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Jean-Pierre Bethouart
A native son of the Picardy region of northern France, Jean-Pierre Bethouart started out in chemistry, although he was always interested in art and creation. Today, he has designed more than 20 different fragrances. We mentioned him in September’s News column. In fact, Jean-Pierre Bethouart is all over the place right now, as he has recently created “ange ou démon" (with Olivier Cresp), Givenchy's latest scent; Smiley, with Oraïto, "Belle en Rykiel" by Sonia Rykiel and more.
With his usual relaxed sense of humor, he agreed to play the game of answering Proust’s famous questionnaire.
What is your main character trait?
Patience. I do things slowly. I think that a perfume designer needs to be patient; we’re constantly undoing what we just did and starting over…
What do you look for in men?
Humility.
What do you look for in women?
Generosity, both moral… and physical
Aside from yourself, who would you like to be?
My twin sister!
Where would you like to live?
On the moon, or in the moon! I like everything related to a dream-like sensibility.
What was the first fragrance you wore?
A cologne, Le Cordon Rouge by Coty
What is your favorite color?
Green. It provides such a wide palette of nuances, it can be very luminous, or denser and more romantic. But I only ever wear black!
Your favorite flower?
Roses. Maybe it’s because of my roots in Picardy …
Your favorite smell?
The smell of toast. It puts me in a good mood in the morning!
Which is your favorite among the fragrances you’ve designed?
Parfum sacré by Caron
What’s your favorite fragrance designed by someone else?
Diorella by Dior, designed by Edmond Roudnitska.
The fragrance you wish you had designed?
Diorella again, and CHANEL 19, too.
Your favorite author?
I love all the 19 th-century Romantics: Balzac, Zola, Hugo, Dumas… I also really enjoy comic books, especially ones by Pratt, Manara and Serpieri.
Your bedside book?
Right now I’m reading The Last Chevalier, by Alexandre Dumas
Your favorite movie director?
Spielberg, plus directors of westerns.
Your cult film?
Ben Hur: I love costume pieces and westerns. In fact, I love all those films from the 50s, with that escapist, comic-book feel they had.
What about music?
I have very eclectic tastes: I love the bluesmen, like Lucky Peterson, BB King, Sonny Boy Williamson, et al., but also jazz with a swing accordion, and Django and his heirs! For French music: Brel, Cabrel and Polnareff. And in Classical music, I’m quite fond of the Romantics.
Your favorite drink?
Beer.
The thing you hate most of all?
The smell of garlic.
The innate talent you’d most like to have?
The gift of ubiquity
Your motto?
Everything comes to those who wait.
Jean-Pierre Bethouart, angel or devil?
Do they really exist?