s only apprentice, Pierre Bourdon was deeply inspired by the philosophy that perfumes should be created as works of art. He has consistently demonstrated an exceptional talent for blending artistry and innovation, resulting in some of the most celebrated and generation-defining scents in modern perfumery.
Bourdon’s creative process is marked by his ability to capture the essence of the brands he works with, masterfully translating their values and vision into timeless, evocative scents. For example, his work with Frédéric Malle resulted in the exquisite Iris Poudre, the first fragrance for Editions de Parfums.
Pierre Bourdon’s dedication to the art of perfumery has cemented his place as one of the most influential and respected perfumers of all time. His impact on the industry is clearly evident in the fragrances he created and the generations of perfumers he inspired with his unrivaled creativity and craftsmanship.
