I met with Carolina Herrera Junior a couple of days after the Carolina Herrera Fall 2007 Fashion Show, in Carolina Herrera’s offices in New York. She’s gorgeous, smart, and very modest. We talked about her role in the company, her life, and the perfumes she launches.
Hayat Ammouri: How did you find the collection? Carolina Herrera Junior:I loved it! I really loved it. I saw it before the show on the racks, and although I didn’t see everything, I loved it.
Do you usually see the collection before?
No, I live in Spain and I just came on Friday, so I saw it for an hour on Saturday. I thought it’s really one of her most beautiful collections so far. Most of it I saw it today.
Did you have any favorite pieces in it?
The sweaters, I love the sweaters, the furs. The dresses at the end, and there was a great coat, with… the shirts underneath, they were beautiful.
How would you describe your personal style?
Not fussy and not trendy. I like clothes, I like beautiful clothes, and I like what designers do now, but I don’t like to dress head to toe with one designer, or wear the trend of the moment.
Is there any designer you really like?
I like what my mother does, and I have most of her stuff. I also love Chloe, Oscar De La Renta, Marc Jacobs, I love Diane Von Furstenberg. When I Look at a show on TV, even if it’s a new designer, or a designer I have never heard about, there are always ten things I like in the shows.
Do you like fashion?
I like clothes, I am not obsessed about clothes, but I like it.
How did you start working for the company?
I started 10 years ago, as a summer job, and now it turned up to 10 years.
Did you have to?
No, I didn’t have to, no no no.. She asked me, do you want to do that for summer, and it was a summer job.
Was it kind of a trap?
Yes, I think it was, and it worked, it worked on both sides, for both of us.
What is your role in the company?
I work in the development of fragrances, the creation, I also work on the CH line, and this season, I did the Carolina Herrera ads.
How come?
My first job ever with Carolina was the add for the perfume, twenty years ago, in 1987. It’s like a full circle, 20 years after, I am doing the ads again.
Do you like perfumes, are you usually someone who always wears perfume?
I wear perfume, but very subtly. I love perfumes, but I don’t bathe myself with perfume.
Do you chose any specific perfume or do you like to mix things?
I mix our perfumes, because I have to test them, but I have a favorite one, the Carolina Herrera.
How do we start with the making of a perfume?
You start with the idea. The basis. Who this woman is going to be, and how do you want her to smell… From there you work with different groups and you come up with it. It’s a lot of work.
Does your nose gets tired from smelling?
Yes, and also you can’t smell too much in one day. This is why we have those little bottles that we are given, and we test those out. And we say this is too strong, this is so light, this is too disgusting, this is nice…and from there it goes back to the lab and they mix it again.. it takes a long time.
How long does it take from beginning to end?
From one to 2 years. When you are doing something completely new, like when were doing 212… When we did 212 sexy, we already had the basis, so it took less.
So you used to do the perfume for women, and you imagine the woman. Now you are doing the perfume for men. Is it the first perfume for men that you have worked on?
No, we did many…
Did you work on them too?
Yes.
How do you work on perfume for men?
The same thing. I don’t think there is a set of rules about how a perfume should smell, so I work on what I like.
What do you like?
I like I don’t like very overpowering, I like very subtle. And I like fruits, and I like flowers. And I can’t exactly tell you one particular one. When something is right you know it’s right you can’t tell exactly what it is, you just know. And that’s how it is. When the smell is perfect, you just know.
How many persons smell the perfume?
I can’t really tell you, I don’t know.. but a lot.. And then of course there is the nose.
And the nose is you?
Oh no.. there is a professional nose. I just guide, I say what I like or not..
Who is sexy man for you?
A sexy man for me is my husband. I like a ying yang type. A strong man but who is also feminine. I think maybe because my father is very strong, but also very sensitive. Somebody who is very sure of himself, but also humble. I like these opposing traits, I find them sexy.
Is there a specific man that comes to our mind that suits this perfume?
I think there are many that this perfume would suit, but for me, it’s my husband. I find my husband sexy.
How do you spend your days. What’s your routine?
I live in Spain. And I don’t have to go to the office everyday. Sometimes I travel, and I have interviews, I would go tu Dubai and I have to do a full day of interviews, one day I have pictures, or meetings..a lunch meeting or a dinner meeting. It varies. It is never the same.
What is you favorite part of this job?
My favorite part is creating. Doing the development, the development of the fragrances.
Other than Dubai, what other countries did you visit in the Middle East?
No, just Dubai. I liked it, it was interesting.
Do you find people in all the different places where you go are different?
In general, I think so, yes.. and this is why we have different cultures, different people In the way of dressing, in the way of thinking, but this is what makes it fun and interesting, otherwise, verything is the same. And there won’t be as many perfumes, ad b it will be boring.
Do you have kids?
Yes, two.Was it your daughter in the show?
No, that was my niece.
How old are your kids?
Mine are 23 months and 7 months.
So you have a new baby?
Yes, I have a little baby.
How do you balance everything?
Organization. Like now, it’s the first time I leave them both for long. And you know it’s tough. I feel good right now, but I feel terrible in the morning and right before I go to bed. You think what am I doing, I should be there. But then it’s also good to have time by your own, for them and for me.. but I miss them at night. It’s mostly me, I know my daughter is perfectly happy.
Now there are 3 generations of Herrera. Does it affect the style of the company or anything in the company?
No, I don’t think so.
Do you put anything from your generation in the company?
Consciously, no, maybe unconscious.. even when you are with friends, you take things from them and they take things from you. So I think I take things from my mother and she takes things from us. But it’s not conscious, like let’s sit down and see what I can take from you, it happens very naturally.
What are your weaknesses?
Sometimes I am quiet insecure, and I think this is terrible.
Even when you work?
No not when I work. I’s personal doubts. When I am working, am sure of what I like and what I don’t. It’s mostly personal.
And you are Carolina, you are too named after your mother. What are the similarities between both of you? What are the differences?
Our differences are just because we are from 2 different generations. She is more conservative, everything that implies the two generations. But we are alike, she’s a neat freak and so I am. She is honest, and so I am. The similar things are what she passes on to me, to her 3 daughters, values and morals.
How were you raised?
She was strict.
What did you study?
I studied Science.
How many sisters do you have?
We are four girls no boys..
The perfume, I love it, it’s good and you should get one. It’s launching now in Dubai.
Messages for men?
Love your woman!
Any relationship advice?
I would think about how I would like to be treated. Certainly with huge respect, as a dear, dear friend and being loved like a queen. Especially with respect, and beyond that how do you like to be treated. Treat your woman like she is the best, and the same for women, respect is important; travel and do your own things, but always with respect.
You like traveling, don’t you?
I used to like it more, now I like to be home with my children.
Are you with your children like your mom was with you?
I don’t know.. I am too young yet… Ask me this when they are 13 or 14.
Are you worried about when they will be this age?
No, I am not worried yet.. 10 years of worrying, no..
