Joséphine Catapano

Joséphine Catapano, a bold woman

Joséphine Catapano was born in 1919, in New York. In her time, women still very rarely worked. What is more, the world of perfumery was exclusively reserved for men. In fact, it only opened up to women quite recently. Until the 70s, women practicing this profession were still rare. Thus, Joséphine Catapano was one of the first women to become a perfume creator in the United States. On the other hand, unlike today's trend of regularly changing companies, at the time it was quite common to spend one's entire career within the same company. As a result, Joséphine Catapano spent her whole professional life within the company International Flavor and Fragrances. Of international scale, it already enjoyed, at the time, immense recognition. Indeed, IFF was founded in 1833. A specialist in creating perfumes for the perfume industry and flavors for the food industry, it is today among the world leaders in its sector, just behind Givaudan. Thus, through this company, Joséphine Catapano had the opportunity to collaborate with numerous prestigious houses.

Joséphine Catapano's creations

Joséphine Catapano was a talented woman gifted with an extraordinary artistic sense. Moreover, her way of working was particularly praised by the Estée Lauder group as well as by Shiseido. As a result, these two houses called upon her services very many times. Among the greatest successes of her career, Joséphine Catapano created the perfumes Youth Dew for Estée Lauder in 1953, Fidji for Guy Laroche in 1966, then Norell in 1968. Likewise, her overflowing ambition and unmatched know-how earned her several awards. In 1980, Joséphine Catapano won a Cosmetic Career Women's Award. Likewise, in 1993, Joséphine Catapano received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Society of Perfumers. A true source of inspiration for women today, Joséphine Catapano greatly contributed to female emancipation. A true trailblazer in her field, Joséphine Catapano is a woman who still inspires, today, profound admiration from her peers. A source of inspiration for many perfumers, she is notably regarded as the mentor of the perfumer Sophia Grojsman. She does not hesitate to say that it was this talented woman who made her want to one day pursue this profession.