Antonin Khalifé proves that even if you have insider access to the world of perfumery, you still have to have a self-sustaining passion and curiosity for the subject. Because merely being the grandson of renowned perfumer Henry Jacques does not automatically mean you can follow in the founder’s footsteps.  

There is a lot behind the art of perfumery, and despite Khalifé’s relative youth in the industry, he has made huge strides when it comes to his craft. Besides sharing his interesting stories, Khalifé also talks about the creative process behind his two-part fragrance, Il Y Avait Un Jardin… (There was a garden…). 

Tell us about the start of your journey into perfumery.  

I was eight years old when I used to spend time with my grandmother in the laboratory. While my friends would be playing football, I would discover the treasures that were hidden behind every drawer. Sometimes, my grandmother would give me ingredients along with a beaker and agitator for me to pass my time. This would be what would plant the seed of perfumery in my head. 

Having such intimate access to this world must have been a good place to start.  

I have to say that I am extremely lucky to be in a family of perfumers. Not only that, they are some of the finest perfumers in the world. Still, I managed to gain my family’s trust by demonstrating my intuition as well as interest. I would create a scent and present it as a blind test to my mother, and they often liked what I created. So there were a lot of tiny moments that nudged me towards the path I am on today. 

With such a strong heritage behind you, how do you find the space to innovate with your fresher outlook on the industry?  

There are some formulas laid out by my grandparents, but that does not mean I cannot explore new paths. For instance, with Il Y Avait Un Jardin…, I travelled to Sicily to meet a family who produces some of the best citrus in the world. While citrus is a common scent, you can still find a quality that is unique within it. In this case, the citrus scent and the experience gave me such a beautiful spontaneous emotion that I felt I wanted to blend it into my fragrance.  

How do you keep your senses and creativity sharp to capitalise on said spontaneity? 

The way I see it, I need to be a hundred per cent in life before I can get to creativity. Sleeping well, not drinking excessively, using a machine that helps clear my sinuses, supplementing with Chinese medicine, training regularly, and sauna therapy — all these are elements that help me be at my best, so that I can finally be free to create. Trying to jump straight to creativity without taking care of the base factors is not ideal. 

That is a wise approach indeed. As a parting question, which is your current favourite fragrance?  

It has to be Rose Azure, ever since its creation one-and-a-half years ago. One reason is because it was my first creation, so I have a deep attachment to it. And because I was the one who created it, it performs well on my skin too. I never get tired of this fragrance, and people who know me well will also associate me with this scent. 

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