Christelle Laprade

About Christelle Laprade

Christelle Laprade is a perfumer at Symrise, born in the south of France. Over more than two decades she has composed for clients ranging from small niche labels to established luxury houses, including several scents for the chess-inspired brand Mind Games.

Career

Curiosity about why objects, places, and people smelled the way they did came early, and as a child she noted not only scents but the feelings they stirred. A visit to a careers center near the end of high school pointed her toward formal perfumery training, where she studied under masters including Maurice Roucel and Dominique Ropion. She has described that period as finding "her universe."

Creative Style & Philosophy

"It is not by chance that everything has a scent," Laprade says, and she draws ideas from travel, nature, flavors, trends, and the people she meets. Her compositions often play with contrasts: light and dark, hard and soft, modern and timeless. Sustainability is a personal conviction, and she takes pride in working with companies that support farmers, use upcycled materials, and grow raw materials with the future in mind.

Signature Works

• *Milk* (Commodity) — toasted sesame opens onto warm marshmallow and a cold milk accord, settling into mahogany wood, tonka bean, and benzoin.
• *Spice* (Commodity) — saffron and allspice melt into cinnamon sugar and condensed milk, drifting toward tonka bean and sandalwood in a warm, chai-like gourmand.