Christine Nagel

Christine Nagel (born 7 October 1959) is a Swiss perfumer who has served as the in-house perfumer at Hermès since 2016. Born to an Italian mother and Swiss father, she grew up in Geneva, Switzerland. Nagel initially pursued medical studies with the goal of becoming a midwife but found her calling in chemistry, which she studied at the University of Geneva. This path ultimately led her to perfumery, an unusual route at a time when most perfumers were men who had grown up in the industry in Grasse.

Nagel began her career in the research department of Firmenich, where she became captivated by the emotional power of fragrance. Though she requested a transfer to the perfumery section, she was initially directed to chromatography instead, where she became one of the few people in the world trained to identify fragrance ingredients using only her nose. Unable to advance further at Firmenich, she moved to Italy, where within a year she held 60 percent of Italy's perfume contracts, including work for Fendi and Versace. She relocated to Paris in 1997. Prior to joining Hermès, Nagel created acclaimed fragrances including Narciso Rodriguez for Her (2003, with Francis Kurkdjian) and Miss Dior Chérie (2005), as well as niche creations such as Wood Sage & Sea Salt, one of 47 perfumes she created for Jo Malone London. She has been recognized with awards from the Fragrance Foundation France, the François Coty Foundation, and the Marie Claire International Fragrance Awards. Her other notable works include 2000 et Une Rose, Cabriole, and 2000 et Une Nuit.