On September 15, the LVMH group inaugurated Les Fontaines Parfumées, the new perfume house jointly owned by the two groups. Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior. Located in the heart of Grasse, the estate is dedicated to showcasing the finest expertise in French haute parfumerie.
Entirely dedicated to the creation of fragrances, the Fontaines Parfumées were inaugurated by Bernard Arnault, Chairman and CEO of LVMH, and the Maisons Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior, reunited for the first time in a unique ecosystem that federates all fragrance expertise, from the flower to the bottle. The master perfumers of the two houses, François Demachy for Christian Dior and Jacques Cavallier-Belletrud for Louis Vuitton, are returning to the land of their birth, where they grew up and were trained as noses.
By locating their creative workshop in Grasse, Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior are contributing to the preservation of the region's perfume flowers, the guarantors of exceptional creation, and perpetuating the Grasse heritage of four centuries of history and innovation. A land of excellence in perfumery, Grasse is the only site in the world that brings together the know-how of growers, craftsmen and perfumers, working in perpetual interaction at every stage of a perfume's creation.
Set in the heart of the city, Les Fontaines Parfumées is an estate emblematic of Grasse's identity and its history, from leather city to world perfume capital. Abandoned since the 1970s, the three-hundred-year-old Bastide has been given a new lease of life. The aim is twofold: to preserve its authenticity while respecting local know-how, and to bring it into the 21st century.e century.
After four years of heritage research and a year of work by local craftsmen and craftswomen, Les Fontaines Parfumées has been reborn. In addition to a high-tech perfume laboratory and a Moulin transformed into an olfactory training workshop, the estate is home to a garden with a rich plant palette: over 350 essences, including exceptional roses, tuberoses and some twenty different mints. A source of inspiration for François Demachy and Jacques Cavallier-Belletrud.
Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior have made a long-term commitment to support the growers of Grasse through the signing of privileged partnerships. Les Fontaines Parfumées will also be a place for sharing: apprentices will be welcomed and trained by the two Master Perfumers. " The inauguration of Les Fontaines Parfumées reflects our desire to perpetuate our expertise. Through the establishment of this new perfume house in Grasse, LVMH is once again committed to preserving, transmitting and promoting the best know-how in their region of origin. "said Bernard Arnault, Chairman and CEO of LVMH.
Photos © Christian Dior Parfums - Tina Hilier
