Alberto Morillas was born in Sevilla, Spain in 1950. He attended the School of Beaux Arts in Geneva for two years before joining Firmenich in 1970. Morillas describes himself as “mostly self-trained” in perfumery.1
Alberto Morillas won the Prix François Coty in 2003. He also has his own line of scented candles, Mizensir.
Fragrances by Alberto Morillas
Acqua di Parma Colonia Intensa (2007)
Aedes de Venustas Palissandre d’Or (2015)
A Lab On Fire Oxymusc (2014)
Angel Schlesser Agua de Jazmin (2013)
Angel Schlesser Essential for men (2006)
Armand Basi in Red (2002)
Armand Basi In Red Blooming Bouquet (2015)
Asprey Purple Water (2004)
Avon Treselle (2003, with Ilias Ermenidis)
Azzaro Azzaro Now Woman (2007, with Annie Buzantian)
Bvlgari Aqva Divina (2015)
Bvlgari Blv (2000)
Bvlgari Blv Pour Homme (2001)
Bvlgari Blv Notte (2004, women and men)
Bvlgari Goldea (2015)
Bvlgari Man (2010)
Bvlgari Man Extreme (2013)
Bvlgari Omnia (2003)
Bvlgari Omnia Amethyste (2007)
Bvlgari Omnia Coral (2012)
Bvlgari Omnia Crystalline (2005)
Bvlgari Omnia Green Jade (2008)
Bvlgari Omnia Indian Garnet (2014)
Bvlgari Omnia Paraiba (2015)
By Kilian Eternal Oud (2014)
By Kilian Good Girl Gone Bad (2012)
By Kilian Musk Oud (2013)
By Kilian Voulez-vous Coucher Avec Moi (2015)
Cacharel Scarlett (2009, with Honorine Blanc & Olivier Cresp)
Calvin Klein One (1994, with Harry Fremont)
Calvin Klein One Graffiti (with Harry Fremont)
Calvin Klein Truth (with Jacques Cavallier and Thierry Wasser)
Carita Eau de Parfum (2012)
Carolina Herrera 212 (1997)
Carolina Herrera 212 Sexy (2004)
Carolina Herrera 212 Sexy Men (2006)
Carolina Herrera 212 VIP (2010)
Carolina Herrera Chic (2002, with Jacques Cavallier)
Cartier Le Baiser du Dragon (2003)
Cartier Must de Cartier II
Cartier Panthere de Cartier (1987)
Chopard Infiniment (2004)
Collistar Acqua Attiva (2009)
Custo Barcelona (2008)
Custo Barcelona Enjoy Custo Barcelona Woman (2013)
Custo Barcelona Glam Star (2012)
Custo Barcelona Pure Custo Barcelona Man (2010)
Custo Barcelona Pure Custo Barcelona Woman (2010)
Custo Barcelona Pure Wind (2012)
Donna Karan DKNY Men (2009, with Harry Fremont)
DSquared2 He Wood Ocean Wet Wood (2010, with Daphne Bugey)
DSquared2 She Wood Crystal Creek Wood (2010, with Daphne Bugey)
Eau d’Italie Acqua Decima (2013)
Eau d’Italie Au Lac (2010)
Ego Facto Jamais le Dimanche (2009)
Eric Buterbaugh Apollo Hyacinth (2015)
Eric Buterbaugh Fragile Violet (2015)
Ermenegildo Zegna Uomo (2013)
Estee Lauder Intuition (2000)
Estee Lauder Pleasures (1995, with Annie Buzantian)
Giorgio Armani Acqua Di Giò Essenza (2013)
Giorgio Armani Acqua di Giò Profumo (2015)
Giorgio Armani Aqua di Giò for women (1995)
Giorgio Armani Armani Code Ice (2014)
Giorgio Armani Armani Prive Vetiver Babylone (2008)
Giorgio Armani Armani Attitude (2007, with Olivier Cresp & Annick Menardo)
Giorgio Armani Emporio Armani White for women (with Annie Buzantian)
Giorgio Armani Sensi (2002, with Harry Fremont)
Giorgio Armani Sensi White Notes (2004)
Giorgio Beverly Hills Ocean Dream
Givenchy Blue Label Pour Homme (2004, with Ilias Ermenidis)
Givenchy Greenergy (2000, with Ilias Ermenidis)
Givenchy Hot Couture (2000, with Jacques Cavallier)
Givenchy Oblique Fast Forward (2000, with Ilias Ermenidis)
Givenchy Pi (1998)
Givenchy Pi Fraiche (2001)
Givenchy Pour Homme (2002, with Ilias Ermenidis)
Herve Leger (1999)
Inez de la Fressange
Isabella Rossellini Manifesto (2000)
Issey Miyake L’Eau d’Issey City Blossom (2015)
Issey Miyake L’Eau d’Issey Florale (2011)
Issey Miyake L’Eau d’Issey Lotus (2014)
Issey Miyake L’Eau d’Issey Pour Homme Oceanic Expedition (2015)
Issey Miyake L’Eau d’Issey Une Goutte sur un Petale (2007)
Kenzo Flower (2000)
Kenzo Flower by Kenzo L’Elixir (2015)
Kenzo Flower in the Air (2013)
Kenzo Flower La Cologne (2010)
Kenzo Flower L’Eau Originelle (2015)
Kenzo Flower Oriental (2005)
Kenzo Summer by Kenzo (2005)
Kenzo Time for Peace (1999)
Lancome Miracle (2001, with Harry Fremont)
Lancome Miracle Tendre Voyage (2009, with Harry Fremont)
Lanvin L’Homme
Lanvin Oxygene (2000)
Lanvin Oxygene for men (2001)
La Perla Charme (2005)
Le Labo Tubereuse 40 (2006)
Le Labo Vanille 44 (2007)
Loewe Esencia Femme (with Emilio Valeras)
Lotus Intense (۲۰۱۶)
Lotus Fraiche (۲۰۱۶)
Lotus oud (۲۰۱۶)
Marc Jacobs Daisy Dream (2014)
Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau So Fresh (2011)
Mauboussin Mauboussin Homme (2003)
Mercedes-Benz VIP Club Addictive Oriental (2015)
Nina Ricci Mademoiselle Ricci L’Eau (2013)
Omega Aqua Terra (2009)
Oscar de la Renta Intrusion (2002, with Jacques Cavallier)
Pedro del Hierro (2003)
Penhaligon’s Blasted Bloom (2015)
Penhaligon’s Blasted Heath (2015)
Penhaligon’s Iris Prima (2013)
Ralph Lauren Midnight Romance (2014, with Honorine Blanc)
Roberto Cavalli Man (2003)
Rochas Byzance (with Nicolas Mamounas)
Rochas Byzantine (1995)
Roger & Gallet Blue Lotus (2006)
Roger & Gallet Gingembre Rouge (2014, with Amandine Marie Clerc)
Roger & Gallet Pavot d’Argent (2005)
Roger & Gallet Rose Imaginaire (2012, with Marie Salamagne)
Romeo Gigli Man
Salvador Dali Dali Eau de Toilette (2011)
Salvador Dali Salvador Dali (1983)
Salvatore Ferragamo Acqua Essenziale (2013)
Salvatore Ferragamo Emozione (2015)
Salvatore Ferragamo Tuscan Soul Punta Ala (2014)
S-Perfumes Jet Scent 1.0.5
S-Perfumes LUST (2003)
Thierry Mugler Cologne (2001)
Tommy Hilfiger Tommy (1994, with Annie Buzantian)
Trussardi Bianco (2006)
United Colors of Benetton Man (2006)
United Colors of Benetton Unisex (2006)
Valentino V (2005)
Valentino Valentina (2011, with Olivier Cresp)
Versace Bright Crystal (2006)
Versace Bright Crystal Absolu (2013)
Versace Eros Pour Femme (2014, with Natalie Lorson and Olivier Cresp)
Versace Versace Pour Homme (2008)
Versace Versense (2009)
Versace Yellow Diamond (2011)
Versace Yellow Diamond Intense (2014)
Van Cleef & Arpels Murmure (with Jacques Cavallier)
Van Cleef & Arpels Zanzibar men (with Jacques Cavallier)
Yves Saint Laurent Belle d’Opium (2010, with Honorine Blanc)
Yves Saint Laurent M7 (2002, with Jacques Cavallier)
As soon as Alberto Morillas found out there was such a job as a perfumer, he wanted in. He was 18 years old, living in Switzerland, when he read an article about the house of Guerlain in French Vogue and suddenly realized, he says, “That this was a real job! Somebody actually had to make the perfumes!” By 20, he was well on his way to achieving his lifelong vocation.
The legendary Morillas, tonight’s first-time recipient of the Perfumer of the Year, Lifetime Achievement Award, is the author of a seemingly endless line of iconic fragrances, a staggering 284 attributed creations (at last count)—two and a half decades of stars that include CK One and Estée Lauder Pleasures, Carolina Herrera 212, Bulgari Blv, Cartier Panthere de Cartier, Marc Jacobs Daisy and literally hundreds of others.
Born in Seville, Spain, Morillas says his formative fragrance experiences include his father putting cologne in his hair and the delicious aroma of Femme de Rochas, his
mother’s signature scent. In his late teenage years, he discovered the seductive power of L’Heure Bleu—”so sexy and French,” he laughs today. He studied at the School of Beaux Arts in Geneva for two years before joining Firmenich in 1970, but in truth is considered mostly self-trained in the art of perfumery. He was named Perfumer in 1977 and Master Perfumer in 1998.
All these many years after that teenage epiphany, Morillas describes himself as still “an atypical and eternal young man,” greeting each day with the same joie de vivre he felt decades ago. “Every morning I enjoy the same feeling—I love to create! It isn’t just a job, it’s my passion.”
It is a passion that nevertheless has its own intrinsic challenges—Morillas recounts cheerfully that he sometimes tries what he calls a hundred million different formulations before arriving at exactly the right scent. He is famous in the industry for his innovative combination of natural and synthetic elements, working with chemists to develop unique molecule combinations, and though his process is extremely complicated, he is not a computer guy, preferring to annotate all of his work by hand. “My handwriting is my emotion,” he says. “When I write the formula, I can smell the perfume.”
Unlike so many gifted individuals who have risen to the top of their professions, Morillas doesn’t wallow in what he calls, with just a hint of disdain, “nostalgia,” by which he means the tendency to insist that things were much, much better in the old days. He may have already created hundreds of fragrances, but he is always looking ahead: “When you smell the jasmine, the tuberose, the orange flowers, it is so beautiful—only God can make these beautiful things! And then you combine this with synthetics, it’s like the sun and the showers—you mix them together and create something new.” —LYNNE YAEGER