Those in the know, know. The perfumes from the French brand Diptyque exude old-money vibes and pure luxury. It’s no surprise that every time I wear my Orphéon, someone always compliments it. And now the niche Saint Germain Maison just dropped a brand-new perfume collection; Les Essences de Diptyque. This time around, Diptyque gathered some of the most brilliant perfume makers – Fabrice Pellegrin, Nathalie Cetto, and Olivier Pescheux – and had them concoct a five-piece selection of perfumes, which promises to be the foundation for more.
Timeless and classy yet refreshing, these five scents are inspired by nature, celebrating her raw beauty. Delicate and dreamlike, the five compositions in this collection are the product of an alliance between the perfumer’s nose and the hand of an artist.
Luminaris
Luminaris, the first fragrance of the five, represents the spicy amber scent family, simultaneously blending pink pepper and cistus soft and spicy accents. “I wanted to translate the iridescent nuances of mother-of-pearl into a fragrance,” said Fabrice Pellegrin. “To capture this visual effect in scent, the composition needed to be based on a distinctive combination of raw materials. It is a fragrance where each ingredient finds its place and represents a radiant signature with silky nuances: pink pepper with its zesty and spicy colour effects, the resinous and pure note of incense, as well as the amber warmth of cistus.”
Bois Corsé
Bois Corsé, created by Nathalie Cetto and Olivier Pescheux, has an enchanting sandalwood and amber fragrance, combining robust bark and strong coffee aroma into one single perfume and embodying the resilience and strength of nature. Perfumer Nathalie Cetto shared that she “was inspired by the beauty of nature in its most primal form. I played with the structure of wood and, above all, with the ruggedness of bark, which, despite its roughness and unevenness, is pleasant to the touch.”
Lilyphéa
Lilyphéa, inspired by Claude Monet’s “Nympheas” series and water lilies, captures the poetic essence of these graceful flowers rising from serene ponds. The fragrance evokes the beauty and elegance of blooming water lilies, floating on clear water. Created by perfumers Nathalie Cetto and Olivier Pescheux, the scent blends the fresh notes of cardamom and violet leaves with the soft warmth of Madagascar vanilla. This composition mirrors the delicate balance of nature’s charm and tranquillity.
Rose Roche
Rose Roche, created by Fabrice Pellegrin, draws inspiration from the desert, where a rose blooms in the sand, symbolizing both nature’s strength and fragility. This oriental fragrance offers a fresh, airy interpretation of the rose, as if shaped by the wind. Bright notes of lemon illuminate the Centifolia rose, while earthy patchouli adds depth and warmth. The result is a scent that feels both timeless and fleeting, like footprints in the desert sand. Pellegrin sought to capture the desert wind’s warmth and the tactile sensation of sand through the interplay of citrus and patchouli.
Corail Oscuro
In the Venetian lagoon, vibrant red coral fields sway beneath the water, creating a captivating dance of light and shadow. This scene, reminiscent of Venice, one of Diptyque’s founders’ favourite places, inspired Corail Oscuro. The name reflects the contrast between the dark ocean depths and the bright coral colours, drawing on the chiaroscuro technique used by Renaissance artists like Caravaggio. Created by perfumer Alexandra Carlin, the fragrance combines the rich warmth of Bourbon rose with the crispness of mandarin, enhanced by a salty mineral accord that captures the essence of coral.
Conceptual and modern, Les Essences de Diptyque are eloquently presented and come across as evocative poetic experiences. Diptyque has most definitely reinvented scents from mother nature in its glory, sprinkled with elegance and thoughtfulness.
Images Courtesy @Diptyque