Zavelier · The perfumers
From the Baie de Somme and chemistry to fine fragrance
Jean-Pierre Béthouart was born in Saint-Valéry-sur-Somme in 1947. Drawing and the landscapes of the Baie de Somme were early interests, but he chose chemistry studies with the intention of becoming a laboratory technician.
A job application at Colgate-Palmolive introduced him to the intensity of fragrance materials. He spent ten years working in soap manufacture and developed into a perfumer before Roure recruited him in 1981 for scented toiletries. Successful projects opened the way towards fine fragrance.
He joined Firmenich in 1988. His credited creations include Boucheron, Caron Parfum Sacré, Cacharel Némo and Sonia Rykiel Belle en Rykiel, with shared authorship where applicable. Béthouart’s career illustrates a route into perfume through the practical demands of everyday products: understanding how a fragrance behaves in use, then carrying that knowledge into the composition of a standalone perfume.
Explore the fragrances
Discover the compositions represented at Zavelier. Shared credits identify fragrances created with other perfumers.
- Givenchy Ange ou Démon Eau de ParfumShared credit: Jean-Pierre Bethouart · Olivier Cresp