Fashion & Style

Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior Follow the Scent of Opportunity:

"Perfume today has lost its soul. It is much to be mass marketed and, lacking in personality."

That was Michael Burke, Chairman and Chief Executive of Louis Vuitton, spoke last month about why a 70-year hiatus, the French luxury house has a high-profile return to the global fine fragrance market quietly plotting.

"We have a great growth opportunity seen to offer artisanal fragrance that used to back the possibilities listens designed and purchased," he said. "But that does things the right way and the right way takes time to do."

It also takes obviously a new home base in Grasse, a picturesque town nestled in fields of roses, lavender, jasmine and tuberose in the sun-drenched hills above the French Riviera - and the perfume capital of the world.

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This is where in 2013, Vuitton Les Fontaines Parfumées bought a terracotta colored 17th century perfumery by lush meadows, fountains and more than 350 species of flowers and plants.

The property had spent much of the 20th century in a state of disrepair, has opened its doors as a perfume, in 1640 Vuitton renovated it and installed a state-of-the-art laboratory one of the on the top floor, with Jacques Cavallier Belletrud, third generation born Grasse perfumer and industrial supremo, at its peak.

There, Mr Cavallier Belletrud, 54, free running was left: "no short, no budget," he said in New York in July gathered reporters.

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Which fragrances have these strong investment flourished remain strictly confidential. The expectation is that there will be seven new perfume, infused with notes including leather, tuberose and other flowers, designed by Marc Newson housed in crystal bottles and unveiled in September this year in Vuittons 473 boutiques worldwide.

"We can not share exactly what will be in this bottle with more than a handful of people before they arrive in the shops," said the otherwise jovial Mr Cavallier Belletrud, the past fragrance creations as L'Eau d'Issey is famous Issey Miyake, Midnight Poison by Christian Dior and Stella Stella McCartney. "At the highest end of the market, perfume is a world that is based on secrets."