From L'Occitane, a short film about the rise of the fragrance industry in Grasse. Includes some nice footage of the International Perfume Museum (Musée international de la parfumerie).
A team of creators
We are less and less producers of ingredients. These are often sourced in emerging countries. We are a team of creators who know how to combine and market ingredients.
— Han-Paul Bodifée of Prodarom talks about why Grasse still matters. Read more at Grasse: Perfume cluster permeates the globe at Financial Times.
Grasse is a company town
In the south of France, the city of Grasse has been the center of the French perfume industry since the 16th century. After four years of renovations, a museum dedicated to explaining and celebrating perfumery has reopened in this historic city of scent.
— A short piece on NPR talks about the recent reopening of the International Perfume Museum in Grasse. About 4 minutes long; near the end, they talk to perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena. Listen at French Perfume Museum A Bouquet Of Scents.
The smell of fresh jasmine in the early morning
I was 16 when I started work at the Mane perfume factory in Grasse to earn pocket money. I worked as a warehouseman on Thursdays so I could go out and have fun on the weekend! After Mane, I went to work at Chiris and then at Charabot, which were also perfume distillation companies. At the time Grasse was a town awash with fragrances. In certain seasons, the streets were bathed in the scents of lavender or rose. I can still remember the smell of fresh jasmine in the early morning as I was on my way home from the nightclub where I had spent the evening. It was fantastic.
— François Demachy, Senior Vice President for Olfactive Development at Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy, talks to ShinyGloss about the early days.
International Perfume Museum to reopen
The International Perfume Museum (Musée international de la parfumerie) in Grasse, France, will reopen on October 18th after 4 years of renovations:
Created in 1989, this one-of-a-kind museum is found in the highly symbolic City of Grasse, the cradle of the luxury perfume trade that began in France…