Interview with
Juliette Karagueuzoglou

What is your oldest olfactory memory?

As far back as I can remember, I have always been sensitive to the smells around me. I remember the smell of the house I grew up in, my childhood garden, and the very unusual smell of the asphalt after a rainfall.

I have always loved to smell my skin at various times, after sunbathing or swimming in the sea. It fascinates me to see how it changes depending on the moment.

What was the first fragrance you ever wore?

The first fragrance I bought for myself was Mûre et Musc by L'Artisan Parfumeur - an iconic fragrance for my generation.

What are your raw materials of choice?

I like working with wood in both masculine and feminine creations. I'm addicted to patchouli. A multi-faceted ingredient, its smell never fails to surprise me and I use just the right amount to achieve the desired effect. However, I generally try to not restrict myself to signature ingredients and to stay on the lookout for new possibilities and master ingredients that remain a mystery to me.

In my most recent work, I have learned to enjoy handling ambergris. This surprising material is marine, mineral and very sensual with a salty skin dimension.

"Un Air de Bretagne is the impression of turbulent swells and fresh, lashing, salty spray from the wild seafront - something powerful, majestic and radiant."

Juliette Karagueuzoglou

100ml

Fascinated by the wild Brittany coast, the perfumer Juliette Karagueuzoglou wanted to capture its iodized oxygen in a bottle.

To delicately evoke the sea sprays, she first composed a marine accord imagined as a salt vapour. A canevas on which she overlayed the absolute of seaweed and the absolute of cypress, which balance the tempestuous heart of the fragrance and also bring a touch of green that evokes Britanny.

On the skin, the breeze gives way to an addictive softness... The storm outside progressively becomes a comforting murmur.

This fragrance comes with its matching sample in order to try the scent on your skin before opening the 100ml bottle, and be able to send back the fragrance if it doesn’t suit you.

Sample the scent >

Where do you find inspiration?

There's so much of it. I see the creative process as a sort of collision of things that touch and inspire me.

I'm guided by my quest for emotion. I want people to feel moved when they smell my creation. My favourite part of the process is when I see my desired emotion in the eyes of others.

What does L'Artisan Parfumeur mean for you?

As a perfumer, creating for L'Artisan Parfumeur gives me an artistic freedom that is rare and precious. It is an opportunity to go off the beaten track and explore new imaginary worlds to create beautiful and unusual fragrances.

What inspired Un Air de Bretagne for you?

I like the fact that the name does not refer to any one city. 'Un Air de Bretagne' is less a place and more a mixture of memories and impressions, and under the memories, an emotion. Un Air de Bretagne is the impression of turbulent swells and fresh, lashing, salty spray from the wild seafront - something powerful, majestic and radiant.

What are the main notes?

I built the fragrance around a fresh and salty marine accord inspired by the unrelenting Brittany waves, supported by an algae absolute and an ambergris accord. To bring radiance and crunch to the fragrance, I also incorporated neroli and the green notes of cedar and cypress leaves.

What do you think about the use of marbled paper as a signature in this fragrance?

It corresponds perfectly to an unrelenting sea as seen from the sky, the image taking an almost abstract turn with the outline of the foam against the grey blue of the Atlantic. This image partly shaped my creation.