The Artisan
The Story of Paul Guerlain, Julien Rasquinet
Paul Guerlain carries one of perfumery's most storied names, a birthright that came with quiet pressure and profound inspiration. He watched his grandfather work at home, surrounded by vials and wimps, and felt something ignite. He never received formal training from him, yet that early exposure shaped everything. Paul trained at IFF, first in New York then in Paris, where he became a student of Anne Flipo, a mentor he credits with passing on knowledge that helped him discover his own abilities. Growing up in a family of perfumers means scent was his first language, and now he speaks it fluently for houses like Dolce&Gabbana, Jil Sander, Rabanne, House of Noya, and Bastille Parfums. Julien Rasquinet works at CPL Aromas, a man who chose perfumery as a career with no famous family legacy behind him, just an ear for smell and a steady hand. The two met as colleagues at IFF and found they shared a common creative wavelength. Their partnership on Amouage's Lustre brought them to Harrods together in 2025 to discuss a fragrance born from genuine friendship and mutual professional respect. Julien brings an outsider's fresh instinct to the collaboration, while Paul brings generational intuition, and their chemistry is evident in every stage of the creative process.
Philosophy
Paul believes in dialogue between raw materials, making them meet, attract, oppose, and reveal themselves to one another. He does not chase an olfactory signature, considering that a danger. To create is to evolve, he says, and constraints often become the most powerful creative forces. He approaches every brief as a conversation, not a conquest. Julien operates from a place of genuine curiosity and restraint, preferring simple pleasures in life while applying rigorous taste to his compositions. Both perfumers understand that collaboration requires trust, and their work on Lustre demonstrates how two noses can breathe together into a single fragrance without losing individual identity. The Amouage brief challenged them to push technical boundaries while honoring the house's opulent heritage, and they met that challenge by listening deeply to each other and to the material.
Creative Approach
Paul draws from natural materials with particular comfort, visible in his work with Bastille Parfums where 95% natural ingredients demanded inventive problem-solving. His emotional connection scents include Guerlain Vetiver, Dior Homme, and Guerlain L'Heure Bleue, revealing a predilection for woody restraint and structured elegance. Julien's formative influences skew bold and masculine, gravitating toward Guerlain Habit Rouge, Dior Fahrenheit, and Kenzo Pour Homme, fragrances defined by smoky intensity and unconventional warmth. Together on Lustre, they deployed a 30% perfume oil concentration and a double-infusion technique followed by six months of aging, technical innovations that elevated the scent beyond conventional extraction. The fragrance belongs to The Essences trio alongside Reasons and Outlands, all sharing this intensive maturation process.
At a Glance
Signature Style
“Paul draws from natural materials with particular comfort, visible in his work with Bastille Parfums where 95% natural ingredients demanded inventive problem-solving.”
Notable Creations
Lustre
Pleine Lune
Velvet Passion Oud
Orris Nirvana
Ancient Currents