Diptyque Has Launched a New Fragrance Collection of Imagined Scents
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A new chapter has begun for the legendary Diptyque, the French maison known for both its mastery of the visual and the olfactory, evoking armchair travel all around the globe. Much like the fine fragrances for which the maison is already known, Les Essences de Diptyque take signature olfactory landscapes and move them into new captivating territory, with a collection of scents grounded in imagination, as the elements in nature upon which they were inspired, have no natural scent.
For this ambitious conceptual project, Diptyque enlisted four major names echoing the original collaborative spirit of its three founders, Christiane Gautrout, Desmond Knox-Leet, and Yves Couselant. Perfumers Fabrice Pellegrin, Alexandra Carlin, Nathalie Cetto, and Olivier Pescheux, were tasked with crafting immersive odes to nature, breathing creative life into materials that themselves do not have scent notes that can be perceived naturally. The initial collection consists of five eaux de parfums, Corail Oscuro (coral), Lunamaris (mother of pearl), Lilyphéa (waterlilly), Bois Corse (bark), and Rose Roche (crystals known as desert rose).
Of course, the Diptyque tradition of reverence for the visual arts and design is also woven into the new collection, giving old savoir-faire new form with a distinct vessel, re-interpreting the classic oval emblem on the signature fragrances. To echo the play between realism and fantasy of each scent, artist Nigel Peake was tasked with creating corresponding tonal watercolor pieces to evoke the elements, as well as black line work on each bottle, rendering an abstract interpretation on the glass in relief.
Every facet of Les Essences de Diptyque marries the distinct conceptualism and impressionism with the maison's DNA. Laurence Semichon, the CEO of Diptyque, tells T&C, "We are conveying to people scents that they do not know, so the way the packaging works, the way that the corresponding art works, with the fragrance, makes it all make sense. Even if there is no reference point," she says, continuing, "these are elements that have no reference point for people personally. But it has always been important for Diptyque to convey visually the idea of the scent, before they can even smell it." Diptyque is known for rich and detailed imagery, almost like micro worlds on the label, that says what you need to know, before you can even smell the fragrance, Semichon explains. Keeping the heritage visible, was paramount. "We have kept that going, but in a different and more abstract way. But the creative approach, that is always the same."
So how do the fragrances of the collection play together? "These natural wonders, we are giving them each different expressions, distinct from each other. It's about giving the mind an abstract playground to wander," says Semichon.
The first five elements reference both land and sea, with particular reverence for each note's central provenance.
Corail Oscuro, a floral and mineral scent crafted by Alexandra Carlin, focuses on mandarin, which is cultivated in local communities in Madagascar and is processed traditionally; it is entirely traceable, biodegradable, and renewable.
The spicy Lunamaris, by Fabrice Pellegrin, spotlights rockrose, which is grown locally in Andalusia in a sustainable harvest cycle in harmony with nature.
Bois Corse, by Nathalie Cetto and Olivier Pescheux, a woody amber, focuses on sandalwood, which is grown on lands inhabited by Aboriginal communities, and cultivated in partnership with a foundation that protects their communities' interests.
The verdant Lilyphea, by Nathalie Cetto and Olivier Pescheux, is vanilla forward, sourced responsibly (both Ecocert-certified and traceable) from Madagascar, in tandem with programs that promote rural development to promote education and combat food insecurity.
Last but not least, Rose Roche, by Fabrice Pellegrin, a floral and citrus forward fragrance, focuses on lemon, sourced from private groves rooted in Italian family tradition. For each abstract eau de parfum, a grounding reverence for the notes—and the earthly references— that conjure the scentless reference.
Les Essences de Diptyque is available now. Shop the collection below.
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