Mane Perfumer Jérôme Di Marino Talks Premiumization & The Evolving Fragrance Industry

Name: Jérôme Di Marino

Title: Perfumer, Mane

Current location: Barcelona, Spain

Perfumer & Flavorist+ [P&F+]: What led you to the fragrance industry?

Jérôme Di Marino [JDM]: When I was young, I was already a creative teenager, I used to spend hours and hours drawing, it has always been a way to escape from the rest.

I was dreaming about incorporating an art school but wasn’t confident enough about my skills. So I picked up a safer option studying sciences and chemistry.

As I was doing my studies in the south of France I discovered by chance the existence of the perfumers, because of Grasse proximity’s and local fragrance providers located there.

I have been instantly fascinated about it, that’s how I went back to my creative aspirations and the will to be a perfumer became evident.

A few years later I joined ISIPCA (the perfumery school founded by the Guerlain family) and started my first steps into the fragrance world. I am now passionate about fragrances, and I am grateful to take part in this creative journey offering to so many people a piece of dream through fragrances.

P&F+: What are some of the current trends that are exciting you at the moment?

JDM: I am thrilled about the trend around fragrances and emotions. Global consumers are interested in fragrances that provide emotional or physical benefits. We have seen a strong interest in the well-being market as fragrances have the power to influence mood and behavior, provoking chemical reactions in your brain. Understanding the importance of emotions in fragrances is becoming crucial for brands to create products that resonate with consumers' desires. That’s why Mane developed Wellmotion^a in partnership with CNRS, a new tool that perfumers can use to measure a score of the emotional impact of a fragrance.

^aWellmotion is a trademark of Mane

P&F+: Are there any formulations you would consider timeless? Why?

JDM: I do believe that creating short formulas or overdosing raw materials makes a fragrance more recognizable and timeless. That a strong accord is key to making a fragrance stand out within a large amount of new launches year after year. A caricatural way of crafting a fragrance makes it more easily understandable to a larger audience. Everybody could recognize a Picasso by looking at its caricatural shapes. I think that one of the best examples of it is Baccarat Rouge from MFK, the formula is short, and it delivers a strong message. It has gone from a HIT fragrance to a timeless pillar already and will surely last for decades in the panorama of perfumes.

P&F+: Advice for people coming into the perfume field.

The fragrance industry is a rich world and as a perfumer, you never stop learning, even after years working in the industry. Every new project is a Blank page. That’s a perpetual work on your creative process, on your knowledge and on your skills. Being passionate is the most important asset but patience and resilience are key to keep it untouched.

P&F+: Are the types of projects you're working on changing over time? How are the creative demands of the job evolving?

JDM: The world of fragrances has been highly influenced these last few years by a high increase in exclusive brands. These brands are exploring new olfactive fields and are breaking with the standards of what a HIT fragrance has to smell. We have seen the emergence of alternative ways of crafting fragrances but also new canals to communicate about them. This trend has been enhanced by strong fragrance communities on TikTok or Instagram. Where the younger generation is sharing reviews, comments, or tips about fragrances…Looking for an experience through fragrances, switching from a perfume to the other and making it more playful too. That’s how an almost unknown fragrance can suddenly become the most desirable one in an impressively short period of time.

It led to a premiumization of the fragrance launches we worked on but also offered us a limitless creative playground, leading to a spontaneous and authentic way of creating. As a perfumer, it pushes me to go further in the search for new creative concepts or unexpected olfactive combinations.