Karyn Khoury –senior vice president of corporate fragrance development at The Estée Lauder Companies Inc – knows good smells. She’s been involved in developing all sorts of fragrances for men and women, most recently the first perfume created for Coach, Signature. We asked how her remarkable nose does what it does, and her tips for choosing and wearing the perfect scent.

So... some call you a ‘Nose’. What does that mean?
I have an incredible job! I look at the creation of a fragrance as a three-part process blending magic, science and business analysis. The science is obviously critical in the development, but it’s even more important in the perfection of a scent and involves knowledge of new technologies, combinations of ingredients, ingredient reactions, and the ability to project how a product will age and smell in three weeks or three months. And, of course, the magic. This is the heart of creative artistry – the ability to see in the mind or the imagination what does not yet exist. It’s the fragrance developer’s job to dream of new fragrance combinations and effects, to see potential in something rough and work it out.

Where do you get your inspiration from?
Some of the most creative fragrances we’ve done came from briefs where no ingredient or material direction was given. For example, Pleasures was inspired by two Georgia O’Keefe paintings. The theory here is that if you start creating a fragrance using what exists as a reference, you tend to end up with a variation of what exists rather than something totally new. This type of creative approach was very much the way Estée Lauder herself worked.

So you got to work with the great cosmetic dame herself – what was that like?
I was fortunate to find something I truly loved early on. I’ve spent most of my career in the world of fragrance, and every minute has been a fabulous adventure. My fragrance career began at an essential oil company (usually referred to as a fragrance house), where I began my initial training. After a few years, Leonard Lauder suggested I meet with his mother. Talk about nervous! Here I was as a young, beginning fragrance developer meeting with the founder of the company and an icon of the industry. After that first meeting, I spent many hours working with Mrs Lauder, and learned so much from her. To this day, I follow much of what she taught me in every fragrance I develop.

So what’s the best thing you’ve ever smelt?
I love too many scents to name just one. Some examples of scents I love: fresh ocean air, peonies, jasmine petals, rich woods, and spices such as black pepper.

What’s the worst?
I don’t like sweet fruity notes or the smell of rubber.

What makes a ‘great’ perfume or cologne?
Quality, memorability, personality, lastingness, diffusion and making the person who wears it feel fabulous.

You’ve most recently been involved in creating the first Coach fragrance, Signature. How did that happen?
One of the many things I love about working with Coach is that the brand is so rich in personality, emotion and style – great inspiration for a fragrance developer! You know, fragrance is often inspired by emotion – by a mood or a thought, a desire or an attitude.

So what does it smell like?
Coach Signature is pretty, chic and playful. Its blend of soft, fresh fruits and florals with a heart of fragrant yellow blossoms and warm hints of amber and woods perfectly captures the multi-faceted personality of
today’s sophisticated woman.

Now we want to know how to smell like a pro – can someone ‘train’ their nose?
You can train your nose in several ways. First, there is so much information available on fragrance: different types of fragrances and what they smell like, key fragrance ingredients, fragrance history etc. The more you know, the more you will understand the rich history and artistry of fragrance. You can also ‘practice’ and increase your knowledge of many of the elements which are used in fragrance by smelling as much as you can of what surrounds you: nature, food, spices etc. Most of all, you must be open to the experience and emotion of scent in order to fully understand and appreciate its appeal.Most scents available at cosmetic retailers throughout the city.
Coach Signature is available exclusively at Paris Gallery (4413 0000)