PHOTO COURTESY OF LOUIS VUITTON
In Louis Vuitton’s world of fragrance, scent is more than just something you wear; it is something you experience. From mesmerising florals to bold colognes, offerings reflect the maison’s iconic spirit of travel. Nestling within this expansive universe is Les Extraits collection, a particularly evocative line that enters the realm of pure emotion.
Launched in 2021, Les Extraits redefines the very architecture of perfume. Unlike traditionally structured fragrances with top, heart and base notes, these unconventional compositions flow freely. Much like flower petals caught in the wind, the collection is only bound by themes of fluidity, freedom and form.
PHOTO COURTESY OF LOUIS VUITTON
It all began with a creative dialogue between Louis Vuitton’s master perfumer, Jacques Cavallier Belletrud, and legendary architect Frank Gehry. After the debut of Cosmic Cloud, Dancing Blossom, Rhapsody, Symphony and Stellar Times, 2023 saw the addition of Myriad. Another two years on, the collection reaches new heights with a seventh edition.
Inspired by 18th-century phantasmagoria shows and the world of illusion, Fantasmagory is a luminous ode to duality and transformation. At its heart lies tahitensis vanilla from Papua New Guinea, a rare cultivar that’s cryogenically frozen prior to CO2 extraction to preserve its full aromatic profile. The result is absolute purity akin to smoothing a vanilla pod’s natural essence on bare skin.
Almonds from Italy conjures the sweet, creamy smoothness of amaretto, while CO2-extracted ginger adds a sparkling, citrus-flecked contrast. Together, the ingredients form a sensuous interplay of light and texture, tempering sweetness with spice and offsetting warmth with airiness.
Gehry, meanwhile, reimagines the perfume bottle with softer curves that echo the spirit of movement. Still rooted in Marc Newson’s apothecary-inspired silhouette, the reshaped bottle reveals a luminous, yellow juice glinting with subtle green reflections, a nod to the golden light that Fantasmagory seeks to capture. For the final touch, a sculptural polished metal cap evoking a bloom of fluttering silver petals captures the ethereal scent as it dissipates into the air.
Ready to embark on the latest Les Extraits olfactory journey? Fantasmagory will be available in selected Louis Vuitton stores from 16 October 2025.
