A Snapshot of the World of Scents with Artisan Perfumer Christèle Jacquemin
Collage of Christèle Jacquemin ©Perfume.Curious
Photographer-Perfumer-Traveler.
Introduced to her work by a mutual contact at Esxence in Milan, I found myself captivated by her unique style. Yet, it was her distinctive scents that piqued my curiosity about her brand and story. Amidst the hustle and bustle of hundreds of other booths in a noisy environment, I couldn't help but wonder: how did this French perfumer manage to leave such a lasting impression on me?
After almost two decades in Spain, she has returned to the South of France to create artisanal perfumes and capture her travels in photographs. Her work is a dialogue between sight and smell, sharing her experiences through multi-sensory activities. Curiosity fuels her inspiration, turning existential questions into evocative images and scents.
“I always wanted to see the world”
Surrounded by the lively ambiance of the expo, I started our conversation with this intriguing perfumer whose brand is a true reflection of her life's journey, filled with emotions and mysteries. As a perfume enthusiast, I was eager to hear her story and understand the passion behind her creations.
"Could you tell me a little bit about yourself and your brand?"
"Actually, this brand is me at 100 percent," she began with a warm smile. "As a child, my goal in life was to travel. I always wanted to see the world, so I decided I needed to learn languages. And that's what I did. When I finished my studies, I looked for a job that would allow me to travel. By accident, I found a company that sold perfumes, and so I entered the world of perfumery 24 years ago. I was hired to sell perfumes in Africa and spent 17 years with the same company, traveling to more than 50 countries. It was a dream come true."
I asked if she had always been passionate about perfumery. "Not at first," she admitted. "Perfumes were very far from my interests. What you see in advertisements—the sensuality and glamour—that wasn’t appealing to me. What drew me in was the cultural aspect. The way people's tastes vary from country to country, the psychology behind it, that’s what fascinated me. The perfumes I create are infused with the essence of the places I've visited."
Her journey also led her to photography. "In my role as a marketing director, I needed to combine words and images, which sparked my interest in photography. I took lessons for two years and realized it was more than just curiosity; it became a means of expression. I approached my boss about working part-time so I could pursue photography professionally, and to my surprise, he agreed!"
For five years, she balanced a photography studio with her marketing job in perfumery. Eventually, the call of perfumery became too strong, and she returned full-time. "But I missed photography too much," she confessed. "After leaving the corporate world, I decided to learn how to create perfumes. I trained in Paris for nine months, then traveled through Asia for five months. That’s when the idea of combining photography and perfumery came to me. I realized I didn’t have to choose between them."
Christèle Jacquemin and Perfume.Curious ©Perfume.Curious
The Process
I was eager to understand her creative process. "When I return from a trip, I select 5-9 photos that capture the mood of my journey. I write down all the emotions I experienced, not just the aesthetics but living the feeling. I use this as a basis to create a first formula. There’s a lot of trial and error involved. I need to feel the emotion throughout my body; if I don’t, it means the perfume isn’t finished. It’s all about strong emotions," she explained.
The interview was briefly interrupted by greetings from expo visitors—people who had traveled from other countries to meet her and experience her brand in person. It was clear that her creations had left a memorable mark on their experiences from the previous year.
I wondered which moments captured in her pictures were the most inspiring.
"When I travel, I immerse myself in the place. Besides taking photos, I write extensively about my emotions. I focus on how it feels to be in an environment that’s not my own. Traveling and speaking the languages of the places I visit is what I love. Each time I return home, I feel a sense of loss, missing the sensations of the trip. That’s what I try to replicate in my perfumes—those moments and emotions."
She admitted this process is somewhat selfish. "I do it primarily for myself, to feel good, and then I’m happy to share that with others."
Travel, she said, is the best part of her life. "Each trip renews me. I’m open to new experiences, observing what people eat, how they live, and I always bring something positive back with me. I see myself as a citizen of the world. I have visited so many countries and done so many trips within them that I feel I belong to multiple places. Photography and perfumery break down borders. A scent from China can evoke something familiar back home. I love that connection."
People from around the globe buy her perfumes online, and it amazes her when she hears how her creations resonate with others. "These are the bridges between all of us," she said. "We all share emotions."
Looking to the future, her goal is clear: "To keep traveling, experiencing new things, taking photos, and enjoying life!"
Underworld by Christèle Jacquemin ©Perfume.Curious
On Authenticity
I asked if there was a perfume or person in the industry that inspired her to delve deeper into perfumery.
"Actually, no! The only experience I had with perfume before joining the industry was when I was 16. I had a job in a copy-cat perfume shop, not realizing they were imitations until I joined the industry. The marketing and publicity of the industry didn’t attract me. I enjoy the experience of sensations and cultural exchanges. I’m an artisan; I make everything myself. It’s important to me to know exactly what’s inside the bottle. I create the base, weigh it, mix it with alcohol, and bottle it—all by myself. This hands-on approach is what I love, not the industrialized process."
Her authenticity shines through in her work. "When you’re an artist, it’s like doing self-portraits. My perfumes are my experiences, my feelings. They are reflections of me. They say an artist is always making the same piece of work , even if the project is different.“
It is like a reflection of yourself - in the mirror, I added.
“In June I will have 8 perfumes out and every time one comes out, people always say , Oh that is You! There is a connection. I try to be very authentic. People often say my perfumes feel very 'me.' If I don’t feel a scent, I won’t launch it."
As we concluded, I asked for her advice for those interested in perfumery but unsure where to start. "Don’t listen to what everyone says. The industry is very secretive, always saying you must do things a certain way. Like a painter finding their own style, you should develop your unique expression. Take some training to learn the regulations, but beyond that, be yourself. If you’re like everyone else, you’ll get lost in the crowd. When people buy my perfumes, they come back because there’s nothing else like it."
"Thank you so much," I said, feeling enriched by her story and inspired by her passion for photography and perfumery.
"It was a pleasure," she replied warmly, leaving me pondering how I could hold on to this awakened curiosity spurred by this interaction in the future. Fortunately, I knew that one of her perfumes would accompany me back home, allowing me to revisit this memory, time and time again.
More about Christèle Jacquemin & Her Art:
Official Site: https://www.christelejacquemin.com/en
Her Photography: https://www.christelejacquemin.com/en/collections/photographie-d-art
What makes you curious to discover her perfumery?
Have you experienced Christèle’s perfumes before? What was your impression?
