Niche brands, known as high perfumery, you are surely familiar with. We recently introduced you to Juliette Has a Gun’s creations. Today, we want to highlight Parfums de Marly. While this French house may seem more private, it deserves to be known. At its origin is Julien Sprecher. This entrepreneur, a lover of perfumery, is also passionate about the splendors of the 18th century. The era of King Louis XV fascinates him, especially the sumptuous receptions he organized at the Château de Marly, not far from Paris–evenings where all extravagances were allowed. They were marked by celebration, arts, and, of course, perfume. It is said that exceptional fragrances wafted through every room of the castle, even the fountains. The reign of Louis XV saw the rise of great perfume dynasties and the beginning of modern perfumery. During this time, scents were everywhere: on the skin, wigs, fans, gloves…

It is this spirit of luxury and audacity that Julien Sprecher wanted to embody with his high perfumery house. From the names of the fragrances to the glasswork of the bottles, Parfums de Marly brings the spirit of the château to life while highlighting a rich heritage–with a touch of modernity, of course. Thus, each creation, whether masculine, feminine, or unisex, is crafted around short, impactful, and clear formulas. Their strength: challenging the traditional norms of perfumery, as seen in Valaya, one of the brand’s surprising new releases.

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Traditional craftsmanship adapted to contemporary tastes

Parfums de Marly is, above all, traditional craftsmanship combined with modern savoir-faire. By blending the traditions of high perfumery with contemporary innovations, the house creates complex and timeless scents. Julien Sprecher’s idea is to offer a new vision of French luxury. There is no room for standardized fragrances. The creator collaborates with various noses to manifest this unique vision of high-end perfumery. The diversity of these perfumers’ styles allows for endless creativity, offering a rich olfactory palette to the brand.

Parfums de Marly also does not hesitate to turn to the highest quality raw materials, such as Damascena rose and natural oud. These rare and precious ingredients are sourced from local producers and processed using responsible craftsmanship. To add even more power and depth to its compositions, Parfums de Marly also uses innovative molecules. Derived from sophisticated extraction techniques or green chemistry, they give rise to creations full of contrasts and character, such as a scent that is both light and powerful or a freshness that lingers. 

Valaya: a new sensual opus 

Parfums de Marly boasts several best-sellers. 

The first: Delina, a fragrance crafted around rose and lychee. Today, another feminine creation catches our attention: Valaya. The idea behind the scent is to recreate the smell of skin touched by a veil of cotton, like the petticoat worn by 18th-century women. Not simple, and yet… “It’s a cocoon, sensual and elegant at the same time. A white but contrasting perfume, delicate but incredibly powerful,” explains Julien Sprecher. Like Delina, Valaya was composed with the French nose Quentin Bisch. This renowned perfumer has worked with Givaudan, Carolina Herrera, and Jean-Paul Gaultier. For Parfums de Marly’s latest creation, he offers a very fresh introduction with top notes of bergamot, mandarin, and white peaches,  fruity composition that then blends with the softness of orange blossom and Haitian vetiver. The orange blossom is then enveloped in a dose of natural musks before merging with the sweetness of vanilla and a woody note. The result: an immaculate, slightly powdery fragrance that smells clean. Although delicate, the scent is not volatile and lingers on the skin. It evokes the smell of cotton and even the frills of petticoats. One can easily imagine pairing it with a white shirt worn directly on the skin, feminine and incredibly sensual.

The slightly transparent white bottle echoes the house’s brand, including the coat of arms of the Château de Marly, depicting two horses facing each other. Louis XV was passionate about horsemanship. Indeed, several perfumes from the house are named after a horse or a breed that could be found at the French court: Percival, Kalan, Galloway, Godolphin, Pegasus… However, history does not tell us if the name Valaya had a particular meaning for Louis XV. It’s up to you to let your imagination run wild…

Valaya Eau de Parfum, MAD 2,770 per 75 ml bottle
Exclusively available at Beauty Success stores and on beautysuccess.co.

Picture (c) : Parfum de Marly