LOUISE HUYGHE
Louise Huyghe is a passionate fragrance creator whose journey reflects a commitment to sensory design and the exploration of emotions through scent. She discovers her calling at the Design Academy, a collaborative environment where she meets Merla Bergers, the founder of Linguaplaza. During her internship with Bergers she found her passion for perfumery. After an enriching experience at Ninamounah, her graduation project marks a pivotal moment in her career. Louise showcases her work at Dutch Design Week in 2022 and 2023, presenting her olfactory archive and video installations. Since 2023, she has been managing her own brand in Brussels. Simultaneously, she also designs fragrances, including a commission for the Nieuwe Instituut, where she helps to revive a 1930s villa through evocative scents.
“I try to show, through scents, the importance of taking feelings seriously.”
Louise Huyghe is a creator of fragrances that evoke emotions. With sensitivity and precision, she goes beyond traditional perfume to explore scents that capture memories and emotions. Her creations become fragments of a collective narrative, allowing individuals to carry their memories close to their hearts.
“Which perfume are you wearing?” For Louise Huyghe, this question is not merely a curiosity; it is a means of discovering what makes your intimate universe. For Louise, perfumes are an expression of emotions, a privileged way to capture the intangible: a memory or an emotion. By creating small metal capsules filled with specific scents, she enables each person to carry fragments of their own stories within themselves. These capsules are not mere objects; they become scent archives, silent witnesses of memories. "For me, it's an emotional tool," she says, emphasizing the importance of giving form to what is often invisible and fleeting. Each capsule contains a fragrance that evokes personal memories, deep emotions, and significant life moments, infusing a sense of nostalgia and reminiscence. This could be the scent of a meaningful place, that of a loved one, or even a fragrance that recalls childhood memories. Her work, inspired by emotional intelligence and active listening, invites people to take emotions seriously and give them a tangible form.
Louise calls herself a "scent creator," she assigns to each fragrance and piece of jewelry the role of a nostalgic relic, a sensory bridge to our deepest memories. "Perfume connects with our emotional memories, and its ephemeral nature resonates with my vision," she explains. Her work is rooted in collective memory and aims to revive these moments through objects that blend archives with jewelry. The creation of a Mini Soak Stone, a porous ceramic pendant, allows wearers to carry a fragrance that slowly diffuses, like a cherished memory without it taking up all the space. Louise Huyghe develops evocative scents, such as Rosalie, which captures the essence of a mischievous character, featuring soft vanilla notes reminiscent of a childhood doll made of vinyl. The fragrance Roméo embodies the essence of an old horse, blending earthy, warm aromas that evoke walking through nature. Lastly, Mémé’s Boudoir contains nostalgic scents of vintage bath salts and forgotten powders, creating an intimate and comforting atmosphere, like a trip back in time to a grandmother's bathroom.
Her current project, commissioned by the Nieuwe Instituut in the Netherlands, illustrates Louise’s philosophy. She is working to recreate the olfactory atmosphere of a 1930s villa using evocative scents, such as those from the fireplace and vintage soaps. "In the bathrooms, you'll smell soaps from that era, like Marseille soaps. This project made me realize that my work could be a powerful emotional tool," she explains. Her commitment to creating an inclusive sensory experience, particularly for visually impaired persons, shows her desire to go beyond the conventions of perfumery.