Gaël Montero: Rising Star of Contemporary Perfumery

Gaël Montero represents a new generation of perfumers who bring multicultural perspectives to contemporary fragrance creation. Born with French-Spanish heritage and raised in Madrid, Montero's journey to perfumery began unexpectedly. Initially pursuing cinema studies in France, he discovered his true calling through chance encounters that led him to the prestigious Givaudan Perfumery School in Paris.

His educational path through Montpellier University, where he first encountered Middle Eastern fragrance culture while working in a niche perfume shop, shaped his understanding of diverse olfactory traditions. This early exposure to different scent cultures would become a defining element of his creative approach. Under the mentorship of perfumer Jordi Fernandez at Givaudan Barcelona, Montero spent two crucial years experimenting with ingredients and solidifying his technical foundation.

Now based in Givaudan's Dubai office, Montero has embraced the rich olfactory landscape of the Middle East, developing expertise in oriental notes, oud, and spices like saffron. His architectural approach to fragrance creation reflects his artistic background, often describing his work as "building a fragrance" with careful attention to foundation and structure. This methodical yet intuitive process has earned him recognition as one of the most promising young talents in the industry.

Montero's portfolio showcases his ability to create cultural dialogues through scent, crafting tributes rather than caricatures of different traditions. His work with Memo Paris includes Madurai, which captures the essence of Indian architecture and culture through jasmine sambac and sandalwood, and Cappadocia, where saffron serves as the keystone in a resinous, ambered composition.

For 27 87, Montero created Mosaïque, a complex blend that juxtaposes cold smokiness with mystical sweetness, featuring tobacco, honey, and roasted cocoa. Rule of 72 demonstrates his mastery of dark compositions, combining Thai oud with leather and vetiver in a sophisticated, confident blend that whispers rather than shouts.

His work with Fragrance Du Bois includes Cavort, an intensely intimate fragrance built around saffron and davana, and Tropiques, which captures tropical paradise through bergamot and exotic fruits. For Attar Collection, he crafted Fleur de Santal, a delicate sandalwood composition, and Sierra, showcasing modern spicy woods with pink pepper and frankincense.

Montero's philosophy centers on perfumery as both art and science, believing that fragrance reflects intimate identity meant to be shared. His dream remains to interpret the "magical smell" of sun-scorched flora from his Spanish childhood, bringing his multicultural journey full circle through scent.