A scented journey

"Among my greatest joys is not only to recreate memories inextricably linked with my past, but also to pour these drops of memory into perfume bottles and, in the process, transform the intimate into the universal.' From Tangier to New York by way of Paris, Rio, Buenos Aires and Amsterdam, Carlos Benaim's olfactory alphabet was built through a series of fortuitous events, trips and encounters. All these moments, inscribed in his memory, would become an inexhaustible source of inspiration. Here, perfume is born. With insatiable curiosity, he retraces his years at IFF, the frag- rance house where he has spent his entire career. His numerous creations for brands such as Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Yves Saint Laurent and Prada are emblematic in that they have captured the soul of the world in fragrance. Finally, he shares with the reader his unique commitment to teamwork and to the open transmission of technique to his collaborators and mentees, essential to creation. This happens in the context of his over-arching devotion to the alliance among poetry, art and science.