Precious vanilla
Parfums de Marly presents Althaïr, a unique creation full of contrasts, rooted in French haute parfumerie and honouring the family of fragrances with woods, vanilla and amber.
Tradition reimagined
An unexpected, modern ode to a universal ingredient in perfumery. The house chose the most natural, traditional and noble variety available: Bourbon vanilla, cultivated from the very vanilla that was introduced to France under the reign of Louis XV.
‘Althaïr is the first fragrance to present a majestic, subtle and surprisingly fresh vanilla that is elegant, generous and charismatic.’ – Julien Sprecher, founder and creative director of Parfums de Marly
An exquisite essence
Who can resist an elixir that is warm and fresh, gourmand and light at the same time, with an unexpected burst of vanilla, citrus fruits, spices and precious woods?
Althaïr presents a generous fragrance with contrasting notes in the heart that unfold on the skin in an invigorating interplay. A name that hovers between heaven and earth; a men's fragrance filled with elegant hedonism that a woman can easily make her own. An expression of self-confidence that is addictive.
An irresistible formula
Julien Sprecher created Althaïr in close collaboration with perfumers Hamid Merati-Kashani and Ilias Ermenidis. The result is a striking contrast between warm ingredients and a feeling of freshness; an interplay of similarities and differences; a blend of traditional notes from haute parfumerie and unusual molecules. Althaïr cultivates both individuality and subtle opulence.
‘Vanilla is a versatile ingredient in a fragrance. You immediately sense its generosity, pleasure and confidence. Vanilla lifts the mood. It can change a person's state of mind.’ – Hamid Merati-Kashani
A universal and timeless ingredient
The perfumers worked with an abundance of bourbon vanilla extract, the highest grade of all. They combined it with sparkling citrus notes, orange blossom, warm spices (cardamom, cinnamon) and notes of tobacco, praline, wood and leather. A sequence of ingredients that reveal each other, finally merging on the skin into a radiant whole with great charisma.
About bourbon vanilla
In some cultures, it is considered an aphrodisiac, while others value it for its calming and soothing properties that relieve tension and stress. Its round, warm and gentle notes make vanilla an extremely precious raw material, so much so that perfumers even refer to it as ‘black gold’. It is extracted from the pods of a species of orchid that was brought back from Mexico at the end of the 18th century and found its way into the greenhouses of Versailles at the same time as cocoa. It is said that Madame de Pompadour mixed a little vanilla into her chocolate before meeting the king for a rendezvous. Today, it is produced on the island of Madagascar and cultivated according to fully ethical, sustainable and traceable criteria. The Bourbon vanilla used for Althaïr comes directly from the variety introduced during the reign of Louis XV.
Reflections of the fragrance
To complete the experience for all the senses, Althaïr is presented in a warm brown bottle that reflects the texture of the formula and its second-skin feel. As usual, Parfums de Marly uses opaque glass, guaranteeing that the composition has not been artificially coloured and protecting the fragrance from light. The visual language of Althaïr subtly plays with the idea of a sensual explosion, with the ingredients displayed as if in a painting. A bottle that invites you to smell, a colour palette that invites you to touch.
