Michel Girard

The profession of perfumer is complex and far from widespread. Only a handful of people in the world can claim to make a living from their passion for scents, but a good number of them are French. Indeed, our country is considered the world capital of perfumery, and it is in France that one can attend the best schools with a view to becoming a recognized nose.

Such was the path of perfumer Michel Girard.

Michel Girard, perfumer at Givaudan

Michel Gérard was born in 1957 and now lives in Paris. Yet it was not in the capital that he studied. Indeed, he attended high school in Grasse. Far from being a trivial detail, this was a decisive choice for his future career. Grasse is a Provençal town located not far from Nice, renowned throughout the world since the sixteenth century for occupying a place of choice in the olfactory world. Capital of perfumery, it is surrounded by numerous flower fields and is the source of many masterpieces of today's perfumery. It was thus in 1974 that Michel Girard graduated from the town's Lycée Fénelon. Then, after gaining experience within various companies, he joined Givaudan in 1998. He now holds the position of creative perfumer there, which has allowed him to collaborate with the greatest luxury houses, while at the same time signing true icons of contemporary perfumery.

The olfactory successes of Michel Gérard

Today, Michel Girard boasts a wide range of creations and a well-filled résumé. He has worked for the house of Burberry, having created for them the fragrances Baby Touch and Touch For Women. Likewise, he has created several fragrances for Cerruti, such as Cerruti 1881 Black For Men or Cerruti pour Homme. Christian Lacroix called on him for the fragrance Bazar pour Homme. Lastly, Givenchy entrusted him with the creation of Extravagance d'Amarige. The list of his creations is by now particularly long. Mention could also be made of his collaborations with Guy Laroche or Azzaro. Nevertheless, it is indeed at Paco Rabanne that Michel Girard undoubtedly signed one of the greatest successes of his career. He took part in the creation of the iconic masculine juice 1 Million. Likewise, he has offered multiple reinterpretations of it, such as 1 Million Cologne or 1 Million Intense.

To this day, Michel Girard is still active. He holds a position within Givaudan and his creativity seems limitless. Only the future will tell what his next great success will be...