Frédéric Malle is exiting his fragrance brand Editions de Parfums

Fragrance purveyor Frédéric Malle is exiting his brand Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle by the end of June 2024.

A pioneer of niche perfumes, Mr. Malle began his brand a quarter of a century ago, collaborating with designers such as Dries Van Noten and Acne to create sensory art, referring to perfume as “the mirror of your soul.”

Not a traditional ‘nose’, Frédéric Malle revolutionized the creative process of perfume making by acting as an 'editor' alongside perfumers. His level of involvement varied for each fragrance, according to Wikipedia, ranging from extensive input, such as smelling 690 iterations for Dominique Ropion's Carnal Flower, to a more hands-off approach for other creations. His guiding principle for perfumers is to "Eliminate all that is superfluous or merely decorative."

Taking perfumers out of the shadows and onto its bottles

Unique to the world of fragrance, where its creators largely remain unknown entities behind the scenes, Mr. Malle gave them due credit by prominently featuring their names on bottles and boxes. Malle's advocacy for perfumer acknowledgment stems from a belief in fairness and transparency, challenging the misconception that iconic fragrances are solely the work of fashion designers like Mr. Saint Laurent and Coco Chanel. By bringing perfumers into the limelight, Malle reshaped the narrative of perfume creation, championing the unsung heroes behind his iconic scents.

In a statement first published by WWD, Mr. Malle said, “Twenty-five years ago, I started working on Editions de Parfums in an attempt to create a direct link between the best perfumers in the industry and the most demanding public. In doing so, I created a platform where noses could express themselves fully and be so proud of their work that they would want to sign it with their names. I could not have foreseen that what became the first publishing house for ‘noses’ would reveal these artists to the world in such a powerful way, show the public that perfume can be an art form and lay the foundations of the artisanal perfumery movement.”

“I owe this success to the talent and generosity of perfumers who followed me then and to the many others who have since enriched our eclectic collection,” Mr. Malle stated. “I also want to thank all of the other artists as well as our staff, especially the perfume experts working in our stores, who help each visitor find a perfume that will echo their personality. Their daily work makes the total creative freedom that we give to perfumers possible. Last but not least, I want to thank the members of The Estée Lauder Companies, who have developed and protected Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle since 2015, and who I know will continue to implement the founding principles that make the company I created unique.”

Estée Lauder executive group president Stéphane de La Faverie said: “When Frédéric launched his brand in 2000, he disrupted the fragrance industry by giving a voice and platform to the world’s greatest perfumers. Frédéric’s avant-garde approach to restoring freedom and creativity to perfumery resulted in the creation of a true luxury brand of fragrance masterpieces.”

“We are proud to have grown Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle alongside Frédéric and will continue to honor his inspiration and uncompromising dedication to perfumery into the future,” continued de La Faverie. “We are so grateful for his collaboration, creativity, and vision, and wish him much success.”

Estée Lauder acquired Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle in 2015, the financial terms of the acquisition were not publicly disclosed.