WATCH: ALAÏA BY PAOLO ROVERSI, THE CAMPAIGN FILM

Alaïa Paris is probably one of the most exciting additions to the fragrance landscape this season. After decades spent magnifying women and their bodies with his incredible, body-conscious, feminine designs, Azzedine Alaïa reached in 2015 another milestone with the launch of his first-ever perfume. An « eau de parfum » more like an achievement; a new step for the couturier that reflects on his work over the past years. Inspired by his encounters and close friendships with the greatest names in the industry like the top models Naomi Campbell and Stephanie Seymour, or fellow iconic designer Thierry Mugler, Azzedine Alaïa went on this journey to create the scent that would represent him – past, present, and future. And, like he knows how to do so well, Alaïa surrounded himself with a family of close and close-to-be friends to contribue in creating Beauty in a perfume. Among them, Marie Salamagne, a young perfumer from the new, promising generation; his year-long friend Carla Sozzani, who supported him every step of the way, Beauté Prestige International (BPI), and many others. Alaïa by Paolo Roversi

Now, the magic wouldn’t be complete without an imagery that makes us dream – something that Alaïa sure knows how to do. For the still and moving campaign, the couturier called on the iconic Italian photographer Paolo Roversi, best known for his dreamy approach and artistic use of the blur – a sfumato applied to photography. In the film, Roversi creates an out-of-space atmosphere where moving rays of light penetrate a mysterious darkness, revealing a woman – embodied by the top model Guinevere van Seenus – whose intriguing beauty could be the one of an ancient Greek goddess or an alienesque, futuristic creature. Moving towards shadow and light, in an artistic blur, the woman’s body merges into the meteorite black perfume bottle created by Martin Szekely – an allegory evoked by the « Houpette » dress from the Spring-Summer 1994 collection inspired by Ancient Egypt – and her metallic gold hair transforms into the bottle top that resembles a spool of gold thread. Adding to the mystery, the music by Nicolas Godin, member of the French band AIR, vibrates with high and low piano notes. Alaïa by Paolo Roversi

Discover the story of Alaïa Paris on www.alaiaparfum.com and read our exclusive story in our September issue, Crash 73: Disruption, out soon.

Maxime Der Nahabédian