NPA Hall of Fame
Natural perfumer behind Elganaur in Aubonne, Switzerland and graduate of the Natural Perfume Academy Advanced Perfumers Workshops and Masterclasses
Every so often, a student comes along whose work stops you in your tracks.
Muriel Mansier Ottavi did that to me.
By the time I had finished evaluating her four Advanced Perfumers Workshop submissions, I had started wearing them when I went out. That was not part of the assessment. I simply wanted to live with them.
“For me, the clearest sign of how much I enjoyed Muriel’s work was that, after the formal evaluation had finished, I still wanted to keep wearing the perfumes.” Ruth Ruane, Natural Perfume Academy professional assessment
A recognisable perfumer’s signature
Muriel submitted Oiseau Bleu, Caladrius, Rose des Vents and Fougère Mercurielle for professional evaluation. I smelled each perfume blind before reading its concept or inspiration. Across all four, a very clear signature emerged. The compositions had movement, identity and the ability to keep revealing themselves long after the opening.
The Elganaur collection
Celestial floral
Orange and tangerine open into lavender, kewra, tuberose, May rose, ylang-ylang and jasmine, with vanilla, vetiver and ambrette in the base.
My first note called it a “genie in a bottle”. It seemed to release facets faster than I could catch them. Hours later it was still present on skin, warm, comfortable and full of character.
Explore Oiseau Bleu
Solar chypre
Mimosa, jasmine and carrot seed open the composition, followed by frankincense and oakmoss, with Damask rose, vetiver and sandalwood in the base.
Caladrius rewarded patience. It moved from brightness into clean wood, herbs and a beautifully grounded character. I described it as a treasure chest, something that kept offering small discoveries.
Explore Caladrius
Oriental spicy
Bergamot and turmeric move through lavender, jasmine, boronia, davana and cinnamon into patchouli, sandalwood, cypriol, styrax and labdanum.
This one surprised me completely. At one point my notes simply said “It feels intelligent.” The dry-down stayed modern, warm, sophisticated and alive, with tremendous presence.
Explore Rose des Vents
Aromatic fougère
A vivid aromatic composition with peppermint, cardamom, florals, woods, mosses and vetiver, shaped by the distinctive botanical character that runs through the Elganaur collection.
One of the most remarkable transitions in the set. I wrote that the middle seemed to be “holding a mirror up to the top notes”, allowing their brightness to remain present as the perfume evolved. Another note was even simpler. “I want more of this.”
Explore Fougère MercurielleFrom the assessment notebook
That sentence kept appearing while I evaluated Muriel’s work. Just when I thought I understood where a composition was going, another facet appeared. The perfumes held attention through their entire development. They arrived with confidence and continued telling their story.
The technical standard was equally strong. Across the four perfumes I found excellent control of structure, impressive longevity, refined diffusion and a clear understanding of how natural materials behave over time.
Most importantly, the perfumes had identity. Each one belonged to the same perfumer while keeping a personality of its own.
Elganaur
Elganaur is an independent artisan perfume house in Aubonne, Switzerland. Its perfumes are handmade in small batches from botanical raw materials. The house brings fragrance together with symbolism, memory and a distinctive visual world.
Muriel and her husband Fabrice have spent years building the house behind these perfumes. Their collection has a strong point of view, and every perfume carries a clear sense of authorship.
NPA Hall of Fame
You watch someone bring together control, confidence and a voice that is recognisably their own. Muriel’s work stayed with me long after the assessment was finished, and I am very happy to welcome her to the NPA Hall of Fame.
Professional evaluation by Ruth Ruane for the Natural Perfume Academy