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In 2024, naming a luxury fashion house that does not have a beauty offering isn't easy. There are, it seems, only a handful out there that have actively chosen not to extend their brand experience into the realms of beauty and fragrance. And, as a beauty editor who specialises in all things luxury, I have long found such decisions both fascinating and daring. For starters, in the modern day, the worlds of beauty and fashion have become one—everything from the scent we wear and the lipstick colour we choose to the bag we throw over our arms becomes an extension of our being. Beyond that, from a business sense, beauty means money—and, more specifically, perfume means money.
All of this considered, the fact that Balmain, one of the most powerful and influential fashion houses in the world, hadn't yet dipped its toe into the beauty field had long surprised me. Even stranger is that beauty has been at the core of the Balmain brand since its inception. Just one year after Pierre Balmain presented his 'New French Style' in 1945 the house launched its first fragrance, Elysées 64-83, and a year after that, the iconic Vent Vert green perfume came to be. And as Balmain the fashion house grew and grew so too did its impact on the fragrance world—in 1979 Balmain launched its classic floral scent, Ivoire, and its deeper, woody perfume Ébène came onto the scene in 1983. But as times moved on and power scents dropped off the map, Balmain's ties with beauty severed and Balmain perfumes, some of the most iconic fragrances of all time, ceased to exist. Until now that is.
Under the creative watch of Olivier Rousteing, Balmain has become a brand of trailblazing modernity in 2024. And, after decades of focusing and reaffirming its place in the world of fashion, today sees Balmain reinstate its mark on the world of beauty as the house unveils its first modern beauty collection—Les Éternels. A collection of eight perfumes that truly embody every facet of the brand, each fragrance is bold, powerful and, above all, truly timeless.
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WORDS: SHANNON LAWLOR
Beauty
Olivier Rousteing presents Les Éternels
A New Balmain Era
“Beauty is more than a new chapter. It’s a new book we are writing together,” says Rousteing of the new launch. One of his main missions and dreams since being appointed Creative Director at aged just 25 was to bring back Balmain Beauty, with the collection embodying the house's Parisian roots, global inclusivity and universally empowering nature.
For two years, Rousteing spent time delving into the Balmain archives, familiarising himself with the brand's legacy scents and even studying the art of perfumery himself. The result? A collection of eight maximalist, power perfumes—four reinvented Balmain classics and four daring new blends.
Balmain Les Éternels Fragrance Collection
History: Reinvented classic. Olfactive family: Musk. Key notes: White musk, rose, tobacco, suede, cumin.
Need to knows: Expect to see a lot more of this reinvented fragrance in upcoming months. Carbone is the beating heart of the Les Éternels collections. With Balmain positioning it as the collection’s hero scent, musician and actress Dove Cameron fronts a campaign that is being rolled out far and wide.
What it smells like: Although a musk, Carbone is punchy, intense and somewhat dark. Rather than being a soft, skin-like musk, it is like a plume of smoke exploding in a leather-lined room. But that’s not to say it is heady either—there is a unique, somewhat unusual, sweet freshness that runs throughout. Carbone is a fragrance that demands respect and attention. It is, at its heart, a real head-turner.
Carbone
History: New blend
Olfactive family: Amber
Key notes: Amber, ambergris, olibanum, rukeri tea leaves
Need to knows: Inspired by desert nights, Sel D’Ambre is Balmain’s reflection of ‘inner peace’. Housed in a reflective gold bottle, this perfume oozes Balmain from its core.
What it smells like: If Balmain did wellness scents, Sel D’Ambre is just that. While amber sits front and centre, when mingled with an oceanic saltiness, fresh tea leaves and a sweet spiciness, the blend delivers an all-encompassing hit of a fresh, resinous wood. It is like stepping foot into a newly built sauna and breathing in a deep lungful of that calming, freshly-cut wood scent.
Sel D'Ambre
History: Reinvented classic
Olfactive family: Floral green
Key notes: Basil, spearmint, fig leaves, blackcurrant
Need to knows: The original Vent Vert from 1947, which was created by both Pierre Balmain and trailblazing female perfumer Germaine Cellier, is considered to be one of the first true green fragrances. This modern reinvention brings the crux of the iconic scent into 2024, with a lighter, sweeter fruity scent profile.
What it smells like: If you were expecting a lightweight, water-like, crunchy green scent from Vent Vert, think again. In keeping with the rest of the collection it is, no doubt, a power scent with a notable punch. But rather than being intense and heady, it is sweet, sugared and juicy, like an overripe blackberry, seeping with juice, hanging from its branch in a sea of luscious green foliage.
Vent Vert
History: New blend.
Olfactive family: Floral fruity.
Key notes: Lily, moraea ciliata, osmanthus, georgywood, ylang-ylang.
Need to knows: Inspired by both Pierre Balmain and Olivier Rousteing’s ties with Hollywood and stardom, Rouge is everything you might expect from a scent that symbolises the glamour of L.A.
What it smells like: Rouge is, probably, the perfume that has the most universal appeal of the lot—it is the sort of sweet scent that will come to define all scents that come after it. It is a bomb of sweet florals and moreish fruitness. It smells like walking into a starlette’s dressing room where lidless waxy lipsticks and open powder compacts are scattered over the surface, and huge bouquets of extravagant flowers fill up every table top.
Rouge
History: Reinvented classic
Olfactive family: Floral woody
Key notes: Tuberose, vetiver, grapefruit, turmeric
Need to knows: With the original Ivoire launching in 1979, this new iteration has been modernised and brought into the 21st century. Its inspiration comes from Balmain’s iconic New French Style—exquisite tailoring, cinched waists, power shoulders and form-fitting pleating.
What it smells like: If a chic Parisian woman was a perfume, it would be this. Ivoire is a bulging bouquet of creamy white florals—like liquified tuberose petals running through sweet, milky grapefruit juice.
Ivoire
History: New blend
Olfactive family: Woody chypre
Key notes: Cedarwood, patchouli, black pepper, tobacco leaves, hay absolute
Need to knows: This fragrance sits close to Rousteing’s heart. The creation of Bronze was inspired by the concept of ‘rebirth’ following his own healing journey after being involved in a fire-related accident at his home.
What it smells like: As you might expect, Bronze is ashen and woody, but rather than being intense, spicy or smoky, it is surprisingly fresh and clean-smelling. Brimming with fiery light and optimism, this fragrance resembles glimmering, glistening embers more than it does a roaring fire. It’s the sort of scent you’d spray over your sharpest power suit and feel absolutely untouchable.
Bronze
History: Reinvented classic. Olfactive family: Woody amber. Key notes: Myrrh, ebony wood, tobacco, vanilla, cinnamon.
Need to knows: Pierre Balmain’s 1983 Ébène was inspired by Africa, and now Rouseting has revived the original through the lens of his own exploration of his African origins. Its name translates to ‘ebony wood’ and that is exactly what you can expect.
What it smells like: Deep, intense and spiced, Ébène is like a highly polished homepiece made from the most precious of woods. It is the endearing sort of scent that leaves a trail of intrigue in its path—moreish, hypnotic and almost narcotic.
Ébène
Introducing
Balmain
In 2024, naming a luxury fashion house that does not have a beauty offering isn't easy. There are, it seems, only a handful out there that have actively chosen not to extend their brand experience into the realms of beauty and fragrance. And, as a beauty editor who specialises in all things luxury, I have long found such decisions both fascinating and daring. For starters, in the modern day, the worlds of beauty and fashion have become one—everything from the scent we wear and the lipstick colour we choose to the bag we throw over our arms becomes an extension of our being. Beyond that, from a business sense, beauty means money—and, more specifically, perfume means money.
All of this considered, the fact that Balmain, one of the most powerful and influential fashion houses in the world, hadn't yet dipped its toe into the beauty field had long surprised me. Even stranger is that beauty has been at the core of the Balmain brand since its inception. Just one year after Pierre Balmain presented his 'New French Style' in 1945 the house launched its first fragrance, Elysées 64-83, and a year after that, the iconic Vent Vert green perfume came to be. And as Balmain the fashion house grew and grew so too did its impact on the fragrance world—in 1979 Balmain launched its classic floral scent, Ivoire, and its deeper, woody perfume Ébène came onto the scene in 1983. But as times moved on and power scents dropped off the map, Balmain's ties with beauty severed and Balmain perfumes, some of the most iconic fragrances of all time, ceased to exist. Until now that is.
History: New blend
Olfactive family: Woody aromatic
Key notes: Tuberose, vetiver, grapefruit, turmeric
Need to knows: nspired by Villa Balmain, Pierre Balmain’s hideaway on the Italian island of Elba, Bleu Infini is the blue of the sky, the blue of the seas and all things uplifting.
What it smells like: Bleu Infini is the ultimate vacation scent. Different from any other marine scent you might have smelled, it is undeniably crunchy, crisp and salted—like a sense-clearing inhale of marine air, where beachside foliage mingles with crashing waves.
Bleu Infini
Balmain Les Éternels fragrances, £220 each, available now at Selfridges