STEPHAN'S SIX - ROBERTO GRECO

The days of “point a camera at a bottle of perfume” have well and truly gone because a sense of creativity is now demanded by every company. One person who certainly has this gift is Roberto Greco, an incredible photographer who splits his time between Paris and Geneva. From Le Galion to Liquides Imaginaires, his work has been featured in the Harrods magazine as well as by The Perfume Society. So, I thought it was time to find out a little bit more about Roberto in the first of a new series of “Stephan’s Six”.

What is the first smell that you can remember?

This would have to be the smell of my Italian grandmother, which I would describe as powdery, with touches of talcum and flowers. The mystery is that she doesn't wear any perfume, so maybe it's only in my head.

What was the first perfume you remember your mum or dad wearing?

My mother wore Dune by Dior. It's a really vivid memory for me as she used to spray it on my pillow to help me sleep if she was away. A few days ago I found a sample of it and it immediately made me jump back to my childhood.

What was the perfume of your twenties?

When I was about fourteen and my brother was sixteen he was given Fahrenheit by Dior as a gift. He absolutely hated it and ended up giving it to me. It was my very first fragrance and I still have the bottle.

What was your biggest perfume mistake?

When I was a kid, my mother had all of her perfumes in the bathroom and I wasn't allowed to touch them. I did once, and I sprayed it in the wrong direction. So I ran out of the bathroom screaming with my eyes red and swollen!

You can only choose one perfume?

I don't like to wear the same perfume every day, but if I really have to make a choice (why?!!) then I'll choose one that is quite simple, but still complex, like the wonderful Zen by Shiseido.

What perfume should I try?

Definitely Serge Noire by Serge Lutens because it's everything depending of who is wearing it and when. Sometimes it smells young, sometimes old… sometimes it’s a dramatic dandy while sometimes it’s sympathetically old fashioned.

For more information about Roberto, and to see a selection of his work, you can visit his website at GrecoRoberto.biz