Harper’s Bazaar: Tell us about the origin of your eponymous brand M. Micallef.
Martine Micallef: “My journey began 26 years ago, when my husband Geoffrey [Nejman] and I decided to launch a perfume business together. In the beginning, we didn’t know much about the fragrance industry. My husband was a banker, while I, at the time, ran a beauty salon—it was my first business. One night, I asked Geoffrey, ‘Why don’t we start a perfume business?’. He was not thrilled at first, as we didn’t have any experience in this area, we didn’t have a business plan, and we had no ‘brand name’ or goodwill.
But I am an artist first... I knew exactly what I wanted to create. I used to meet a lot of women in my beauty salon and that gave me a fair idea of what women liked. I assured my husband that I knew what I was doing, and I made him meet Jean-Claude Astier, a senior perfumer, who’s also my mentor. And he helped create scents for us.”
HB: Did you and Jean-Claude work together to create the fragrances?
MM: “My husband and I travel a lot, so we brought a lot of ingredients from different countries, and we tried to create new fragrances with Jean-Claude. Slowly and steadily, we reached a stage where our brand was recognised and appreciated for the unexpected blends.
It was almost like a love story that unravelled. Geoffrey and I wanted to do something together—I am creative and he is good with numbers, and because of this combination, we were able to manage the different departments well.”
Esta historia es de la edición January - February 2023 de Harper's Bazaar India.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición January - February 2023 de Harper's Bazaar India.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Unyielding And Unmatched
In an industry where every move is scrutinised, Kareena Kapoor Khan lives passionately, loves her job, and understands that there’s more to her than just box-office numbers.
SEEN AND HEARD
Female authors explore how crucial it is that women write about their personal experiences.
INTO THE WORLD OF JUDY CHICAGO
What makes the feminist trailblazer an icon?
'THE LEGACY OF A SINGER WILL ALWAYS STAY INTACT'
AR Rahman believes AI can be used without compromising on the artistic essence.
THROUGH HER EYES
Indian supermodels remember legendary photographer Prabuddha Dasgupta ahead of his 68th birth anniversary.
THE SHAPE-SHIFTERS
From adorning your body to your mantle piece, jewellery designers are turning to homeware.
WEARABLE ART
Three limited-edition timepieces, inspired by Gaston-Louis Vuitton's love for artistry, is an ode to the Maison's legacy of craftsmanship.
AS LONG AS TIME
Bazaar India delves into the ethos of watch brands.
MILANO MAKEOVER
Sabato De Sarno's reimagination of this classic Gucci bag is is an ode to his Milanese becoming.
A LOVE LETTER TO JAIPUR
Designer Surily Goel reveals the making of her latest collection.