Maurice Roucel

Names: Maurice Roucel (English, French) · Моріс Руссель (Ukrainian) · Морис Руссель (Russian)
Born: around 1950, Cherbourg, France
Specialization: master perfumer at Symrise; author of fragrances for Amouage, Guerlain, Hermès, Rochas, Serge Lutens, Frédéric Malle

He began his path into perfumery in 1973 at Chanel, where he worked for six years as an analytical chemist while learning from the house's then perfumer Henri Robert. He then worked at IFF and Dragoco, spent 12 years at Quest, and in 1996 moved to Symrise. Among his best-known works are Tocade for Rochas, Iris Silver Mist for Serge Lutens and Musc Ravageur for Frédéric Malle. He won the François Coty Prize (2002) and is a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters of France (2011).

Roucel is a true artist, considered one of the best perfumers of his time. His fragrances are sensual, bold and generous: powdery iris, “feral” musk and sweet flowers sound voluminous and very alive in his hands. He is not afraid of experiments — and that is exactly why his compositions become cult classics.