Located at 12 rue de Presbourg, in Paris, L’Appartement Étoile offers an intimate and inviting ambiance as well as a breathtaking view of the Arc de Triomphe. Upon entering, the visitor is transported in the very specific mood of the venue, which mixes business and art. The entrance hall is decorated with an old alembic transformed into a contemporary work of art by French urban artist Skio.
Franco-Israeli interior designer Deborah Prasquier created the new space taking inspiration from the traditional Haussmannian style and Parisian chic while offering perfectly functional spaces, integrating not only meeting areas but also a true and fully operational fragrance creation laboratory.
"L’Appartment Étoile, through its conception, design and overall ethos, embodies the Symrise values of excellence, creativity and added value,” said Heinz-Jürgen Bertram, CEO Symrise AG. “Symrise Fine Fragrance consistently challenges existing ways of thinking and I am confident that this new hub will continue the Symrise expansion and reinvention of the fine fragrance category.”
Olfactory culture
Beyond fragrance creation, the new hub will also be used to support creative arts and olfactory culture, thus creating a bridge between various areas thanks to a series of exclusive cultural events, including thematic exhibitions, master classes, conversations with iconic speakers and artists to learn, connect and cross-pollinate knowledge.
The opening ceremony of L’Appartement Étoile took place on July 22, 2020. The event featured a classical music concert and the creation of an exclusive fragrance by Symrise’s team of perfumers in Paris: Maurice Roucel, Annick Ménardo, Émilie Coppermann, Alienor Massenet, Pierre-Constantin Guéros, Alexandra Carlin, Marine Ipert and Suzy Le Helley.
“It is in the Symrise DNA to challenge boundaries - we constantly push ourselves to create differently, with more agility and ingenuity,” said Ricardo Omori, senior vice president global fine fragrance, Symrise AG. “We also believe fragrance inspiration is cultivated through collaboration with other artistic disciplines. L’Appartement Étoile Symrise brings together these ideals of imagination and collaboration in an avant-garde space to spark ideas, create opportunities and bring thoroughly modern fragrance solutions for our clients.”
This new hub participates in Symrise’s strategy to strengthen its Fine Fragrance business. Recently, the group recruited three young perfumers, several confirmed evaluators, and reinforced its sales team with the appointment of Ivan Bagnis. Symrise also invested heavily in the sourcing of new raw materials and the development of new extraction technologies.
