Bespoke Perfume in Paris
What to get the woman who has everything, particularly if that woman is you? Bespoke perfume (and cologne, for men) is one of the ridiculous luxuries of a certain self-absorbed demographic, with the likes of Chanel and Cartier charging as much as €60,000 for the privilege of having a nose find your perfect scent. On the high end, the prohibitively priced process takes months, so that you just may grow out of it by the time your personal scent is finished. But the desire for personalized scent swings both high and low, and a number of clever trickle-down establishments have also cropped up to capitalize on the desire for custom-made perfume crafted on a simpler scale. Here's a list of "bespoke" perfume options, both high and low, for those who want to smell like something you can't find in Duty Free.
Le Studio des parfums
23, Rue du Bourg Tibourg
75004 Paris, Paris, France
[link]
Jean Patou
5, Rue de Castiglione
75001 1er Arrondissement Paris, Paris, France
[link]
Guerlain
68, Avenue des Champs-Elysées
75008 8ème Arrondissement Paris, Paris, France
[link]
Francis Kurkdjian
17, Rue du Faubourg Saint-Martin
75010 10ème Arrondissement Paris, Paris, France
Francis Kurkdjian is the nose behind fragrances for Jean Paul Gaultier and the man who recreated Marie-Antoinette's perfume for the Chateau de Versailles. He has been … making bespoke perfumes for discerning clients since 2001, and has devised a foreigner-friendly bespoke service that starts with a phone call, where you'll discuss your olfactory desires, which he will turn into a series of variations that you will try out and alter with him (in person at least once -- he makes U.S. housecalls) until they fit you like a glove. From €8,000 for two engraved bottles of 60ml. Refills are €180. Call +33142774033 for more information. [link]
Editions de Parfums
37, Rue de Grenelle
75007 7ème Arrondissement Paris, Paris, France
[link]
Le Cinquième Sens
18, Rue de Monttessuy
75007 7ème Arrondissement Paris, Paris, France
[link]
Cartier
13, Rue de la Paix
75002 2ème Arrondissement Paris, Paris, France
If you have the means, Cartier's custom-made perfumer Mathilde Laurent will give you three hours of her time for a little tête à tête in a salon on rue de la Paix, … where she will coax out your most intimate tastes and subliminal desires. Then she goes away and does her highly paid work, dreaming up fragrance ideas that she will present on your next visit. Depending on how the chemistry works, it may take from three to ten meetings to score your own personalized €60,000 scent. [link]
L'Artisan Parfumeur
2, Rue de l'Amiral de Coligny
75001 1er Arrondissement Paris, Paris, France
Before you commit to having a bespoke scent made by the perfume wizards of L'Artisan Parfumeur, you can sign up for a three-hour perfume workshop at their L'Atelier du … Parfum, held in their Grande Boutique, in which you will be presented with a variety of scents and a bit of theory. While uncovering the mysteries of scent, you will be presented with smells evoking nature, suppressed emotions, and possibly even your own childhood, they claim. After this morning-long initiation and a gourmet snack, held for groups of eight to 12 and €95 per person, and you will get a gift certificate for another session that you can pass along to a scent-curious friend. [link]
