This year’s biggest news in perfume-land? No, not the continued obsession with vanilla. It can only be the formal announcement that Frédéric Malle will be stepping away from the brand he founded in 2000, at the end of June 2024.
Let’s put aside all the teeth-gnashing at what this means for the future of the company and the significance that he’s finally stepping away 10 years after selling to The Estée Lauder Companies in 2014.
And let’s focus on Frédéric Malle’s immense contribution to the industry.
How about a bit of perfume humour to soften the blow: what do new niche brands want to be when they grow up? Frédéric Malle, of course.
Seriously, though, few perfume companies have the pedigree of the maison founded 24 years ago by the worldly Parisian.
Some background on the man himself. He grew up surrounded by luxury and elegance. His grandfather Serge Heftler-Louiche founded Parfums Christian Dior and his mother was artistic director of the same company.
After working for Laboratoires Roure, where his appreciation of the finest ingredients and the process of creation were honed, the art history graduate put his knowledge to great use when he launched his own eponymous brand in 2000.
If I’m being correct and super French, it’s Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle, because he compared himself to an editor / publisher in the way he worked with his chosen perfumers.
It’s become a niche cliché – the best perfumers and materials, unlimited creative freedom, quality and craftsmanship over crass commercialism – but that’s because there’s much truth in it when we’re talking about this house.
From the launch collection and beyond, numerous releases have gone onto become modern classics and genre bests, always with the creativity of his collaborators in the spotlight.
Let’s not forget what was a novel idea – for the perfumer’s name to be featured on the bottle – is an industry aspiration now.
I was going to do an overview of the perfumes featured here but realised this selection in pics says it all. Searching for all these fragrances also turned out to be a nostalgia-fest for yours truly as I rediscovered earlier pics of mine. So I can say with confidence and much affection that Frédéric Malle is an integral part of my fragrance world.
Any exclusions and there are several – Lipstick Rose EDP (2000), Vetiver Extraordinaire EDP (2002), Carnal Flower EDP (2005), Geranium Pour Monsieur ED (2009) , Portrait of a Lady (2010), among others – are not deliberate. Just that there are so many superb Frédéric Malles.
Frédéric Malle is available in South Africa from Skins.
Richard, what a great review, like an old glove, it feels you are so comfortable with this brand. Sharing brand values. Andre
Lots of thanks, dear Andre. So pleased that connection came through in this post.
Thank you for the reminder of all the amazing creations by FM. I wonder what the future will hold for the brand. Thanks Rich!
What a pleasure, dear Aurore, thank you! And these are just some of the standouts. Let’s see what happens.
Fantastic tribute, Rich. I can’t wait to see what he does next.
Thank you so much, dear Daniel. Perhaps he’ll take a much-deserved break from it all.
Certainly a great legacy! He set the bar high.
I’ll second that. Thank you.
What an amazing tribute. I’ve been grappling with a post myself about this amazing man. Thanks for the nudge of inspiration, Richard.
Big thank you, dear Flaconneur. Glad to provide some inspiration. Looking forward to your take on the man.