Trendsetters at Work: Bond No. 9

Fragrance company founder and president talks about her career path

By Rose Curiel Dec 23, 2013 6:49 PMTags
Trendsetters, BOND NYCJennifer Cooper, E!

For Bond No. 9 fragrance company founder and president Laurice Rahme the smell of success may be sweeter than it is for others.

That's because as part of her job, Rahme literally blends and creates scents at her desk.

So, how does one nab such an enviable gig, and how else does the power woman spend her nine-to-five?

Read on to find out what Rahme revealed about her job:

How did you get started in your career?
Originally, I studied art history in Paris and worked for a well-known antiques dealer—this background of art and authentic heritage informs what we do at Bond No. 9 to this day. After a few years, my passion for beauty and art took me into the heart of the beauty industry: to L'Oreal and from there into the world of perfumes working with some of the greatest names in the fragrance universe. In fact, I came to the United States almost 30 years ago with the famous perfume creator Annick Goutal to introduce her brand and creations to the US market. The time with Annick, her passion about perfume creation and what I have learned from her remain one of my strongest sources of inspiration until today.

What is a typical day like for you?
The perfect day for me begins with 20 minutes of meditation to get centered, followed by an hour of yoga to breathe flexibility into my body and mind. Then I am at my offices on Bond Street from 10 a.m. until about 8 p.m. with different topics to manage and various meetings to attend—for example, calls or meetings regarding sales, accounting, creation, media, and production. Having time for myself in the mornings and then looking to a day full of varied meetings and seeing the business progress is a perfect day for me.

Tell us about your office décor or creative inspiration.
I have been a New Yorker for over 30 years and get inspired every day by life in this city and by its incredible energy. It is always fresh and new and all of us who live here feel that constant renewing fast-paced forward-motion that sparks creativity everywhere. It informs everything we do.

Jennifer Cooper, E!

Describe your office style.
What do you typically wear to work? I am a very classic dresser and typically wear all black to work. I wear heels every day and have jackets at both of my offices to put on over what I am wearing so that I am always meeting-ready! I wear classic clothing with an uptown flair of accessories. I always come in to work with fragrance-free skin so I can test new fragrances on my arms. This is very important to me because I am constantly creating.

Where do you shop for work clothes?
I like to find unique boutiques from the different New York City neighborhoods. New York has so much to offer I don't like to shop at the same places for my wardrobe. I'm constantly visiting new neighborhoods and getting inspired by the various styles. Sag Harbor has a lot of wonderful boutiques that I enjoy shopping in.

What are your favorite brands of accessories?
I love finding vintage jewelry.  My favorite vintage pieces are my YSL earrings.

My favorite thing on my desk is:
My favorite things on my desk are my lab samples. I have many different lab samples on my desk and I love to test and blend scents. I'm constantly creating.

Jennifer Cooper, E!

The best part of my job is…
Creating! The best part of my job is being able to be immersed in my passion for both art and fragrance, having the ability to act on the inspirations I gain from living and working in New York and then inspiring my team to create the next easy-to-wear chic scent.

I never leave home without…
I never leave home without my Blackberry. I am always available for my team and we are in constant contact.

What is your guilty pleasure?
My guilty pleasures are petite, bite-sized sweets. On occasion, I love to indulge in dark chocolate as well as macaroons.

What is the best piece of advice you've ever received?
Very early in my career, Robert Salmon at L'Oreal, told me something that has always been most important to me. It is very simple but very powerful. He told me, "Always focus on creativity, all the rest will follow." And it is true! If the product is amazing, unique and created with passion and pride, all the rest will fall into place.

Jennifer Cooper, E!

What are your travel must-haves?
Whether I am traveling for business or pleasure I always have my iPad and a copy of the New York Times.

What is your go-to lunch? Favorite snack? Morning beverage?
I like to start my day with a cappuccino, extra dry.  My go-to lunch is a kale salad with avocado from The Smile on Bond Street.  I'm a vegetarian and I know I can always depend on The Smile to be quick and fresh.  Throughout the day, I enjoy snacking on almonds.

If I wasn't doing this job, I would be…
An architect!

Can you share some advice for aspiring career girls?
Another piece of advice that I learned early in my career from Robert Salmon at L'Oreal that I would like to share with aspiring career girls is to not be afraid to be different.  He always reminded me that it is important to be myself, not to follow, not to look at what others are doing but to find the path that is right for me.