With Flower Lust, Tonka Hysteria and Incense Crush, the D’Orsay perfume house launches 3 powerful Extraits de Parfum

Here we offer you a dive into the revival of a legendary Maison de Parfum. Indeed, the legendary Parfums D’Orsay were born from a heartbeat. As far as we know, those fragrances embody a true rebirth of a legendary perfume house. Their history finds its origin in a heartbeat, a timeless passion, materialized by a fragrance, designed nearly 200 years ago. This return to its original sources is not only an olfactory exploration, but a true ode to the freedom of spirit and artistic impertinence of Alfred d’Orsay, the eponymous creator of the house. Through a contemporary approach, D’Orsay somehow revives the essence of its founder, combining history and modernity, while remaining faithful to the French tradition of perfumery. Nowadays, those Parfums d’Orsay continue to seduce with its ability to marry tradition and modernity, perpetuating the legacy of Alfred d’Orsay while adapting to contemporary sensibilities. Thanks to Amélie Huynh, this house explores new olfactory horizons, while remaining faithful to its core values: love, audacity and respect for nature. By AL & ST

Once upon a time, Alfred d’Orsay, a 19th-century aristocrat, notably known for his charisma, marked his era with his style, refined taste, and freedom of thought. He moved with ease in the salons of Paris and London, influencing fashion, art, and culture. Yet, beyond his elegance and worldly success, it was his relentless quest for beauty and his independence that made him unique. Thus, Alfred d’Orsay lived life to the fullest, with an intensity that made him enjoy all kinds of arts, living each moment without thinking of any consequences (photo credits: D’Orsay).

His meeting in 1821 with Marguerite Blessington, a British novelist, was decisive in his path. Despite their age differences and Marguerite‘s marital status, their love transcended the social conventions of that time. Their passion is reflected in the travels they undertook across Europe, sowing some kind of trouble wherever they went. Marguerite, with her lively wit and literary talent, fascinated Alfred as much as he captivated her. It was in this extraordinary relationship that the first Maison D’Orsay‘s fragrance was born.

Therefore, in 1830, inspired by his love for Marguerite, the artist Alfred d’Orsay created a unique perfume that they could both wear. This first fragrance, a blend of bergamot, orange blossom and vanilla, was the beginning of a perfume house, dedicated to the olfactory exploration of love. Contrary to the norms of the time, this perfume was unisex, symbolizing the union of genders and spirits. This bold move laid the foundation bases for a certain tradition that still continues up to those days.

In fact, since its beginnings, the Maison D’Orsay has perpetuated this vision by creating unisex fragrances, all made in France, by world-renowned perfumers. Each olfactory creation is designed as a declaration of love and bears an evocative name, that invites imagination and dreams. The initials, inscribed on the bottles, remain mysterious, leaving it up to each person to interpret them.

In 2015, the Maison d’Orsay experienced a revival under the impulsion of Amélie Huynh. Fascinated by the love story between Alfred and Marguerite, she decided to perpetuate this heritage by adding a modern touch. Having grown up in a full lifestyle universe, Amélie Huynh considers perfumes as an intimate art form, able to tell a story of love or desire. Her vision is clear, since D’Orsay creations must continue to be unisex, as was the first perfume created by Alfred d’Orsay, and reflect the complexity of human relationships.

In order to achieve this goal, she collaborates with perfumers, from diverse backgrounds, each bringing a unique sensitivity to the creation of those new fragrances. In addition to preserving the olfactory heritage of the house, Amélie Huynh makes it a point of honor to promote a real French artisanal know-how. Local artisans, whether glassmakers, candle makers or jewelers, are called upon to create bottles and accessories of exceptional quality, thus participating in the preservation of some French craftsmanship.

This year, D’Orsay is taking a new step by launching three powerful perfume extracts, as true love potions. Each one of these fragrances is developed around a sublimated raw material, creating captivating compositions, able to bewitch you from the first notes. With average concentrations exceeding 30%, these extracts mark a turning point in the history of this perfume house, combining intensity and refinement.

The first extract, named Flower Lust, is an invitation to sensuality. Created by Dominique Ropion, a renowned master perfumer, this floral and amber fragrance is an explosion of luxury and voluptuousness. Adorned with notes of pink and black peppers, along orange blossom and ylang-ylang, all intertwining together to create a captivating wake. For instance, Dominique Ropion, known for his almost mathematical approach of perfume creation, wanted to pay tribute to excessive passion here. Here, Flower Lust highlights ylang-ylang, an exotic flower, full of aphrodisiac properties, sustainably harvested in Madagascar.

The second extract, known under Tonka Hysteria, is an ode this time to tonka beans. Jordi Fernandez, a passionate self-taught perfumer, designed this fragrance as a tribute to the meeting of two beings, attracted to each other. The tonka bean, with its gourmand notes of vanilla and caramel, is combined with iris pallida to create a fragrance, that is both powdery and amber. The tonka bean harvesting process is particularly environmentally friendly, with the various seeds being roasted to intensify their aroma before extraction.

The last extract, baptized Incense Crush, immerses us in a woody and spicy universe. Julien Rasquinet, fascinated by the olfactory culture of the Middle East, wanted to create a perfume that tells a love story. Notes of incense, cardamom and clove melt together to form a composition, that is both mystical and sensual. The incense, or olibanum essence, used in this creation, is harvested in an artisanal way, according to ancestral traditions, also favoring partnerships with local producers, committed to sustainable agricultural practices.

More details on their official website.