Claire Liégent: The Perfumer-Oenologist, from the Champagne of Her Childhood to the Great Fruity Champagnes of the East

Claire Liégent is a French perfumer with a unique background: Coming from a background in oenology and having trained under the biggest names in the industry, she now creates fragrances at the fine perfumery studio of Takasago, which she joined in 2023 after a long international career at IFF. Her style bears the mark of her origins: fragrances conceived as flavor accords—juicy, precise, and vibrant—where fruit is crafted like a grand cru.

This sensory approach is not just a metaphor: in the book *art(ists) of perfumery* published by IFF, it is this approach that captures the synaesthesia between perfume, gastronomy, and wine—that ability to create a dialogue between the nose and the palate that infuses all of her creations. Her featured fragrances have an average rating of 7.9/10 among enthusiasts on the specialized platform Parfumo, and her recognition has just reached a new milestone: she is a finalist for the 2026 Fragrance Foundation Awards, the industry’s most prestigious awards ceremony.

For lovers of oriental perfumes, her name is synonymous with an iconic creation: she co-created, alongside her mentor Dominique Ropion, Rasasi’s iconic fruity chypre fragrance for women—one of the absolute bestsellers in Dubai’s perfume industry.

An Exceptional Journey: From Oenology to the School of the Greatest Noses

Claire Liégent grew up in the heartland of great champagnes, where she learned from childhood to smell wines, recognize their flavors, and track their evolution over the years. This precocious palate naturally led her to study oenology, until a turning point: an article about the profession of perfumer, followed by a meeting with Jean-Paul Guerlain at a trade show, introduced her to an art form that brought together all her passions. In 2007, she enrolled at ISIPCA, the prestigious Parisian school of perfumery, and gained experience first at Symrise and then at IFF.

What followed was an apprenticeship with the masters: two years of training with perfumer Pierre Wargnye at IFF Paris, winning an internal competition, and then four years of apprenticeship in fine perfumery with Dominique Ropion as a mentor, one of the greatest living perfumers. Her career then took her from New York to Grasse, where she worked at LMR, a subsidiary specializing in natural ingredients, and on to São Paulo: five mentors, three continents, and a deep appreciation for rare ingredients.

An entrepreneur at heart, she co-founded the renowned Parisian niche perfume boutique Nose in 2012, demonstrating a vision of fragrance that extends beyond the laboratory. In 2023, she joined the Fine Fragrance Studio at Takasago, a leading Japanese fragrance house, where she continues to create scents she describes as a balance between intuition and a touch of boldness, underpinned by a complete mastery of the technical and aesthetic aspects of formulation.

Her breakthrough came in 2026: her creation, Insuline Safrine, for the Première Peau brand, was selected as a finalist for the Fragrance Foundation Awards, alongside the industry’s biggest names. A remarkable journey—from apprentice in Champagne to award-winning perfumer—that makes every fragrance by Claire Liégent a signature creation in its own right.

Shop Claire Liégent's signature fragrances online

If you'd like to explore Claire Liégent's world through her most iconic creation in our catalog, treat yourself to Hawas for Her by Rasasi, the iconic fruity-floral chypre fragrance for women that she co-created with Dominique Ropion: a story of mentor and protégé that has become one of the most beloved women’s fragrances in Oriental perfumery.

This fragrance perfectly illustrates his synesthetic style: a juicy opening of pomegranate, apple, and grapefruit, crafted to evoke the sensation of biting into a piece of fruit; a couture heart of iris and sambac jasmine; and a base of praline and patchouli with a sophisticated, indulgent quality, grounded by earthy notes. Fruit treated like a grand cru: the essence of Liégent’s signature style in a single bottle.

And to learn more about the school she attended, check out her mentor’s work in our selection dedicated to Dominique Ropion : Comparing the master and the apprentice is one of the most enlightening pleasures of niche perfumery.

For customers seeking a signature fragrance, a designer fragrance, or a premium scent, the name Claire Liégent serves as a true mark of trust. It enhances the perceived value of the product and offers a more expert interpretation of its composition: the product is no longer seen as a mere commercial item, but as a creation driven by a recognized vision and expertise.