Le Mâle, for Jean Paul Gaultier, is the work of a twenty-four-year-old perfumer. Rather than capitalise on that start, its author set up his own bespoke atelier in 2001, against an era that was democratising perfume, and worked for Dior, Guerlain and Saint Laurent as well as for artists — Sophie Calle from 2003, olfactory installations at Versailles and the Grand Palais. Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres in 2008. The house was born the following year of his meeting with Marc Chaya, who runs it. The collection is worn as a wardrobe.
