Pierre Negrin

Names: Pierre Negrin (English, French) · П'єр Негрен (Ukrainian) · Пьер Негрен (Russian)
Born: Grasse, France
Specialization: perfumer at Firmenich (New York, since 2008); author of fragrances for Amouage, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren

Born in Grasse; both his grandfathers traded in raw materials and plants for perfumery, and he discovered his first scents in their workshops. He dreamed of becoming a photographer and admired the work of Robert Capa, Henri Cartier-Bresson and Ansel Adams, but while studying physics and chemistry he did an internship with a perfumer — and found his calling. He began his career at Givaudan and in 2008 moved to Firmenich's New York centre. He created Encounter for Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren Blue, but is best known for his work for Amouage — Interlude Man, Journey Woman, Portrayal Man.

Negrin looks at fragrance through a photographer's eyes: light, shadow, depth of field. His compositions for Amouage are dramatic and many-layered: frankincense, resins, oud and spices form a dense, almost cinematic picture. These are fragrances with a strong character that unfold slowly and stay long in the memory.