Sophia Grojsman, a world-renowned perfumer and a native of Belarus, has been a recipient of a FiFi Award, which is the equivalent of an Oscar award for the fragrance industry.
Sophia Hodash-Grojsman was born on March 8, 1945, in the town of Lyubcha, in the Novogrudok area of the Grodno region in Belarus. In the post-war period, her family lived in poverty. They didn’t have many toys, so young Sophia often played outside and entertained herself with flowers. Her mother often took Sophia to local markets to help her choose fresh produce. As a little girl Sophia already had a great sense of smell and could pick out food that was close to going off.
At the age of 15, her family moved to Poland, where she finished school and then completed a bachelor's degree in analytical and inorganic chemistry. During her studies, Sophia met her future husband, and later they emigrated to the United States.
Sophia found herself in perfumery by accident. Initially, she was offered a job as a lab assistant at the International Flavor & Fragrances (IFF) company, which had already established itself as a leader in fragrance creation. Sophia's first scents were created by way of experiments. Some of them turned out to be very successful and caught the attention of the famous perfumer Ernest Shiftan. The head of the IFF, Josephine Catapano also noticed Sophia’s talent. The perfume Paris Yves Saint Laurent is considered one of the first popular fragrances created by Sophia.
Eventually, Ernest Shiftan and Josephine Catapano convinced her to dedicate her professional life to perfumery and both became her mentors. Thanks to Josephine's guidance and hard work, Sophia became one of the leading fragrance creators at IFF.
The industry soon recognised Sophia's success, when she received the Cosmetics Executive Achieve Award for her outstanding achievements. Over time, she earned recognition from colleagues and rose to the position of the IFF Vice President.
Throughout her professional career, Sophia Grojsman received 5 FiFi Awards, equivalent to an Oscar in movies industry; the New York Times praised her as the "best nose in America," and the American Society of Perfumers awarded her the status of the Living Legend. In 1994 and 1999 she was awarded by the Association of Women Leaders in the Cosmetics Industry. She is one of the most honoured perfumers of all times.
Sophia Grojsman found her way into perfumery, having a chemistry education. She managed to revolutionize the industry by abandoning the use of numerous additives without pungent aromas and feeling the basic notes of the fragrance immediately, rather than after gradual unfolding. Her colleagues began referring to her as a Picasso of their industry. One such fragrance, Trésor, became her signature scent.
In 2006, Sophia visited her country of birth.
“When I got off the plane, I could feel that I was here before and this is home. My heart skipped a bit. I cried. I am proud to have been born in Belarus,” recalls Grojsman.
This visit inspired her to create the "Aroma of the Homeland," now known as YSL PaVetra. Its packaging contains the outline of Belarus.
Aside from her brilliant career, Sophia is known for her kindness and charisma and she radiates confidence and easy-going attitude. Sofia is considered a mentor for young perfume creators at Flavors and Fragrances.
Author: Dmitry Kurapatsky
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