“Guided by a search for refined aesthetics, I wanted to create perfumes that would express me most fully. My creations are emotional and distinctive, conceived with materials and the people who take them in hand to create things as their central figures.”
— Véronique Le Bihan, founder and artistic director
Essential Information
Founded: 2019
Founder: Véronique Le Bihan
Official website: atelier-materi.com
The Founder and the Brand’s Origins
A Sensibility Nurtured in Brittany
Véronique Le Bihan was born in Brittany, in northwestern France, and grew up in this rugged landscape until the age of twenty. Rocky cliffs, the sea after a storm, and the scents of nature close enough to reach out and touch formed the foundation for the world of her future brand. She says that from childhood she had a habit of “smelling everything,” from things she picked up outdoors to every product lined up in the cosmetics aisle of a supermarket. As a teenager, she began collecting perfume miniatures and was also among the “early generation” to take an interest in niche perfumery.
As a child, she dreamed of becoming an architect and loved drawing floor plans. Ultimately, however, she chose business, graduating from business school with a specialization in finance. With the goal of one day having her own company, she deliberately chose to work in small companies rather than large corporations after graduation, seeking experience across a wide range of responsibilities.
A Decade or More in Perfume and Cosmetics
After moving to Paris, Véronique began working in cosmetics and perfume marketing & product development, building a career over twelve years. In the later years in particular, she focused on fragrance development. Her time at Maesa, a full-service private-label company, was especially significant: she managed perfume collections from A to Z for clients worldwide, gaining experience overseeing everything from brand concepts and product development to placement on store shelves.
Yet in that working environment, speed always came first.
“In corporate work, I was constantly bound by market expectations, trends, tight timelines, and financial pressures. The output might be beautiful on the surface, yet it was often disconnected from depth, meaning, and genuine creative intent. Over time, I felt increasingly removed from the essence of creation.”
— Véronique Le Bihan
A Turning Point: Resolving to Return to Authenticity
After years of creating perfumes for other companies, Véronique paused. She says she felt a powerful need to return to something more honest, more human, and more ethical.
The answer to this question was the founding of Atelier Materi in 2019. She left her job in Paris, moved to Bordeaux with her family, and began exploring a new approach to perfume centered on materials, craftsmanship, and local production.
“I wanted to slow down and return to something more authentic, more human, and more ethical. I wanted to reconnect with craftsmanship, time, and nature, with everything that gives beauty meaning.”
— Véronique Le Bihan
The Meaning Behind the Brand Name
ATELIER MATERI literally means “workshop of materials.” Materi is the Breton equivalent of the French matière, meaning material or matter, and expresses a tribute to the founder’s homeland.
“Atelier Materi literally means a workshop of materials. The essence of our creations lies in the transformation of raw materials through the movements of human hands. Just as a furniture maker carves wood and a potter shapes clay, a perfumer combines and shapes raw materials to reveal their inherent beauty.”
— Véronique Le Bihan
What Defines the Brand
The Philosophy of Slow Luxury
Atelier Materi’s central philosophy is “Slow Luxury.” More than a slogan, it is reflected in a creative process genuinely free from the constraints of a marketing calendar.
“We create without the pressure of launch dates. The release of a new fragrance is guided by the completion of the work, not by a marketing calendar. This process can take months or even years.”
— Véronique Le Bihan
The Principle of One Creation, One Material
Each creation in the collection is designed around a single natural raw material. Whether traditional or entirely unexpected, it is carefully selected according to the finest terroir, or place of origin, and fair-trade principles. The perfumer places that chosen material within a contrasting olfactory composition, drawing out its most subtle nuances and most unexpected facets.
Brittany in the Bottle and Packaging
The design of the flacon is itself an homage to Véronique’s native Brittany. The deep navy-blue bottle symbolizes “the color of the sea after a storm,” while the concrete cap evokes “the mineral character of Brittany’s cliffs” and “the shape of pebbles polished by the waves.”
Every cap is handmade by artisans in Paris. Concrete is poured into a mold and dried, then each cap is removed and polished by hand before a gold patina is applied. “Traces of the artisans’ gestures remain in the individual differences and roughness. The beauty of imperfection found in nature enhances the authenticity of the fragrance,” she says. The bottle’s design philosophy also takes inspiration from architect Mies van der Rohe’s dictum, “Less is More.”
A Four-Handed Dialogue with Perfumers
Véronique is not a perfumer, but she is deeply involved in every stage of fragrance creation, from the brief to approval of the final formula. Her frequent collaborators are Céline Perdriel and Marie Hugentobler, with the work carried out through a partnership with Cosmo International Fragrances.
“Each fragrance is truly a dialogue, a four-handed process between the perfumer and me. This collaboration allows me to focus on the poetic and sensory dimensions of creation: the textures, contrasts, and emotions that give a scent its soul.”
— Véronique Le Bihan
The Perfume Lineup
Eau de Parfum Collection
The collection at the heart of the brand, offered in 100 ml bottles. Each creation is a minimalist, contemporary, unisex fragrance that places a single natural raw material in the leading role.
- Santal Blond / Perfumer: Lucas Sieuzac — A creation centered on sandalwood, clothed in Bourbon hinoki, tonka bean, cardamom, bergamot, and jasmine. One of the brand’s bestsellers.
- Narcisse Taiji — Some said that putting narcissus so prominently at the forefront was too bold, but the fragrance ultimately became a bestseller.
- Cacao Porcelana / Perfumer: Marie Hugentobler — Centers on rare white Porcelana cacao from Piura in northwestern Peru. It won silver in the Best New Niche Fragrance category at the Pure Beauty Awards 2020. The perfumer is also known for working with a French master chocolatier to study the ideal roast.
- Iris Ebène / Perfumer: Marie Hugentobler — A creation so dear to Véronique that she calls it “my olfactory doudou,” something like a comforting stuffed toy. During development, she reportedly gave the perfumer the vision of “a feeling of being enveloped, like wearing a cashmere sweater.”
- Cuir Nilam / Perfumer: Céline Perdriel — Won silver in the Premium Niche Perfume category at the Cosmetiquemag Awards 2023.
- Rose Ardoise / Perfumer: Céline Perdriel — Véronique, who “didn’t originally like rose,” pursued an androgynous rose under the concept of “a flower blooming from concrete in the city.” It took two years to complete. Winner of silver in the Niche Fragrance category at the Cosmetiquemag Awards 2022.
- Bois d’Ambrette / Perfumer: Marie Hugentobler
- Poivre Pomelo / Perfumer: Marie Hugentobler — A citrus-spicy fragrance centered on Timut pepper from the Himalayas.
- Cèdre Figalia / Perfumer: Céline Perdriel
- Vanille Carbone / Perfumer: Nathalie Gracia-Cetto
- Tonka Kumaru — Explores the complex, almond-like signature of tonka bean.
Extraits de Parfum Collection
The second collection, launched in October 2024 in 50 ml bottles. With a fragrance concentration of 30%, it is substantially more concentrated than the eaux de parfum, characterized by lasting trails and a strong presence. The bottle caps have a matte gold finish, giving them a different bearing from the eau de parfum line.
- Ambre Papier / Perfumer: Céline Perdriel — A warm-spicy fragrance combining myrrh, saffron, Siam benzoin resin, and other materials.
- Burgundy Oud / Perfumer: Céline Perdriel — Characterized by the contrast between Burgundy blackcurrant bud absolute and oud. The care taken in sourcing shines through in the choice of “blackcurrants from a region that produces grand cru wines.”
- Néroli Hasbaya / Perfumer: Céline Perdriel — A floral fragrance centered on neroli, or bitter-orange blossom, with pistachio, orange blossom, and other notes.
- Black Oregano / Perfumer: Céline Perdriel — The latest addition to the collection, released in autumn 2025. A strongly contrasting creation that combines the unexpected ingredient oregano, a culinary herb, with leather and woods.
“Black Oregano was born from a bold tension. Sun-scorched, darkened oregano and the feel of tanned leather: a fierce, primal, vivid presence. It is a fragrance where mineral and sensual qualities intersect, where dry aromatic freshness meets the vital heat of leather.”
— Véronique Le Bihan
A Few More Details…
- Asked whom she would create a perfume for if she could choose one person, Véronique named the French architect and designer Charlotte Perriand. “Her way of looking at art, craft, and design through a minimalist, contemporary lens is very close to my own creations,” Véronique says. “I would have wanted to create a minimalist composition with a sense of vertical reach, combining delicate citrus such as yuzu with dry cedarwood, also paying homage to Japan, which fascinated her.” Her answer seems to distill Atelier Materi’s entire aesthetic.
- Véronique’s favorite fragrance ingredient is reportedly ambroxan. Born from organic-chemistry research, this synthetic material has woody, amber, and animalic nuances that add sensual depth. “Every perfumer who works with me knows about my obsession with ambroxan,” she says with a laugh. Rose Ardoise, incidentally, contains 20% or more ambroxan.
References
- “THE HOUSE” — ATELIER MATERI official website – https://atelier-materi.com/pages/the-house
- “ATELIER MATERI: the French perfume house” — Rocket Beauty – https://rocket.beauty/en/atelier-materi/
- “ATELIER MATERI” — ART EAU (Japanese) – https://arteau.jp/pages/atelier-materi
- “[ATELIER MATERI] Refined Fragrances Born from the Pursuit of Materials” — Lounge Sai – https://loungesai.com/blogs/note/atelier-materi-fragrance-introduction
- “Heartfelt Interview with Véronique Le Bihan” (official fourth-anniversary interview) — ATELIER MATERI official blog – http://atelier-materi.com/2023/11/08/heartfelt-interview-with-veronique-le-bihan-founder-of-atelier-materi-who-shares-her-invaluable-insights-and-inspirations-to-celebrate-the-brands-4th-anniversary-this-month/
- “ATELIER MATERI: Time, Matter, and the Discipline of Restraint” — Elevated Classics – https://elevated-classics.com/atelier-materi-time-matter-and-the-discipline-of-restraint/
- “Interview With Veronique Le Bihan, the creator of ATELIER MATERI” — H Parfums Blog – https://hparfums.com/blogs/news/interview-with-veronique-le-bihan-the-soul-behind-atelier-materi
- “Atelier Materi, rencontre avec Véronique Le Bihan” — Flannie – https://flannie.fr/2024/01/08/atelier-materi-rencontre-avec-veronique-le-bihan/
- “5 Questions with Véronique Le Bihan, Founder of Atelier Materi” — Amaris Beauty – https://amarisbeauty.com/blogs/magazine/5-questions-with-veronique-le-bihan-founder-of-atelier-materi
- “Atelier Materi Cacao Porcelana Review” — ÇaFleureBon – https://cafleurebon.com/atelier-materi-cacao-porcelana-review-marie-hugentobler-award-winning-draw/
- “Cosmetiquemag Award 2023 for CUIR NILAM” — Cosmo International Fragrances – https://www.linkedin.com/posts/cosmo-international-fragrances-sa_congrats-to-atelier-materi-and-c%C3%A9line-perdriel-activity-71
- “Rose Ardoise: Cosmetiquemag Award 2022” — Cosmo International Fragrances – https://www.instagram.com/reel/CmODuFMD0md/
- “Atelier Materi Introduces New Extrait in the Collection: Black Oregano” — Plezuro Mag – https://plezuromag.com/news/atelier-materi-introduces-new-extrait-in-the-collection-black-oregano
- “Three New ATELIER MATERI Perfumes Launch October 16” — Clique Tokyo – https://cliquetokyo.fashionstore.jp/blog/2024/10/09/190156
- “ATELIER MATERI” — Jovoy Paris – https://www.jovoyparis.uk/brand/365-atelier-materi
