Mathilde Laurent is the nose behind Cartier’s fragrances. Perfumer is a profession with rock star appeal and glamor and one that you pursue with passion. In this interview, the Frenchwoman, who learned her trade in Versailles, gives us a deep insight into the perfume universe and also talks about “La Panthère”, her masterpiece for Cartier.
FACES: What does a fragrance need to become iconic?
Mathilde Laurent: It has to be unique! You must never have smelled it before, but it must still be as familiar to you as if you had known it all your life. Furthermore, an iconic perfume must be timeless, because no trend lasts forever. On the contrary: a real icon must even surpass trends!
FACES: What is your trademark in your work as a perfumer?
Mathilde Laurent: I use the most important ingredients to the point of overdose and place as little superfluous stuff around them as possible. It is the simplicity that creates emotions. While others work with a variety of ingredients, I like to have soloists who work surrounded by a choir. Imagine a quintet to which you add a muted melody, or a synthesizer that you combine with string instruments. I like contrasts and the combination of things that are actually contradictory. I see a Cartier perfume as an invisible piece of jewelry. Because it’s like diamonds: If you have an exceptional specimen, there’s no need to add any more great pieces. The one diamond then shines all on its own. Therefore, when I set out to create a perfume, I find inspiration in the purest and rarest version of a particular ingredient.
FACES: What is the difference between high perfumery and classic perfumes?
Mathilde Laurent: Classic perfumes offer a universal, timeless and unmistakable signature that tells the story of a brand. High Perfumery, on the other hand, is aimed more at connoisseurs and is characterized by its research and unique accords and ingredients. Such perfumes are for people who know their way around and are looking for unique, creative fragrances that will surprise them.
FACES: Do you also see your craft as a perfumer as an art?
Mathilde Laurent: Yes, definitely. The craft of perfumery is an art in every respect. Perfumers express their visions, their world view, language and aesthetics, which can be as emotional as they are physical. Like Picasso, who described art as a lie that tells the truth, perfume art aims to show the world inspired by nature. While we perfumers try to capture perfection, we also recognize the gap between it and reality – it’s similar to painting.
FACES: Do you personally wear perfume at all, and if so, do you wear those fragrances that you have created yourself?
Mathile Laurent: I never wear perfume to work, nor do I wear it every day. If I did that, my nose would be completely saturated with the ingredients of my perfume by the time I arrived at the office, making it impossible for me to work objectively. For the same reason, I never wear the fragrance I’m working on. I always ask my employees to wear the fragrance so that I can see how it works on different people. Once I have finished a perfume, I like to smell it in my surroundings, on my colleagues at work or my friends. I wear perfume myself maybe once a month, and then only the ones that have completely blown me away, and fragrances that make me love the art of perfume even more.
FACES: What do you think of perfume layering, the idea of wearing several perfumes on top of each other and in combination?
Mathilde Laurent: Layering is a form of freedom that you should definitely live out. However, you should be careful when mixing several very powerful fragrances that are very intense and complex. It’s like cooking: If you mix too many different ingredients together, you may end up not recognizing or tasting anything at all.
FACES: What is your tip for choosing a suitable perfume for yourself?
Mathilde Laurent: You shouldn’t choose a perfume with your mind, but with your heart. When we encounter a fragrance that we live, we ask no questions. Curiosity and love are the two emotions that must be present. Beyond that, there are no other rules to follow when choosing a perfume. Perfumes are like love: sometimes all it takes is one moment and you’re head over heels in love. In my opinion, the most important thing is to always walk through the world with curiosity and an open heart, smelling fragrances, noticing people and their perfumes and discovering different ingredients when you have the opportunity. It is wrong to be guided by your likes and dislikes and to limit yourself to just one fragrance family, for example.
FACES: How do you manage to convey certain emotions through your fragrances?
Mathilde Laurent: By not even trying. As a perfumer, I cannot predict the emotions that my fragrance will evoke, because they are always linked to experiences that someone has had. The olfactory biography plays an important role in how someone absorbs certain ingredients. A perfumer can only try to convey sensations. For example, floral notes take you back to nature, sweet notes remind you of pleasure, fresh notes of summer or a cool drink. However, nobody can know what people feel when they have these things in their heads – it’s very individual and personal.
FACES: What makes “La Panthère” by Cartier so special?
Mathilde Laurent: “La Panthère” is an absolutely timeless fragrance that appeals to all women. He embodies femininity, which is actually perceived as such by women.
FACES: What ingredients make “La Panthère” iconic?
Mathilde Laurent: In my opinion, the addiction to this fragrance is based on sniffing “La Panthère” and being surprised by it, but at the same time feeling this familiar sensation. This is due, for example, to the floral fauve accord, which makes the perfume unique but also ensures that it is familiar to everyone who smells it. The combination of chypre and animal musk used for this accord is what makes the fragrance so sensual and warm.
FACES: What was Cartier’s briefing for “La Panthère”?
Mathilde Laurent: There was no briefing in the classic sense. The idea was to create a timeless perfume that could become iconic, not chasing trends and at the same time embodying the style and elegance of the brand.
Cartier: La Panthère
Cartier’s icon “La Panthère” appeared on the scene for the first time in 2014. The composition of apricot, chypre and gardenia is a hit, the ladies are all over the chic bottle and this little water that nobody can get enough of. In 2024, Cartier decided to give the famous bottle a facelift for the sake of the environment. Less glass, less plastic and a stopper made of 94 percent recyclable aluminum make “La Panthère” fit for the future.
Cartier, “La Panthère”, 50 ml, approx. 105(cartier.com)
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Photos: @ Cartier
