Joël Palix, President of Clarins Fragrance Group

Premium Beauty News - How did the market react during the end of the year festivities?

Joël Palix - For fragrances, 2009 has probably been the worst year our profession experienced for a very long time. France, Britain and Germany resisted rather well. Italy and the Middle East are on the decline. Spain, travel retail and the United States have fallen sharply. Asia is slightly progressing. I am generally speaking of the profession here and not of our brands which performed well in particular Mugler.

Premium Beauty News - Is recovery really back?

Joël Palix - There are some encouraging signs, the last quarter was good, Christmas sales in stores too.

Premium Beauty News - Environmental labelling, legislative pressures of all sorts, how do you cope with regulatory developments in your sector?

Joël Palix - All this must be perceived as an opportunity like sustainable development, but the big issue remains in the fact that restrictions on ingredients have reduced the palette the nose of the perfume designer was working with.

Premium Beauty News - Relocation, partial or full subcontracting in Asia or elsewhere... What sort of balance do you think, needs to be found?

Joël Palix - Precisely, the proper balance must be found between cost, flexibility and also creativity. Playing with manufacturing options accordingly.

Joël Palix and Naomi Watts, for Thierry Mugler’s Angel