FRAGRANCE CREATION HOUSE
BIRTH OF A FRAGRANCE CREATION HOUSE
Born in 1973, Marie Duchêne has wanted to be a perfumer for as long as she can remember.
After spending her childhood in the Reims region, she studied chemistry and then joined ISIPCA, the International Higher Institute of Perfume, Cosmetics, and Food Flavors, in Versailles in 1994, where she learned about raw materials, perfume accords, as well as the history of perfumery and the chemistry of perfume.
Grasse as an evidence
Subsequently, her internships took her to the Grasse region, where she settled down and began her apprenticeship in various perfumery companies.
Over the years and through many encounters, she decided in 2002 to create her own perfume creation house in the Pays de Grasse, MD Fragrances, where she puts her experience and quality raw material sourcing at the service of her clients. She surrounds herself with competent collaborators who commit with her to making each creation exceptional.
The expertise of Grasse in perfumery dates back to the 16th century. Today, it remains a strong identity affirmation for companies that dedicate their talents and research to it: creating new scents and meeting the needs of a global market constantly in search of originality and olfactory magic.
The recognition by UNESCO, symbolized by the UNESCO certification to the city of Grasse for its perfumery-related expertise, strengthens the legitimacy of the territory and its actors. Grasse perfumery is recognized not only for its technical skills but also for its ability to appeal to imagination, memory, and creativity. MD Fragrances is part of this tradition and territory.
Formulation… an invitation into the secret and delicate world of the perfumer. It is this step and the expertise of perfumers that allow creating an identity, inviting one to travel, and evoking memories. It is also this step that makes a cosmetic product pleasant to use, and above all, makes it endearing. For ambient perfumery, it opens up the field of possibilities through evocative, soothing, or, on the contrary, energizing scents.
While perfumery is based on science, it is also the expression of a true artistic sense, and it is the formulation that, through various components and by playing with proportions, allows achieving the perfect harmony. Fluid and harmonious as an obviousness, it is then ready to be incorporated into the final product.
“ “My father always told me to be amazed. We must nurture our olfactory memory, as well as our artistic and emotional curiosity.”
The magic of personalised creation
Whether the formula is for a skin perfume, a lipstick, or a candle, I love that moment when the thrill of smelling the test sample arriving from the lab and the doubt of whether it will meet its promises comes to an end. When, during the evaluation, the expected emotion is there, then the magic happens.
Formulation… The know-how of a fragrance creation House
“I also love the formulation process, giving free rein to imagination and creation while fitting within a highly technical framework. Walking this tightrope between these two worlds… It’s a challenge that I enjoy and one in which I thrive every day.”