Dominique was able to demonstrate his talent with home fragrances and then hairspray and shampoo. Proud of his first experiences, he remembers them as important steps in his career: "quite a few technical difficulties and not many raw materials, it was very interesting and extremely educative. I even made a toilet cleaner based on a famous women’s fragrance, which I was very proud of. "He whispers with the joy of a magician thrilled with his latest trick.”
Luck put him in the perfumery spotlight again at the beginning of the 80s. One of his submissions was chosen at the end of a particularly challenging competition by Givenchy and this perfume, Ysatis, was to become one of the stars of the brand. His first masterstroke and at 27, the young perfumer suddenly became famous “the doors were flung wide open for me in the world of perfume I had suddenly become part of an elite!
1) Tell us more about your personality as a perfumer.
I’m a person who loves his job, I adore smells, I love to blend and make shapes in with what I have, in details and precision. It all comes in artistic way. For me the most important element is having the proper identity blended in the personality.
2) What was your first encounter with fragrance?
In fact when I was a child I knew about the perfumer industry, since my mom was working in a perfume company that used to create some of the most famous fragrances. I didn’t think that I would become a perfumer; I used to smell everything, but never thought about it as a job.
3) Your favorite fragrance components?
Its very hard to choose one fragrance that I did and designed, they are all to me like my babies, they are part of me. True, some people wouldn’t find them interesting but still I can’t choose one over the other and prefer it more.
4) Tell us about the story of Nuit d'Issey and how were you approached by Issye Miyake
The approach was through the company in-charge of the Issey Miyake perfumes. They asked me to adapt myself to the identity of the brand. Its about the night, it’s a matter of smell. Combing the components, of black tree, patchouli and incense with berries bean. From these components we started to adjust accordingly.
5) How did you decide on the notes of this fragrance?
For me it was mostly dark, leather with patchouli, but after I have to keep the message of the brand, and the identity and style they would like to deliver.
6) How did you decide on the notes of this fragrance?
I was talking to a very elegant man, with strength and freshness, for an dark suit man.
7) what influences you as a designer?
Everything is a source of inspiration for me. Of course Art, Music even if there is no direct link between Music and Scents; I get inspired in a way or another. I don’t know how it happens but its all part of inspiration.
8) How easy is to recognize a perfume?
In fact it’s a matter of the perfume, and the matter of concentration. But in the Middle East the temperature is very hot, so the cologne is not very popular, so that why you use strong components, with a lot of personality and strength.
9) Which perfumer(s) style do you admire?
The perfume that I admire, is all the great classic perfumes, I think it’s very important to study them, and understand the components of these classic and iconic perfumes.
10) How do you envisage the future for fragrances?
There is lot of perfumes that came out 20 years ago and they disappear, some perfumes were done now and they can prove themselves as classics. So with perfumes you cant identify the path easily.