HONG KONG — The French niche perfumer doesn’t advertise or bank on any celebrity endorser to market its products, but it counts among its fans Karl Lagerfeld, Philippe Starck, Andree Putman, Jane Birkin, Christian Lacroix, Manolo Blahnik, Ines de la Fressange, Pierre Herme, and John Galliano.
By word of mouth and working with the press through the years, the brand has become a cult favorite among many movers and shakers in their own fields.
It all started in Paris in 1961, when three friends with a passion for travel and design opened a kind of “chic bazaar” on the bohemian side of 34 Boulevard Saint-Germain.
Christiane Gautrot, the designer, was a graduate of Ecole des Beaux Arts, working in an architecture firm. Desmond Knox-Leet was the late painter who designed the timeless black-and-white labels the brand is now known for. And Yves Couselant was the stage designer who continues to live above the store and be involved in the brand.
When they first opened the store’s merchandise was a mix of avant-garde fabrics, decorative items, wooden toys, and all kinds of knickknacks brought back from the trio’s travels to the Far East and Africa.
Then in 1963 they introduced colored and scented candles, which became popular among their loyal clients. Eventually the candles became the main focus of their business: the Diptyque label was born.
In 1968, they expanded with a line of fragrances inspired by memories of their childhoods, exotic locations, world travel, and garden estates.
Today, and 50 years later, the diptyque brand is synonymous with world-renowned fragrances and scented candles.
Found in 40 countries around the world, including Rustan’s Department Store in Manila, diptyque recently opened its first stand-alone boutique in Asia at Hong Kong’s International Finance Center or IFC Mall.
Designed by “couturier of interior design” Olivier Lempereur, the 270-square-foot space features a dark wood parquet floor and light oak furniture set against a large illuminated glass wall showcasing the eaux de toilette collection.
Suspended from the white ceiling is a chandelier made of handcrafted electrical wax candles. Around the store, one-of-a-kind antique pharmacy bottles add to the store’s old-world mystique.
Photos and sketches on the wall celebrate the brand’s heritage by illustrating its history and manufacturing process.
Last November, Diptyque’s official opening at the IFC was highlighted by a ceremonial lighting of candles headed by Sophie Lambert, chief operating officer of Diptyque; Clement Yang, managing director of Vitel International Company; and Elisa Barthelemy, wife of the Consul General of France.
The IFC store carries 38 scents of candles, 13 kinds of eaux de toilette (including the best-selling L’Ombre dans l’Eau and Philosykos), bath and body care products, an exclusive personal fragrance, and the home fragrance product range.
A new range, called 34 Boulevard Saint Germain, is a tribute to 50 years of heritage and the address where Diptyque was born. Composed of 40 raw materials, 34 captures the soul of the original Paris store, with a fragrance that is described as “complex, innovative and neither feminine nor masculine.”
Diptyque’s most expensive product — the Limited Edition Cristal — is also available at the Hong Kong boutique for KH$10,600. Produced as 350 numbered units, it includes a hand-blown perfume bottle, special silver funnel and a large refill bottle worth HK$1,300 in a special lacquered cabinet.
Twice a year, Diptyque comes out with special collections just for Valentine’s Day and Christmas. This holiday season, two scented candles are offered in in printed red or glass holders inspired by legendary fabrics from the ‘60s. Choose from spruce tree-scented Epinette or warm and fruity, spiced plum-scented Perdigone.
As for the perfect gift, there’s the Winter Coffret — a boxed set of three scented candles that capture the warmth of a wood fire, the freshness of pine and the spicy notes of pomander — not necessarily the scents of a Philippine Christmas, but they’ll certainly bring the holiday spirit to any home.
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Diptyque is at Shop 1080, Podium Level 1 ifc mall, No. 8 Finance Street, Central, Hong Kong.
In the Philippines, Diptyque is available exclusively at Rustan’s Department Stores.