Floral
Thomas Fontaine
A calling, a family environment, an encounter, a memory... The triggering elements that can give rise to a perfumer are extremely numerous. Every perfume creator thus conceals their own story and did not arrive in this world by chance. Indeed, perfumery is a profession that requires many qualities, both on the scientific and the creative level. What is more, it is a profession that is fairly difficult to master. Add to that the fact that it is reserved for only a privileged few in the world, and one understands that it takes a strong dose of passion and perseverance to break through in this field. Nevertheless, it took much more to discourage Thomas Fontaine, who fell in love with perfumery from a very young age.
Thomas Fontaine's desire to become a perfumer
It was while he was in seventh grade that Thomas Fontaine was seduced for the very first time by the world of perfumery. Indeed, he met a friend of his parents and was literally captivated by his fragrance. As a small anecdote, it was Pour Monsieur by Chanel. This was a true revelation for him! He bought this first fragrance and, as he explored it further, he wondered how it was possible to create such an exceptional perfume. From then on, he set his mind on pursuing studies in this direction and later crafting perfumes similar to this one. Thomas Fontaine therefore turned to scientific studies. After earning a degree in chemistry, he joined the prestigious ISIPCA school in Versailles. Having completed his training at one of the most prestigious perfumery schools in the world, he joined the company Mane, then the world leader in the creation of flavors and fragrances. Nevertheless, Thomas Fontaine's journey did not stop there. He successively joined the companies Charabot, Technico Flor, as well as Procter & Gamble in France, in Germany and then in the United States. He also founded his own perfumery creation and consulting company, Pallida. Throughout his career, Thomas Fontaine has created numerous best-sellers and has collaborated with the greatest creative houses such as L'Occitane, Grès, Ungaro, Sonia Rykiel, Perry Ellis and Dolce & Gabbana. Today, he is the house perfumer of Jean Patou.
Thomas Fontaine at Jean Patou
Since 2011, Thomas Fontaine has become one of the perfumers at the company Jean Patou. If he chose to join this company, it is because its minimalist and somewhat Art Deco world has always attracted him. What is more, fate also played a part and led him one day to meet Bruno Cottard, the current president of Jean Patou, at the very moment when the company was up for sale. This is how he came to have the opportunity to join this prestigious house. For several years now, Thomas Fontaine has been focusing his energy on reformulating the greatest discontinued perfumes of Jean Patou. He thus strives to keep an authentic fine perfumery alive while stamping it with his own signature and adding more modernity to it. Thomas Fontaine says he composes his perfumes according to his own desires. To do so, he draws inspiration as much from a woman as from a painting, a raw material or another scent. An ambitious figure, he is convinced that the future of Jean Patou is more promising than ever. He is already striving to open the path to a different kind of perfumery through the house. Thomas Fontaine stands far from the current dictates of marketing. He leans more toward niche perfumery while carrying a long-standing history behind it.
Creations by Thomas Fontaine
Floral