Louis Vuitton launches its first fragrance range for men, seeking to tap a ‘new masculinity’ and willingness to experiment

From its early foray into the Chinese market (it opened its first store in Beijing in 1992) to its pioneering collaborations with artists such as Stephen Sprouse and Takashi Murakami, Louis Vuitton has always been a brand of firsts, touting innovation as its main driving force.

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It’s hard to believe, then, that the label was a latecomer in the competitive and overcrowded fragrance market, even more so if you’re aware that its parent company, LVMH, is one of the biggest players in the beauty arena, whether through the thriving cosmetics range of Dior or the success of Sephora.

Although the brand has a history of fragrance creation from its early days as a trunk maker in the first half of the 20th century, Louis Vuitton launched its first fragrance range only in 2016. Aimed at women, the line has been successful not only among loyal clients but also younger consumers who may not necessarily be able to afford the label’s pricey luxury items.

In May the house will unveil its first men’s range, which features five scents that don’t directly target men (you won’t see any Pour Homme inscriptions on the sleek bottles designed by Marc Newson) but, in the words of master perfumer Jacques Cavallier Belletrud, “are perfumes that a woman, or a man, would love to smell on a man”.

Based in Grasse, southern France, the perfume capital of the world, Belletrud is the brains behind each Louis Vuitton fragrance, a fourth-generation perfumer who started his career at the tender age of 16.

He’s been working on the men’s range since 2013, and this launch comes at a time when Louis Vuitton’s “men’s universe” is a big focus at the brand (Off-White designer and Kanye West collaborator Virgil Abloh will unveil his first men’s designs for the label in June).

The men’s market has been growing steadily in recent years, thanks to factors such as the rise of streetwear and the embrace of fashion from athletes and hip-hop artists. Belletrud sees the same happening in his field. “Men are becoming more sophisticated,” he says.

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