Maison J.U.S: Olfactory Pop Art and the Pursuit of Freedom in Perfume

“With a marketing brief, all creativity is lost, because the perfumer has to follow a specification. I see perfume as a work of art, so it seems only natural to set the perfumer’s imagination free.”
— Jean-Baptiste Roux, CEO of Maison J.U.S​

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Essential Information

• Brand name: Maison J.U.S
• Full name: Joyau Unique et Sensoriel (“a unique, sensory jewel”)​
• Founded: 2019 (the concept originated in 2016)
• Founders: Thierry de Baschmakoff, Artistic Director; Brigitte Wormser, Olfactory Director; and Jean-Baptiste Roux, CEO​
• Headquarters: Paris, France
• Official website: https://jusparfums.com

Note: The name is rendered “Jusu” in Japanese. It also plays on the French word jus, pronounced “zhoo,” meaning the perfume liquid itself.

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The Founders and the Origins of the Brand

An Unconventional Designer Raised in the City of Perfume: Thierry de Baschmakoff

To trace the story of Maison J.U.S, we must begin with its artistic director, Thierry de Baschmakoff. Born in 1960 in Grasse, the perfume capital of southern France, Thierry grew up surrounded by perfumers.​

“I may be the only person born in Grasse who works on the ‘outside’ of perfume rather than its ‘contents.’ But I grew up surrounded by a family of perfumers, while another branch of the family worked in painting and architecture. One day, I decided to draw perfume bottles.”
— Thierry de Baschmakoff​

His original field was civil engineering. Encouraged by his uncle, the designer François de Baschmakoff, known for designing watches for Lip, he decided to enter the creative world. In 1985, at twenty-five, Thierry went to Paris carrying only a perfume-bottle mock-up carved in plaster and established his own design agency, Aesthete. He had neither a design-school education nor connections in the industry. “It was precisely because I was naive that I could take the plunge,” he recalls.

The turning point came in 1992. As Bulgari prepared to launch its first perfume, it held a competition between two major agencies and one “dark horse.” That dark horse was Thierry, whose name had happened to make it onto the list through an introduction by a plastics manufacturer. His bottle for Eau Parfumée au Thé Vert became a symbol of Bulgari’s fragrance business and brought Aesthete instant recognition within the industry. Over a career spanning more than thirty-five years, he has since worked for numerous houses, including Dior on Addict, Guerlain, Cartier, and Jimmy Choo, bringing more than 6,000 designed objects to market, including over 3,000 perfume bottles alone.

In 2000, together with Jean-Claude Ellena (in Japanese), he also co-founded the niche-fragrance pioneer “The Different Company (in Japanese).” Already taking shape at that time were the ideas of complete carte blanche for perfumers, refillable bottles, and uncompromising investment in high-quality natural materials.

2016: The Miracle Born from the Joke of a “Fictional Brand”

Around 2016, Thierry began a “design thought experiment.” What would happen if he brought together three concepts that did not yet exist in the niche-perfume industry: upcycling, open source, meaning the publication of formulas, and DIY?​

He collected roughly 300 perfume bottles dating from the 1930s to the 1960s at the Saint-Ouen flea market in Paris, then covered them in colorful balloon rubber to give them a pop-inspired appearance. He designed a logo and devised the name “J.U.S”: Joyau Unique et Sensoriel. He then asked perfumer Céline Ellena to create a single fragrance, L’Eau des beaux jours, whose formula would be disclosed in full.​

The concept was shown at Salon Alternative Fragrance & Beauty. It was strictly an exhibition of a “fictional brand,” with no intention of selling anything.

“The exercise was so convincing that visitors began asking to buy the flacons, which were not for sale.”
— Thierry de Baschmakoff​

“Seeing the visitors’ reactions to the perfumer’s formula being made public, I realized that this was a genuine way to honor the profession of perfumer. I had not expected that.”
— Thierry de Baschmakoff​

Joining Forces with Trusted Allies: The Three-Way Bond Forged at Atkinsons

Two trusted allies were indispensable if Thierry was to develop the project into a real brand.

Brigitte Wormser and Jean-Baptiste Roux met through the project to revive Atkinsons, the historic British house that belonged to Italy’s Perfume Holding group, and also came to know Thierry.

Brigitte Wormser, the olfactory director, has childhood memories of holidays in southern France near Grasse and grew up immersed in the scents of rose, jasmine, and lavender. After studying for three years at ISIPCA, the Institut Supérieur International du Parfum, de la Cosmétique et de l’Aromatique Alimentaire, a leading institution in French perfume education, she built a career with luxury houses including Nina Ricci, Germaine Monteil, Dior, and Lacroix. She later bought two perfume shops in Paris and established a consultancy. Over many years, she developed close friendships with numerous perfumers, coming to know each one’s olfactory style intimately.

Jean-Baptiste Roux, the CEO, trained as a biological engineer and also holds a marketing degree. He entered the world of perfumery by chance during an end-of-studies internship, beginning his career in international marketing at Yves Saint Laurent Parfums. He then moved to the start-up Sélective Beauty, where he discovered ways of working unlike those of major groups. Over the following twenty-plus years, he oversaw fragrance development for brands including Trussardi, Max Mara, Galliano, and La Perla.

2019: A “Joke” Becomes a Real Perfume House

When Thierry told Brigitte and Jean-Baptiste about the project, they immediately embraced it.

“When Thierry told us about the project, Jean-Baptiste and I said, ‘Wonderful, let’s launch J.U.S and create a free, uninhibited brand!’ We wanted to surprise people because the niche sector had become far too uniform and academic.”
— Brigitte Wormser​

In 2019, the three formally established Maison J.U.S, retaining the original spirit of the concept: upcycling, open source, and carte blanche for perfumers. They gave five master perfumers, Aliénor Massenet (in Japanese), Fabrice Pellegrin, Alexandra Carlin, Aurélien Guichard (in Japanese), and Céline Ellena, complete creative freedom and debuted with eleven fragrances. Distribution began at Printemps Haussmann in Paris, alongside the brand’s own e-commerce site.

In 2021, the company successfully raised €617,000, approximately ¥100 million, from French business angels and international investors. The funding went toward expansion in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, as well as its digital strategy. What had once been no more than a creator’s “good joke” had grown by 2024 into an established perfume house with a presence in seventeen countries.

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What the Brand Stands For

Carte Blanche: Pure Creation Without Marketing

At the heart of Maison J.U.S’s philosophy lies absolute trust in perfumers. There are no consumer tests and no marketing briefs. Perfumers are not even given an olfactory pyramid specifying top, heart, and base notes; they create their fragrances with complete freedom.

“Inspiration can come from art, literature, or travel. But we give the perfumers at J.U.S complete freedom, carte blanche. No marketing brief… no consumer testing… Each creation is a personal story.”
— Brigitte Wormser​

When selecting perfumers, Brigitte considers not only their creativity and olfactory language but also their affinity with the brand’s “slightly unconventional and eco-responsible” approach. She encourages them to explore childhood memories, guiding the creation of deeply personal fragrances.​

Open Source: A Counterpoint to the Perfume Industry’s Secrecy

Traditionally, perfume formulas have been closely guarded secrets. Maison J.U.S directly challenges this convention by publishing every fragrance’s complete formula together with the perfumer’s handwritten notes.​

“Open source was something genuinely new in the perfume industry. But for me, it was a beautiful way to honor the perfumer’s work. When a formula is published, the perfumer is, in a sense, laid bare. Consumers then understand how difficult, sophisticated, and complex a perfume formula is, just as they do with the cooking of a great chef.”
— Brigitte Wormser​

At first, the concept of open source was not easy for the perfumers to embrace. Ultimately, however, they recognized that transparency was a fundamental trend and that publishing formulas enhanced the value of both their work and their materials, Thierry says.​

Upcycling and Made in France: “Nothing Is Lost and Everything Is Said”

Maison J.U.S’s commitment to sustainability goes beyond simple recycling. Under the slogan “Nothing is lost and everything is said,” the house embraces upcycling: giving existing things a new life by adding new value.​

Bottles: The flacons are made by reusing old molds from the 1950s and 1960s belonging to the historic glassmaker Waltersperger. Vivid water-based lacquers protect the perfume from light while creating a pop-art appearance.​

Refills: Every bottle has a screw neck and is refillable. It can be topped up from a 200 ml aluminum refill bottle or at the perfume bar in Printemps Haussmann. Worn-out pumps are replaced free of charge.​

Packaging: Gift boxes are designed for reuse, with a second life as pencil cases or brush holders in mind. Their geometric patterns draw inspiration from wallpaper of the 1950s and 1960s.​

Store fixtures: All the furniture used in the sales corners consists of vintage pieces found at Paris flea markets. Even the pots holding mouillettes, or scent-testing strips, are repurposed pencil holders from the 1970s.​

Terrazzo candleholders: Bottles rejected because of impurities in the glass are crushed and reborn as Le Bougeoir de J.U.S, cube-shaped candleholders handcrafted using terrazzo techniques. No two are alike.

Apart from the fragrance ingredients, every component, from bottles and packaging to the production processes, is made in France, and the products proudly bear the words “100% Made in France.” To achieve this, CEO Jean-Baptiste traveled across the country visiting suppliers and craftspeople, building a chain of trust and passion.​

Flacons Dressed in Pop Art

Maison J.U.S’s visual identity is deeply rooted in the pop art and vintage culture of the 1950s and 1960s. Striking colors, rounded retro forms, and wallpaper-like graphic patterns all embody Thierry’s wish for “objects with a soul, things that can be cherished for a long time, used, reused, and collected.”​

“The Different Company and J.U.S are both projects in which I was there at the origin of the brand and was given carte blanche. That is very exciting, but also frightening, because you always need a framework to express design at its best.”
— Thierry de Baschmakoff​

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The Fragrance Lineup

Maison J.U.S’s perfumes are organized into two collections.​

Joyaux Sensoriels: Sensory Jewels

The main collection currently comprises more than fifteen creations. Presented in brightly colored, contemporarily manufactured flacons, it occupies the more accessible price tier. Representative fragrances include the following.​

• Gingerlise: By Alexandra Carlin. An explosive opening of citrus and ginger evokes Madagascar.​
• Noiressence: By Alexandra Carlin. A floral leather built around an ink accord.​
• Coffeeze: By Aurélien Guichard. A distinctive fragrance in which coffee and oud intersect.​
• Sexycrush: By Aliénor Massenet. A woody oriental woven from rose, myrrh, oud, and renewable vanilla.
• Ambraser: Memories of sea salt and amber, capturing the warmth of a childhood beach.​
• Andaluiza: By Pierre Gueros. A sensual fusion of pomegranate, amberwood, and oakmoss.​
• Ultrahot: A sensual fragrance centered on elemi, a resin native to the Philippines.​

Joyaux Uniques: One-of-a-Kind Jewels

A special collection of just three fragrances. They are housed in flacons made using vintage molds from the mid-twentieth century, a tribute to the history of French perfumery.

• Rosamonda: By Fabrice Pellegrin. A lavish duet of Turkish damask rose and Bulgarian rose.​
• Cuirissime: By Fabrice Pellegrin. A floral leather imbued with the sensuality of violet leaf and iris.​
• Superfusion: By Céline Ellena. A sparkling fragrance that takes musk into a new dimension.​

The Perfumers

Maison J.U.S began with five master perfumers and has now expanded to nine. In addition to the original members, Aliénor Massenet, Fabrice Pellegrin, Alexandra Carlin, Aurélien Guichard, and Céline Ellena, the house now works with Pierre Gueros, Marine Ipert, Alexis Dadier, and Philippe Paparella. All are leading perfumers working in France, each transforming their own stories into scent with complete freedom.

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Incidentally…

• From a “fictional brand” to seventeen countries: Thierry initially began J.U.S as a “design joke.” Le Monde described it as “what began as a creator’s good joke has turned into an established label for which top perfumers line up.”​
• Céline Ellena’s twofold connection: One of Maison J.U.S’s perfumers, Céline Ellena is the daughter of Jean-Claude Ellena, with whom Thierry previously co-founded The Different Company. Thierry’s collaboration with two generations of the same family runs through both houses.
• The story behind the name of Lalique’s Hommage à l’Homme: When Thierry worked on a project for Lalique, the working title he gave it, Hommage à l’Homme, reportedly ended up becoming the official name.​
• Thierry’s self-described “four quarters”: Thierry calls himself “25% Russian, 25% Italian, 25% Swiss, and 25% French,” joking that “the order of the percentages changes depending on where I am.”​​

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