Perfumer
Caroline Dumur
Caroline Dumur is a perfumer at IFF, and her passion for aromas dates back to her childhood on her grandparents’ farm in the north of France. She was surrounded by the fragrances of flowers, cheese, hay and animals, which sharpened her sense of smell and sparked her fascination with the world of perfumery.
As she grew up, Caroline was exposed to various perfumes used by the women in her life, and she absorbed every olfactory impression to remember them forever. Her parents, both editors, introduced her to the biographies of master perfumers and the history of perfumery, strengthening her desire to become a perfumer.
Caroline pursued her passion by obtaining a degree in fragrance and flavour chemistry, before attending ISIPCA to study her Master’s. For her, fragrance is the realisation of an idea born from the instinctive association of different materials, and each composition bears the imprint of its creator.
Her preference for certain materials is her main inspiration, and she does not shy away from challenges. Caroline does not shy away from excessive, dark and mysterious pairings. She likes to quote Ingres, whom she deeply admires, and loves the way he works with textures, his freedom of style that makes room for what is real and beautiful. For Caroline, it is simply a matter of interpretation—doing things her way and using her own perceptions.
Overall, Caroline is intuitive, mysterious and very perceptive, and her compositions are filled with different colours and materials that evoke emotions and feelings. She is always ready for a challenge, and her love of warm materials and freshly distilled ones continues to inspire her to this day. Caroline is aiming high in her career and, as she likes to say: "Aim for the moon; even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars".
