Dora Baghriche Interview: “Intuition Is My Most Precious Ally”

Dora Baghriche

IMAGE: dsm-firmenich.

Dora Baghriche may have learned the art of diplomacy since her fragrance debut in 2011, Versace Vanitas EDT. But she remains refreshingly honest about her work as a perfumer. From our communications, I pick up she’s feeling overwhelmed. Perfectly understandable with all the pressures and demands of her profession.

Versace Vanitas EDT

IMAGE: Versace.

She comes across as a sensitive soul. And looking at her body of work so far (a selection below), there’s an impressive variety across several genres:

+ Versace Vanitas EDT (2011)

+ Olfactive Studio Still Life EDP (2011)

+ L’Artisan Parfumeur Caligna EDP (2013)

+ Cacharel Anaïs Anaïs Premier Délice EDT (2014)

+ Gloria Vanderbilt Minuit à New York EDP (2015)

+ Juicy Couture I Am Juicy Couture EDP (2015)

+ Yves Saint Laurent Mon Paris EDP (2016)

+ Glossier You EDP (2017)

+ Chopard Happy Chopard Bigaradia EDP (2018)

+ Issey Miyake L’Eau d’Issey Rose & Rose EDP (2019)

+ Lionel Richie Hello EDT (2019)

+ Ariana Grande R.E.M. EDP (2020)

+ Kenzo Flower Poppy Bouquet EDP (2020)

+ Armani Privé Gardénia Antigua EDT (2020)

+ Carolina Herrera 212 Heroes Forever Young EDP (2022)

+ Paco Rabanne Fame EDP (2022)

+ Narciso Rodriguez All of Me EDP (2023)

+ Coty Infiniment Or de Moi Parfum (2024)

Dora Baghriche - Chopard Happy Chopard Bigardia EDP

Initially, Dora Baghriche had her eye on a career in journalism but even as a perfumer, she manages to bring elements of that into her work. “Journalism was a way to fulfil an endless curiosity and appetite for people, history and stories, for nature too. I am adding my imagination to the reality I see,” she says.

Dora Baghriche

IMAGES OF DORA BAGHRICHE: dsm-firmenich.

Congratulations on your recent principal perfumer appointment. What does that mean for your career?

Thank you! It always feels good when your work and commitment are recognised by your company. It’s an important step in a career.

Journalism was your first career choice before you enrolled at ISIPCA. Are you able to apply any journalistic principles to your work as a perfumer?

Yes, I wanted to be a reporter, to travel and witness the world. I have such an endless admiration for these men and women who courageously try to inform us about conflicts, major events, good or bad. I wanted to be a voice and an eye for what and who is invisible, or far, or ignored. This comes from my thirst for justice and freedom since my youngest age.

Glossier You EDP

IMAGE: Glossier.

Journalism was also a way to fulfil an endless curiosity and appetite for people, history and stories, for nature too. Creating fragrances allows me to express these values in a different form. I am adding my imagination to the reality I see…

Dora Baghriche - Kenzo Flower Poppy Bouquet EDP Florale

How do you remember your fine fragrance debut?

My debut in perfumery is a good memory, even though it was all about fighting to prove myself and to exist among the established perfumers. Being a young perfumer requires energy, resilience, patience and fearlessness.

I had all these qualities, but I was also too direct, with no filter. I have learned a bit of useful diplomacy.

“My debut is a good memory, even though it was all about fighting to prove myself and to exist among the established perfumers.” – Dora Baghriche

Cacharel Anais Anais Mon Premiere Delice EDT

IMAGE: Cacharel.

Do you approach perfumery as a technical or intuitive endeavour?

I work with my intuition – it is my most precious ally. Technique comes afterwards to make this intuition something “presentable”.

Olfactive Studio Still Life EDP (2011) is an early creation of yours. In what way does it represent you as a perfumer?

Still Life is a creation around yuzu and pepper – among my favourite tastes and sensations. These ingredients are the symbol of high energy, that’s probably why they are often the stars of festive cocktails. I still love Still Life. This fragrance is like an endless party.

Olfactive Studio Still Life EDP

IMAGE: Olfactive Studio.

L’Artisan Parfumeur Caligna EDP (2013) is a different type of fig fragrance. How did you approach its creation?

It’s my vision of the sweet breath of the south of the Mediterranean. It’s about sage. Sage also means “savage”, the same root. And for me, the region of Provence means the wild, the freedom and also the softness. This sage is full of softness, surrounded by jasmine marmalade and fig.

Dora Baghriche - L'Artisan Parfumeur Caligna EDP

You’re part of the team behind Paco Rabanne Fame. These high-profile projects must come with a lot of pressure. How do you deal with those stresses?

Indeed, pressure is part of my world. Winning a big project is always a race you need to be well prepared for – it is psychologically and physically overwhelming. Dealing with competition, with doubts, with others’ tastes and personalities, even within your own team, the stress can be high.

“It’s important to stay open to others. Then creation can find peace again.” – Dora Baghriche

But I’ve learned to domesticate pressure. And when it’s becoming too hard to take a step back. It’s important to stay positive, open to others, rely on the people you trust. Then anything can be smoother, and creation can find peace again.

Dora Baghriche - Paco Rabanne Fame Parfum

You’ve created several fragrances for Chopard. Has this entailed meeting the brand’s artistic director, Caroline Scheufele?

I work a lot with Chopard and I love this house. I met Caroline Scheufele a few years ago and had both a personal and artistic crush for her and for her work. She is audacious, sensitive, a beautiful soul. She loves perfumes among other arts.

Caroline Scheufele

IMAGE: Chopard.

We shared how we could bring her perfume collection to the next level and to create fragrances that are the most faithful to the spirit of the house: quality, creativity and a bit of the unexpected.

Dora Baghriche - Chopard Iris Malika EDP

Narciso Rodriguez All of Me EDP is a 2023 co-creation of yours with Daphné Bugey. Musk is an integral part of the brand’s fragrance identity. What kind of musk/s did you use in its creation?

All of Me is the encounter of geranium and an incredible heart of musk. We worked with the latest generation of musks offered by dsm-firmenich’s palette. Our company is called “the house of musks”. We are pioneers in the research for new musks with different tonalities, different facets.

Dora Baghriche - Narciso Rodriguez All of Me EDP

For All of Me, we worked with six different musks – all 100% biodegradable and with interesting and complementary facets. While Muscone and Muscenone are dirty and wild, Helvetolide brings a clean, soft facet, for example. That’s why the result of this musky signature is not flat, but multi-dimensional, like Mr Narciso Rodriguez’s vision of women.

“While Muscone and Muscenone are dirty and wild, Helvetolide brings a clean, soft facet.” – Dora Baghriche

When you’re not working, what would we find you doing?

When I’m not working, I do many things. Reading first. I am what we call a heavy reader – I can read up to three books a week. I used to practise Japanese archery but not anymore, now I am taking piano lessons again because I miss music.

Armani Privé Gardénia Antigua EDT

IMAGE: Giorgio Armani.

What I love the most is to discover new worlds, new fields. I might not have time to become an expert in everything, but I love to dive into a new discipline and understand a little bit of its meaning, its power, its benefits.

Best L’Artisan Parfumeur Fragrances From The Original Niche Pioneer

Best L'Artisan Parfumeur Fragrances - L'Artisan Parfumeur Caligna EDP

Before niche was even a thing, there was L’Artisan Parfumeur. Fact. With the hype around big-name niche brands, it’s easy to forget the company led the way and has a remarkable selection of classics and more recent releases for those with more discerning tastes. So there was no shortage of options for this best L’Artisan Parfumeur fragrances post.

Best L'Artisan Parfumeur Fragrances - L'Artisan Parfumeur Mure et Musc EDT

After founding the French beauty business Sisley in 1972, Jean-François Laporte went on to create the Paris-based house in 1976. From its first release in 1978, L’Artisan Parfumeur Mûre et Musc, its reputation for innovation and quality was sown.

NEW BUSINESS MODEL: Jean-François Laporte founded the Paris-based house in 1976. IMAGE: Fragrantica.

While its founder is no longer with us and the brand now falls under the umbrella of the Spanish company Puig, it offers excellent value in a market increasingly driven by a race to the top (price).

The name of the perfumer is included in brackets after the name of the fragrance.

What are your best L’Artisan Parfumeur fragrances?

L’ARTISAN PARFUMEUR MÛRE ET MUSC EDT* (JEAN-FRANÇOIS LAPORTE)

A brand’s debut should set the tone for future releases, and that’s exactly what this 1978 release did in original style. It’s a bona fide musk classic.

It opens with the bright citrus tones of lemon. The herbal aromatics of basil is also discernible. The tart fruitiness of blackberry – then a novelty, but now a staple in perfumery – is enhanced by clean white musks in the drydown, while oakmoss gives it a dash of earthiness.

The 1993 version created by Karine Dubreuil-Sereni, L’Artisan Parfumeur Mûre et Musc Extrême EDP, with its blackcurrant and blackberry emphasis, is also worth exploring.

Best L'Artisan Parfumeur Fragrances - L'Artisan Parfumeur Mure et Musc EDT

L’ARTISAN PARFUMEUR PREMIER FIGUIER EDT* (OLIVIA GIACOBETTI)

The superb Diptyque Philosykos (1996) is seen by many people as the gold standard of fig fragrances. But credit where it’s due: the first fig fragrance, L’Artisan Parfumeur Premier Figuier. Both were created by the same top perfumer, Olivia Giacobetti.

Launched in 1994, this EDT brilliantly captures its inspiration of lying under the shade of a fig tree in sunny Provence. It begins in fresh, green style with a note of fig leaf that’s followed by ripe honeyed fig. A delicious milky, woody ambience is created through a combo of almond milk, sandalwood and coconut notes.

What a classic, both in terms of its influence and timeless beauty. The 2004 follow-up, L’Artisan Parfumeur Premier Figuier Extrême EDP, also created by Olivia Giacobetti, presents a more intense, sunnier variation on the original theme.

Best L'Artisan Parfumeur Fragrances - L'Artisan Parfumeur Premier Figuier EDT

L’ARTISAN PARFUMEUR MÉCHANT LOUP EDT* (BERTRAND DUCHAUFOUR)

As their “perfumer in residence” for 10 years, Bertrand Duchaufour created beauties such as Timbuktu EDT (probably one of my all-time favourites), Nuit de Tubéreuse EDP and Dzongkha EDT for the brand.

Méchant Loup (French for “Bad Wolf”) can be enjoyed as a conceptual fragrance of sorts – Little Red Riding Hood’s journey through the woods. The sweeter aspects – honey, praline and myrrh – are given a suitable twist with dark accents of chestnut, liquorice and woods.

At first this 1997 release didn’t tempt me that much, but now I can’t get enough of it. It’s a gourmand with bite.

Best L'Artisan Parfumeur Fragrances - L'Artisan Parfumeur Mechant Loup EDT

L’ARTISAN PARFUMEUR PASSAGE D’ENFER EDT* (OLIVIA GIACOBETTI)

L’Artisan Parfumeur’s well-earned reputation is based on top-quality classics such as Passage d’Enfer, which was released in 1999. A tribute to the company’s original office and a play on words (“hell’s passage”), it makes the most of the religious connotations of the genre with pronounced notes of cedar and incense evoking a peaceful ambience.

Incense fragrances can sometimes be austere. This one avoids that in the drydown. White lily and an amber accord add sweetness to the mix, while white musk softens the edges.

For an EDT, this top-notch Olivia Giacobetti creation is surprisingly powerful stuff and lingers on the skin and clothing many hours after application.

Best L'Artisan Parfumeur Fragrances - L'Artisan Parfumeur Mechant Loup EDT

L’ARTISAN PARFUMEUR LA CHASSE AUX PAPILLONS EDT* (ANNE FLIPO)

While perfume is not going to solve the world’s problems, it is a reminder of the beauty to be found in it. I’m all for a floral lift and the wonderfully named La Chasse aux Papillons does just that in such a charming way (it’s inspired by childhood memories of chasing butterflies).

Launched in 1999, this EDT is a straight-up bouquet of white flowers that includes jasmine, orange blossom and especially tuberose. The latter is light and bright, not intoxicating and animalic.

Softly sweet, this enchanting scent is guaranteed to put a smile on your face whenever you wear it.

Best L'Artisan Parfumeur Fragrances - L'Artisan Parfumeur La Chasse aux Papillons EDT

L’ARTISAN PARFUMEUR TEA FOR TWO EDT (OLIVIA GIACOBETTI)

I can’t recommend this 2000 release enough. Twenty-two years after its launch, its beauty commands absolute respect.

From the first spray, there’s the rich woody smokiness of black lapsang souchong (a traditional Chinese tea). Cinnamon, anise and ginger soften the initial intensity with mellow spice, while a note of gingerbread adds a gourmand aspect. There’s more deliciousness in the drydown, courtesy of notes of powdery honey and dark vanilla.

Warm and welcoming, it’s the equivalent of an olfactory embrace. Just what we need in these turbulent times.

Best L'Artisan Parfumeur Fragrances - L'Artisan Parfumeur Tea For Two EDT

L’ARTISAN PARFUMEUR L’EAU D’AMBRE EXTRÊME EDP* (JEAN-CLAUDE ELLENA)

Why is perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena held in such high regard? This 2001 release will tell you all you need to know. The 1993 original created by Karine Dubreuil-Sereni, L’Artisan Parfumeur L’Eau d’Ambre EDT, is a standard-setter in the amber category.

Billed as a more complex and potent version of the original, Ellena’s rendition is inspired by 1930s oriental opulence, so it has a vintage-y feel. This is a good thing in my books.

The vanilla-centric amber accord, musky powdery perfection, is complemented by warm spicy notes (nutmeg stands out in the mix) and Turkish rose. Earthy patchouli adds to the depth.

Old-school glamour at its very best.

Best L'Artisan Parfumeur Fragrances - L'Artisan Parfumeur L'Eau d'Ambre Extreme EDP

L’ARTISAN PARFUMEUR TIMBUKTU EDT* (BERTRAND DUCHAUFOUR)

Taking its inspiration from “wusulan”, a tradition whereby Malian women perfume their body and hair, L’Artisan Parfumeur Timbuktu is a perfume like no other. Launched in 2004, this Bertrand Duchaufour creation has lost none of its power to captivate.

Right from the opening notes of green mango, pink pepper and cardamom, you’ll realise you’re onto something special with this scent. Incense makes its way throughout the heart, which also features a textbook-perfect papyrus note, with its smokiness.

The woodiness and earthiness keep on coming with vetiver and patchouli in the drydown. They’re slightly sweetened with a dose of myrrh. Pure magnificence!

Want more delicious olfactory travels? Then hunt down the sadly discontinued L’Artisan Parfumeur Traversée du Bosphore EDP. Inspired by Duchaufour’s travels to Istanbul, this 2010 release features accents of fruit, leather, iris and Turkish delight.

Best L'Artisan Parfumeur Fragrances - L'Artisan Parfumeur Timbuktu EDT

UNIQUE: Timbuktu is a personal favourite in this best L’Artisan Parfumeur fragrances selection.

L’ARTISAN PARFUMEUR FOU D’ABSINTHE EDP* (OLIVIA GIACOBETTI)

A lot of boozy scents take the sledgehammer approach and let you know in no uncertain terms that you’re under the influence, so to speak. This 2006 release is not one of those fragrances.

Wormwood, the chief ingredient of absinthe, opens this EDP with its bitter herbaceousness. The aromatic effect is carried through to the heart with the addition of spicy notes such as earthy nutmeg and powdery star anise. It settles on a woody base of pine tree needles and fir balsam notes, with the smoke of incense adding the finishing touch.

Instead of serving an obvious shot of absinthe, it cleverly creates a mood that’s full of intrigue and nuances.

Best L'Artisan Parfumeur Fragrances - L'Artisan Parfumeur Fou d'Absinthe EDP

L’ARTISAN PARFUMEUR AL OUDH EDP* (BERTRAND DUCHAUFOUR)

This 2009 release takes its cue from the perfumer’s travels to the Middle East, which partly explains the name of the fragrance.

It opens in powerfully spicy mode – notes of caraway seed and cardamom are prominent in the blend. With the sweet fruit of dates in the air, there’s no doubt you’re in for an oriental treat. I wouldn’t blame you for missing the floral notes, including rose, in the heady mix of resinous oud, smoky incense and sweet ’n spicy myrrh. It gets more complex and dirtier in the drydown with animalic notes of civetone and leather.

It’s exotic stuff, in the best sense of the word, and won’t be to everyone’s liking. If I’m being really fussy, I might have called it L’Artisan Parfumeur Al Spicy Oudh, but that doesn’t take away from its beauty.

Best L'Artisan Parfumeur Fragrances - L'Artisan Parfumeur Al Oudh EDP

L’ARTISAN PARFUMEUR CALIGNA EDP* (DORA BAGHRICHE)

L’Artisan Parfumeur Premier Figuier is an undoubted fig fragrance classic and while this 2013 take on the fruit might not be as immediately appealing, it’s still worth sniffing out for its intriguing vibe.

An ode to Grasse (Caligna means “to flirt” in Provencal dialect, according to the brand website), it opens with the gentle sweetness of fig. A large dose of clary sage infuses the scent with fresh herbal muskiness. A softly green interpretation of jasmine leads the way to the drydown featuring the woody aromatics of pine.

It’s not the usual scent but typically L’Artisan Parfumeur in its inspiration and execution.

Best L'Artisan Parfumeur Fragrances - L'Artisan Parfumeur Caligna EDP

L’ARTISAN PARFUMEUR NOIR EXQUIS EDP* (BERTRAND DUCHAUFOUR)

Trust Bertrand Duchaufour to deliver a gourmand with a difference and without any of the obvious sugar overload in this 2015 release.

Taking its inspiration from a rendezvous in a French patisserie, it opens with the aroma of sweet and spicy glazed chestnuts gently infused with orange blossom. Maple syrup brings toasted caramel nuances to the mix, while strong coffee wafts throughout.

Mellowing with vanilla and tonka bean as it dries down, it’s as darkly delicious as it sounds.

Best L'Artisan Parfumeur Fragrances - L'Artisan Parfumeur Noir Exquis EDP

L’ARTISAN PARFUMEUR MIRABILIS 60 EDP* (DAPHNE BUGEY)

The brand’s La Botanique Collection, with its appropriately shaped bottles, doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. So this 2016 release is my not-so-subtle way of drawing your attention to it.

On paper it’s a seemingly straightforward amber composition, but it casts a mysteriously sensual spell when wearing it. That’s largely due to the olibanum, with its complex facets (from fruity and spicy to resinous). It’s blended with musk, Ambroxan and woody notes to irresistible effect.

Also look out for the range’s Arcana Rosa 9 EDP (thorny rose alert!) and Obscuratio 25 EDP (ylang-ylang meets patchouli), both created by the same perfumer.

Best L'Artisan Parfumeur Fragrances - L'Artisan Parfumeur 60 Mirabilis EDP

L’ARTISAN PARFUMEUR AU BORD DE L’EAU EAU DE COLOGNE* (FABRICE PELLEGRIN)

L’Artisan Parfumeur added eaux de cologne to their repertoire in 2017 with impressive results. Inspired by Claude Monet’s masterpiece Impressionist work, Au Bord de L’Eau takes me away to rural France, albeit fleetingly. It’s an eau de cologne, after all.

So it’s about clean and calming delicacy, from the fresh citrus opening notes of bergamot and lemon intermingled with strokes of herbal rosemary, powdery violet and aromatic cedarwood.

I also recommend Sur l’Herbe Eau de Cologne, inspired by Edouard Manet’s Le Déjeuner sur l’herbe, if you’re looking for a hit of sunny neroli freshness.

IMAGE: L’Artisan Parfumeur.

L’ARTISAN PARFUMEUR HISTOIRE D’ORANGERS EDP* (MARIE SALAMAGNE)

Perfumer Marie Salamagne had the pleasure of visiting the Souss Valley in Morocco, one of the country’s main agricultural regions, and this 2017 release captures that memory with delightful detail.

It opens with the slightly bitter citrus hues of neroli, with the greenery of tea in support. And then onto the star of the scent show: orange blossom, softly sweet and its natural warmth enhanced by white musk and Ambroxan. A touch of nutty tonka bean in the drydown evokes the fruit of the argan tree, which is endemic to Morocco.

Striking a deft balance between freshness and warmth, softness and sensuality, it’s the olfactory equivalent of taking a walk through an orchard on a sunny day.

IMAGE: L’Artisan Parfumeur.

L’ARTISAN PARFUMEUR MANDARINA CORSICA EDP (QUENTIN BISCH)

A 2018 gourmand that’s well worth checking out. And this time, we’re in Corsica and in the accomplished hands of perfumer Quentin Bisch. Who could say no?

Inspired by a caramelised mandarin he tasted on the French island as a child, he captures the sensation of this candy by presenting different aspects of the citrus fruit: juicy, zesty and sunny but with more longevity than expected, and given the gourmand factor with notes of caramel and tonka bean.

A note of immortelle, with its sweet honey tones, adds to the edibility of it all, while soft floral notes of jasmine and orange blossom complete the idyllic picture.

IMAGE: L’Artisan Parfumeur.

L’ARTISAN PARFUMEUR CHAMP DE FLEURS EAU DE COLOGNE* (ANNE FLIPO)

Did you say light and bright? Then this 2018 addition to the company’s eau de cologne range is calling your name.

It opens with fresh notes of pear and grapefruit, beautifully balanced between soft fruity sweetness and citric bitterness. There’s more freshness from floral notes of jasmine and lily-of-the-valley and white cedar, while musk brings clean powderiness to the drydown,

With its spring inspiration, it’s perfect for those days when only subtle and discreet sophistication will do.

Best L'Artisan Parfumeur Fragrances - L'Artisan Parfumeur Champ de Fleurs EDC

L’ARTISAN PARFUMEUR MONT DE NARCISSE EDP (ANNE FLIPO)

This 2019 release goes deep and dark, although you wouldn’t expect it from the subdued opening featuring the rosiness of pink pepper, with hints of crisp bergamot and spicy cardamom in the background.

It takes things up a notch with the appearance of a note of narcissus. Reserved at first and then increasingly animalic. Notes of osmanthus and plum bring a fruity aspect.

But what really makes this EDP stand out is the dense drydown with its smoky and sensual leatheriness.

Highly recommended if you’re looking for something dark and mysterious.

L'Artisan Parfumeur Mont de Narcisse EDP

IMAGE: L’Artisan Parfumeur.

L’ARTISAN PARFUMEUR BANA BANANA EDP* (CÉLINE ELLENA)

If you’d asked me a month ago if I’d get a thrill from smelling like ripe bananas, I’d have said something like, “Not particularly.” But that was before I’d tried L’Artisan Parfumeur Bana Banana EDP. Created by Céline Ellena (daughter of the legendary Jean-Claude Ellena and an accomplished perfumer in her own right), this 2019 release is fabulously flamboyant.

The opening is deceptively reserved, with spicy notes of pepper and nutmeg. And then a rich and ripe banana effect through the skilful use of synthetics and naturals (including jasmine at its most fruity). The skin and fruit vibe continues through to the amber accord drydown featuring tonka bean and musk at the fore.

Un vrai delice!

Best L'Artisan Parfumeur Fragrances - L'Artisan Parfumeur Bana Banana EDP

*All these best L’Artisan Parfumeur fragrances are available in South Africa at Skins Cosmetics