Perfumes de Michelle Moellhausen

“The aromas and fragrances recorded in my memory become continuous bonds, and I always must remain connected to them. It’s like a memory exercise, a task that involves the nasal passages and stimulates the brain—searching for adjectives that describe a sensory experience, which is also a metaphor—a story—a creation”. – Michelle Moellhausen.

Her multicultural background makes Michelle Moellhausen herself a precious blend of essences. In Milan, on May 5, 1989, Michelle was born to a Paraguayan mother of Dutch origin and a father of German origin.

SOLID EDUCATIONAL BASE

Growing up between Paraguay and Italy, Michelle followed a broad, multidisciplinary educational path that established a cultural and experiential foundation on which she was able to cultivate a free and conscious vision, staying open to debates and new perspectives. Throughout her life, Michelle’s world has been characterized by constant and versatile openness.

Since childhood, Michelle has spoken and studied four languages: English, French, Spanish, and Italian, the language of her country of birth. After completing high school, she studied International Business and Management in Boston, where she graduated cum laude. Finally, Michelle rounded out her training at the Grasse Institute of Perfumery, a prestigious international perfumery school. Taken together, Michelle has followed a harmonious and natural course of studies for a young woman from the Moellhausen family, which has more than 50 years of tradition in the fragrance industry.

GLOBAL CULTURE

Her origins and education have instilled in Michelle a fully multicultural perspective. “My love of traveling has been a tremendous advantage in my training in the perfume industry. The charm of nature inspires me to use particular ingredients from exotic origins and, above all, natural ones”.

SKILLS RECOGNIZED INTERNATIONALLY

Michelle has worked with the company since 2012 and currently holds the delicate and complex position of R&D Director. Here she focuses mainly on the development of fragrances and advanced ingredients for “modern” perfumers who require special technical and creative elements. Sometimes, inspiration comes from a simple intuition, driven by technique, knowledge, and experience. Michelle has the ability to predict and understand positive interactions between raw materials.

“An example is Petit Grain, an essential oil obtained from the twigs and leaves of the bitter orange tree (Citrus aurantium amara L.) and one of the main ingredients in perfumery. It’s a typical material of Paraguay, a country I feel very connected to both through old memories from my childhood and through recent experiences. Interacting with others to create perfumes is also deeply satisfying and energizes the challenge: an endless challenge”. Based on her skills, Michelle has been welcomed as a member of the “Société Française des Parfumeurs” and of the Women in Flavor and Fragrance Commerce Inc.

INSPIRATION

The world is Michelle’s “perfume chamber”. “My research allows me to express myself in the most interesting art form. I have always felt driven to understand things, to examine them and connect them. Perfumery allows me to temporarily step out of the world, follow my intuition to focus, analyze, and deepen a problem without external limitations. Perfumery makes me feel free”. For Michelle, creating with fragrances is the culmination of her extensive experience; her ability to communicate, listen, and tune in with her clients; and her aptitude for drawing inspiration from both the natural world and the dreams of those who will wear the perfume.

CREATIVITY AS A FRUIT OF EXPERIENCE

Michelle’s enthusiasm intensifies when she works on a new perfume. “The emotion of discovery! That ingredient that seems insignificant but turns out to be a change factor in a given composition! Infinite combinations and possibilities for creating something new in a world where sometimes it seems like everything has already been done!”.

Michelle’s career is also marked by the unique experiences she lives with her father Anthony, traveling around the world visiting plantations, small and large producers of essential oils and other plant derivatives, various types of industries, and conferences about flavors and fragrances. “Ever since I was old enough to understand, I’ve always accompanied my father to conferences of the IFEAT [International Federation of Essential Oils and Aroma Trades]. Each year I eagerly looked forward to this event, which involved traveling to distant countries with characteristics extremely different from one another. These trips meant daily discoveries, since we visited cities and fields, plantations, artisans, and unusual industries. I was in a state of continuous amazement throughout these multisensory experiences, and the associated tastes and smells from these travels have been imprinted in my memory. Only now do I truly understand the tremendous opportunity that was given to me. Even today, I often experience aromas that awaken my memories of IFEAT travels.”

TALENT AND VALUES

There is still much to learn, and the family tradition of innovation spans many generations. “I’m not tied to limiting clichés. I hope to be able to reinvent myself in the future, and always stay up to date and in constant progress. Although I’m drawn to traditional values, I’m modern at heart and always seek to move forward toward new expressions and creative activities. Through development and love for fragrances, I become more and more authentic; I get closer to my true self.” Michelle’s talent is fueled by her love and expressed through the high value she places on the successful creation of new fragrances.

VITALITY AND AWARENESS

Michelle’s lifelong commitment to discovery and evolution reflects the vitality of a young professional who loves learning and understanding—from yoga to multi-ethnic cooking, from modern art to architecture—and with an especially attentive eye to fashion and cosmetics trends. With an awareness similar to that of the Impressionist painters, whom she knows and loves, Michelle Moellhausen shows an ability to capture, gather, and assemble the “en plein air” suggestions that the world and nature provide to her.