Meet Our Perfumers

What was the creative brief when you began working on La Vie est Belle in the late 2000s?

"To do this, we transferred notes of vanilla and praline onto iris – which already has a very elaborate structure, almost like a perfume of its own, with its combined floral, woody, and amber facets. This sweet facet created the delectability we were looking for... and it's true that [this edibility] immediately projects Happiness with all its joyful connotations!"

- Dominique Ropion

"The first word was “delectable.” The Lancôme team asked us to imagine a fragrance to give immediate joy to all those who would come across it. That's how we came to weave this gourmand touch into our original iris worked alongside patchouli."

- Anne Flipo

How do you explain that La Vie est Belle is considered timeless?

"That it’s highly faceted plays into its favor: La Vie est Belle’s identity is obvious yet far from simple. Which means you never get tired of it."

- Dominique Ropion

"And it has to be said that we found THE project! The House, the muse, the bottle... everything is masterfully thought out, in perfect coherence. Without Lancôme’s creative lead, this same juice might not have achieved the same impact. But the Maison trusted us, and vice versa. It's a win-win collaboration."

- Anne Flipo

With more than 5,000 trials until the final formula, what stands out from this development period?

"The teams at Lancôme were mainly involved, which opened new possibilities in our choice of ingredients. Once the formula was developed, they ensured that the scent could also be as highly concentrated as possible, which plays a crucial role in its appeal."

- Dominique Ropion

"Let’s consider the context at the time: at IFF, we’d developed Trésor for Lancôme in the 1980s, so this new fragrance was a chance to write another great success story with the House. Expectations were high, but at the same time, the approach was one of positivity. We were lucky to be surrounded by tiny teams, both within IFF and at Lancôme, and to have our colleagues’ complete confidence."

- Anne Flipo