Thomas Fontaine, creating today, bringing yesterday back to life

(c) DR.

Thomas Fontaine holds a special place in French perfumery. An independent perfumer, creator of numerous fragrances for heritage houses, and founder of Pallida, he also fulfills an important cultural role: he has chaired the Osmothèque since July 2020.

His career offers an interesting common thread for an editorial profile: the relationship between contemporary creation and the preservation of olfactory heritage. Thomas Fontaine belongs to that generation of perfumers who are as familiar with the constraints of commercial creation as with the demands of historical reconstruction.

The origins of an early vocation

Thomas Fontaine discovered his fascination with perfumes at a very young age. According to his own statements, he knew as early as the ninth grade that he wanted to become a perfumer.

His interest in scents first led him to study chemistry, then to ISIPCA in Versailles, one of the leading French schools specializing in perfumery. He joined the class sponsored by Jean Patou, a detail that would take on particular importance later in his career.

He graduated in 1989. His training gave him a scientific knowledge of raw materials and composition, the foundation on which he would later build an international career that would take him to some of the best-known names in perfumery, though each time in different roles.

Training in close contact with major fragrance houses

Before spreading his own wings, Thomas Fontaine honed his skills alongside several major players in the perfume industry.

He began at Procter & Gamble, where an initial creation reached the market in 1995: Soho, for the Betrix brand. He then joined Technico-Flor, followed by Charabot, a Grasse-based house whose history is closely intertwined with that of French perfumery, before continuing his career at MANE, an international fragrance composition group.

From France to Germany and on to the United States, these various experiences allowed him to explore several facets of the profession. He discovered the demands of large-scale perfumery, the fragrance development processes for international brands, and the expectations of houses with more distinctive olfactory identities. This hands-on training would later give him great freedom in his collaborations.

Pallida, the freedom to create

In 2009, Thomas Fontaine took a new step by founding Pallida, his own fragrance creation and consulting company. There, he found a space of freedom that allowed him to put his experience at the service of houses with very different histories and ambitions. His list of collaborations reflects this diversity: Lubin, Jean Patou, Grès, Jean-Charles Brosseau, Sonia Rykiel, Ungaro, L'Occitane, and Dolce & Gabbana. From French heritage houses to major international names, he moves between olfactory worlds, each requiring a particular approach.

This independence, however, did not distance him from the great historic houses. In November 2011, he joined Designer Parfums as in-house perfumer. The group then entrusted him with supervising olfactory creation for several brands in its portfolio, including Jean Patou, Worth, and Jean-Louis Scherrer.

It was at Jean Patou that this responsibility took on a particular dimension. The house carries a considerable legacy, embodied in particular by Joy, one of the great perfumes of the 20th century. Thomas Fontaine created Joy Forever, a contemporary interpretation of its famous rose and jasmine accord. A delicate exercise that illustrates his ability to work with a house’s memory without giving up a contemporary creative expression.

Le Galion, a dialogue between a glorious past and contemporary creation

The revival of the historic brand Le Galion, undertaken in 2014 under the impetus of Nicolas Chabot, offers Thomas Fontaine a particularly interesting field of expression.

The perfumer took part in bringing several of the house’s historic references back into the spotlight, including Snob, Iris and Whip, working to preserve their olfactory identity while taking contemporary regulatory constraints into account.

An exercise in memory and precision that finds an extension in an original creation: Tulipe, launched in 2020 to celebrate the house’s 90th anniversary. Inspired by the aesthetic of Flemish still lifes, this green floral combines the vegetal freshness of tulip with jasmine, narcissus and ylang-ylang, on a base of musk and cedar. Thomas Fontaine also pays tribute here to Paul Vacher, founder of Le Galion’s olfactory identity and an art lover.

Two approaches that illustrate his ability to create a dialogue between a house’s heritage and a contemporary style of writing.

The Osmothèque: preserving olfactory memory

In July 2020, Thomas Fontaine succeeded Patricia de Nicolaï as president of the Osmothèque in Versailles.

This institution, founded in 1990 at the initiative of Jean Kerléo, Yuri Gutsatz, and several other perfumers, has the mission of preserving the perfumes and formulas that bear witness to the evolution of global perfumery.

In an interview given to The Fragrance Foundation France in January 2023, Thomas Fontaine describes three major missions:

1. Preservation: preserving existing perfumes, original formulas, and discontinued creations.

2. Transmission: sharing the history of perfumery with professionals, students, and the general public.

3. Research: rediscovering, reconstructing, and studying ancient compositions.

During this interview, he indicates that the Osmothèque's collection includes more than 5,000 creations, including more than 800 discontinued perfumes. He also explains that the Osmothèque brings around fifteen discontinued perfumes back to life each year thanks to the work of its perfumers.

His commitment therefore goes beyond a simple institutional role. He advocates a conception of perfume as a cultural, artistic, and historical object whose memory deserves to be preserved and shared.

The man behind the perfumer

Thomas Fontaine is passionate about classical music and sings as a baritone in his free time. Music holds an important place in his life and fuels his creative imagination.

He also has a strong interest in gastronomy and history. When asked about his childhood olfactory memories, he evokes the undergrowth of Sologne. For culinary smells, he spontaneously cites saffron and pepper.

He is particularly fond of notes of patchouli, rose, leather, and saffron. He admits, however, to a certain aversion to sulfurous notes.

Thomas Fontaine’s creations on SCENTISSIME

Explore these perfumes and many more in our online store, and don’t hesitate to take our Fragrance Diagnosis to discover the fragrance that will perfectly match your desires. Follow us on Instagram for more real-time updates. To enjoy the exclusive benefits of our loyalty and referral program, simply click here: The List.