French fragrance and design house Diptyque celebrates 60 years
Words by Pendle Harte
This year marks 60 years since Diptyque was founded in Paris. The original store at 34 boulevard Saint-Germain still remains and is returning to its origins with a new collection of homewares. The original shop stocked a wide range of curios and decorative objects alongside fragrance, and the reinvented collection, All that Decorates, reflects those roots.
Now Diptique has expanded its remit to include lithographed wallpaper, ornaments in colored glass, artisanal bedspreads and ceramics. Diptyque’s decorative objects are imagined to enthrall the everyday by creating interiors that vibrate with life. The traditional monochrome theme creates a strong identity as this birthday celebration marks a turning point for Diptyque, bent on making the imaginary explode in All that Decorates while renewing with the eclectic spirit of its roots… Three “Merchants of Life’s Little Pleasures”. Beyond the universal and timeless relevance of the task lies a flair for all things artisanal.
Kinetic curves, geometric gyrations, the contrast of black on white… the eye indulges in the optical illusion. Shapes come together and separate to reassemble once more, enchanting the interior of the everyday with a touch of tantalizing trompe- l’oeil. On the table, like a puzzle come to life, coasters covered in ovals transform into playful pranksters; porcelain plates parade their sumptuous volutes of Basile’s heritage pattern; goblets in Murano glass stretch spirals into ribbons reflecting a Figuier candle’s flame as it glows from a marble podium. On the shelf, near the fragrance infuser carved from the most noble stone, rectangular trinket trays are caught in an improvisation with ovals on lanterns… Halos of candlelight accentuate the gentleness of cozy geometries. Awesome in the everyday. Shapes and scents transform the table into a personal theater of wonders.
Meanwhile, the summer fragrance collection includes a collaboration with Luke Edward Hall that brings colour and a mediterranean feel. New products include a citronella candle and a mosquito-repelling body spray, alongside new summery fragrance Ilio.
