- Jean-Claude Ellena Perfumer:
Also worked with: Hermes, The Different Company, Givaudan
Education: Chiris
Jean-Claude Ellena is a French perfumer and writer born in Grasse, France, in 1947. At 16, he began his career as an apprentice at Antoine Chiris' essential oil factory in Grasse. Later, he became the first student at Givaudan's newly established perfumery school in Geneva, Switzerland, working for renowned houses like Hermès, The Different Company, and Givaudan.
Deeply influenced by pioneer perfumer Edmond Roudnitska—especially by his articleAdvice to a Young Perfumer—Ellena is also a founding member of the Osmothèque, an international scent archive in Versailles. From 2004 to 2016, he served as Hermès' exclusive in-house perfumer, creating the Hermèssence collection (exclusive to Hermès stores). Prior to joining Hermès, he founded The Different Company and crafted fragrances for other brands.
In 2019, Ellena became Olfactory Creation Director at Le Couvent – Maison de Parfum, developing a contemporary Haute Parfumerie line using noble, rare natural materials and 100% vegan formulas. He has authored books likeThe Diary of a Nose: A Year in the Life of a Parfumeur.
Notable iconic fragrances from his career include:
Terre d'Hermès(2006): A woody-spicy men's classic with grapefruit, pepper, vetiver, and cedar.Eau Parfumée au Thé Vert(Bulgari, 1992): A unisex scent centered on green tea and citrus, later updated asExtrême.Un Jardin en Méditerranée(Hermès): A sunny fragrance capturing Mediterranean gardens with fig, orange blossom, and cedar.First(Van Cleef & Arpels, 1976): A floral aldehyde women's classic with jasmine, rose, and narcissus.Rose Ikebana(Hermèssence): A delicate floral with rose, raspberry, and musk.L'Eau d'Ambre(L'Artisan Parfumeur): A warm, spicy unisex scent with amber, vanilla, and patchouli.Déclaration(Cartier, 1998): A fresh-spicy men's fragrance with bergamot, cardamom, and cedar.Osmanthe Yunnan(Hermèssence): A soft, fruity scent with osmanthus, tea, and apricot.Bois d'Iris(The Different Company): A woody-powdery unisex blend of iris, cedar, and vetiver.Ambre Narguilé(Hermèssence): A cozy fall/winter scent with apple, cinnamon, and vanilla.
Recent works include:
Aqua Mahana(Le Couvent, 2022) andArancia Rossa(Laboratorio Olfattivo, 2022), both unisex.Le Couvent's 2021 unisex releases:Tuberosa,Ambra, andMimosa.Laboratorio Olfattivo's 2021 scents:LimoneandBergamotto.
With a career spanning five decades, Ellena is celebrated for his minimalist approach to natural materials and commitment to preserving perfumery heritage through the Osmothèque. His craftsmanship and creativity continue to inspire global fragrance enthusiasts.
