THE SELFRIDGES CORNER SHOP: LE GRAND TOUR BY DIPTYQUE
Join us on a journey of discovery as we celebrate diptyque’s 60th anniversary, both in The Corner Shop and online, with the brand’s limited-edition collection of fragrances and exclusive new diptyque décor pieces.
This article is from our archive – some details may no longer be correct and featured products may be out of stock.
Words: Charlotte Core
A pioneer of evocative fragrances, diptyque has long been inspired by travel, exploration and curiosity. Founders Christiane Gautrot, Desmond Knox-Leet and Yves Coueslant would scour the globe for interesting objects, art and artefacts to bring back to their Paris store, where they would create some of the world’s most transportive fragrances. Sixty years later, the brand’s love of seeking out inspiring sights, sounds and scents continues – and to mark their milestone anniversary, we’ve teamed up with diptyque to celebrate the joys of exploration in both The Corner Shop at Selfridges London and online. As part of Le Grand Tour, The Corner Shop has been transformed into an immersive cityscape, complete with exclusive and limited-edition diptyque décor homeware and art pieces, as well as the limited-edition collection of five new fragrances, inspired by five cities from around the world. So, join us as we embark on this unique journey through diptyque’s sought-after new collections.
SHOP THE LIMITED-EDITION COLLECTION HERE...
DIPTYQUE - Paris scented candle
DIPTYQUE - Venise eau de parfum
DIPTYQUE - Milies scented oval
DIPTYQUE - Byblos scented candle
DIPTYQUE - Kyoto eau de parfum
LE GRAND TOUR BEGINS...
Scroll on to begin the tour – starting in diptyque’s home city of Paris – and discover the stories behind each of the five captivating scents, before exploring a few of the exclusive new homeware pieces, available in The Selfridges Corner Shop.
PARIS
The first stop on our travels is Paris – where diptyque’s story begins. Inspired by city strolls along the Seine – past bookshops and antique furniture sellers – the Paris candle has notes of polished wood and spicy vanilla to evoke the unmistakable atmosphere of this historic city. The illustrated compass rose, as seen on the candle’s label, was inspired by the rose carved on the forecourt of Notre Dame and represents the starting point of Le Grand Tour journey of discovery.
VENICE
Welcome to Venice, the second stopover of our Le Grand Tour. Here, you’ll discover the spirit and scents of a place where nature thrives in this vibrant, lively city on the water. The Venise eau de toilette trio combines delicate notes of mandarin, basil, green bell pepper and tomato to capture the fragrance of a windswept Venetian botanical garden.
MILIES
The third stop on our journey is Milies – a village nestled at the foot of Mount Pelion, Greece. A place close to the hearts of the founders of diptyque, they would rent a house there in the summer and walk the winding mountain paths and roads. The Milies scented oval’s fragrance combines warm and cool scents to mimic the breeze of the wind against the warmth of the Mediterranean, with notes of fig wood and immortelle.
BYBLOS
Next, we’re transported to the souk of the ancient city of Byblos, where cafés line the alleyways and the aroma of coffee and spices fills the air. The Byblos candle – housed in a marble-clay vessel inspired by wisps of smoke – has an enveloping and evocative fragrance of roasted coffee, fresh cardamom and Atlas cedar wood.
KYOTO
Our final stop of Le Grand Tour: Kyoto, Japan. The Kyoto eau de toilette was inspired by Ikabana, the ancient Japanese art of flower arranging, which dates back to the 15th century. The composition of this fragrance followed the three pillars of an Ikabana arrangement: the rose represents man, the beetroot-vetiver represents the Earth, and the incense represents heaven. The combination of these three notes together forms a beautiful and refined woody-floral scent.
NEXT STOP ON LE GRAND TOUR: DIPTYQUE DÉCOR
To mark the immersive destination at The Selfridges Corner Shop, London, diptyque have gathered an inimitable collection of artisanal treasures inspired by Paris, Venice, Byblos, Milies and Kyoto. Dripping wax candle holder sculptures handmade in Paris by ceramist Cécile Bichon, to handcrafted cases inspired by ancient Greek artefacts by Atelier Polyhedres: this line-up of exclusive-to-Selfridges decorative homeware and accessories have been curated to add a touch of the Le Grand Tour journey to your home.
The diptyque decorative items are available to purchase in The Corner Shop, Selfridges London.
DIPTYQUE - Limited-edition I terracotta vase
DIPTYQUE - Limited-edition dripping ceramic candleholder
DIPTYQUE - Limited-edition Y terracotta vase
DIPTYQUE - Limited-edition Fold bronze vase
DIPTYQUE - Limited-edition Paris porcelain candle holder
DIPTYQUE - Limited-edition Milies faïence plate
ABOUT THE CORNER SHOP
The Corner Shop is our permanent pop-up space, housed in the Selfridges London flagship. As a place for creativity and collaboration, The Corner Shop hosts a rotating line-up of imaginative retail concepts and innovations.
