Julien Plos
Julien Plos grew up with a bottle of essential oils on the kitchen counter, his mother’s profession turning the family home into a quiet laboratory. By the time he entered secondary school, he could name the top, middle and base notes of a classic eau de toilette. He earned a chemistry degree, then spent seven years mastering the art of formulation at a leading consumer‑goods giant. From 2006 to 2015 he crafted mass‑market scents for Procter & Gamble, learning to translate market data into wearable experiences. In 2016 he accepted a senior role at Coty, where he steered technical development and mentored junior noses. Over the past decade he has guided dozens of launches, blending rigorous scientific method with a playful instinct for surprise. His career reflects a steady climb from apprentice to director, each step marked by a willingness to test the limits of scent while honoring the traditions that first taught him to smell.
The hits
Notable creations
The signature
How Julien composes
Julien favors a balanced palette that mixes bright citrus accords with deep, resinous woods. He often begins with a crisp bergamot or yuzu, then layers in heart notes of jasmine absolute or violet leaf, before anchoring the composition with ambergris, sandalwood, or smoked vetiver. In the lab he relies on precise gas‑chromatography data, yet he still trusts his nose to catch subtleties a machine might miss. He embraces modern extraction methods, such as CO₂ distillation, to preserve fragile aromatics, while keeping a foot in classic enfleurage when a flower demands it. His signatures include a clean, luminous opening that evolves into a warm, lingering dry‑down.
Philosophy
What drives Julien
Julien believes that fragrance should spark a moment of wonder without demanding attention. He treats each brief as a conversation, listening to the brief’s intent before offering a solution that feels both fresh and familiar. Science provides the framework; intuition supplies the spark. He respects the memory stored in a single molecule and seeks to amplify that memory through contrast and harmony. For Julien, innovation means asking “what if” and then proving the answer in the lab, never sacrificing stability for novelty. He measures success by the smile a scent draws from the wearer, not by awards or headlines.
The houses