Some might say that Frédéric Malle has fragrance in his blood. His grandfather Serge Heftler-Louiche launched Parfums Christian Dior in 1947, and his mother, Christine Heftler-Louiche, would later become the artistic director there. (Malle’s father was a film producer who worked closely alongside his brother, the great director Louis Malle.) After studying at New York University, Malle began his career in advertising before ultimately attending perfume school. He launched his house, Éditions de Parfums Frédéric Malle, in 2000 with nine fragrances; Malle sees himself as an editor, working closely with master perfumers to give their work—and their names—global recognition. His latest project has been the relaunch of his popular rose scent, which is now known as Rose Tonnere. Here, Malle shares his key components to the good life. —Ashley Baker
Airline: On time, polite, comfortable.
Airport: Zurich.
Alibi: “I’m busy smelling perfume.”
App: Cityscoot.
Bag: T. Anthony tote.
Bedtime: Anytime is good; I love going to bed.
Bike: VanMoof.
Birthday: At home with close friends and lots of Château Lafite Rothschild.
Breakfast: Weekdays and weekends are the same—toast and jam and Darjeeling tea, but with more to read and endless chitchat on weekends.
Car: My Lotus Seven.
Child: Our dog, Elvis.
Disguise:
My French beret, but I’m not fooling anyone.
Drive: The route to our house in Megève.
Enemy: Marketing people.
Flower: Roses, because they are like people—there are so many.
Good-bye: Depends with who. There are some people that you never want to see again, and some people that you are missing already.
Hideaway: My screening room.
Hotel: The Aman Summer Palace, in Beijing.
Insult: “Go f*ck yourself.” I always wondered what people were supposed to do with that.
Last Meal: I never think of a last meal. I always think of what I want in my coffin in case I wake up. The french fries from Le Voltaire in Paris would be at the top of my list.
Movie: The Fire Within, because it feels so close to home.
Pair of shoes: My espadrilles.
Storm: Leaving home without money on the 13th after putting a hat on a bed.
Television series: Emily in Paris—what do you think!
Theme song to your life: It changes all the time.
Vacation: Skiing in Zermatt with my friend Miguel Abreu as a child.
Victim: Me!
Work of art: Delacroix’s The Death of Sardanapalus, at the Louvre. It always made me dream as a child.
Frédéric’s Essentials
