Celine fragrance collection - New Celine parfumerie in Paris
Olivia Owen Legendary fashion house Celine recently entered the fragrance arena for the first time since 1964 when its first scent, Vent Fou, was released. Now comes an entire collection in keeping with the tradition of the “couturier parfumeur”.
Conceived by artistic, creative, and image director Hedi Slimane, the 11-strong luxury line has just gone on sale on the brand's own website and at the new Celine Boutique Haute Parfumerie at 390 Rue Saint Honoré in Paris.
The space dedicated to the perfume collection and Celine Maison line has been decked with black veined Grand Antique marble, mirrored surfaces and glass panels. It elevates shopping for scent into impossibly chic new territory.
Split into two camps; 'day' and 'night' - although all should be spritzed as the wearer chooses, the fragrances are named Parade, Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Dans Paris, Cologne Française, La Peau Nue, Bois Dormant, Rimbaud, Eau de Californie, Black Tie, Reptile and Nightclubbing. All share a powdery signature, which, according to the brand, “provides each perfume with an enveloping patina and the French elegance of a couture trail”.
Talking to esteemed perfume critic Chandler Burr for WSJ, Slimane spoke of how these olfactory creations have been inspired by his life, from his teenage years to working in high fashion. “The idea of being 17 years old, the realm of possibilities,” is how he describes Rimbaud. While Reptile smells like “A glittering olfactory kaleidoscope of all the rock stars that I have photographed and dressed for the stage over the past 25 years.”
Black Tie might be the most reflective of 'new Celine'. Slimane articulates that it's “a strict interpretation of my style in fashion, a sharp and dark composition, completely androgynous.”
Slimane already had some experience in creating luxury fragrances, having authored the private collection of perfumes Maison Christian Dior in 2004. Naturally, he was also behind the modernist aesthetic of the collection for Celine, as much as the juice itself. The solid glass bottles are topped with a black lacquered cap which will lend any home some Celine boutique chic.
