Isabelle Burdel
Just imagine if you had the money and could have a perfume created especially for you, the essence of your soul, and sumptuously packaged exclusively for you, wouldn't that be incredible? Well, a few weeks ago I had the chance to meet someone who does just that. Her name is Isabelle Burdel: master perfumer.
She is what is known in the industry as a “Nose” and she creates exclusive and totally unique perfumes. I met this very charming master perfumer in the privacy of Salon Privé, her office in Cannes and under which label she trades. She is undeniably creative and undeniably very talented for many may enter this industry - only a few make it to the very top.
Isabelle was born in Grenoble, located in the south-east of France. She was a gifted and imaginative child and by the age of ten already enjoyed designing and making her own jewellery. She was also born into an affluent family and while her parents recognized her undoubted creative talents, they made it quite clear that they expected her to study and enter a serious career. This was awkward for Isabelle as in her heart she knew she was meant to create but equally she could not go against her parents' wishes.
And then, as is so often the case, destiny took hold for when she was seventeen she read something that was to change her life and set her on an incredible path. While glancing through a brochure on various colleges and training centres, and the student courses they offered, three lines caught her eye: a course on how to become a perfumer at ISIP, the Institut Supérieur International in Versailles. (As a byline, ISIP was founded in 1970 by the world famous perfumer Jean-Jacques Guerlain but is today known as ISIPCA.)
Her reaction was immediate. She instantly and instinctively knew that this was what she wanted to do. It would mean of course studying Chemistry but to be able to create was the ultimate prize. Thus when she approached her parents about her chosen career, she “sold” them the Chemistry part first before explaining about perfumes but she needn't have worried as they were supportive (she was going to study after all).
If creativity and innovation are important factors for success, to truly succeed top marks are everything. The year that Isabelle started at ISIP, the faculty had received over 2,500 applications: only ten were accepted, of which she was one. At the end of the course while all graduates would find employment within the perfume industry only two would be considered so exceptionally talented that they would be able to create new fragrances and be called a “Nose”: Isabelle was one of those two.
After college ends so starts the long years of training when a “nose” is expected to memorise hundreds of primary smells. More importantly, they will also have to imagine mixing 2, 3, 10, 30 or more different ingredients in their heads and imagine these blended results. These early years of training can take a minimum of 10 to 15 years and are often fraught with failure and disappointment.
Isabelle's training took her to Paris and Rochas, the famous luxury Maison, and later to Grasse, the world perfume capital. Here she made many different perfumes and for a while was content in what she was doing. However, as the years passed she felt herself becoming stifled and limited by the shift away from bold creative scents to mass market production, using cheap synthetic components and all driven by marketing capitalising on the company's brand name.
Thus, two and half years ago, and after over twenty years in the business, Isabelle decided to set up her company, Salon Privé, in Cannes and searched and found her present offices - just a stone's throw from La Croisette. Within this peaceful environment, she has a dedicated laboratory containing her perfume organ (so named because its shape resembles the pipes of a cathedral organ and is a set of stepped shelves in a semi-circular shape) and a multitude of tiny bottles. She sources all natural raw materials from all over the world, in a continuing quest for quality, freshness and exclusivity.
Since launching Salon Privé she has been chosen by the world famous Hotel du Cap-Eden Roc on Cap d'Antibes to create a unique scent for this majestic hotel to be diffused through customised candles. Other clients have come through word of mouth, but all search for something very special, something very different and of very high quality. Her clients are international and come from Afghanistan, Sweden, Norway, the USA, Middle East and as far away as China and Japan.
Isabelle's passion for perfume is palpable and irresistible. Her attention to the tiniest detail is impressive as is her care in producing exactly the right perfume, presented in a uniquely designed crystal bottle right down to the very special suede covered box to protect her creation.
But perhaps her greatest gift is understanding the wishes of her client and the ability of turning these into something unique. As she lets them express their dreams and inner most wishes she listens without pre-judgement, absorbing the information that will lead her to produce her sole aim: to answer the special wish of her client.
The end product? A tailored perfume that is ultimately their own. Is it expensive? Yes, but it's a matter of perception and the ability to understand that hand-crafted scents take time and skill and uses costly, rare and top quality ingredients, as opposed to today's cheaper synthetic components.
Isabelle Burdel and Salon Privé are as unique as the liquid gold she creates. Her desire to bring perfume back to its true origins, using natural raw materials, is daring especially in today's world when everyone is pushing for instant gratification. She is a breath of fresh air.
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