Kilian Hennessy: "Perfume should be a pleasure" Interview with the founder of Kilian Paris

On February 19th, Kilian Paris arrived in Milan. The luxury fragrance house - renowned for its sophisticated style and refined approach to scents - has opened its first Italian boutique, choosing Corso Matteotti 1, right in the heart of the city. At the same time, the brand launched Angels' Share Paradis, a new fragrance. An intense and enveloping elixir where the sweetness of raspberry meets the elegance of Bulgarian rose, resting on a warm base of cognac, cinnamon, and tonka bean. To celebrate both the opening and the new scent, we had the opportunity to interview Kilian Hennessy, the brand’s founder, right inside his new boutique.

Kilian Paris: interview with the founder Kilian Hennessy

What do you think about TikTok trends that seem drawn to unusual, almost unpleasant scent notes? Why do small brands use them so much?

I wasn’t aware of this trend. Some of these notes, like animalic ones, have actually always been used in perfumery. They help fragrances last longer on the skin. Today, they’re no longer the original ones but synthetic versions that serve the same purpose. I also use gasoline notes, but in moderation. I really like them, I’ve used them in Can't Stop Loving You and Dark Lord. If a floral fragrance is too soft, too pleasant, I use them to add a bit of edge. We have 3,000 scent notes in perfumery, and many of them aren’t necessarily pleasant on their own. Using them is a quick way to stand out, which is why brands go for them. But my question is: even if a scent is unique and different, if it doesn’t actually smell good, will you really enjoy wearing it? That’s where things shift.

If a young person came to you asking how to become a perfumer, what would you tell them?

Go to school. Start there, with the ingredients. It’s a long journey, it takes 10 years. You have to be truly passionate.

And for someone who simply wants to explore perfumes as a consumer?

The best way is to smell samples. Brands now offer small discovery sets. Try them all, see how they make you feel. Do you react to them? Do you enjoy them? Do you like wearing them? Perfume should be a pleasure, not something overly complicated. Enjoy the journey.