
Scent and memory merge at the Paris home of Serge Lutens Parfums, the enchanting fragrance collection with cult followings in France and abroad. Here, at Les Salons du Palais Royal, Lutens spotlights his evocative creations in a dreamy landscape awash in indigo, violet and black (pictured below), where the scent-savvy traveler can sample perfumes sold nowhere else in the world.
Tucked beneath the arcades of the picturesque Palais Royal Garden, Les Salons provides a perfect distraction for visiting fragrance fanatics. Though
only steps away from the Louvre, it nonetheless remains well off the
tourist track.
As Serge devotees know, Lutens releases three
scents each year -- two "Export" scents available at select retailers
globally, and one "Exclusive" scent that can't be purchased in person
outside of Paris. Look for the latter's signature 75 ml bell-shaped
flacons (105 euros), shapely sisters to the lanky bottles sold in the
U.S., when you visit Les Salons.
El Attarine, the latest of the Paris-only scents,
is a golden, spiced-honey fragrance. Just released on August 1, it's
consistent with the olfactory auteur's fixation on the Orient. The
sensual aromas of Marrakech, Lutens' adopted home, haunt much of his
collection. If the thrill of acquiring this Paris-only fragrance isn't
enough, Les Salons also offers thirty limited-edition El Attarine
flacons, intertwined with black arabesques and stamped with Serge
Lutens's initials (850 euros; pictured after the jump).
Either way, the memories of your Paris trip are sure to smell sweet.
Les Salons du Palais Royal Shiseido
142 galerie de Valois
75001 Paris, France
+33 (0)1 49 27 09 09
Our other favorite scent shops in Paris, after the jump...
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It isn't every day that you find a perfect item of clothing with which to travel -- something that can seamlessly take you from the beaches of Malibu to the sidewalks of Paris, fold up to the same size as a small square handkerchief, and won't wrinkle when packed in a suitcase stuffed to bursting.
Perhaps that's why the launch of Mayer, a new line of vintage-inspired dresses by Jenny Galluzzo (sketches pictured, left), is cause for such celebration (namely: a cocktail party this weekend at Maison 24, the impeccable home furnishing store in Bridgehampton). Mayer, which is named for Jenny's ultra-chic grandmother, Florette Mayer, offers six silhouettes (two tops and four dresses) based on a collection of caftans Florette purchased in the 1970s while traveling around the world. 
"My grandmother was always seeking adventure," Jenny (pictured, right) says. "And she brought back treasures from her travels. Going through her closet is like shopping in the best vintage store you can imagine."
Now, Jenny's gain is ours, too.
Purchasing information available soon on Mayer's website.