Hermes perfume and perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena

Jean-Claude Ellena - the famous Parisian "nose", the chief perfumer of the "Hermes" fashion house

Jean-Claude Ellena was born in Grasse, in a family of hereditary perfumers. Therefore, in early childhood, he already knew what his life would be devoted to. And already at the age of 17 he began to create his first compositions. Ellena was a student of the renowned Russian perfumer Edmond Rudnitsky, who in 1951 was the creator of the first perfume Houses "Hermes"... Jean-Claude Ellena first became famous when he created the fragrance "First" for the House of Van Cleef & Arpel. The fragrances that immediately became famous Eau Parfumee for Bulgari and Declaration for Cartier strengthened its reputation.

How does he create his fragrances? He sees them as poetic creations that awaken extraordinary feelings and emotions. All his aromas, like literary works, have their own genre, where feelings and imaginations are conveyed not by words, but by smells.

Jean-Claude Ellena, creating his fragrances, does not try to associate them with any star. After all, a person should be himself, and not imitate someone - this is what the perfumer thinks. Therefore, in his work, with the help of aromas, he makes a person search for his Self.

When a woman chooses perfumes, she often wonders if they are suitable for her, because with their help she can declare herself without even saying a word. The choice of scent depends on the taste of the person and his culture. And besides that, the choice of scent also depends on what kind of game you intend to bring to life. If you are shy and shy by nature, then you will prefer the scent, which will be a weapon of self-defense. In this case, the aroma will help to emphasize in you what you lack so much in real life - courage, confidence.

And it happens the other way around. You are daring, the spirit of a conqueror is raging in you, but you would like to hide it, to feel tender and feminine. Then light, transparent aromas can become your helpers. And they will also be your defense weapon. We are all so different, and scents can be used as weapons of self-defense or conquest. Each of us perceives the same aroma in his own way, because our sense of smell is different.

When Jean-Claude Ellena creates his perfume, he offers the whole bouquet at once, which conveys his mood to us. "You inhale the whole bouquet, then little by little the aromas dissolve, go away, leaving a mark on your soul." Therefore, its scents have such definitions as Restrained, Carefree, Whole, Lively, Elegant, Long-lasting, etc. For him, smells are like words from which he composes stories.

As you know, the same scent sounds differently on the skin of different people. It is also important where we apply them and what is the method of applying fragrances. Jean-Claude Ellena recommends applying the perfume to the back of the head under the hair, where the fragrance lasts much longer. Applying on clothes is also considered the best way (be careful if you are wearing a light-colored blouse, because perfume can leave a stain). In the last method of applying perfume, the advantage of the scent is that it is exactly the one created by the perfumer, with its own mood and history, without the participation of information from the skin of your body.

And yet, the choice and method of applying perfume is a matter of your inner freedom, and it's up to you. Jean-Claude Ellena gives advice on how to discover your scent. He recommends being guided by your mood, with which you start the day, and which weapon you prefer today.

Ellena herself practically does not use perfumery. Aromas are enough for him at work.And he has only one choice - a fragrance that he has not changed for many years - this is "Eau d'Hermes" - the first fragrance of the House of Hermes, created by his great teacher Edmond Roudnitska in 1951.

Each new fragrance is a huge effort that contributes to the creation of a new poetic composition. And the perfumer copes with this, although, as he himself says, in order to convey to the fragrance exactly those feelings and the image that he intended, to tell as clearly as possible - "... from this alone you are deprived of sleep."

The best fragrances recognized by connoisseurs of perfumery creativity, and according to Jean-Claude Ellena himself, are fragrances for Hermes: “Un Jardin sur le Nil”, “Un Jardin En Mediterranee”, as well as “Rose Ikebana”, “Poivre Samarcande”, Ambre Narguile, Vetiver Tonka, Osmanthe Yunnan.

"Rose Ikebana" - main components: grapefruit, rose, rubarb

Ambre Narguile - caramel, honey and rum

"Vetiver Tonka" - vetiver and tonka beans,
Poivre Samarcande - pepper and noble woods.

Osmanthe Yunnan is a fragrance created on the basis of the delicate, inviting fragrance of osmanthus bushes. To create a poetic composition based on the scent of osmanthus, the perfumer had to run several kilometers, keeping this enchanting aroma in his memory.

"If it touched someone's heart, I have fulfilled my mission."