Perfume and fashion have been inextricably linked since the 18th century, when Rose Bertin, Queen Marie-Antoinette’s dressmaker and milliner, commissioned Jean-Louis Fargeon to create perfumed gauze flowers. In 1911, Paul Poiret launched Parfums Rosine, becoming the first couturier-perfumer of the 20th century and paving the way for all his contemporaries and successors, whether couturiers or fashion designers.

A century ago, the union of these two worlds revolutionised the industry. A generation of couturier-perfumers created fragrances in harmony with the spirit of each couture house. Clothes, perfumes and their caskets thus form a coherent whole. Couturiers accompany their collections with olfactory creations, offering an invisible, imperceptible dress that leaves a trail, just as a dress leaves a train. This collection explores the perfumes of couturiers, symbolising the timeless union between fashion and fragrance.

This series explores the perfumes of couturiers, symbolising the timeless union between fashion and fragrance. The first volume is dedicated to KENZO: from the iconic Flower to the daring Kenzo World, it’s a universe that smells beautiful.