Les Extraits Collection

Since the year 2021, Louis Vuitton has elevated the fragrance world of the French Maison to the realm of high art with the Les Extraits fragrance collection. With Myriad - the sixth creation in the Les Extraits Collection - master perfumer Jacques Cavallier Belletrud crafted a unique and profound fragrance composition using Oud, a wood so precious that it is referred to as "black gold."

"I have always been fascinated by this exceptional note," explains Jacques Cavallier Belletrud. With its complex scent and uniquely rich history, Oud offers numerous possibilities for inspiration. As a base, it lends itself to infinite variations, forming its own fragrance family.

The new fragrance represents a monument in perfumery that has never existed before. Myriad combines the powerful character of Oud with a flowing lightness—a combination that distinguishes the Les Extraits Collection from the fragrance composition to the form of the bottle. To achieve this, Jacques Cavallier Belletrud wanted to "penetrate the fragrance with light" to reveal all facets of its character.

The starting point for the new fragrance was an exceptional essence of Assam Oud, selected by the master perfumer from a supplier in Bangladesh. As part of a long-term mutual commitment, Louis Vuitton has acquired the supplier's complete essence, and they now exclusively work for the Maison.

The new fragrance represents a monument in perfumery that has never existed before. Myriad combines the powerful character of Oud with a flowing lightness—a combination that distinguishes the Les Extraits Collection from the fragrance composition to the form of the bottle. To achieve this, Jacques Cavallier Belletrud wanted to 'penetrate the fragrance with light' to reveal all facets of its character.

The starting point for the new fragrance was an exceptional essence of Assam Oud, selected by the master perfumer from a supplier in Bangladesh. As part of a long-term mutual commitment, Louis Vuitton has acquired the supplier's complete essence, and they now exclusively work for the Maison.

As a contrast to the robust components of this fragrance formula, floral notes were the obvious choice. Jacques Cavallier Belletrud created a perfectly balanced rose, combining the freshness of Bulgarian rose essence with the fullness of May rose from Grasse. As a counterpoint, saffron enhances the naturally leathery, spicy effect of Oud, while cocoa extract provides a sensual and rough ambivalence.

A dense fragrance cocoon of ambrette and white musk elevates the fragrance, invigorates it, and allows it to linger on the skin, while a note of moss adds the final touch. Myriad is a virtuoso expression of the intense Les Extraits style and can be best described as:

"Black that consists of a thousand colors.

Eine Ode an die Natur

An Ode to Nature

With the Les Extraits Collection, Jacques Cavallier Belletrud and Frank Gehry explore an essential intersection of their respective vocations: the ubiquitous inspiration of nature. As an ode to the fabulous diversity of nature, Myriad is a homage to the extraordinary color palette of life.

"It is our guide," says master perfumer Jacques Cavallier Belletrud. "Frank and I both love the wind that blows through the world around us. We love movement and fluidity, two concepts that are at the core of the Les Extraits Collection."

Jacques Cavallier Belletrud works daily in the heart of his hometown, Grasse, at Les Fontaines Parfumées, using ingredients from near and far. With essences of flowers, herbs, spices, and woods, nature provides both the materials for his art and the harmonious goal that underlies all of his fragrance creations.

A perfume extract, reinvented by Jacques Cavallier Belletrud.

A perfume extract, reinvented by Jacques Cavallier Belletrud.

Jacques Cavallier Belletrud set out to reinvent perfume in its noblest form. The goal was to give the extract a contemporary expression. He opened the Les Extraits Collection with five fragrance compositions that embrace the key themes of modern perfumery. A homage to the history of an art that runs in his blood as the son and grandson of perfumers.

Freed from the traditional top/heart/base notes structure, the fragrances of the Les Extraits Collection break the classical perfume architecture and reveal the quintessence of the olfactory theme that inspires them: floral (Dancing Blossom), musky (Cosmic Cloud), citrusy (Symphony), chypre (Rhapsody), and amber (Stellar Times).

The bottle, a movement captured by Frank Gehry.

The bottle, a movement captured by Frank Gehry.

In response to the olfactory creation of Jacques Cavallier Belletrud, Frank Gehry designed a dynamic, flowing bottle shape. Starting with the original bottle designed by Marc Newson for Louis Vuitton perfumes, Frank Gehry expanded its lines into curves. He then designed a spectacular cap resembling an imaginary flower, its base formed by crushing aluminum in his hands.