In this episode of "Off with Nose", Frédéric Malle presents a collaboration with Acne Studios. Frédéric Malle wrote a letter to Jonny Johansson. Johansson was wearing "Dans tes bras" by Maurice Roucel the day he received it. The collaboration was already written. What emerged is a floral aldehyde fragrance that Malle himself describes as just as well suited to men as to women — contradicting its own architecture.
Why Suzy Le Helley, why Acne
The decision to entrust the formulation to Suzy Le Helley comes down to one precise quality: her fragrances have character, personality. For Malle, she is the one who struck him most. For Acne Studios, the justification lies in admiration: a house that Malle considers one of the most relevant today.
The architecture: a floral aldehyde
Floral, aldehyde: an olfactory architecture that convention immediately assigns to the feminine wardrobe. Yet use defies the prejudice. Adopted by a confirmed male clientele, the fragrance unfolds on skin with a remarkable alchemy. It orchestrates a striking paradox where power dialogues with intimacy — two opposing forces that here do not cancel each other out, but rather elevate one another.
Suzy Le Helley sees in it an enveloping caress, a sillage one refuses to part with — like an Acne scarf. Frédéric Malle, for his part, draws the analogy with haute couture: the "wow" effect of the first moments gives way to the absolute comfort of a dress that eventually becomes one with the body. This is the whole magic of this fragrance: a signature that is first masterful, then fades to become a second skin.
Discover the Frédéric Malle x Acne Studios fragrance in our selection below.
