Shanghai Gān Jū, Apprentice Perfumer Delphine Perdon Rupnow

Shanghai gān jū

This eau de parfum is a citrus-floral scent evoking the beauty of bright delicacies during the festive season of Chinese New Year. Feel transported through this very unique and meaningful tradition. This perfume will bring you joy and good luck in a whiff of juicy mandarin and sparkling yuzu, interlaced with sensual notes of tea and jasmine.

• Top: Kumquat, Yuzu, Mandarin 
• Middle: Oolong tea, Jasmine, Orange flower 
• Bottom: Vanilla blossom, Musk, Sandalwood

Delphine Perdon Rupnow

With an international focus and a strong technical background, Delphine has worked and trained at various companies such as Colgate Palmolive, Takasago, in France, and Sillage Aromatique (which became Bell Flavors & Fragrances SEA), in Singapore. She is now part of the Perfumers’ team at Bell in the Chicago.

Delphine has a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Organic Chemistry from the University of Versailles and a Master’s Degree in Physics and Chemistry from the University of Montpellier II, where her area of research was flavors and fragrances. 

How did you find out about the fragrance industry?

I have always been sensitive about odors of nature, interested in scented products and fragrances since I was a child. Back in France, I decided to take on a journey of organic chemistry for that purpose. My initial exposure to the fragrance industry was in 2005, as my first internship started at an essential oil company, where I could smell and learn numerous natural raw materials, and would never stop from there.

What made you want to be a perfumer? 

I have been navigating the constant learning path of perfumery, admiring the beauty of raw materials, the complexity of accords, understanding olfaction together with an analytical approach. I feel that my strength lies between my technical knowledge and artistic curiosity and it made me want  to bring these innovations and ideas together to a more creative level, by becoming a perfumer.

What are some of your favorite and least favorite scents? 

I love most kinds of scents: woody-creamy and balsamic notes which are reminiscent of food and wine, deep red fruity accords, the intensity of agarwood (oud) and the smell of green leaves, grass, forests, natural flower stems are some of my favorites! If I had to pick more repulsive perfumes, I would mention very functional smells like lemon-like toiler cleaners, and scents that feel too synthetic, harsh or pungent like bleach or acetone.

What are the hardest obstacles you have found when working in perfumery?

I find that it can be challenging to create something beautiful with a great impact if there are too many constraints whether for regulatory compliance, raw materials shortages, price, performance in a base natural status and so on. Also, the perfumery language is not always universal and can vary from customers, sales people, evaluators -  so the direction to take can sometimes be confusing. 

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Mentor: Robert Siegel

Recently promoted to Senior Perfumer, Robert has an extensive background in perfumery. 

Robert began his career at Bell in 1992 as a Fragrance Lab Technician. Robert was accepted as an apprentice member of the American Society of Perfumers in 2000 and a full member in 2005. He gained experience at Fragrance & Fragrance Specialties and Orchidia Fragrances before returning to Bell as Perfumer in 2011.