Balenciaga is a name synonymous with elegance, innovation, mega-chic design — and a twisty-turny evolution. Of course, the brand’s just-launched fragrance collection follows suit, with ten distinct olfactive concoctions that reveal key elements of its history, and catapult it into the future with unexpectedly modern combinations of notes.
The History of the House
To understand what I’m talking about, a quick walk down memory lane is in order. Shall we? Cristóbal Balenciaga was born in Spain and was deeply influenced by his seamstress mother. He opened his own atelier in San Sebastián, then later, moved it to Paris in 1937. After World War II, he started experimenting with new shapes and fabrics. Known for his impeccable tailoring and fluid designs with new proportions, he created the first tunic, softened the empire waist silhouette, designed the balloon jacket, and later, the babydoll dress. He also created the fragrance Le Dix in 1947 — named for the address of his couture salon at 10 Avenue George V — which became wildly popular. But after Balenciaga’s retirement in 1968 and death in 1972, the house shuttered its doors. It was resurrected in the late ‘90s with designer Nicolas Ghesquière at the helm. He’s credited with modernizing the brand, most notably with the launch of Le City Bag, a handbag echoing the soft, slouchy silhouettes of the brand, toughened up with metal studs, whipstitched leather, and lengthy pulls. Demna took over design direction for a bit, and currently, Pier Paolo Piccioli is readying his first collection.
It’s quite fitting that 75 years after M. Balenciaga brought Le Dix onto the scene, the house is reestablishing itself as a purveyor of meaningful scent and sensibility, all inspired by the discovery of an original bottle of Le Dix, which had mysteriously disappeared from the archives. A 15-year search uncovered a flacon, still with some juice inside. A reimagined Le Dix stands as the centerpiece of the collection of ten distinct fragrances, from sheer wafts to deep, heady elixers.
Behind the Bottle
With reverence, each scent is housed in a hand-tied bottle reminiscent of the original, faithfully reproduced with a heavy globe top that resembles the historic stopper. Because we are now in the second decade of the 21st century, bottles are refillable, of course. Labels even share the patina of a well-loved perfume sitting on a retro vanity.
Talking Notes
And then there are the scents themselves. Each with an intentional nod to the duality of the richness of the DNA of the brand and the thrilling unknown of the future, cocktails steeped in traditional perfumery but with unusual notes. The lightest of the bunch is No Comment, a fresh, woody moment. Getaria, inspired by the coastal Basque birthplace of Cristóbal Balenciaga, smells like a rustic seaside vacation. Twenty Four Seven scratches the itch of vanilla perfume lovers, but with a musky, sexy edge. To Be Confirmed conjures a blooming flower, meant to evoke the tulip skirt silhouette. The olfactive equivalent of the brand’s coveted motorcycle bag, Muscara smells like glossy black lacquer. Le Dix updates the original iris-heavy aroma with earthy violet leaf. 100% takes the expression of rose to the nth. The spicy, leathery Extra is not for the faint of heart. Cristobal honors the designer himself, with complex notes of oud, patchouli, and oak moss. And finally, the deepest of all, Incense Perfumum is lush with labdanum resin and warm amber, conjuring the rich tones of a private club room.
It’s almost impossible to choose a favorite. Good news: Each 100ml bottle rings in at $320, but since each scent is so spectacularly singular, a discovery box containing 2ml samples of all ten parfums can be scooped up for $85 at balenciaga.com
