Delphine Jelk | Perfumer

From fashion design to the living heritage of Guerlain

Delphine Jelk first moved from Switzerland to Paris to study fashion at ESMOD, specialising in menswear. A project translating the qualities of fabrics into scent introduced another creative possibility and redirected her towards perfumery.

La Petite Robe Noire became an important early milestone, followed by a wider role within Guerlain. Her work has included L’Art & La Matière and Aqua Allegoria as well as new interpretations of the house’s fragrance families. In 2025, she was introduced by the Fragrance Foundation France as Guerlain’s perfumer and director of creation.

Jelk describes the house perfumer’s responsibilities as extending beyond new launches. Maintaining the quality and continuity of existing perfumes, working on necessary reformulations and understanding the archive are also part of the role. Direct contact with ingredient suppliers can generate new ideas: a particular organic neroli from Morocco, for example, helped inspire Néroli Plein Sud. Her practice connects contemporary creation with the care of a substantial perfume heritage.