Romano Ricci, French perfumer, creator of Juliette has a Gun
I am the descendant of a creative family that liberates itself from conventions and explores new territories
I am the great grandson of fashion couturier and perfume queen Nina Ricci and grandson of perfumer Robert Ricci. Nina was a pioneer in haute-couture.
She left Torino to settle in Paris in the early century and created a particularly feminine style at a time when fashion was more about 'garçonne'. Her style charmed the world of fashion.
In the late '40s, Robert (my grandfather), decided to diversify the company's activities and started to create perfumes.
Being the only male heir, everyone, especially my grandfather, assumed I would take over and run the Nina Ricci house. However, that never happened because I had other plans.
I was initiated ...
... into the perfumery secrets by my grandfather who respected tradition and had a vision of femininity which inspires me even today. He taught me the principles of perfumery and how to (work with) them.
I graduated from business school before I received formal training in the perfumery industry. I had always wanted to be a creator (of perfumes) but the action really began in the late 1990s.
Tragedy struck when I lost my grandfather and then my father. The company then began to face difficulties and was sold to a Spanish business group. Suddenly I was on my own and needed to move ahead.
I decided to chart my own destiny and embark on an adventure. From 2000-2005, I worked with major companies in the perfumery industry at all stages of creation and marketing.
This enhanced my technical knowledge. In 2005, I launched my fragrance Juliette has a Gun totally independent from the Nina Ricci Group ... and have never looked back.
I was inspired by ...
... Shakespeare's heroine Juliet from the play Romeo and Juliet and created a new perfume called Juliette has a Gun. A gun-toting Juliette evokes an image of a dangerous woman.
However, my Juliette is harmless because the heat she packs in is a rose. So far I have launched two fragrances - Lady Vengeance and Miss Charming - for women ages 22-40. Three more are to come.
Basically, these play on the duality of a woman - soft and charming but can also do anything it takes to settle a score.
Perfume making as an art
These days, everybody makes perfumes. But this isn't how it should be. The creation of perfumes is the job of an explorer, a tracker and searcher of scents and emotions.
It saddens me to see the creation of fragrances being dictated by market studies. The end product has no personality and doesn't create any emotion (in the wearer).
That is one of the reasons I decided to create a fragrance (on my own). In my creations, I really try to translate feelings into scents. My source of inspiration is my sensitivity, personal life and the vision I have of the world.
Nothing comes on a silver platter in the business world. I meet new challenges everyday. However, I work very hard and do not take 'No' for an answer. Achieving something is essentially a matter of convictions, and you need to stick to them.
One of the materials that fascinate me ...
is the essence of roses ... because it is scarce and can (arouse different emotions). The rose essence is one of the most expensive ingredients in perfumery. This means it is nearly impossible for mainstream brands to use it. Thus they will never match the quality of our product.
Lady Vengeance and Miss Charming ...
... are different perfumes. They are both made from roses but the attitudes they express are different. Lady Vengeance is a thorny note of the Bulgarian rose mixed with vanilla and patchouli.
It will dress an elegant and dominating Juliette, who wants to control her environment with her power of seduction. If Lady Vengeance is the gun, Miss Charming is definitely the Juliette. (This one) is delicate, marrying Moroccan rose, musk and fragrances of wild fruit.
The adjectives that best describe my perfumes are: strong, airy, mysterious, transparent, audacious, discreet, original, dangerous, wild, elegant, natural, sophisticated ... and feminine.
Why I chose Francis Kurkdjian as a 'nose'!
When I started my project, I spent a lot of time thinking about whom I wanted to work with. There were several creations that had marked my sensitivity, such as Rose Barbare by Guerlain, Dior's Cologne, or Narcisso Rodriguez.
It appeared that Francis was somehow involved in the making of those fragrances, so it was natural that I asked him to work with me.
The name Ricci
In the world of fragrances, Ricci has become a household name. However I do not capitalise on it. I don't want to be famous just because I am a Ricci, but want my work to speak for itself.
Don't get me wrong, it is a great honour for me to be part of the Ricci family and since I am the last heir, I feel I have a big responsibility. I wouldn't call it a burden though. I am not pretending to be continuing what my ancestors did.
I have my own company, my own ideas, and I'm completely free. What I do does not involve the Nina Ricci Group which is now owned by the Puig Group. Now, is it going to be as big as Nina Ricci? Only time will tell, but that is a high goal!
Do I believe in pheromones?
I think (and hope) beauty is much more complicated than that. At least for humans, unlike animals. And I produce pheromones around beautiful women! Attraction, you see, is a very complex thing.
Do not offer a fragrance to someone because you like it. (You should present it) but because it makes you think of this person. Perfume defines personalities and is therefore very difficult to offer.
It is even more complex when you realise that a fragrance is often something that goes back to a person's childhood. For instance, in my case, there is something about the smell of flowers, dewy grass ... and drops of rain ... that attracts me.
My dream is ...
... to be recognised one day for bringing back a little creativity and quality into the perfumery world. When that happens I think I'll have achieved my goal. Above all I believe that if you want to receive, you have to give - that's how it works.
