Rémi Barbier

About Rémi Barbier

Rémi Barbier is a French perfumer who grew up in the Provençal countryside and works as Chef Parfumeur at Only Fragrances. His accounts of childhood smells, travel and time outdoors offer a direct view of the experiences that inform his work with fragrance.

Career

After completing a degree in chemistry at the Université de Montpellier, Barbier undertook an internship with Jean-Claude Ellena, where working with raw materials helped turn his interest towards perfumery. He then studied at ISIPCA in Versailles, following the practical encounter with fragrance through formal training. His work includes perfumes for Maison Matine and Kensla, alongside his role at Only Fragrances.

Creative Style & Philosophy

Barbier recalls the aromatic, woody and resinous smells of Provence, including thyme, rosemary, pine and cistus, as part of the environment in which he grew up. Travel and trail running also provide inspiration, giving him opportunities to notice smells beyond the perfumer’s workplace. At work he does not wear perfume himself, keeping his nose free to judge the small differences between raw materials and the compositions he is developing.

Signature Works

• *Poom Poom* — A Maison Matine floral combining rose and kiwi with a base of woods and musk.
• *O.P.S* — One of the fragrances Barbier created for Kensla.
• *BLÅ* — Another Kensla fragrance credited to him by the house.