Philippe Romano
French perfumer from Grasse, known for playful fruit and gourmand fragrances at Robertet and Drom.
France
About Philippe Romano
Philippe Romano was a French perfumer born in Grasse. Working for Robertet and Drom, he explored bright fruity expressions alongside smoky, woody, and velvety textures. His compositions often gave sweet materials a playful character rather than treating sweetness as a single, uniform effect.
Career
The son of a fragrance maker, Romano spent part of his childhood among orange trees in Spain. He trained at Robertet in Grasse and worked there for twenty-three years before joining Drom’s Paris operation in 2000. His career took him to Japan, Brazil, and the United States, extending the cultural experiences behind his palette. He died in 2021.
Creative Style & Philosophy
Curiosity, intuition, and perseverance were central to his approach. He drew inspiration from the creative freedom of the 1970s, moving between smoky woods and softer, more velvety impressions. His fruity compositions and gourmand works show different ways of giving sweetness form, from a lively floral outline to the deeper structure of patchouli.
Signature Works
- *201 — Bon Parfumeur* — A playful fruity-floral fragrance with green apple and lily of the valley, bringing a lively, fresh expression to the collection.
- *501 — Bon Parfumeur* — Praline, liquorice, and patchouli combine in a gourmand composition that pairs edible sweetness with a deeper, textured foundation.
