ParfumPlus

IN CONVERSATION WITH ParfumPlus magazine, Jerome Epinette, Master Perfumer at Robertet Group, shares insights into his instinctive creative process, the power of natural raw materials, and the inspiration behind Love Hibiscus, revealing how emotion, culture, and craftsmanship come together to create fragrances that leave a lasting impression. PARFUMPLUS: YOU’VE BUILT A DISTINCTIVE BODY OF WORK AS A PERFUMER. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR APPROACH TO CREATION TODAY? Jerome Epinette: My approach to creation today is quite instinctive and shaped by everything that surrounds me. Every colour, brand, landscape, piece of art, place and my everyday experience feed my creativity and inspire me in crafting new fragrances. Early in my career, I started to associate ingredients with colours, destinations and dishes, and over time, this became very natural to me. Sometimes, it can be as simple as a conversation that sparks my creative process, where certain ingredients naturally come to mind, and this is how a formula begins to take shape. PP: WORKING WITHIN ROBERTET GROUP, HOW DOES THE HOUSE’S APPROACH TO RAW MATERIALS AND FORMULATION INFLUENCE THE WAY YOU CREATE? JE: Being part of Robertet Group, the worldwide leader in natural raw materials, gives me the privilege of working with an exceptionally wide and rich palette, including the most beautiful natural ingredients, in a wide range of qualities, each with its own unique olfactory signature. At Robertet, cultivating our savoir-faire in naturals from the very beginning is essential. As perfumers, we can experience this directly by travelling to meet our farmers and visiting the fields where everything starts. In my creations, there is a strong human dimension, as I feel a deep connection to these ingredients, knowing the people behind them and the work behind their cultivation. PP: WITH LOVE HIBISCUS, WHAT WAS THE FIRST FEELING OR IDEA THAT SET THE FRAGRANCE IN MOTION? JE: For Love Hibiscus, I drew my inspiration from my last trip to Oman. I was visiting Amouage and remembered the beautiful hibiscus bush in front of the store, while the scent of incense lingered in the air. Together with Renaud Salmon, Chief Creative Officer of Amouage, we started discussing the idea of this disruptive hibiscus accord. I also had in mind a caramelised incense note that would be both addictive and very sophisticated, in line with the spirit of Amouage. Then the creative process began, and through ongoing and enriching exchanges with Renaud, we gradually refined and enriched the composition until we achieved the perfect signature. PP: HIBISCUS IS NOT AN OBVIOUS NOTE IN FINE PERFUMERY. WHAT DREW YOU TO IT, AND HOW DID YOU CHOOSE TO INTERPRET IT? JE: Hibiscus is rarely used in perfumery. It is a ”Every colour, brand, landscape, piece of art, place and my everyday experience feed my creativity and inspire me in crafting new fragrances“ P A R F U M P L U S 13