Zavelier · The perfumers
A Grasse heritage and an imagination drawn to the wider world
Bernard Ellena grew up in Grasse in a family of perfumers. He is the brother of Jean-Claude Ellena, but his own career and compositions form a separate body of work. Before choosing perfumery, he considered war reporting, drawn by an interest in travel, geography and the world beyond home.
In an interview given during a visit to Colombia, Ellena recalled his attraction to literature and painting as well as to places. He compared fragrance materials with musical notes: a shared palette can produce radically different works depending on the composer.
His professional path included work at Roure, Haarmann & Reimer and Symrise. Creations associated with his career range from Colors for Benetton to Beloved Woman for Amouage. The breadth of those commissions offers a way to explore how an experienced perfumer responds to different brands and audiences while continuing to draw on observation and imagination.
Explore the fragrances
Discover the compositions represented at Zavelier. Shared credits identify fragrances created with other perfumers.