THE ANSWERS WITH... AURÉLIEN GUICHARD

The perfumer talks about playing hockey, driving a classic Defender and his favourite smells.

- James Collard

PERFUMER AURÉLIEN GUICHARD divides his time between a Parisian apartment overlooking Jardin du Luxembourg, where he spends much of the year, and Grasse, in the South of France, where he was born. The latter is regarded as the epicentre of the fragrance universe and is where he now has a farm growing organic roses – along with an atelier he shares with his artist mother. Perfume runs in the family. His father, Jean Guichard, created several famous fragrances, and Aurélien studied at the heralded Givaudan Perfumery School in Paris, subsequently working with brands such as Davidoff, Gucci, John Galliano and Valentino before starting his own line, Matiere Premiere (raw materials), which focuses on the use of a prominent ingredient.

First thing you do in the morning? I open my window. I breathe the air of Paris – or wherever I am. And then I smell the perfume I’m working on, on the blotter I’ve put down the night before. Because you can smell things differently first thing in the morning.

What apps do you use the most? Instagram. I’m interested in hearing the opinion of people who aren’t experts and you can find that on social media.

Do you like to be driven or to drive? I like to drive – a Piaggio MP3 motorbike in Paris and a classic green Defender 110 with a white roof in the South of France.

What in your wardrobe do you wear most often? Black T-shirts and trousers, white sneakers.