Balmain has launched its first beauty creation, a collection of eight all-gender eaux de parfum, Les Éternels de Balmain, inspired by Pierre Balmain’s Parisian legacy and creative director Olivier Rousteing’s modern influence on fashion, and now beauty.
According to a release, Rousteing studied perfumery, learning the creation process through hands-on training. After consulting Balmain’s storied archives, he handpicked four of Balmain's legacy scents to be reinvented for the modern era: Vent Vert, Ivoire, Ébène, and Carbone. Four new fragrances complete the collection: Sel d’Ambre, Rouge, Bronze and Bleu Infini.
Les Éternels de Balmain is inspired by the universal quest for self-realization and identity. This inaugural collection includes eight multi-layered scents from four distinctive olfactive families – Musk, Amber, Floral, and Woody.
Les Éternels de Balmain Collection includes eight multi-layered scents from four distinctive olfactive families – Musk, Amber, Floral, and Woody.courtesy of Balmain
Olfactive Family: Musk
1. Carbone drives the quest for identity and freedom to confidently reflect all the facets of who you truly are (maximalist musk/minimalist rose).
Olfactive Family: Amber
2. Sel d'Ambre’s golden mystery illuminates the path to inner peace and self-realization (glowing amber/salty ambergris).
Olfactive Family: Floral
3. Vent Vert reinvents the iconic green fragrance for a new age, respecting nature forever in a timeless journey through past, present, and future (airy vert de mandarine/sensual jasmine).
4. Rouge radiates addictive love, reminiscent of Los Angeles’ magic hour, when the sky is not even the limit (addictive bouquet/radiant woods).
5. Ivoire carries Balmain’s New French Style legacy to the world and into the future. It unites all the beauties of the world, no exceptions (intoxicating tubéreuse de nuit/untamed vetiver).
Olfactive Family: Woody
6. Bronze symbolizes rebirth, majestically rising like the phoenix from the ashes (blazing cedarwoods/ cooling patchouli).
7. Ébène is the revival of Pierre Balmain’s 1983 Africa-inspired fragrance, envisioned through the lens of Olivier Rousteing’s discovery of his origins. It ushers in the age of self-discovery and a journey to reveal our universal origin (eternal ebony wood/ precious myrrh oil).
8. Bleu Infini transports to endless skies, infinite seas, and their call to set you free (warm cistus absolute/ salted lichen).
Rousteing is said to build upon the house’s signature French heritage to share his new vision of avant-garde beauty, fueled by respect, love and unity.
“Balmain Beauty gives you the freedom to live your truth, free and powerful. Beauty is about being yourself and having the confidence to embrace who you are,” said Rousteing. "Fashion cannot exist without beauty, and beauty cannot exist without fashion. Beauty is part of your silhouette, of who you are, just like the way you dress. I want to represent all the beauties of the world and welcome everyone without exceptions.”
“Balmain Beauty is forging a new, avant-garde space in luxury beauty that celebrates the legacy and inclusive spirit of the iconic house of Balmain,” said Guillaume Jesel, who oversees Balmain Beauty as the president and chief executive officer, Tom Ford and Luxury Business Development, The Estée Lauder Companies. “Olivier Rousteing is one of the most accomplished designers of his generation, inventing revolutionary concepts at the confluence of past, present, and future. It has been an extraordinary journey bringing his vision for Balmain Beauty to life.”
“Just like Olivier Rousteing’s most impressive runways, Balmain’s ambitious plans for future luxury growth build directly upon a skilled melding together of the richness of our singular heritage with a distinctively modern outlook,” explains Matteo Sgarbossa, chief executive officer, Balmain. “Our agreement with The Estée Lauder Companies for Balmain Beauty is an obvious embodiment of that strategy. With this partnership, the house begins a new chapter, making very clear to all our commitment to maximizing cross-category possibilities as we move forward, driven by the passion of our ‘Balmain Army’ and determined to fully realize this house’s potential to become a true leader in the luxury world.”
“Balmain Beauty embodies a steadfast commitment to excellence in perfumery, emphasizing not only the olfactive experience, but also the evocative emotions it elicits brought to life by an iconic visual campaign,” added Nathalie Berger Duquene, SVP, global general manager, Balmain Beauty, The Estée Lauder Companies. “The beauty of craftsmanship is exuded in both the packaging design and ingredients used. Our fragrances hold tension, power, and strength – they are quintessentially Balmain, rooted in diversity and inclusivity.”
