Balenciaga relaunches fragrance line with ten perfumes and boutique

Balenciaga returns to the world of perfume, and does so in a big way, in the elegant spirit of its founder. The luxury house, owned by Kering, launches its first collection of ten fragrances, resurrecting Balenciaga’s historic perfume, Le Dix, which is now subtly reinterpreted after intense research. It is also opening its first perfumery. This project should be the first step towards an extension into beauty.

The launch comes at an ideal time for the house to consolidate its very upmarket image by highlighting its links with its rich heritage, as it prepares to unveil on October 4 at Paris Fashion Week, the first collection of its new artistic director Pierpaolo Piccioli, who has succeeded Demna, who has left for Gucci.

Cristóbal Balenciaga, who had settled in Paris in 1937, created his first fragrance in 1947. It was called “Le Dix” and, as usual, he took meticulous care over every detail. A perfume that has since been forgotten. Aware of the aura of this mythical fragrance, the brand decided to take Le Dix as the starting point for its olfactory project, and launched a search for traces of the perfume.

“This rebirth of a lost icon began with a fifteen-year search by the house’s archivists, which culminated in the rediscovery of a bottle” containing the precious effluent, Balenciaga recounted in a press release.

From there, the original Dix formula, its bottle and packaging were scrutinized in depth to restore them as faithfully as possible, while at the same time modernizing them. The refillable bottles are reproduced identically, with a globular glass stopper and hand-tied ribbon, as is the sober black label, while the box containing them is deliberately aged, as if patinated by age. For its part, the fragrance has been revitalized by blending a precious iris absolute with innovative isolated iris aldehydes. It is further enhanced by violet leaf absolute and incense essential oils.

Alongside the Dix, nine other individualized, intensely colored juices have been created, “each expressing a bold clash between the mastery of French perfumery and the audacity of innovation”, restoring “Balenciaga couture in a bottle.”

Their names are linked to the spirit of the house and the story of its founder. Examples include “Getaria”, inspired by the Spanish coastline, named after Cristóbal Balenciaga’s birthplace, “Cristóbal” with its scent “enigmatic and discreet, yet radiating gravity”, and “No Comment”, in reference to the legendary silence imposed by the couturier around his creations.

In the past, a licensing agreement to develop a line of perfumes had been signed in 2008 between Balenciaga and the American Coty group. But this expired without being renewed. The project was therefore developed by the Kering Beauté division, set up by the Group in 2023, in conjunction with Balenciaga teams.

The collection goes on sale this September 10. Prices vary according to format. The 100 ml eau de parfum is priced at 260 euros, while the travel spray is 55 euros, for example. For this important launch, a dedicated boutique was inaugurated at 10 avenue George V. This is the address where Cristóbal Balenciaga set up his fashion house when he first arrived in France, and where the brand moved back two years ago. It was at this address that the famous perfume Le Dix was named.

The line will also be distributed in a selection of Balenciaga boutiques in Europe and North America, as well as on the brand’s e-commerce site, before being launched progressively in the Middle East, Asia and worldwide, according to the label.