Sophie Labbé
Sophie has retained the magic of contrasts and the love of the land which she transposes by sublimating a rose from Grasse or a neroli from Tunisia with an unexpected harmony. She also acquired a taste for the transmission of values and gestures where the smallest detail requires attention.
If there is one thing that characterises Sophie Labbé, it is her smile. Wherever she is, at her side or on the other side of the world, her smile is instantly noticeable, whether by the warmth of her face, the intonation of her voice or her choice of words. For Sophie, smiling is a state of mind, a symbol of positivity that explains who she is and the way she sees the world. Her creations also show tenderness, joy and generosity. Her smile is also a sign of joy when she talks about her childhood memories. Sophie grew up between Paris and Charente-Maritime. Her roots are a mixture of the effervescence of the French capital and the calm of the long rows of vines in the countryside.
"Composing a perfume and working the land require patience. These are crops in which a long maturation process produces a beautiful creation. We take our time to observe, listen and feel. Then comes the moment when the idea is there. The right composition or the note that concludes the composition. That's when you have to pick it up, like picking ripe fruit or tasting a ripe wine," he says.
In perfumery, certain encounters were decisive for Sophie. This was the case, for example, from her first exchange with the perfumer Jean Kerléo. In 1985, he introduced her to a world whose wonders resonated with her own roots and values. Shortly after graduating in chemistry, Sophie entered the Isipca perfumery school. She graduated at the top of her class in 1987, which marked the beginning of her career, during which she spent 5 years at Givaudan, then 27 years at IFF, before joining Firmenich in 2019.
Today, when she needs to escape, Sophie immerses herself in the pages of a novel, her favourites being those of Japanese author Aki Shimazaki, whose works she devours, or she closes her eyes and imagines herself back on the wild coast of France. Facing the ocean, she breathes in the salty smell of the immortelle bushes and feels the urge to run towards the sea. When summer comes, he explores the horizon from a catamaran or travels around Italy, one of his favourite destinations. She loves rediscovering the landscapes of Tuscany; the cities that are museums, where every façade is a piece of history; and the fashion of talented Italian designers. Every trip is an inspiration and the beginning of a new story. A story born from a conversation, from a succession of images, from reading, or simply from the discovery of a new ingredient whose fragrance is a promise of creation.
