PIERRE NEGRIN

Pierre Negrin is a highly acclaimed French perfumer who was born in Grasse, in the South of France, where he developed a passion for fragrances at a young age. Both of his grandfathers were merchants of products and plants for the creation of fragrances, and Pierre fondly remembers discovering a world of scents in their workshops.

Initially, Pierre aspired to be a photographer and was fascinated by the work of Robert Capa and Henri Cartier Bresson of the Agence Magnum, as well as the landscapes of Ansel Adams. However, during his studies in physics and chemistry, he was offered an internship in a perfumer's workshop by a friend, and it was there that he discovered his true calling. "I suddenly realized that, instead of expressing myself with light, I could express myself through fragrance," he says.

Pierre did not learn perfumery in a specialized school but rather in fragrance laboratories, and in the early 1990s, he left France to work in Mexico, eventually moving to the USA. In 2008, he joined the ranks of the accomplished perfumers at Firmenich's New York Fine Fragrance Center.

Pierre has designed major fragrances for a range of notable brands, including Calvin Klein Encounter and Ralph Lauren Blue, but he is perhaps best known for his work with Amouage. Some of his most beloved scents for the brand include Interlude Man, Journey Woman, and Portrayal Man.

For his excellence in creative perfumery, Pierre was awarded the International Prize for Fragrance Creation by the French Society of Perfumers in 1990. He is a discerning, refined, and reserved man who is also an epicurean. He celebrates life's small pleasures and is drawn to a life of discipline, cycling daily, and practicing yoga regularly. He does not appreciate ostentation or excess, preferring what is simple and minimalistic.

Pierre's love for his hometown of Grasse is evident in his olfactive memories of the area. He is particularly attached to earthy notes and believes strongly that the earth itself is the material and the true origin of the fragrance industry. "It is always in my mind. Your head can be in the clouds as long as your feet are on the ground!" he says.

Pierre compares his work to writing and is fascinated by images and how fragrances are perceived. He believes that even the humblest ingredients can result in a work of art if they are composed in the right way. Pierre's talent as a perfumer is matched only by his wisdom, and he remains one of the most respected and sought-after perfumers in the world today.