There isn’t much, scent-wise, that Anne Flipo doesn’t like. Offal? No problem. Beaver secretions? Bring it on. Flipo, a designated master perfumer, is a rare talent who dives into fragrances with gusto. Since joining the global scent powerhouse, International Flavors and Fragrance (IFF) in 2004, she’s crafted perfume classics, including La Nuit de l’Homme by Yves Saint Laurent, Basil & Neroli by Jo Malone, La Vie est Belle by Lancôme, Synthetic Nature by Frédéric Malle—the list goes on. This year alone, she had a hand in seven new fragrances, including Prada’s Paradigme and Givenchy’s Irresistible. Still, Flipo’s work has always been guided by her deep affinity for nature, a bond forged in her childhood in northern France. “I remember being in my beautiful garden where green was absolutely everywhere, from the cut grass and the ivy to the trees and fruit,” she says. “Where you come from always inspires your work.” We asked her about the fragrances she loves, the ones she steers clear of, and those she’ll never forget.
Is there something that draws all of your fragrances together?
Above all, a love of epicurean pleasure. But what truly binds everything together is the initial idea behind a perfume, or what happens at the beginning of the perfume process. At first, perfumers try to understand what’s being asked of them, and then we let our minds wander. We really want to make sure to get it right. Is that a philosophy? I don’t know.
