Michel Girard

Michel Girard is a French perfumer born in 1957 in Grasse — the world capital of perfumery — into a third-generation fragrance family. Growing up surrounded by flowers and the deep olfactory tradition of his hometown, he developed a passion for scent early and never looked back.

He trained and built his early career at houses including Robertet and Quest International, where he reached the level of Senior Perfumer, working with brands such as Givenchy, Gucci, Burberry, Cerruti, Christian Lacroix, Guy Laroche, and Azzaro. Notable credits from this period include Burberry Touch, Cerruti 1881 Black, Extravagance d'Amarige by Givenchy, and the Azzaro Wanted line.

His most recognized work is co-creating Paco Rabanne 1 Million (2008) — a woody-spicy icon that became a global phenomenon and has since been cited as one of the most influential men's fragrances of its era.

With more than 60 fragrances to his name, Girard built a body of work defined by the craftsmanship of Grasse, a strong sense of cultural context, and compositions that left a lasting mark on the industry.