Everything begins with a story in Sophie’s universe
Sophie Labbé is a fine fragrance perfumer who studied perfumery at the ISIPCA School before joining IFF in 1992. She received the International Perfume Award in 2005.
Everything begins with a story in Sophie’s universe. “I always tell myself a perfume’s story before starting to create it. I need to transpose it into words. I note down all thoughts that come to my mind as well as the emotions and technical terms. If I am working on mimosa, the tale tells how I shall use its yellow nuances, its ‘pollen’; which flowers I can associate it with, in a contrast of colours and smells.” What does she look for when smelling a composition? Adventure, purely and simply! How that particular perfume will carry her away with the emotions and sensations it arouses…
Her childhood
Language is at the heart of her passion. “There is always a word game between a person and perfumery. Words express that disturbing bond between a human being and smells. Thanks to my nose I was reborn when I became a nose”, she says with a peal of laughter. Sophie spent her childhood between Paris and the Charente Maritime. This succession of contrasted smells marked her deeply – those of the capital city, those of the countryside living to the rhythm of grape picking and other harvesting as well as the sea and spray which according to her, ‘one smells before one sees’.
Becoming a perfumer
“I certainly did not choose this profession by chance. My family does not have a perfumery background. It was Jean Kerléo, the then creator for Patou perfumes, who made me discover all its treasures. This unforgettable encounter was the deciding factor for my future. I was studying chemistry at the time, which enabled me to enter the ISIPCA. Nothing was premeditated; I just followed the right path totally unawares.”
Two years later she came first in her year before going to the Givaudan Perfumery School in Geneva for six months. In 1992, she joins the IFF as a junior perfumer. This is where she signed her first perfume creations: G for Gigli, Jardin de Soleil for Escada, Organza for Givenchy, Emporio Armani for Men, Boss Woman for Hugo Boss and Premier jour for Nina Ricci.
Speaking of coherence, coincidence and connection
“There are many coincidences or rather coherence between important moments of my life and perfume. For example at ISIPCA, my year was given the name of François Coty and twenty years later in 2005, I was awarded the Coty prize. Yet again, for Premier Jour, I was expecting my second daughter and I wanted to compose a perfume around sugared-almonds. They illustrated the theme of beginnings well, with their contrasted melt-in-the-mouth yet crunchy sensation. I knew nothing of the perfume’s name and I would never have suspected how symbolic it would be for me. “
Another anecdote full of coherence concerns the creation of Organza where Sophie explored the theme of serene and timeless femininity. Here again she tells a story, the gardenia tale. It is a flower with which all women can identify. Its white petals evoke youth and its extremely sensual scent, as disturbing as a tuberose, evokes mature femininity. Sophie also likes spices and woods – little surprise she added nutmeg and cedar to the composition giving the gardenia depth.
SOME OF HER PERFUMES:
Rose Lumière by Armand Basi
Eau D‘Ivoire by Balmain
Before Midnight by John Galliano
White Musk Smoky Rose by The Body Shop
Signorina EDT by Salavatore Ferragamo
Kenzo Amour My Love by Kenzo
Eau d’Ivoire by Balmain
Sheer Beauty Essence by Calvin Klein
Very Irrésistible Electric Rose by Givenchy
Organza Lace by Givenchy
DK Essence: Mandarin Neroli by Donna Karan
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