In 2024, when Acne Studios collaborated with French perfume house Éditions de Parfums Frédéric Malle to create its first-ever fragrance, the aim was simple: to distil Acne's creative language – avant-garde, cheeky and casually cool – into a bottle.
The result was a suitably unconventional fragrance that blended aldehydes (the synthetic compounds that give perfumes a clean, metallic quality) with a gourmand heart of rose, peach, and vanilla, and a deep sandalwood-and-musk base. It is a fresh, almost laundry-like scent with a delicate, slightly sweet edge; or, as the brand describes it, ‘a neoclassical perfume with an irreverent twist; at once vibrant and comforting, magnetic and radical’.
Acne Studios par Frédéric Malle eau de parfum, £290 for 100ml
Now, Acne Studios and Frédéric Malle are expanding their olfactory offering with a bath and body collection meant to be worn in conjunction with the fragrance, amplifying the original scent (which was already celebrated among perfume aficionados for its potent sillage). The Body Wash is a silky lather that leaves a delicate perfume in its wake, while the Body Milk is formulated with hydrating shea butter and natural oils to likewise leave skin baby-soft and lightly perfumed.
For perfumer Suzy Le Helley, creating the Acne Studios par Frédéric Malle perfume and its companion bath collection was an exercise in pushing herself as a perfumer and the industry at large. ‘This perfume is, for me, one of the first aldehydic gourmand fine fragrances on the market, and that is something I am very proud of,’ she says. ‘It is also very unique in terms of performance: it is very long-lasting, very powerful, and has a strong sillage.’
To develop the final scent, Le Helley worked closely with both Frédéric Malle and Acne's Jonny Johansson, both titans in their respective fields, to come up with a product that blended the subversive, niche style of both brands. ‘What I enjoyed most was the freedom and trust that were given to me by both Frédéric Malle and Jonny Johansson,’ says Le Helley. ‘This project allowed me to explore new facets of my creativity, pushing me to experiment and take risks.
‘I wanted it to create a unique comfort zone. It is, first of all, a fragrance for yourself, but we worked carefully on the technical aspects of the perfume, its strength, and its longevity. People who smell it on you should also be transported into your luxurious cocoon of comfort – like a beautiful Acne Studios cashmere scarf.’
