After nearly a decade away from the world of fragrance — since the 2016 launch of B. Balenciaga Intense under Coty license — the fashion house is making its return to scent. For this rebirth within the Kering group’s beauty division, Balenciaga unveils a high-end collection of ten fragrances, including a modern reinterpretation of its very first perfume, Le Dix, originally released in 1947. Enough to firmly anchor the collection to the brand’s timeless heritage!
Archive revival
“In order to convey the timeless DNA and hallmarks of Balenciaga, Kering Beauté worked closely with the House to strike a balance between its heritage and its contemporary expression,” said the group.
In preparing the upcoming collection, archivists unearthed a forgotten treasure: a bottle of Balenciaga’s very first perfume. Created in 1947 under the vision of Cristóbal Balenciaga, Le Dix takes its name from 10 Avenue George V, the historic Parisian address of the maison’s workshops and perfumery in Paris.
The original flacon was meticulously scanned and reimagined as the template for the refillable bottles of the new collection of ten fragrances, each echoing its square silhouette, spherical glass cap, handtied ribbon, and black label.
A gradient of ten fragrances
For its part, the original formula of Le Dix was reinterpreted, blending iris absolute with isolated iris aldehydes, violet leaf absolute, and frankincense essential oil.
As with the nine other fragrances in the collection (No Comment, Getaria, Twenty Four Seven, To Be Confirmed, Muscara, 100%, Extra, Cristóbal et Incense Perfumum), Kering Beauté said a particular attention was paid to the ingredients by evaluating both their environmental performance and the sourcing risks associated with natural materials.
For an easier understanding of how the collection is structured, the patina and coloring of each scent deepen as the notes intensify, evolving from luminous clarity to the depth of opaque obsidian.
To mark this launch, the brand’s boutique at 10 Avenue George V, in Paris, France, will be dedicated to fragrances. The collection will also be available at select Balenciaga locations across Europe and North America, as well as online. It will then be gradually introduced in the Middle East, Asia, and other regions worldwide.
Launched just over two years after the creation of Kering Beauté in 2023, this initiative reflects the group’s ambition to reinforce its presence in the expanding perfume and cosmetics sector while broadening the universe of its maisons.
