Lou Doillon

Lou Doillon is 19 and she has just signed a 5-year contract with Givenchy. She also stars in "Nana", a made-for-TV movie, directed by Edouard Molinaro, which will come out in October.

By Michèle Dokan (05/2001)

Easy-going, modern, and between laughs and violence, the daughter of singer Jane Birkin and film director Jacques Doillon is the very image of today's young women.

What perfume do you wear ?

I like L'Heure Bleue by Guerlain a lot, but I wear guys' perfumes, I find that they are less strong. I like Cacharel for Men, Chanel for Monsieur, Kenzo for Men.

Do you always wear the same perfume ?

I often change eau de toilettes. I never wear the same perfume two days in a row, but I always stick to six or seven scents.
Starting in October, you will be Givenchy's spokesmodel. Can you tell us more about it ?
I know that the house is creating a new perfume, which I will be presenting in a year and a half. It's rather exciting as I am very much interested in their creations. I never imagined there was so much work involved.

Will you have to adopt a more sophisticated look ?

Luckily, I don't. The way I am in life, it wouldn't take long before I break the sophisticated image of the ad. Moreover, my contract gives me the freedom to play in any movie. Elizabeth Hurley isn't so lucky with Estée Lauder. Fortunately for me, fashion has taken a drastic turn for the better as people are more tolerant and they look more for "faces" than for "beauties".

What is the scent of your childhood ?

I haven't smelled it in a long time. It was the smell that came from the garden when my father mowed the lawn of our country house in Normandy. The smell of fresh grass. I believe that if today someone mowed a lawn in front of me, it would bring back a flood of old memories. It would bring back the images of Jacques (Doillon) in the garden while Mom picked cherries with me.Do you remember what perfume your mother used to wear when you were a child ?
She doesn't wear perfumes a lot and she often changes. Though I remember very well the bottles of Shalimar and L'Heure Bleue in the bathroom. I remember especially the ambiance fragrances that she sprayed in every room.

Do you also enjoy fragrances in your apartment ?

I have lots of candles and incenses at home. I prefer Japanese incenses because they have a less strong smell than Indian incenses, which I used to love. They ended up grossing me out because they are too strong. I use candles less because they are expensive. Since I let them burn all night, the next day it's all gone. I like candles made by Dyptique, they have such a vast selection. I have a passion for the jasmine-scented or honeysuckle-scented ones.

What was your first perfume ?

My first perfume was a present from Serge Gainsbourg. It was from the Nain Bleu, the famous Parisian toy store. I think I was four or five. He gave me a big trunk full of dolls, a porcelain tea-set, clothes and a perfume for my dolls and me.

Do you like smelling cologne on men ?

I love Kenzo for Men. Someone very dear to me used to wear it and I love the smell. I go crazy whenever I smell it on someone.

What smell do you hate ?

I hate the smell of warm milk. My father hates warm milk, and when I was a child, I decided that I didn't like it either. I don't like my dog's smell either. Spike is a 7-year-old English bulldog. The smell of his coat is sometimes my favorite smell when he is clean, but when he is wet, phew!