It's worth knowing about Nathalie that in 1983 she began training at Roure as the first apprentice in the company's history without a family background, which was once a prerequisite. Ambitious, persistent, with a clearly defined goal, she quickly proved to the world that roots in the industry do not determine talent and that everyone deserves a chance. Today, after more than 30 years working for giants: Givaudan and Symrise, with several dozen compositions in her portfolio, she works on her own account in the laboratory she founded for herself, LAB Scent, as a fully independent Maître Parfumeur.

How far back does your olfactory memory go?

I remember my mother walking through the garden with a veil of perfume trailing after her — Arpège by Lanvin. I also remember that as a child I tried making decoctions, crushing geranium flowers and pouring water over them to get something resembling perfume.

If you were a scent, you would be…

Definitely Opium by Yves Saint Laurent. That perfume literally changed my life, pointing me toward and confirming my calling. I still wear it and still believe it's a masterpiece.

Beyond that? Which scents do you reach for privately?

There are four options: something I'm currently working on; something that has just appeared on the market, to stay up to date and be able to form an opinion; nothing; let that resonate once more — Opium, of course.

Can you "turn off" your nose?

No… But unpleasant smells bother me less and less; I either don't pay attention to them or I think about them more broadly — after all, perfumery is about transforming odd ingredients into something beautiful. For example, aldehydes themselves are, let's agree, rather hard to love, but they are what make Chanel No. 5 smell wonderful.

What do you like most about being a perfumer?

The independence I've earned and the fact that I make "scents that make sense" (in translation we lose a meaningful play on words: "scents that make sense" — ed.). Besides that, working with people from all over the world, whether clients or artistic directors, is something special. It's always an encounter with many different perspectives and ideas, and I draw from it in abundance.

…and the least?

The part of my job that may seem least interesting is all the regulations, but one must remember that traceability and consumer safety are no less important than the "juice" itself.

How do you work? Do you have a routine or is it different with each fragrance?

I start a new project with dialogue — I listen to the client's requests and, in response, offer proposals, present my point of view, inspirations, and associations. I probe the ground. In this way I create something unique and unrepeatable for each person.
As for the mixing itself, I've noticed a tendency in myself to pare down formulas so they are more precise.

Which of your fragrances was the biggest challenge?

I don't think about creation that way. I try to find the beauty in every assignment, even if it's difficult at first.

Is the work of your life still ahead of you or behind you?

I try to turn every collaboration into a unique story; I don't play favorites. Clients feed me, and in return I offer them my skills — an exchange takes place, and that's what I focus on. The essence of my work lies in the process, in the conversation, not in rankings.

Are there scents that, despite technological progress, still smell better in nature than in a laboratory vial?

Lilacs, definitely. Year after year their bloom amazes me. Besides, it's not just the scent; all the circumstances play an important role here — the start of spring symbolizing rebirth, the whole setting is pure magic.

Which ingredients do you like to work with most, and which least?

It doesn't matter whether I like a given ingredient or not — the most important thing is whether I know how to use it, how to skillfully make use of the whole palette.

And finally briefly: this or that. Musks or shades of green?

Both.

Flowers or resins?

Both.

Citruses or woody notes?

Well, to be honest, again — both.