Alberto Morillas: Master of Modern Perfumery

Alberto Morillas stands as one of perfumery's most prolific and influential creators. Born in Seville in 1950, his journey began when his family moved to Switzerland during his childhood. After studying at Geneva's École des Beaux Arts, a chance encounter with a Vogue article about Jean-Paul Guerlain sparked his fascination with perfumery as an art form.

Joining Firmenich in 1970, Morillas started in scientific research studying natural essences. His self-taught approach and natural talent quickly emerged as he began composing fragrances despite initial restrictions. By 1977, he earned the title of Perfumer, advancing to Master Perfumer by 1988.

Morillas describes his signature as creating perfumes with "a lot of light" - compositions that radiate sunny happiness, transparency, and freshness. His Mediterranean roots shine through his preference for citrus, marine notes, and flowers like jasmine and neroli. He believes perfumery mirrors society, with each fragrance telling an emotional story that connects with human experience.

His innovative approach combines natural ingredients with revolutionary synthetic molecules, some of which he helped patent. Remarkably, Morillas writes all his formulas by hand, believing his handwriting captures his emotion. This personal touch, combined with his visual approach to scent creation, has produced nearly 7,000 fragrances throughout his career.

Morillas has crafted some of the most recognizable fragrances in modern perfumery. His masterpieces include Calvin Klein CK One, Giorgio Armani Acqua di Giò, Marc Jacobs Daisy, and Kenzo Flower. Each creation demonstrates his ability to balance artistic vision with commercial appeal, making complex compositions accessible and emotionally resonant.

His recent work includes Deziro for Nishane, showcasing his continued innovation in aquatic compositions. This fragrance exemplifies his mastery of marine accords combined with his beloved mint and vetiver notes, creating a fresh yet sophisticated experience.

The perfumer's accolades include the prestigious Prix François Coty in 2003 and the Fragrance Foundation's first-ever Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013. His influence extends beyond individual fragrances to shaping modern perfumery's direction toward transparency and emotional connection.

In 1999, Morillas founded Mizensir with his wife Claudine, allowing him creative freedom to explore personal artistic visions. This independent venture complements his continued work at dsm-firmenich, where he remains an active Master Perfumer. His legacy lives on through millions who wear his creations daily, while his ongoing work continues pushing perfumery's boundaries into new olfactory territories.