Christelle Laprade
Christelle Laprade grew up calling out to her parents in the sun-drenched coastal town of Sanary-sur-Mer, always eager to share whatever had caught her attention: "Smell this! Taste that!" The Mediterranean garrigue, with its wild herbs and sun-baked earth, became her first olfactory classroom. By 17, she knew exactly what she wanted: nothing less than to become a fine perfumer and leave a lasting impression on people's lives. She enrolled at ISIPCA in Versailles in 1997, studying under masters Maurice Roucel and Dominique Ropion, whose rigorous training widened her horizons and showed her the complete picture contained within every raw material. Her career path took her from Expressions Parfumées to MANE USA before joining Symrise in 2006, where she now collaborates with brands ranging from Commodity and Christian Siriano to Victoria's Secret and MIND GAMES. Today, based at Symrise's New York studio, Laprade brings a striking presence to the industry—modelesque, often in stilettos and signature red lipstick—yet beneath the glamour lies a cerebral artist whose persona and creations thrive on contrast and depth.
The hits
Notable creations
The signature
How Christelle composes
Laprade defines her aesthetic as "trash-glam": a fearless blend of refinement and rebellion. Her compositions embrace duality—sophistication meets crudeness, masculinity dances with femininity. She applies this concept of opposition masterfully, as seen in Commodity's Milk, where she evoked soft, cozy textures against tough, charred ones. Working primarily at Symrise, she brings thoughtfulness, realism, and intrigue to everything she creates. An important aspect of each project for her, and a fundamental value at Symrise, is a commitment to ethical and sustainable creation—working with companies that support farmers and prioritize responsible sourcing. Her fragrances are provocative, addictive, and unapologetically alive, touching the soul like a second skin.
Philosophy
What drives Christelle
Laprade believes perfume should be fun. She constructs fragrances with a feel-good ethos and a provocative twist, aiming always to elicit feeling and create genuine connection. "I think about a flower, for example, in all its elements—from the morning dew drops on its calyx to the feeling of the air surrounding it, the texture of its petals, its color, which season it blooms," she explains. "I like to tell stories with my creations. It makes them more memorable." A hint of a familiar smell can do magic, transporting a person through time or unlocking a memory long forgotten. Laprade set out to capture that magic—to deliver fragrances that are beautifully layered, intensely alluring, and anything but ordinary.
The houses
Maisons Christelle composes for
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