Serge Lutens is a Paris-based niche perfume line with an extraordinarily devoted cult following.
The man behind the brand, Serge Lutens, was born in Lille in 1942. In the early 1960s, he went to Paris and started working as a makeup artist and creative stylist; in the late 1960s he was responsible for establishing the cosmetics line for Christian Dior. He became the creative director at Shiseido in 1980, and released his first perfume for Shiseido in 1981: the now legendary Nombre Noir.
The Salons du Palais Royal Shiseido, described by Lutens as "more of a refined salon for perfumes than a boutique", opened in Paris in 1992, shortly after the release of Shiseido Féminité du Bois.1 Subsequent releases appear under the name Serge Lutens instead of Shiseido. In the late 1990s, Lutens stopped working on makeup entirely in order to devote his time to perfumery, although in 2005 he launched a color cosmetics line under his own name.
In 2007, Serge Lutens was named Commandeur dans l’Ordre des Arts et Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture.
In 2015, Shiseido purchased the Serge Lutens trademark.
Reviews for older Serge Lutens fragrances include Ambre Sultan (1993), Iris Silver Mist (1994), Cuir Mauresque (1996), Un Lys (1997), Rahat Loukoum (1998), Muscs Koublai Khan (1998), Tubereuse Criminelle (1999), Douce Amere (2000), Sa Majeste la Rose (2000), A La Nuit (2000), Datura Noir (2001), Chergui (2001), Santal de Mysore (2001), Santal Blanc (2001), Fumerie Turque (2003), Chêne (2004), Fleurs de Citronnier (2004), Daim Blond (2004).
Recent fragrance releases from Serge Lutens
2005: Borneo 1834, Cedre, Miel de Bois
2006: Gris Clair, Chypre Rouge, Mandarine Mandarin
2007: Rousse, Louve, Sarrasins
2008: Five O'Clock Au Gingembre, El Attarine, Serge Noire
2009: Nuit de Cellophane, Fourreau Noir, Fille en Aiguilles
2010:, L'Eau Serge Lutens, Boxeuses, Bas de Soie
2011: Jeux de Peau, De Profundis, Vitriol d’Oeillet
2012: L'Eau Froide, Santal Majuscule, Une Voix Noire
2013: La Fille de Berlin, La Vierge de Fer
2014: Laine de Verre, L'Orpheline, L'Incendiaire
2015: La Religieuse, Cracheuse de Flammes, Cannibale, Sidi Bel-Abbès, L'Haleine des Dieux & Renard Constrictor
2016: L'Eau de Paille, Baptême du feu, Veilleur de Nuit
2017: Dent de Lait, Bourreau des Fleurs
2018: L'Innommable, Le Participe Passé
Where to buy
The export line can be purchased in the United States at Aedes, Apothia, Beautyhabit, Luckyscent, Parfum1 or at Barneys, Bergdorf Goodman, selected Neiman Marcus stores.
In Canada, try The Perfume Shoppe. In the UK, try Les Senteurs.
Website
Serge Lutens or US Serge Lutens site
Further reading
See all articles on Now Smell This tagged Serge Lutens.
See the interior of the Salons du Palais Royal in this video.
1. In 2009, Shiseido Féminité du Bois was relaunched as Serge Lutens Féminité du Bois.