Camille GOUTAL
More than just the daughter of a legendary perfumer, Camille Goutal is keeping an elegant heritage alive with her unique spirit. By Li Ying Lim.
We must talk about fragrance; Let’s start with your favourite? The one I wear and the one that suits me the most is Songes, which I created for myself. It evokes the scent of frangipani flowers at dusk on the shores of a beach somewhere on the other side of the world. The new fragrances that you have created seem to possess a certain floral trail in the composition ... I’m fond of white flowers – I find them bewitching and mysterious. Tell us about the renovated boutique in Paris. Does it keep to the original spirit of the brand? It’s still in the spirit of the brand, but more luminous and fresh. We wanted the place to be more luxurious as well to give our customers a more magical experience, and I think that can be achieved by paying attention even to the finer details. Your beauty secrets? I hydrate my skin a lot focusing on my eyes, and hardly ever wear lipstick during the day. But I am fond of Chanel – I love the lipsticks. I use a lot of dark blue, dark green, and black colours for the eyes yes from MAC’s Powerpoint range. I count t Clarins Double Serum and Lancôme Renergie as essentials, and Chanel Démaquillant Yeux for the eye area. Take us through the journey of making a perfume, from the inspiration to the final scent. Isabelle Doyen, who collaborates closely y with me, and I always start with a clear r idea, a fragrant note that already exists in our head. We can smell it even before it’s t’s created. For this, we draw on memories s and experiences, our holidays, books we’ve read, the music we listen to, the paintings ngs we love ... All these feed us one way or another, and we always return to nature ure because it is so rich. Annick Goutal Songes EDP, RM715 (100ml) L’Oréal Paris Lash sh Architect ct 4D Waterproof roof Mascara, a, RM54.90 0 Bobbi Brown Nude Glow Shimmer Brick, RM170 Is there a place that moves you? Inspiration is something more intellectual than concrete for me. It’s hard to explain. If I had to choose, I’d say Polynesia for the flowers, or any forest for all the different scents of trees, flowers, moss, and wild grass, and the south of France for the warm scent of little bushes everywhere. Speaking of Polynesia, we heard you fell in love with it recently. It’s magical! I’m longing to go back and try the resort in Taha’a, an island near Tahiti. I also can’t live without Monoï. It’s a Tahitian oil with an amazing scent. I use it in my bath, on my hair, body, and face. How do you stay in shape? By eating normally and stopping when I’m not hungry anymore. I ride my horse for exercise, which is the best therapy ever! Wise words from your mother? “Never wear strong make-up on your eyes and mouth at the same time during the day, d and always check your makeup in natural light.” Of course, there are bound to t be comparisons with your mother, Annick. How do you feel fe about this inevitability? My M mother used to say, “I’m guided by nature n and its wonders... My emotions are transformed t into fragrances, I’m carried along by a dream I call Perfume.” I think this sums up our creativity perfectly and my mother’s voice still resonates strongly in everything I do.