Bruno Jovanovic

Bruno Jovanovic was born and grew up in Paris. He nevertheless reconciles his French upbringing perfectly with the Slavic spirit of his parents, exiled from the former Yugoslavia. That is to say, a great openness of mind is apparent as a constant theme in his life. At the age of twelve, he read Marcel Proust’s masterpiece, while at the same time devouring the comics published by Marvel and DC. “The former immersed me in an impressionistic romanticism, while the latter spirited me away into the imaginary world of superheroes.” One thing is certain, from a very young age he was aware of every odour, and fascinated by his mother’s dressing table which held Shalimar, Calèche and Cabochard. It was therefore decided that he would undergo training at ISPICA, in the class that went under the name of Firmenich.
Next, he started working in quality control at a German supplier in Munich, a period he considers to have been very formative for his understanding of ingredients. Two years later, he set off to make a career in New York, the city of his superheroes. There, he worked with well-known mentors such as Sophia Grojsman and Carlos Benaïm, before designing a great many worldwide successes over the course of twenty years. Examples include Fierce by Abercrombie & Fitch in 2004, or, more recently, My Way by Armani (with Carlos Benaïm). A modest man, Bruno sees teamwork as an enriching human experience: “With stars such as I have known, it is even a privilege,” he acknowledges. Which does not prevent him from designing perfumes solo, such as Monsieur for Frédéric Malle. It is an ode to patchouli, his favourite ingredient: “If magic had a smell, this would be it. I am fascinated by the dichotomy between its radiance and its dark earthy effects, its tension between warm and cold.”
Regarding the sources of his inspiration, he quotes Emmanuel Kant: “Beauty is universal and without concept.” With a cheerfully acknowledged eclecticism, Bruno finds as much pleasure in art exhibitions and mythology as in the philosophy of Schopenhauer or in everyday things. Imagining himself in the skin of a young man of twenty might thus be a departure point, as might the memory of a trip to Asia or the art of pre-war Russia. He draws on all his passions indiscriminately, in order to formulate fragrances that penetrate to the heart of things, and that are both simple and subtle.