Serge Lutens: from image to perfume
Before perfume, Serge Lutens worked on images: for Vogue from 1962, for Dior makeup from 1967 and, from 1980, on Shiseido's international image. His bond with scent began on a trip to Marrakech in 1968, when he was struck by the smells of the souk and by cedar wood, which became the raw material of his perfumery. In 2000, within Shiseido, the Parfums-Beauté Serge Lutens brand was born.
The fragrances in our selection, by olfactory family
The house groups its perfumes into florals, woods and chypres, gourmands, and ambers and resins.
Amber, resinous and spicy
Ambre Sultan is a resinous amber with vanilla and patchouli which, according to the house, was born from a fragment of amber resin picked up in the souks of Marrakech and forgotten for years in a thuja wood box. Serge Noire is an oriental of patchouli, cinnamon, clove, incense and ebony that recalls the smell of burnt wood. Finally, Chergui takes its name from the hot desert wind and evokes the saps, resins and shrubs lifted by its gusts.
Woods and vanilla
Among the woods is Féminité du Bois, built on cedar, with 60% woods as stated by the house. Un Bois Vanille pairs vanilla with woody notes that, according to the house, make its sweetness more refined by contrast.
Smoke, tobacco and oud
Écrin de Fumée revolves around the sweet, sensual aroma of tobacco, while Périlleusement Vôtre combines oud and rose.
Florals
According to the house, Fleurs d'Oranger comes from Lutens's first encounter with Morocco, when he saw women shaking orange trees to gather the fallen white blossoms. La Fille de Berlin pairs a floral accord with an oriental one. Then there is De Profundis, which combines incense and chrysanthemum, the cemetery flower, in an ironic take on the funeral ceremony.
How to choose a Serge Lutens perfume
If you love woods, start with Féminité du Bois and find more woody accords among our woody perfumes. For vanilla lovers there is Un Bois Vanille, where vanilla meets woods, with more options among our vanilla perfumes. Finally, for fall and winter, the house recommends Serge Noire.
Beyond perfume: Matin Lutens
Matin Lutens is the collection the house presents as a moment of serenity and a return to the essentials. It includes the Parole d'Eau Gel Detergente, a 240 ml cleanser that, according to the house, removes impurities while respecting the skin's natural barrier.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Serge Lutens?
Serge Lutens is a French artist born in Lille in 1942 who has worked as a photographer, filmmaker, makeup creator and perfumer. After Vogue and Dior, he shaped Shiseido's image from 1980, and in 2000 he gave his name to a perfume house founded within the same group.
Which Serge Lutens perfume should I choose if I love tobacco or oud?
For tobacco, the fragrance in our selection is Écrin de Fumée, an eau de parfum built on the sweet, sensual aroma of tobacco. If you prefer oud, there is Périlleusement Vôtre, a fragrance that pairs oud with rose.
What is Serge Lutens's signature perfume?
The house itself calls Ambre Sultan emblematic: an amber, resinous eau de parfum with vanilla and patchouli. Alongside Ambre Sultan, the other historic reference of the house is Féminité du Bois, a woody perfume built on cedar.
Which Serge Lutens perfume should I choose if I love vanilla?
For vanilla lovers there is Un Bois Vanille, where vanilla is paired with woody notes that, according to the house, provide a contrast to its sweetness. Ambre Sultan also contains vanilla, together with amber, resins and patchouli.
Which Serge Lutens perfumes contain incense?
Among the fragrances in our selection, incense is at the heart of Serge Noire and De Profundis. Serge Noire combines incense with patchouli, cinnamon, clove and ebony and recalls burnt wood, while De Profundis pairs it with chrysanthemum in a floral composition inspired by the funeral ceremony.
Does Serge Lutens make floral perfumes?
Yes, the house has a family of florals. In our selection there is Fleurs d'Oranger, dedicated to orange blossoms gathered in Morocco; La Fille de Berlin pairs a floral accord with an oriental one, and De Profundis is built on chrysanthemum.
What is Serge Lutens's connection to Morocco?
Morocco is the main source of the house's imagery. Serge Lutens first went there in 1968 on a trip to Marrakech, where he was struck by the smells of the souk and by cedar wood, and he still lives there today. These memories gave rise to Ambre Sultan, Féminité du Bois and Fleurs d'Oranger.
What is the Matin Lutens collection?
Matin Lutens is a Serge Lutens collection that the house presents as a moment of serenity and a return to the essentials. It includes the Parole d'Eau Gel Detergente, which, according to the house, removes impurities while respecting the skin's natural barrier.
