David Apel

Early years and path to perfumery

David Appel is one of the key figures in modern perfumery, senior perfumer and vice president of the American division of Symrise. His unique journey began in New Jersey, in a family of chefs, where his sensitivity to flavors and smells was formed from childhood. After studying chemistry, he found a way to combine science with art, starting his career in the early 1980s at Givaudan with market research and work in a gas chromatography laboratory.

His creative drive led him to Fragrance Resources (now part of IFF) in 1993 and to the heart of the perfume world—Paris. This experience was fundamental in shaping his future style: modern, market-oriented, but always with an artistic vision. Returning to New York, he helped develop the American wing of the company, preparing for his moment in the spotlight.

Breakthrough and first iconic fragrances

The first solo work that brought Apel worldwide recognition was the sunny and optimistic Sunflowers for Elizabeth Arden. This fragrance defined an entire era in mass-market perfumery in the 1990s. Following this success, he created a signature perfume for tenor Luciano Pavarotti and the elegant Classic Cologne for Brooks Brothers, demonstrating his impressive versatility.

Career peak and collaboration with global brands

Returning to Givaudan in 2001 as executive perfumer, David Appel began a fruitful collaboration with fashion giants. For Ralph Lauren, he created the fresh Ralph Cool and the aquatic-green Blue. His work with the New York niche house Bond No. 9 gave the world urban masterpieces: Wall Street, cool as the financial capital, and the bright, green Bleecker Street.

The Symrise era and iconic perfumes

The transition to Symrise in 2007 marked a new phase of creativity. Here, Apel created some of his most talked-about works. He touched on legend by developing the luxurious Black Orchid Voile de Fleur flanker for Tom Ford, presenting a more delicate and floral facet of the iconic original. His talent for the niche segment was clearly evident in the playful and romantic Freckled and Beautiful by A Lab on Fire.

At the same time, he actively created for mass-market brands, demonstrating a phenomenal understanding of a wide audience. For Avon, he created the sensual Goddess and the mysterious Passion, as well as the masculine Luck for Him. His portfolio was expanded with fragrances for Trussardi (A Way for Her), Bath and Body Works (the delicate P.S. I Love You and the seductive Dark Kiss), as well as for Brazilian giants O Boticario and Esika.

A versatile master and his legacy

David Appel's style is a masterful combination of commercial clarity and creative boldness. His chemical background ensures the flawless technicality of his compositions, and his rich experience allows him to speak the language of a wide variety of brands, from niche to global, including Sean John, Dana, Pinrose, A.N Other, and Phlur. Today, living and working in New York, he not only creates new fragrances, but also shapes the future of the industry as vice president of Symrise. An interesting fact about his biography is his marriage to perfumer Caroline Sabas, which creates a unique creative union. For millions of perfume lovers, David Appel will forever remain the creator of fragrances that have become part of their personal history.