With the appointment of Hedi Slimane as Celine’s artistic, creative and image director in 2018, a new era of the French Maison was birthed. From the replacement of the previous accented logo (that received mixed reviews from critics) to the debut of the fashion house first male collection, Slimane has been dedicated to steering the brand in a fresh, new direction.
After a 55-year lull period from fragrances, Celine returns with its Haute Parfumerie Collection with Hedi Slimane at the helm.
And now, the man is reintroducing fragrances to Celine’s offerings. Since its first perfume in 1964 called Vent Fou, fragrances have taken a backseat at the French Maison. Come October, the brand will be opening the doors of its first Haute Parfumerie Boutique at 390 Rue Saint-Honoré, Paris. It will house this 11-piece fragrance line that’s suitable for daytime and evening wear.
The reinterpreted fragrance line will be nothing like its predecessors. While the Vent Fou was a floral-scented scent made for women only, Slimane’s Haute Parfumerie collection will feature modern, gender-neutral fragrances that deliberately steer away from traditionally masculine and feminine notes in its accords and compositions.
15 Years after the creation of Maison Christian Dior Perfume Collection, Hedi Slimane presents his Haute Parfumerie Collection for Maison Celine.
This seems only natural coming from Slimane, what with the man’s penchant for questioning the societal norms of gender through his collections and photographs.
Expect the fragrances to be stamped with Slimane’s powdery signature, which informed his olfactory creations in 2004 when he reigned as Dior Homme’s creative director too. Slimane also meant for this faceted (see: not basic like short compositions) collection to reflect the classicism and sophistication of the Parisian spirit.
Just as at home on the wrist of a man as they are a woman’s, the scents utilise classic notes found in French perfumery of the Sixties and Seventies. The faceted accords and compositions in the collection deliberately make no distinction or separation between traditional masculine and feminine notes.
How? He does so by playing on emblematic notes of French perfumery from the ’60s and ’70s such as tree moss, iris, rose or chypre accords – since they are seen as timeless markers of perfumes back then. From Parade and Dans Paris to Eau de Californie, Reptile and Night Clubbing, there is a perfume for every inclination and event, each one as timeless as the next.
The flacon is also made to reflect a certain French sense of je ne sais quoi. Designed by Slimane himself, the clean, minimalistic design evokes both the Art Deco era and the art of French glass blowing, thanks to its long, strong lines and lacquered black top.
Here’s the full list of Celine’s 11 Haute Parfumerie perfumes.
Celine Haute Parfumerie Parade
Celine Haute Parfumerie Saint-Germain-des-Prés
Celine Haute Parfumerie Dans Paris
Celine Haute Parfumerie Cologne Française
Celine Haute Parfumerie Bois Dormant (launching in 2020)
Celine Haute Parfumerie La Peau Nue
Celine Haute Parfumerie Rimbaud (launching in 2020)
Celine Haute Parfumerie Eau De Californie
For Evening:
Celine Haute Parfumerie Reptile
Celine Haute Parfumerie Black Tie
Celine Haute Parfumerie Nightclubbing
Celine’s Haute Parfumerie Collection will be available at Celine’s Haute Parfumerie Boutique (from October), and you’ll be able to take a sniff of nine of the perfumes at Celine Boutiques worldwide from October 31, and the remaining two in 2020 – as if you needed another excuse to visit.
Come into the beautiful world of Celine.
Yakymour 