Le parfum de luxe

Luxury perfume is much more than just a captivating scent. What makes a perfume luxury is, above all, a mixture of history, exclusivity, noble materials and incredible know-how. It is thus a real richness and complex work which are hidden behind this extraordinary olfactory world, where prestige and emotion are intimately linked.

The origins of luxury perfume

Dating back to ancient Egypt, where the first traces of perfumery were discovered, the Egyptians were already using essential oils and plant extracts to create perfumes that were used both in religious rituals and as a status symbol. Perfume then crossed the ages, first with the Romans who perfected distillation techniques, thus allowing a greater variety of fragrances, then with the Arabs who played a crucial role in the development of luxury perfume, in introducing new raw materials such as amber, musk and incense.
However, it was in France that luxury perfumery reached its peak. Renowned for its love of perfumes, the court of Louis XIV saw the creation of the first luxury perfume houses. Even today, it is in this heritage that luxury perfumery continues to evolve, with new creative techniques and exotic ingredients from around the world.

The choice of rare ingredients and raw materials:
the basis of luxury perfumes

In the composition of a luxury perfume, each ingredient is carefully selected for its exceptional quality and evocative power. The components, often derived from rare plants or resins, for the most luxurious perfumes, imbue themselves with a particular atmosphere and transmit a distinctive emotion. Rosewood and pear wood as in the Mercedes-Benz MAN, apple blossom present in the Mercedes-Benz THE MOVE, or even carrot seeds and neroli in the Mercedes-Benz For Women Floral Fantasy, each ingredient has a significant cost in order to recover all the essence. The same goes for our new Mercedes-Benz LAND·SEA·AIR perfume, which is a trilogy composed of ingredients such as patchouli, mugwort oil and even marine algae.

Recovering fragrances: doing a little with a lot

Recovering the best aspects of each ingredient making up a perfume requires a real investment in terms of raw materials. The essence of flowers in their petals, for example, requires a large number of flowers in order to recover all the scents. It is estimated on average between 600 and 700kg of flowers to recover 1kg of perfume absolute, and this can go even further in the case of the rose, where certain species require the extraction of 3000kg of petals to recover only 1kg of perfume absolute. This is how certain extractions can cost up to €100,000 per kg, and bring perfume into the realm of luxury.

The use of wood as a luxury support in perfumes

Luxury perfumes are also largely composed of rare and sought-after wood essences, which generally form the base notes of the perfume. Whether it comes from sandalwood, cedar, which we find in the Mercedes-Benz Man Private perfume, or even oud, this noble material which offers the Mercedes-Benz For Men Le Parfum perfume all the facets of its complexity and contributes to the sensory richness of the latter. The quality woods give the perfume a deep intensity of luxury fragrances, so that the different essences blend perfectly with each other.

The artisanal know-how of perfumers

Behind each luxury perfume, there is a perfumer, this olfactory artist, capable of creating a subtle harmony between the finest notes and the densest materials. This professional works with passion and rigor to create unique and inimitable works, proof of invaluable know-how.
In order to obtain an exceptional perfume, it is essential to master the art of extraction. Thus, perfumers specializing in high-end products use traditional techniques such as distillation, enfleurage or even CO2 extraction to preserve the purity and intensity of natural aromas. This upstream work allows us to recover the best of each material used to make the most captivating perfumes.
Once the exceptional ingredients have been gathered, the perfumer must imagine the olfactory construction of his fragrance. Each note, whether head, heart or base, is then thought out and used with extreme precision in order to create a true sensory masterpiece that will leave no one indifferent. The perfumer's goal is to create a perfume that is balanced, while leaving no doubt about the origin of the perfume, as its olfactory signature is recognizable. It is this art that has brought to the pantheon a number of luxurious perfumes, recognizable among many others.

The bottle: a luxurious setting for prestigious fragrances

Beyond their olfactory composition, luxury perfumes are also distinguished by their sumptuous and elaborate bottles. As with the equally luxurious Mercedes-Benz SIGN Your Power perfume bottle, the case also combines textures and refined finishes: the matte black surface, a reference to performance and innovation, perfectly highlights the star logo metallic shine with a gun metal finish, immediately capturing the eye. With this new fragrance, Mercedes-Benz Parfums reaffirms its commitment to the planet, from the choice of ingredients, to certified and superior quality raw materials, to the creation of the bottle. With 40% recycled glass as well as environmentally friendly lacquers, paints and pigments, SIGN Your Power puts eco-design at the heart of its creation. An approach that can be found in the case with responsible packaging finishing treatments and the use of paper from eco-managed forests.

Advertising icons and dreamlike stories

To complete this quest for luxury, high-end perfume brands also pay particular attention to their graphic and narrative universe. The advertising posters and slogans that accompany their fragrances always carry a prestigious image, often embodied by personalities from the world of fashion, the arts or even sport.

Perfume houses carefully choose their muse to represent their flagship fragrance. A true symbol of elegance and refinement, these ambassadors contribute to the luxurious and exclusive image of the brand. We then remember Marilyn Monroe, Marion Cotillard or Nicole Kidman and the famous "N°5" by Chanel, or even Charlize Theron and the essential ad for Dior, who helped these perfumes go through the years without them passing. fashion.

This is how we chose Valentin Garat , a true kitesurfing icon, to embody the connection of the elements of earth, sea and air offered by our Mercedes-Benz LAND·SEA·AIR perfume.

Luxury perfume as a work of art

Just like a painter or sculptor, the perfumer is a creator who uses raw materials to compose a unique and original composition. The perfect example would be that of the Mercedes-Benz For Women Floral Fantasy perfume: with its lacquering of moving multicolored petals, the bottle reflects the assertive agility of a woman finding her place in a constantly changing world. Echoing this, the case takes up these patterns on a green background drawing its optimism and freshness from a garden party spirit. Tender petals, evanescent colors and dreamlike play of transparencies, ... The imaginary flower of For Women Floral Fantasy expresses elegance flamboyant and singular, like modern women. This unique flower, the keystone of the perfume launch, inspired the artist Carlotta de Guitaut to create a scenography populated with bright colors, giving pride of place to contrasting textures. An expert in compositions based on recycled materials such as plastic, she brought the flowers of the Mercedes-Benz For Women Floral Fantasy graphic universe to life using cut-out water bottles, focusing on volume and playing with transparency. Each petal, delicately painted by hand then heated and modeled to fit the curve defined by the artist, was then varnished and assembled to reform the unique Mercedes-Benz flower. “The floral and ecological approach to this creation resonated deeply within me and inspired me considerably,” explains Carlotta de Guitaut. I see in this project an opportunity to play a role in educating a new generation of women who are more independent and who are not afraid to embrace their multiple personalities.