Wanderlust

The house of Louis Vuitton has released seven olfactory marvels characterised by leather and exotic flowers.

In Madagascar, there is an exotic black plant known for its sharp aroma—vanilla. Jacques Cavallier- Belletrud, Louis Vuitton’s perfumer since 2012, created Contre Moi, using vanilla as inspiration: “I wanted to make it addictive. I used Madagascar vanilla, some Tahiti vanilla and infused with leather notes.” In this fragrance, vanilla is used along with magnolia, touches of cocoa and Ambretta grains. The overall effect is fresh and dreamy.

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Flowers are at the heart of this collection with different interpretations of rose, lily and tuberose. Jacques Cavallier-Belletrud wanted to ensure that both men and women are able to wear floral notes. For Rose des vents, he takes us to the four cardinal points with Bulgarian and Turkish rose notes, Florentine iris, Virginia cedar and pepper. “The rose represents feminine complexity. It is soft, spicy, violent, fruity and intense. At the same time, there is lots of depth to rose notes.”

With Turbulences, tuberose is the dominating flower. Hypnotic and intoxicating, it is used along with jasmine “the most sensual of all floral notes!”, rose and leather notes. In Apogée, a symbol of springtime, lily of the valley is the principal ingredient. “It is a charming flower and I have been working with it for the past 30 years… Here, I wanted to give it a romantic, Japanese twist.”

Leather is a trademark of the house and Jacques Cavallier-Belletrud wanted to interpret it differently. For this, he used the very same leather that is used on the handles of Louis Vuitton accessories, to give that signature aroma. The result is absolutely sublime and unmistakably “leathery”.

Once again, Dans La Peau showcases leather notes along with apricot, jasmine and magnolia. It is the perfumer’s wife’s favourite. He describes it as “disruptive and special, just like a woman who has a lot of character, someone who is kind but a bit unapproachable. It is a leathery musk with rose. I have wanted to do this combination for a long time.” Mille Feux blends leather with raspberry, iris and saffron. In a way, it is a tribute to the artisanship of the house. Matière Noire transports us to an imaginary world with its patchouli, wood, berry notes with a touch of jasmine. It produces a myriad of sensations.

These fragrances not only have beautiful names but also come in exquisite bottles, designed by Marc Newson. This is a new adventure for the house of Louis Vuitton that gets its fragrances from its laboratories in Grasse. Jacques Cavallier- Belletrud says, “A perfume is like a dream…”

From the September 2016 issue of L’Officiel India.