Louis Vuitton's New City Of Stars Fragrance

Is it possible to capture the dynamism and romance of Los Angeles in a bottle? If so, it'll probably smell like Louis Vuitton's new city of stars fragrance - which comes with its own exclusive artwork by American multimedia artist Alex Israel

- Chelsea Tang

Even just a glimpse of Louis Vuitton’s new night-time fragrance — or cologne du soir, as the French maison calls it — is enough to call to mind a very specific place: Los Angeles. It’s the power that an orange-pink-lilac ombré holds; how it manages to ripple up scenes of a quintessentially Los Angeles sunset, with silhouettes of palm trees in the horizon.

Perfect for the City of Stars cologne. When Master Perfumer Jacques Cavallier Belletrud concocted the scent, he knew he had to create a fragrance that was an ode to the night. But it wasn’t simply about upping the intensity of the sensual notes, no, the idea was to convey the aroma of a gleaming night — where the captivating sun-on-skin sunset of the West Coast marries the dynamic lights and sights of Hollywood.

Therein came the decision to incorporate a citrus quintet (blood orange, lemon, red mandarin, bergamot and lime) to express a melodious spontaneity; sparkling and optimistic. Combined with the sweetness of the tiaré flower and the powdery muskiness of sandalwood, the scent is a magnetic blend of soft and sprightly — opening with a zesty note, and melting into skin with a veil of sensual creaminess.