ÇaFleureBon Profiles in American Perfumery: Jil CROQUET of Jil Croquet Parfum + Great Wall Valley Draw

 

Jil CROQUET, Perfumer and Founder, Scent Strip Perfume

Jil CROQUET, Perfumer and Founder

Profile: I was born and raised in Versailles, a city close to Paris, in France. Growing up, I loved spending time with my family in our garden. My father took great care of white, pink and red roses, geraniums, lilacs and wisterias while my grandmother was solely focused on her hydrangeas. I remember them arguing about plant cutting techniques and soil types with love.

Jil CROQUET artisan perfumer

Jil CROQUET and her grandmother, family garden

We also had a huge fir tree, or maybe I was just so small, and I am pretty sure fir balsam is now one of my favorite smells, this fresh dark and dry woody impression with berry aspects is like an obsession for me. We also had ivy everywhere and I loved the smell of this too; each time I smell a green and sharp raw material, I go straight back to it by association. Even if it’s a strong, herbaceous and extra fresh note, I dose it with profusion in one of my perfumes: Great Wall Valley. As it’s one of the 2022 AO award finalists in the artisan category, I’m sure I’m not the only one loving that herbaceous aspect.

Jil with Scent Strip

Jil CROQUET

One day, I visited the Versailles Palace with my parents. I was following my mother on the tour and at that time she was wearing Shalimar by Guerlain. The combination of the classic and luxurious perfume with the fantastic visual I had in front of me, discovering ornate corridors, secret passages, amazing tapestry and luxurious rooms was absolutely mesmerizing, this was when I fully comprehended the power of scents. I could actually imagine kings and queens walking the Hall of Mirrors full of elegantly dressed people with powdered wigs and colored fans. In an instant, I traveled through time and space and was there too, it was an intense scent experience.

I have always been fascinated by travels, new things, discoveries, ancient artifacts, local art, etc. In 2010, I had the opportunity to go studying abroad with my university and went to Australia as it was the most exotic and mysterious country on the list. This is where I learnt English. Because of my personality, it was very natural for me to create a line around the concept of  traveling to different places/countries. I just love it so much that I wanted to provide the same feeling and happiness to others, just by the sense of smell. With my products customers can discover exotic countries, different cultures, amazing landscapes and ancient traditions through my scents. Each perfume puts a spotlight on one or two ingredients, local to a place or an era as a cornerstone of the perfume and builds a story around it, forging lasting memories and genuine emotions.

 

Scent strip perfumes

Jil CROQUET, preparing a batch

I am also fond of artisan products made in small batches with quality in mind. I really think this is the best job in the world, being in sync with your art/product and creating a unique piece each and every time. Thinking about an instrument maker, a baker, an upholsterer, a plumsier, etc. I love having such a piece instead of one made from a production line.

 artisan perfumes

“Romance in Bruges” bottles filled up, Jil Croquet Perfume

On being an American Perfumer: I came to California in 2018, and it was love at first sight! I decided to launch my brand early 2021. As I am living in San Diego, CA, my first Point of Sales were Farmers Markets, and I am still here as of today. I am delighted to be able to offer handmade artisan perfumes and colognes locally made in small batches to my community. Being an American Perfumer is an amazing adventure for me. I am so glad that people love my work, share their impressions and talk to their friends and family about my brand. I feel incredibly lucky to be in a nation where people are curious and eager to try unique scents. This wouldn’t have happened anywhere else. In France, the Perfume World is very male-dominated, codified, uptight and pretty closed. In America though, I have always felt absolutely free and even encouraged to try everything I want, experiment new scents, be creative and audacious in perfume developments, that’s really a true blessing.

Nina Simone, 1959

 (Nina Simone, 1959: Photo by Herb Snitzer/Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images)

Favorite American Artist: I truly think that artists influence each other all the time, that we are all part of an extensive artistic canvas and that art is the reflection of life, society and what truly defines us as human beings. In that sense, choosing only one American artist is extremely hard but the first one that comes to mind would be Nina Simone. I love listening to her voice, so recognisable, so soft, so deep, so warm and powerful. Everything in her is inspiring;  her swing, her subjects, her battles, the flow she uses, her stories, etc. She was also known to pay close attention to the design and acoustics of each venue, tailoring her performances to individual scenes, a bit like musical sculptures.

Fun Fact: “My Baby Just Cares for Me”, 1959 became her biggest success years later, after it was featured in a 1986 Chanel No. 5 perfume commercial with Carole Bouquet.

 

Jil CROQUET, Perfumer and Founder of Jil Croquet Parfum

Scent Strip Perfume Great Wall Valley

 Great Wall Valley  

Thanks to Jil CROQUET of  Jil Croquet Parfum we have a draw for a registered user in the US  ONLY for a 30 ml bottle of Great Wall Valley. To be eligible, you must be a registered reader. Please leave a comment with what you found fascinating about Jil’s path to perfumery. Draw Closes 5/16/2022

Jil CROQUET  is the 164th in our American Perfumer Series, which officially began with Dawn Spencer Hurwitz of DSH Perfumes on July 11, 2011

All photos belong to Jil CROQUET unless otherwise noted.

Please like CaFleureBon Profiles in American Perfumery and your entry will count twice. Please leave that in your comment.

Editor’s note on Great Wall Valley: The fragrance has been nominated to the 2022 Art and Olfaction Award in the Artisan Category.

Notes include: fresh cut grass, ginger, spices, lily of the valley, rose osmanthus, lychee  and musk

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23 comments

  • donyelv says:

    Its fascinating that she started off selling at Farmers Markets. I liked the Facebook page. Thanks for the giveaway.

  • fastnee says:

    It is great to see someone acknowledge the greatness of the USA, and Jil’s success is a perfect example of what anyone can achieve if they work hard. NV, USA

  • Erica Vinskie says:

    I also started off selling at farmer’s markets, so I know it can be tough to sell fine fragrance to the food shoppers (at least it was here on the East Coast ;). Congratulations one being an A+O finalist!

  • Dan says:

    I grew up helping out in the garden too! Love that you incorporate different cultures in your fragrance and try to explore different scents. Amazing achievement on being a 2022 AO award finalists! I’m from the USA.

  • mdellaroc says:

    I too love hydrangea and featured it in my wedding flowers, but I am not a gardener at all! But I am an artist and I love having beautifully made things too. Your enthusiasm for being in the USA is wonderful. In maryland.

  • John McDonald says:

    I live the whole concept of being both an artist and an entrepreneur as well as being a woman in business.

  • msnitechemist says:

    This latest edition of profiles in American perfumery didn’t disappoint. While I’m sadly unsurprised to hear that the French industry is male-dominated, which was also the case in my previous line of work, I’m glad Jil was able to find a welcoming place and community in our country. Their loss is our gain. Boy, would I love to find a perfumer selling their wares at my local farmer’s market! Her story about the fir tree in her family’s garden makes me think of the fresh pine smell of the Christmas tree at my uncle’s house, who we’d visit every year for the holidays. We never had a fresh tree so this is an indelible memory linked to my uncle. The only other lychee perfume I know of is PDM Delina, which I’m ambivalent about. I’m curious, though, what happens to it when confronted with traditionally Asian scents of ginger and osmanthus. I live in Maryland, USA.

  • Steve A says:

    What I found most fascinating was the Carole Bouquet connection to perfume years earlier. US

  • alleycat says:

    Loved the photo of Jil with her grandmother! I have early memories from my grandmother’s garden as well, except I was typically playing in the lillies and the (what then appeared as) giant squash leaves. I really enjoy trying out the creations of new young perfumers. USA

  • xoe says:

    What a great origin story! Great Wall Valley looks like a truly unique fragrance. I’d love to have a new signature scent.

  • Torax says:

    It was fascinating reading her path to perfumery, since the first steps were simple things, such as having a fir tree. I remember I grew up with many oranges trees and I used to smell the leaves every time and I got really fascinated with aromas.
    She is very creative, audacious in her creations and that is wonderful. Would love to try her perfume myself.
    USA here.

  • Dubaiscents says:

    Lovely introduction to this new brand and Ms Croquet. I loved the story of visiting the Palace of Versailles and connecting that with the scent of Shalimar her mother was wearing. I think it’s wonderful the Art and Olfaction awards are judged blind so that every gets a fair chance based purely on the quality of the perfume. I would love to smell Great Wall Valley. Thanks for the draw. US

  • frw says:

    Versailles is inspiring in so many ways. I love the connection with history and travels in her personal journey. The scent sounds lovely! Iliked Profiles in American Perfumery.

  • GennyLeigh says:

    I love reading the background stories in the American Perfumer series. It’s fascinating to see the path people took to their career in fragrance composition. Great Wall Valley sounds lovely with its emphasis on spring; fresh cut grass, lily of the valley, rose and osmanthus. It’s definitely a feminine fragrance to me. I also agree Nina Simone is one of the foremost American Artists and I applaud her inclusion by Ms Croquet. I also like CaFleureBon Profiles in American Perfumery. MD, USA.

  • Regis Monkton says:

    I would like to try this fragrance- it seems like it’s unique. I appreciate learning about perfumer Jil Croquet- I’ve never heard of her before having read from article. I appreciate how Jil sells her fragrance products at a farmer’s market- if I lived in her area, I’d probably visit her booth and see what her work is like because I can very much like indie/artisan perfumery. I left a like for the post of this article on Instagram (@regismonkton). I live in the U.S.A.

  • drjedi says:

    It is fascinating that Jill started at a farmer’s market and still sells there. In a world of slick marketing and packaging, the art of perfumery many times takes a backseat to the art of selling. So indeed it’s refreshing to see what she is doing. I am quite interesting in Great Wall Valley because of the non-mainstream ingredients listed – none of the usual suspects. Thanks for the draw. I have liked the Facebook page. From USA.

  • Michael Prince says:

    I loved learning about Jil’s Path to Perfumery. Being born and raised in Versailles France with her parents in grandparents which all grew various florals and also had Ivy and Fir Trees it’s clear to see how she got her start. They going to Austrailia to continue her studies and experiencing a wide and different array of natural ingredients really brightened her horizon. Plus she loves and is a traveler, so she has gotten to experience so many great things in perfumery. It’s great to see another American Perfumer be successful.

  • sephrenia300 says:

    Really interesting article! What I found fascinating about Jil’s path to perfumery is her very specific memory of visiting the Versailles Palace with her parents and how that influenced her to become a perfumer. Her description of the combination of the scent impressions she had of her mother’s Shalimar intertwined with the visual feast of Versailles with it’s ornate corridors, secret passages, and stunning Hall of Mirrors absolutely transports me, and I can very clearly imagine how it inspired her and triggered a lifelong love of fragrance. I live in the US.

  • joetelegram says:

    Very interesting profile. Thank you. It is amazing to see how our childhood influences who we become as adults. But further, I’m inspired to think about how our experiences throughout life shape us and create our identity and help to shape our perceptions. I’m especially keen on understanding how this shapes our olfactive experiences as well.

    Thanks to Jil Croquet for sharing part of your story.

    Joseph O’Brien–Roseburg, Oregon (USA)
    Instagram: @joetelegram

  • Bassey says:

    Thank you for highlighting a perfumer like Jil Croquet who is making small batch perfumes by hand. Her love for plants and smells encouraged by being around her family and her travels. I have not tried any of her fragrances yet but they sound like very transportive scents. I also appreciate her comments about her ability to be able to experiment and try different and unique smells.
    Maryland, US.

  • mronhubbard says:

    It’s great that she can be inspired by the places close by as well as her travels to distant lands. (Sounds lucky to have lived in Versailles!) And as a San Diegan, I’m pleased to hear about local artisans getting worldwide attention.
    I liked ÇaFleureBon Profiles In American Perfumery.

  • hshinkoda says:

    It’s always nice to get to know a little more about the person behind the fragrance. Jil Croquet seems to be an amazing artist and creates unique and fantastic fragrances. I love the notes in Great Wall Valley. I would love to try it!!!! Massachusetts, US.

  • mmerline says:

    These profiles are probably my favorite content here on ÇaFleureBon. It’s always interesting to hear about how perfumers arrived at their craft, including the experiences that inform their ideas and tastes. Jil’s anecdote about Versailles Palace is wonderful—scent is transformative and profoundly linked to memory. Thank you for the wonderful profile!

    I’m in the midwest, USA.