By Samantha Scriven on lejardinretrouve.com
Award-winning Master Perfumer Nathalie Feisthauer is the nose behind countless beautiful fragrances. Perhaps you own one? She began her career training at the famous Givaudan Roure perfumery school in Provence, formerly known as Roure Bertrand Fils, where Yuri Gutsatz was head perfumer during his lifetime. Nathalie was the first “non Grasse” born student to attend this prestigious school of perfumery, breaking years of tradition.
Nathalie has worked for some of the world’s biggest and most celebrated perfume houses: Cartier, Amouage, Comme des Garcons, Clarins, Hermès, Lancome, Mugler, Nina Ricci, Balmain (Vent Vert 1999), Van Cleef and Arpels, Versace and Yves Saint Laurent. She was also the nose behind Aedes de Venustas Pelargonium (one of Samantha’s personal favorites).
Nathalie is now an independent perfumer, having founded her own brand, LAB Scent. Her recent work for Sous Le Manteau won “Best newcomer award” at the UK Fragrance Foundation Awards 2020, adding to her many previous awards, including the FiFi Perfumer of The year 2019.
From her Paris home and lab, she found time to answer our questions: short, sweet, and scented!
What question do you get asked more often ?
What did you do to become a perfumer? And can you recognize the perfume I’m wearing?
What is your first scent memory ?
The flowers of my mother’s garden, I used to smell them all day. I also remember the scent of Opium perfume.
What was the first fragrance you bought ?
Yves Saint Laurent Opium, I saved up for a whole year to buy it.
How did you discover us ?
On Facebook with all the social media posts and alerts.
What does fragrance mean to you ?
It is personal, like a signature.
What do you think the fragrance industry needs in the future ?
More diversity, more points of view and more sincerity.
Nathalie Feisthauer was in conversation with Samantha Scriven.
