©Blaise Lavigne

Born in Alger, Dora Baghriche-Arnaud grew up in the south of France. Trained as a perfumer at Firmenich, she joined the company’s Paris Fine Frangrance department in 2012. Since then, she made juices for Versace, Salvadore Ferragamo, Black Up, but also Oflactive Studio, a niche house exploring the relationship between contemporary artistic photography. Passionate about design and contemporary art, Dora also designed a perfume for Blobterre, a exhibition for children by designer Matali Crasset, shown at the Centre Pompidou in Paris last winter. With Caligna, a concentrate of Provence featuring incredible pine notes, she just signed her first creation for l’Artisan Parfumeur. 

In everyday life, do you trust your flair?
Yes, at all times there is a great part of intuition in the paths I choose to follow.

Which fragrance(s) do you wear?
The ones that I am currently working on, otherwise I alternate between She Wood by Dsquared2, Voyage d’Hermès and Versace’s Vanitas in eau de toilette.

Which place in the world left your nose the best memory?
There are many of them. In Ankor, upon nightfall, you get overwhelmed with the smell of frangipani trees, it is wonderful.

What is the worst thing you’ve ever smelled?
The smell of crushed dried fish in Asian markets.

What is your nose most useful for when you are not working?
Breathing! Tasting, enjoying a glass of good wine among other things.

What are the smells that bring most memories to your mind?

Lemon flowers, orange blossom and Mediterranean gardens.

What does your place smell like?
Fresh paint! And also scented candles, white flowers or fig tree, my favourites.

Can the smell of someone influence the way you feel about them?
It can’t influence my feelings but it will influence communication, just like language does.

What is the worst olfactory faux pas?
As in fashion, following trends, wearing what everyone is wearing.

And what does your nose tell you about the future?
I’m an optimistic by nature, I feel good about the future when it is freely apprehended, with sincerity towards myself.