Complex yet uncomplicated - Ludovic Bonneton explains how Bon Parfumeur creates excitement
|
|
Time to read 5 min
We all know the feeling all too well…
You treat yourself to a little luxury a special perfume, carefully chosen, beautifully packaged, almost too precious to open. And then? It ends up sitting on the shelf. Too intense for everyday wear, too elegant for spontaneous moments. A scent so exclusive, it feels almost intimidating.
Experimenting? Not easy. Perfumes are expensive, delicate—and mixing them? An art form in itself. Yet many of us long for a fragrance experience that feels alive. Fluid. A reflection of our mood, our moment, our self.
This is exactly where Bon Parfumeur comes in. Instead of chasing opulence, the brand leans into pure transparency. Fragrances that can be combined like colors on a canvas turning the wearer into the artist.
Founder Ludovic Bonneton has made it his mission to make perfume more accessible, more personal—and above all, more playful. In the interview, he explains why fragrance shouldn’t be a monument, but a conversation.
Woodberg: Bon Parfumeur was created for those who see layering as both a form of self-expression and a gateway to the creative process of perfumery. How did you first realize there was a demand for a more interactive fragrance experience?
Bonneton: When I returned from Colombia in 2017, I was struck by how powerfully scents can stir emotion, unlock memories, and tell deeply personal stories. I realized that fragrances don’t need a fixed identity they can be a language, a living form of self-expression. That was the spark behind Bon Parfumeur: a house where people could compose their own narrative, like an olfactory journal.
But honestly, layering wasn’t a new concept to me. I’ve always kept a personal perfume collection, and even before launching the brand, I was instinctively mixing scents without rules, just by feel. For me, layering has always felt natural, almost like getting dressed: you wear a base fragrance like a second skin, then add a lighter touch like a scarf, or something deeper like a coat. It can also be spatial you wear one scent on your skin, another in your hair or on your clothes, to add dimension and movement.
The market was ready for that kind of freedom. People were curious, eager to engage more actively with fragrance but lacked the tools and, frankly, the permission to do so.
With Bon Parfumeur, I wanted to create that playground a modular, transparent approach that gives each person the freedom to discover, feel, and express who they are—one combination at a time.
Woodberg: From a marketing perspective, encouraging customers to combine scents actually makes a lot of sense. And yet, very few perfume houses seem to openly embrace this practice. In your opinion, why is that?
Bonneton: Tradition carries weight. Many heritage houses build their identity on singular, finished compositions beautiful, but often untouchable. Allowing people to combine them means giving up a bit of control to the wearer. That takes humility. At Bon Parfumeur, we see it as a dialogue. We trust our community to co-create and explore something new. Not every brand is willing to allow that kind of freedom.
Woodberg: Is there anything else the big fragrance houses could take to heart?
Bonneton: More transparency. More emotion. Less perfection. A fragrance isn’t just about hierarchy or technical precision – it’s about what it stirs in you. I wish more houses would embrace rawness, contrast, even oddities. That’s often where the beauty lies.
Woodberg: What advice would you give to someone who's thinking about starting their own perfume brand?
Bonneton: Start with yourself and what you genuinely love. Don’t chase trends—follow your intuition. Never forget your “why,” especially when things get tough. Surround yourself with people who are more talented than you—especially perfumers. They are artists. Listen to them. And above all, stay curious.
Woodberg: That’s perfect, because we’re curious for a behind-the-scenes look at Bon Parfumeur – especially when it comes to developing a new scent. How long does it actually take before a fragrance is ready to hit the market?
Bonneton: Anywhere between 9 months and 4 years. Sometimes the first draft is magical. Other times we reformulate endlessly – until the feeling is just right.
Woodberg: You work with a number of talented perfumers – but what comes first: the idea or the perfumer?
Bonneton: It always starts with a spark—a memory, a texture, a place. Then I look for the right perfumer, someone who understands the emotion and translates it without too much filtering. It’s all about alchemy – both human and olfactory.
Woodberg: And what sparks that initial flame for you?
Bonneton: Travel, childhood memories, nature – but also contrasts. Anything tied to emotion: heat and cold, light and shadow, sweetness and spice. I’m obsessed with duality and opposites.
Woodberg: Do potential layering options already play a role during the creation of a new fragrance?
Bonneton: Never. Every perfume is an original and pure creation. It has to stand on its own – but sometimes I imagine it as part of a symphony. I ask myself: what could it be combined with, what story might it tell in a different register?
Woodberg: At this point, we’d love to take a closer look at the purity of your fragrance compositions. From what we understand, you follow an environmentally conscious approach. How does your choice of materials shape your brand’s identity?
Bonneton: We work with the best suppliers in Grasse and around the world. Quality and ethics matter deeply to us. Many of our raw materials are natural and responsibly sourced. It’s the interplay of rare ingredients and multi-layered formulas that defines Bon Parfumeur.
Woodberg: Aside from developing new fragrances – what brings you the most joy in running Bon Parfumeur? Which tasks would you love to spend more time on, and which ones would you gladly leave behind?
Bonneton: I love the conversations with our community – seeing how a fragrance touches someone or becomes part of their life. If I could, I’d spend all my time creating and connecting. The admin and logistics—well, they’re necessary, but they don’t exactly set my heart racing.
Woodberg: If your fragrances could speak, what message would they share with your customers?
Bonneton: If our fragrances could speak, they would say: “Make your life more intense, more beautiful.” Every scent is an invitation – not a prescription. I don’t want to tell people who to be or how to feel. I want perfumes to awaken memories, stir emotions, or sometimes surprise with tension.
For me, fragrance is a personal language. A language that doesn’t shout, but resonates deeply. I want each scent to help people express something honest, something instinctive—something true, just for them.
Woodberg: Only if you’re willing to share – what’s your signature layering combo?
Bonneton: Of course—my favorite combination is a deeply personal one: 502 and 403.
502 is more than just a fragrance to me – it’s a memory. The soft iris, the creamy sandalwood, that delicate powdery facet... it instantly takes me back to the moment I met my wife. There’s something tender and luminous about it, like a gentle light at the beginning of a new chapter. 403, on the other hand, is rooted in my childhood. Its notes of myrrh, incense, and benzoin remind me of evenings spent lost in the tales of One Thousand and One Nights. That mysterious, enveloping scent - rich, warm, a bit mystical - carries the magic and imagination of those stories. Together, they form a contrast I love: intimate and mysterious, delicate and profound. Like a dialogue between who I was, and who I’ve become.
Related Blog Articles
