Diptyque expands with L'art du Soin into Sensuous Voyages

One of the first "niche" houses, Diptyque was founded in 1961 by three friends into design who opened their first boutique in boulevard Saint Germain in Paris. Thanks to their candles (available since 1963) and their fragrances (available since 1968), Diptyque has known a growth that seemed unprecedented for such a small project and they have created a dedicated following for those who are in the know. It was indicated to me when I first began being interested in alternative lines that there was this "secret" little brand that had been issuing cult scents in Paris and that everyone who was anyone would travel to get some of them. This was before the niche "craziness" that erupted in the late 90s and the 2000s. Another source had intimated that Lauren Bacall was making an annual pilgrimage every December to buy her Christmas candles from them. Marisa Berenson, the 70s style icon finds there the "haute couture in candles" while Philip Stark "the most Proustian fragrances". It was enough to convince me and Philosykos, a fragrance that captures perfectly the smell of a Greek, hot, dusty fig-tree in late August, sealed the deal for good and opened the door for many other things to follow.
Now, after a business takeover in 2005 by private equity fund, Manzanita Capital who nevertheless kept Yves Coueslant and Christiane Gautrot, the two remaining living founders, involved, Diptyque has seriously spread its wings into a new realm: Cutting back some of their stock, adding other products and now expanding with their L'art du Soin into the aromatic body skincare, a segment that was missing.
The new line is the equivalent of a scented voyage to the Mediterranean and each of the five products corresponds to a different entourage around the old, beloved mare nostrum.
The creamy gel for bath and shower is inspired by Alep, the city of authentic, old-fashioned soap, and is redolent of the olive oil and laurel smells that so often form the aromatic basis of good, handmade soaps.
The body milk is refreshing, perfumed by the joyful orange blossom which takes us to Alexandria, an oasis ante portas of the scorching desert.
The rich body cream is an illusionary trip to Byzantium, voluptuous, decadent and oriental and ready to spoil us with the luxurious (and expensive) argan oil, honey and rosewater.
The hand balm is a virtual trip to Cordoba where the apricot trees are laden with blossoms and it utilises the rich oil of apricot, karite butter and argan oil to nourish, repair and soften hands that take care of everything.
Last, but not least, the bath and body oil is an homage to the parfumers et gantiers of Florence, where the gloves of the aristocracy were fragranced with iris essence. The delicate and elegant scent has been added to a mixture of nourishing macademia nut oil, argan oil and sweet almond oil.
All the scents co-ordinate with each other and can be layered at will.

But perhaps the most interesting part is that they are devoid of aluminum, synthetic colourants and sulphates derived from petrochemicals, making the green movement we had discussed when talking about the Honoré des Prés fragrances a while ago all the more Parisian and fashion-savvy.
With Mediterranean inspiration behind them, I can't wait to try them out!

Available from March '09.

Pic via Jalougallery

Spring Anticipation-a Joint Project from Two Sides of the World

Where I live spring has already come and it’s raining sunray upon sunray on us to the delight of the inner child that wants to come out and play. So in an anthem to spring, these are the things I anticipate to enjoy in these next few months, arbitralily noted down in varied categories. The Non Blonde joined me in this list, so you might want to check it.
I hope you find them inspiring!

Art

I am eager to see the exhibition of one of the artists I follow, John Psychopedis, founder of the New Realists group using ready-made elements from advertising, cinema and press in combination with concepts inspired by History of Art and Marxist doctrine.
It opens today and will run through the end of April.(pic:"rereading Odyssey")

Books

1.The retelling of "Beauty and the Beast" is a book with watercolors by Angela Barrett. It’s filled with ethereal pictures, of which the two-page spreads in particular are trully beautiful! And while we're at it, the illustrations on this version, are also gorgeous.

2.Sometimes spring can be lenient with a little light reading, for which I look forward to French Trysts: Secrets of a Courtesan by Kirsten Lobe. It doesn’t pretend to be too serious and I deem this a virtue.

3.Les Amants Papillons (aka The Butterfly Lovers) is a French book by the children's book illustrator, Benjamin Lacombe. The visual aspect of it with its glowing colours and shadowy little corners had captured my eye the moment I stumbled upon it on French Amazon. I plan on reading it spraying Mitsouko on my clothes first.

4.Under the smart recommendation of Vidabo/Lou from Perfume of Life, I am anticipating reading a book by Carl Wilson, who explores both his dislike of Celine Dion and the wider socio-cultural phenomenon of 'taste': aptly called "Celine Dion's Let's Talk About Love: A Journey to the End of Taste". Sounds like my kind of thing.

Fashion
Wearing bright, happy colours again!



{dress by Diane Von Furstenberg, from New York magazine Spring Fashion 08}

Films

1.The Other Boleyn Girl: predictably I will be annoyed by historical innacuracies, but I am sure I will love the sumptuous costumes created by awe-inspiring Sandy Powell.
The line "Our daughters are being traded like cattle for the advancement of men" gives the gist of the story. But you knew that.

Watch the trailer here:


2.Lust, Caution by Ang Lee: I managed to miss it when it aired, it’s by Ang Lee, it’s a love tale cum espionage thriller in times of peril, the actors are sooo pretty, I just want to see it…Enough with the excuses!
Watch the clip here.


Food

Good, fresh strawberries with thick, unsweetened cream on top. Yum!
Ladurée macaroons in cassis-violet flavour: someone is sending me some! I love how the fruity tang compliments the sweeter aspect and the colour appeals to me.



Fragrances to wear and enjoy

I have missed my florals...So these come out to the front of the rotation.

~Czech & Speake Mimosa: the true essence of “clean” ~trully lovely!
~Christian Dior Diorissimo: innocence and fraility of style never goes out of fashion and this is one extrait de parfum worth seeking out
~L'artisan La chasse aux papillons: another study in innocence, a watercolour of spring snapshots
~Stella Rose Absolue: for the sultrier moments, a great bridge scent from winter to spring
~Guerlain Flora Nerolia: the sentiment of walking under bitter orange trees and jasmine vines
~Carthusia Fiori di Capri: a chypre floral that emits woody hues of carnation
~Serge Lutens Tubéreuse Criminelle: a twist in the nubile hand of spring, a masterpiece of evil composition
~Serge Lutens Sarrasins: because I reserve A la Nuit for warm summer nights...
~Chanel No.22: its crepuscular tonality suits cool evening breezes when the sun melts into the horizon
~Chanel No.19: because a little je m'en fou in the mornings , donning crisp white shirts and lots of silver bangles, never hurt anyone. "L'audace a son numéro!"
~DelRae Debut: because I am smitten with its green rush
~DelRae Amoureuse: because I am smitten fullstop. I would, wouldn’t I?

Fragrances to sniff:

~Serge Lutens Five O'Clock au Gingembre: the new fresh oriental with bergamot, vetiver, ginger, beeswax, cistus labdanum and vanilla. I don’t know if it will deliver, but it’s got its own little appointment.
~Chanel Sycomore: the latest member in Les Exclusifs, reportedly a vetiver interpretation that bears no relation with the original from the start of the 20th century. Still….

Home
Fresh flowers in the house, preferably lilacs and violets: they remind me of Easter.
Diptyque Mimosa room spray: the closest to the real smell of mimosa!

Jewels

1. I love the bold look of this season: my chance to get out the trully striking pieces.
The pics shows a Dries Van Noten Tiger Eye necklace, $1,060, an amber layered necklace, $1,210, and a jade necklace on yellow ribbon, price upon request; Go to driesvannoten.be for more information. From New York magazine


2. I just knew perfume lovers would appreciate this!
Perfume tray story box by Sweet Romance

3.And this one as well….the perfect amulet against day to day evil, n’est-ce pas?
Florentina Perfume Flask Necklace by Sweet Romance

4.I am getting my Van Cleef & Arpels bracelets with the butterflies out for a stroll...


Makeup

Guerlain Parure Powder: Because I want to see just why they decided to discontinue the homonymous fragrance for this!

Nature
Butterflies flying around (caterpillars are everywhere now!)
Cats having kittens
Bitter orange (citrus aurantia) trees blossoming
Lilacs happily blooming in April (despite T.S Elliot's famous verse)
People having a spring in their step due to spring's magic
Babies squinting in the sun

Project to be undertaken next for my own enjoyment
Movies that reproduce art paintings. I got the idea and got started from this page.

Skincare

Goutal Crème Splendide with rose extracts. Smells divine!

Soap

I just bought a travel case of Roger & Gallet Magnolia soap and I am admiring it in its box, secretly opening and taking a whiff every now and then. I am already dreaming of the pink suds.

Stationery

I had never paid enough attention to my stationary and I decided I should remedy that. These hand-pierced cards look dreamily elegant and I already imagine them scented in serene Extrait de Songe.

Travel
Tuscany...hopefully soon!



For more things to anticipate this spring, please click over to The Non Blonde.


What are you anticipating this spring? I'd love to hear!

Pics personal and courtesy of Photolife, eikastikon, New York magazine, amazon.fr, garden.co.uk, Ladurée.