"Eric and Léa craft fragrances that are alive and vibrant, and they are intimately familiar with every aspect of their creation process, from seed to bloom. Their fragrances are all-natural, never overpowering or cloying on the skin, and instead reveal the essence of our true selves."
Eric Roux Reiffsteck
As a child, I was passionate about animal behavior, observing birds and being fascinated by the colors of their feathers and their freedom to fly. I learned at a rapid pace about all species of animals and how to recognize them. I spent my time exploring nature in forests and swamps.
Then, in my adult life, I lost touch with nature while living in big cities, first Paris and then New York City. One day, in a radical gesture, I changed my life, moving from the film industry to farming with the acquisition of an olive estate with over 800, hundred-year-old trees
I found a form of meditation in contemplating plants. Being in the middle of nature, I was in the front row, able to observe their development carefully day by day.
I was transported by the beauty of these arrangements that gave shape to their branches, leaves, and flowers. From these observations, the first fragrances emerged simultaneously.
The scented emanations of the surrounding plants, such as pine, lavender, thyme, roses, juniper, rosemary to name just a few, unquestionably opened a channel of communication between them and my inner being.
After training in perfumery in Grasse, I worked on my own plant extractions, from those I grew or harvested wild in the surrounding mountains. Passionate about alchemy, I followed the teachings of two of its masters, Patrick Rivière and Patrick Burensteinas. Then, with the help of my mentor, Caroline Albert, co-founder of Gattilier, I developed my first mother tinctures (maceration in alcohol), gemmotherapy with buds, as well as distillation with a copper still or a glass Soxhlet.
Bit by bit, I started to compose and assemble these different extractions, to rediscover and share with my surroundings the fragrances that had brought me back to wonder, emotional well-being, and inner peace.
Léa Steuperaert
I am originally from the South of France, born in Grasse and grew up surrounded by the beauty of the mountains, the intense blue of the Mediterranean Sea, and immersed in the scent of pine trees.
Yoga changed my life. I was 22 when I went to Bali to discover its philosophy. I left my career as a professionnal volleyball player and my studies in business to follow my dream of living a life filled with beauty, passion, and love for the Earth and all its kingdoms. Movement, reconnection to nature, to my mind and body, were like medicine to me.
I deeply believe that the relationship we have with ourselves, the kindness and love we give ourselves, has an impact on our relationship with the world. For me, this is the starting point for all personal and collective changes.
For several years now, I have devoted my time to studying ancestral Western medicine, reflecting on the complexity of the world, and being inspired by the nature around me. I connect with my heart, my intuition, and open myself up to life, realizing that I am simply a channel for something greater.
Paysan Parfumeur is, for me, a bridge of reconnection between nature and the modern world. An immersive and poetic experience, through scented fragrances, which will guide us towards a deep discovery and healing of our being.
Preserving the art of perfume, in its millennial origins, is keeping alive the sacred aspect that connects us to all forms of alterities, whether they are related to the divine or to the kingdoms that inhabit the Earth.