Givenchy 27/11/07 14:46 Page 065
Francoise Donche
‘I work with a palette of 1200 ingredients,
‘I depend on Givenchy like Americans
as we are fresher in the morning and the
explains Francoise Donche, Givenchy air-quality is at it’s best between 6-11.00 am’.
fragrance expert. Since 1989, Francoise has
depend on their psychiatrists’
‘Then, like a pianist, I do my notes!!!
been responsible for creating some I usually examine six or seven new
11 perfumes: ‘In terms of choosing the
Audrey Hepburn
submissions, or choose the optimum dosage
ingredients, I do a pre-selection twice a year of an ingredient. It is, of course, important to
and add different ingredients to the palette. smell in an airy room because the odour is
Last March, for instance, I developed a new very powerful and can cause headaches’.
note based on Tuberose, an Indian flower’. ‘I prefer not to spend a long time at lunch
‘Scents have been used over the last 100
fruity notes such as apple, blackcurrant and means. Other sources are also integrated such
and pay attention to what I eat – I don’t want
years,’ continues Francoise. ‘For women the
pineapple. Sugary notes are also popular now, as fashion, music, food, what is happening in
to be over-indulging in food as it affects my
rose is very familiar and for men, citrus notes
particularly for young clientele, due to the way politics, sociology and the economy’.
ability to smell properly. And when I return
like grapefruit are recognised worldwide’.
more sugary food is consumed. Most of us are ‘We create a real background that is larger
I deal with administration, co-ordinating new
‘Spicy notes are relatively unknown by
educated by our food and environment. than the odour itself. Early on Hubert initiated
perfumes and things like press enquiries.’
northern countries. If you live in India,
We hold onto these memories and they affect his own brand with his favourite muse, Audrey
Francoise has favourites amongst her
Sri Lanka or Mauritius these are everyday
our choice of perfume’. Hepburn and we have kept that tradition.’
creations: ‘They are like my children and have
smells but if you are Parisian you will
‘At Givenchy, we have a specific approach Francoise’s initial career interests were
characters just as human beings’.
not necessarily be aware of them.
to scent. It is not just about brand notoriety it’s French and English literature, which she studied
‘I personally love green notes and have
Eastern European countries like the idea
about knowledge and market awareness. in the UK, at Cambridge. It was a friend who
a special love affair with green things. They
that perfumes are enveloping and warming
At the beginning most of the work is done worked at Yves Saint Laurent who encouraged
make me so happy and I think this is because
because it is so cold – vanilla, in particular,
with our colleagues in marketing, where we her to learn about fashion and accessories:
I was born in the country with fresh air and
is highly appreciated’.
develop a movie scenario. We decide on ‘I enrolled in a three-year perfume course in
fields, surrounded by mountains. Green
‘Different cultures mean that there are big
a character and build a story for the new Paris to learn about the choice of ingredients
brings a very nice energy and a bit of mystery.
gaps of knowledge regarding aroma and we
woman or man and decide what they would and how to compose them. I was then
‘I feel very privileged to work at Givenchy.
have to pay a lot of attention to this because
like to wear – we don’t really talk about smell extremely fortunate to get a job at Givenchy’.
It is very classy, and I have a very nice
the wrong smells may create an adverse
or scents at all during this stage’. ‘My typical day consists of getting up at 7.15
environment. It is always impressive to meet an
reaction and people will not like the perfumes.
‘In the men’s arena, we are currently working am and quietly taking time to enjoy my breakfast.
Haute Couture designer and Hubert is wonderful,
Over the last 15 years the new trends involve
on ‘Rebellion’ and finding out what being a rebel When I arrive at work, the first thing I do is ‘Smell’,
handsome and behaves with etiquette’.
LEFT: Cecil Beaton photography of Audrey Hepburn
ABOVE RIGHT: Selection of Givenchy perfumes
torque | 065
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