After introducing perfumes to Celine’s repertoire in 2019, creative director Hedi Slimane has now expanded the maison’s olfactory lexicon with its first collection of candles. The range has finally hit stores here on Sep 30.
Priced at $145 each, the collection consists of six available scents at the moment, with two more to be released later this year. And much in line with Slimane’s reputation for being both highly exacting and weaving personal narratives into his work, the candles are designed to evoke a particular moment in time or space, ranging from the homes of everyday life to Celine’s couture salon located on 16 Rue Vivienne in Paris.
The candle L’inventaire recreates the warmth of Celine creative director Hedi Slimane’s own apartment in Saint-Germain-des-Pres.
For example, L’inventaire (notes of oak, rockrose, cedar and ambergris) captures the spirit of Slimane’s own apartment in Saint-Germain-des-Pres, while others re-interpret (in candle form) popular editions from the brand’s perfume collection such as Nightclubbing (notes of galbanum, white orris butter, patchouli, tree moss, vanilla and musk).
Slimane tapped the same noses that worked on the perfumes collection – as well as a new introduction in the form of a wax-maker, who also has training in perfumery. This dual background (a rarity indeed) means the wax-maker was able to create a made-to-measure formula of six and seven waxes and oils for each composition.
The sleek candle holder itself was designed by Hedi Slimane – it took inspiration from an 18th century silver goblet.
No detail is too small to escape notice either – even the diameter of the cotton wick is customised in order to best optimise the scent diffusion of each candle.
For fans of the existing Celine perfumes, the sleek design of the candle vessels will not come as a surprise; sporting faceted and tinted black glass, they took inspiration from an 18th century silver goblet.
The collection is complemented by old world accessories such as wick trimmers.
Charmingly, the candle collection itself is complemented by an array of old-world accessories such as a candle snuffer, wick trimmer, matches and a travel case outfitted in the Maison’s signature Triomphe canvas.
At first glance, they may not see much use today but Celine intends them as tributes to the age-old craft of scented objects, which have long acted as markers of daily life in French culture.
Below, a closer look at six of the available candles.
