Since 2009, Maison Margiela has released the Replica series, defined as a reproduction of familiar scents and moments of varying locations and periods.
The Paris-based fashion house celebrates the changing seasons with different scents, and the latest eau de toilette pays tribute to autumn.
Perfumer Fanny Bal was tasked to create Autumn Vibes, which recalls an invigorating walk amid the rusty-coloured foliage of a forest in Montreal in 2018.
"From the onset I had in mind a forest walk in autumn," says Bal. "In particular, those moments when you feel the dried leaves crackle under your feet. Tree trunks are covered with moss, damp notes of undergrowth float in the air. All you can see is red, brown and yellow leaves, slowly falling to the ground."
Autumn Vibes, Montreal 2018.
Springtime In The Park, Shanghai 2019.
The label briefly describes Autumn Vibes as a woody trail and red leaves, but Bal actually went into great details in designing the composition.
Spicy notes of pink pepper along with green notes of coriander and cardamom reproduce colours of crackling leaves. Fir balsam and labdanum represent the sweetness of tree sap.
A woody and slightly resinous trail of cedarwood blended with a moss accord evoke soaked leaves and moss. Warm notes of nutmeg softened by earthy, floral facets of carrot seed replicate the forest's moist undergrowth, while olibanum highlights the mix, adding a woody, resinous touch.
Other season-inspired fragrances include Springtime In A Park, set in a green space amid Shanghai's urban labyrinth. The time was in the spring of 2019, when blooming flowers proffer their colours and aromas.
Springtime In A Park, Shanghai 2019.
By The Fireplace, Chamonix 1971.
The eau de toilette opens with pear and blackcurrant accords combined with bergamot essence, followed by floral heart of lily of the valley, royal jasmine and Damask rose, and a musky and woody base softened by a hint of vanilla.
Maison Margiela salutes summer with refreshing Beach Walk, which bring back memories of a sunny day by the sea in Calvi, some 50 years ago; while Sailing Day reminisces the freshness of the Aegean Sea following a trip to the Greek island of Paros in 2001.
In contrast, the smoky and woody By The Fireplace recalls the comforting memory of being indoors on a freezing winter morning in Chamonix, 1971.
By The Fireplace, Chamonix 1971.