Alberto Morillas is a Spanish perfumer and has created numerous well-known fragrances. With the star he talked about trends and gender boundaries and explained what makes a perfume really special.
Whether Yves Saint Laurent, Kenzo, Cartier, Giorgio Armani or Dolce & Gabbana: Alberto Morillas has already created cult fragrances for all these well-known luxury brands. The 72-year-old is a well-known perfumer and one can certainly call him a master of his craft. And this despite the fact that he started out as a career changer: as a teenager he was so fascinated by an interview with Jean-Paul Guerlain in the fashion magazine “Vogue” that he decided without further ado to become a perfumer himself. He was then hired by the fragrance manufacturer Firmenich, although the Spaniard had no prior knowledge of chemistry. Nevertheless, he was accepted – and in 1998 he was promoted to chief perfumer.
Alberto Morillas also runs his own brand Mizensir. In addition to scented candles, the Spaniard has focused primarily on unisex fragrances. The special thing about his own brand: All his creations tell very personal stories about his travels around the world, about his childhood and his roots in Andalusia. These personal connections are particularly important. His latest creation, “VERT Empire”, is also based on this. The master perfumer was inspired by the green and natural vitality of his garden at the end of winter, he says. His scents are always surprising and rich in contrast, such as the scent “L’Envers du Paradis”where, for example, pink pepper and green cardamom meet.
In an interview with the star spoken.
Even as a customer, it is a long process to find the “perfect” perfume. How long does it take you to create a new fragrance that is “perfect” for you?
I’m not interested in perfection. I’m looking for contrast and surprise. Perfection does not exist in perfumery and it is often an imperfection that gives a perfume its signature.
Then a fragrance doesn’t have to be perfect until you know you’re done with a new creation?
There is no such thing as perfect in perfumery. Time decides whether a perfume is ready. Often I even go backwards in my creations because we always think that the last modification will be perfect, but that’s not true. The last touch is often too much.
Over the years you have certainly found favorite ingredients that you particularly like to use and that are typical for you.
I could never create a perfume without natural essences combining with synthetic molecules to create a different character.
Your creations are popular. How do you know what customers want?
People want different but soothing creations. So I need to know where to draw the line between different and comforting and avoid both extremes. So there are many avenues to explore before I find the right one.
Have you ever had something like a lucky coincidence?
Yes absolutely. Every day, every time I try or experiment, I expect to be surprised because every attempt is an unexpected surprise – awful or wonderful.
What feelings do your perfumes generally express: confidence, happiness, courage?
Above all, they express a surprise and emotions of happiness, well-being, pleasure or fascination.
Melancholic feelings can also be there?
People will feel emotions when they smell the perfumes I create. Sometimes their feeling will be one of pleasure, sometimes nostalgia can be a part of it.
What are the ingredients of a positive perfume?
Fragrance notes reminiscent of fruit and citrus, things that people easily understand.
There have certainly been some very special scents in your career that you remember fondly.
Each fragrance has its specificity and signature to make people dream. The most iconic for me Calvin Klein’s “CK One”, which has become a perfume classic and above all a unisex fragrance. A new vision of perfume that has no gender but is just an emotion. I could name several, like “Aqua di Gio” or “Flower” by Kenzowhich in their own way influenced a particular period in perfumery.
Do you see a particular trend these days? Some ingredients that you would consider trending?
Praline and vanilla, notes of chocolate, sweetness. And be careful if it’s too trendy, you need to reverse the trend.
Do you notice a change when it comes to buying a perfume? Vegan perfumes seem to be getting more attention.
For a long time I was very, very fond of animal ingredients, but it’s difficult to deal with all these rules these days.
You have already mentioned a unisex fragrance: I could imagine that the demand for these perfumes will also increase.
It all started in the early 90’s with Calvin Klein’s “CK One”, which has become a perfume classic and above all a unisex fragrance. A new vision of perfume that has no gender but is just an emotion. Additionally, in Middle Eastern cultures, perfumes have no gender. So it’s the emotion you feel when you wear a perfume that counts.
I have a feeling that one day we won’t need to separate perfumes for men and perfumes for women at all as we break free from gender “boundaries”.
Yes, I agree with you. In fact, there are no men’s or women’s fragrances in my Mizensir perfumes collection either. What matters is the emotion you feel when you wear it.
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