Pretty Elizabeth Arden Perfume was created by international perfumer Claude Dir of Givaudan. He describes his inspiration:

How do you create a perfume? Where do you start?
I believe that fragrance should create an instantaneous response connecting quickly to an individual and staying true to its signature. I start with a vision, actually a two-part vision: one is the vision of the client and the other is my thoughts on how a fragrance can bring this vision to life. My goal is to make something creative to stay true to perfumery as a craft, yet satisfy an emotion in the wearer.

How did you work with Elizabeth Arden? What was the process?
It was a true partnership right from the start. The Arden team was instrumental in clearly defining what they wanted. We worked very closely together to execute the dream they had fro this brand. The strategy and objectives identified by Arden set us in the right direction. It was a process that included all key people involved on the project from perfumery to evaluation to marketing. We wanted to stay as close to each other as possible to ensure that a cohesive message was delivered. We also reached out to the Givaudan Research and Development team who provided us with an exclusive fragrance molecule, Petalia which became the foundation for fragrance development.

What attracted you to the project?
I was drawn immediately to the brand values…pretty, fun, flirty, feminine and timeless. I knew I could create a fragrance that embraced these ideas. I especially loved the notion that it would be timeless…something classic with a contemporary edge. Elizabeth Arden wanted a fragrance that could “make you smile” and the idea of creating something happy, charming and irresistibly feminine spoke to me.

What inspired you?
One might say that I saw the world through very feminine “pink colored glasses”! I envisioned all things pretty…

One night as I sat watching my wife get ready for an evening out, I was inspired by the graceful touches she made to make herself feel feminine, flirty, irresistible…pretty. The final touch was her fragrance. It was an elegant and charming statement of who she was and how she wanted to feel. As she dabbed it delicately onto her pulse points I could envision the textured florals that made up its heart…their delicate pink color and their irresistibly rich and elegant scent wafting through the air. It was a vision that will stay with me forever. It all came together for me at that moment,,,I wold make a magnificent fragrance to reflect the beauty of her entire ritual.

How did you choose the ingredients?
I began with Patalia, the exclusive Givaudan molecule identified for the project. It truly is the perfect feminine floral essence. It was never used before in a fragrance development so I was intrigued, excited and driven to create something spectacular for Arden.

Patalia is powerfully diffusive and beautiful substantive. It became the new floral icon that I built my fragrance around because it is easy to wear, with a floral character that imparts a unique signature impression. I added other beautiful florals, a sensual feminine backdrop and a delicate touch of citrus to complete this pretty masterpiece.