SERGE KALOUGUINE

Serge Kalouguine, a French perfumer with over 30 years of experience, has made a name for himself as a master nose at the renowned company Fragonard. Throughout his illustrious career, Kalouguine has created many classic fragrances for Diptyque, a luxury Parisian perfume house. His notable creations from the 1970s and 1980s include Olene, L'Ombre Dans L'Eau, L'Autre, and Eau Lente. His innovative and groundbreaking work in the world of perfumery has earned him the reputation of being an early pioneer of strongly indolic white floral scents. Kalouguine's approach to perfume creation is characterized by his fearless exploration of the boundaries of scent. He was among the first perfumers to challenge the notion that indolic white floral fragrances were too overwhelming and oppressive for mainstream consumption. His bold experimentation with these strong, heady scents paved the way for a new generation of perfumers to embrace the beauty of intense floral aromas. One of Kalouguine's most iconic creations, L'Ombre Dans L'Eau, was inspired by an anecdote shared by Dido Merwin, a close friend of the founding trio of Diptyque. Merwin recounted her delight at the blend of scents she experienced after picking roses and blackcurrants. This revelation was shared with Desmond Knox-Leet, who then envisioned a fragrance that would exalt the union of blackcurrant and rose. L'Ombre Dans L'Eau, created in 1983, was a groundbreaking fragrance that challenged the conventions of perfumery by being one of the first fruity-floral scents. It is described as evoking "the scent of a green garden by the water" and captures the essence of a peaceful riverside setting. The fragrance masterfully intertwines the herbaceousness of blackcurrant leaves with the fruity, tart accents and floral intensity of rose, all grounded by a sensual background of ambergris and musk. Serge Kalouguine's innovative approach to perfumery and willingness to push the boundaries of scent has solidified his position as a pioneering perfumer. With his impressive portfolio of creations for Diptyque, he has not only contributed to the evolution of the perfume industry. Still, he has also left an indelible mark on the world of fragrance.