Camille Goutal

The tragic fate of Annick Goutal

The story of the Camille Goutal house began thanks to Annick Goutal, Camille's mother. She is an emblematic figure of the perfume world, creator of the brand bearing her name. Camille Goutal thus grew up under the guidance of this extraordinary woman, an artist at heart. Above all, however, she instilled in her daughter the importance of enjoying life and living out her dreams. Camille Goutal's ambition was in fact to become a photographer. Yet fate decided otherwise. Annick Goutal died prematurely in 1999, and Camille did not have the heart to abandon her creations. She felt within herself the need to draw strength from her mother's perfumes. She thus divided her life between her love of photography and her work at the family business.

Camille Goutal's creations

Although Camille Goutal had been immersed in the world of perfume since her earliest childhood, she still had everything to learn in this field. Isabelle Doyen, the nose who worked alongside her mother, taught her the basics of the craft. Camille Goutal's first fragrances were thus created four-handed, or rather with four noses. This budding creator set no limits on herself and, above all, let her instincts of the moment guide her. Staying true to the spirit of the house's founder, each perfume signed Camille Goutal is a way of telling a story. They are at once subtle, housed in precious bottles, and exude a breath of elegance. In fact, Camille Goutal confides that her mother passed on to her the image of a peaceful femininity, neither pretty nor not pretty, simply at ease with oneself. This is exactly what is found in her perfumes. Far removed from the concerns of luxury giants, the Goutal house stands as a free spirit. Each of the brand's launches is done without advertising, never exceeding a budget of €20,000, compared to millions for other houses. This is a deliberate choice and, according to Camille Goutal, grants greater freedom. Some of her fragrances are thus light, while others prove to be more complex.

Among the greatest creations signed Camille Goutal, two have become particularly famous, namely Petite Chérie and l'Eau d'Hadrien. Overall, Camille Goutal is a free spirit and an advocate of letting go. Each of her perfumes reflects this outlook on life, and Camille simply says that the day it no longer works, she will do something else. Her detachment is surprising but, after all, is this not the key to success and happiness?