Black Opium Le Parfum - The New Fragrance By Yves Saint Laurent Beauté
Luxferity, 10.01.2023
“OPIUM, a magic word, a key word, the key to the most intimate dreams, the ‘sesame’ that opens the door to dreams...” - Yves Saint Laurent
It’s a wild celebration of life. The urge to recapture the lost sensations of unforgettable evenings. To take back possession of our moments of nocturnal surrender. Sharing new experiences. Unleashing pent-up emotions…
It’s the thrill of the night in a bottle, more subversive and exciting than ever, distilled into an over-delectable, over-sensual, over-exhilarating fragrance. One spray from that slick, black, vinyl-touch Grail, with its glittering window, and day turns into sparkling night. Connecting us with the energy of all the city’s parties. Leaving a scented echo in our trail with the most intense version of BLACK OPIUM ever…
In 1977, Yves Saint Laurent rocked and shocked the world with the most subversive fragrance ever launched. A burning blend of resins and spices the couturier called his « flowers of fire », the provocatively named Opium was one of the defining scents of the 20th century. A global best-seller that redefined the depth, richness and intensity of Couture fragrances from the moment it was launched in a red, tasseled bottle that became an instant cultural icon.
In 2014, Black Opium Eau de Parfum reinvented the myth for the 21st century, introducing a new, exhilarating buzz in perfumery. The first-ever overdose of black coffee accord in a YSL feminine fragrance, boosted by sexy white flowers & intoxicating vanilla. The dare-to-be-different, can’t-do-without-it scent instantly clicked with the zeitgeist, an electrifying potion for all the night’s sheroes and their crews.
In 2023, because the time has come to be not just proud, but overproud of our nights, YSL Beauty goes all out with the ultimate, most intense Black Opium signature yet: BLACK OPIUM LE PARFUM. A total over-rush of vanilla, with BLACK OPIUM’s iconic coffee accord teasing out the sexy pod’s nocturnal side. Radiant as a spotlight on the dance floor, an intoxicating bouquet of white flowers lights up the electrifying blend.
More mysterious, powerful and captivating than ever, Alpha Shero Zoë Kravitz leads her black-clad crew in an epic new chapter of BLACK OPIUM’s history, with a spectacular new international campaign directed by award-winning film director Anton Tammi. An ultra-edgy prowl in the glittering lights of the urban night, from the top of a sky-high penthouse to a gleaming red skylight, powered by a spray of BLACK OPIUM that turns day into the most thrilling night…
BLACK OPIUM LE PARFUM, by Yves Saint Laurent. May our nights be more beautiful than our days.
THE FRAGRANCE. THE ABSOLUTE BLACK OPIUM SIGNATURE.
“To design the most intense Black Opium ever done, a center-staged black vanilla absolute was obvious to me.” - Nathalie Lorson, Black Opium’s Master Perfumer
With BLACK OPIUM LE PARFUM, YSL Beauty’s night-powerment icon gets intense. How intense? Just dive, if you dare, into the eyes of Alpha Shero Zoë Kravitz in the new Black Opium film… That intense.
To boost the raw power of BLACK OPIUM, already a supreme head-turner, Master Perfumers Nathalie Lorson, Olivier Cresp, Honorine Blanc & Principal Perfumer Marie Salamagne, who co-authored the original Eau de Parfum, knew just what ingredient to add.
The most over-desirable note in the perfumer’s palette… Vanilla. And not just any, anovervanillarush blending with a radical quartet of black vanillas. Four different, complementary qualities of the delectable pod, in a blend custom-crafted for YSL, yielding a unique, exceptional note that makes the coveted material go from day to night.
Vanilla Planifolia Absolute from Madagascar, the iconic BLACK OPIUM vanilla is a feline seductress whose rummy, chocolaty, dried-fruit aromas are run through with a subtly animalic tinge.
Vanilla Pod Absolute from Madagascar, the quintessence of the “vanilla bean”, adds the depth and resonance of balsamic and woody inflections.
Premium Vanilla Bourbon Infusion from Madagascar offers the most precious, warm, mysterious, balmy and spicy tones, very faithful to the natural raw material.
Vanilla Tahitensis SFE Absolute, the sweetest-tempered of the quartet, wraps the blend in powdery, almondy facets.
The sexy power of the pod is boosted by BLACK OPIUM’s signature accords.
An over-black shot of coffee notes. The aroma of a shot of espresso captured straight from the cup. A pure buzz, reinvented as a fragrance note exclusively for YSL Beauty. In BLACK OPIUM LE PARFUM, the iconic accord, bolstered with patchouli’s velvety woody depth and incredible lasting power, turns sexy vanilla into a feral, nocturnal creature.
An over-juicy splash of green mandarin. Like a flash of light in the night, the fruity essence, sweetened with suave pear accord, energizes the top notes, spiked with the cool-hot burn of cinnamon.
An over-sensuous white bouquet. In BLACK OPIUM’s signature chiaroscuro effect, the ultra-feminine ultra-hypnotic floral heart acts as a spotlight, with solar jasmine sambac and petally orange blossom shining in the night.
THE INGREDIENTS. CRAFTED MATERIALS.
Because at YSL, extreme edginess & extreme luxury are two facets of the same rock attitude, BLACK OPIUM LE PARFUM glams it up with three fabulous natural ingredients crafted for the brand. And because luxury comes with social, environmental, and economic commitment, each of these ingredients is responsibly produced and sourced.
GREEN MANDARIN SUPERESSENCE sustainably sourced from Italy. Hand-harvested in the plain of Gioia Tauro in Calabria while their color is still bright green, especially in October where the fruit yields a fresher, more sparkling essence, mandarins are extracted within hours of being picked. The oil is extracted from the peel via the “Pelatrice” technique without pressing the fruit, and therefore very pure, with more tangy and fruity facets. It then undergoes molecular distillation to obtain a fresher, fizzier, sparkling, fruity heart crafted for YSL to enhance the most beautiful facets of the ingredient.
VANILLA BOURBON INFUSION sustainably sourced from Madagascar. Hand-pollinated during the 24 hours of the vanilla orchid blossoming in the region of Sava, an exceptional terroir, the vanilla vine yields pods harvested nine months later according to traditional techniques. They are then meticulously scalded, steamed and sun-dried for a month. The precious ingredient used in BLACK OPIUM LE PARFUM is obtained through the extraction of the pods using supercritical fluids. This process yields an extract that is extremely faithful to the delicious scent of the raw material, soft and enveloping with powdery tones, crafted for the brand.
PATCHOULI HEART LADONGI sustainably sourced from Indonesia. Harvested in the region of Ladongi, patchouli leaves are put to dry in the shade in order to release their aroma. They are ready to be distilled when they make a crackling sound when crumpled. A first extraction is obtained on-site through steamdistillation. The essential oil is then fractionated using the supercritical CO2 extraction technique, which shears off the rawer facets of the oil and brings out the noble nature of the product. The precious extract crafted for YSL reveals an intensely sensual, woody spicy ambery, almost mineral quality of patchouli, with exacerbated moss and undergrowth tones.
THE BOTTLE. BLACK GLITTER AT HEART.
Precious. Bold. Hypnotic. Desirable. It’s a clash of blacks and textures. A sleek glossy gem whose deep nocturnal tone reflects the intensity of the perfume essence it contains.
BLACK OPIUM’s bottle draws its iconic look from one of the most mythical designs in perfume history: the bottle of the 1977 OPIUM, personally conceived by Yves Saint Laurent with the legendary designer Pierre Dinand based on the Japanese inro, the box samurais used to carry their opium. A mysterious vessel covered with a rich red, shiny sheath in the colour of antique Chinese lacquer, with a round window that opened onto the glass bottle holding the precious scent… The same mysterious round window adorns the BLACK OPIUM bottle, whose sleek silhouette recalls the original’s iconic design.
For BLACK OPIUM LE PARFUM, the iconic bottle glams it up for the night in a dress as shiny as a couture black vinyl dress by Saint Laurent. As a striking contrast, the heart of glitter that glints on the round window recalls the flashing lights of urban vistas seen from the sky at night – an echo of the dazzling shots of the new BLACK OPIUM campaign showing the Earth’s cities lighting up at dusk…
A bottle designed for all the edgy sheroes of the night… Deeply BLACK OPIUM. Deeply Saint-Laurent.
And because nothing’s more glamorous than caring for the planet, Yves Saint Laurent Beauty reduces its environmental impact by using 15% of recycled glass in producing the bottle.
THE FILM CAMPAIGN. THE NIGHT IS OURS.
The spectacular new campaign for BLACK OPIUM opens a new chapter in the saga with Zoë Kravitz as the ultimate, charismatic Alpha Shero endowed with the superpower to turn day into glittering night in all the cities of the planet with a single spray of BLACK OPIUM… Leading her crew on a quest to reconquer all the after-dark thrills we crave. Taking back possession of our nights. Recapturing the lost sensations of unforgettable evenings.
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To convey the exciting urban quest, the award-winning filmmaker Anton Tammi uses fluid, dynamic and experimental camera movements, strong geometrical textures and a mysterious color palette to embody the fierce energy of a generation determined to recapture the thrills of the night…
“This film is anchored in creating a unique atmosphere around our cityscape that beckons individuals to venture into the night”, says the Director.
The first scene opens with Zoë, a magnetic She-Wolf in her lair: a penthouse with a dizzying view, overlooking the city at dusk. A single spray of BLACK OPIUM, and Zoë turns day into night. The whole planet instantly plunges into darkness in the blink of an eye. Only the electricity of urban areas flickers. Everywhere in the city, her sleek, black-clad crew answers the call of the YSL Cassandre flashing in the night, converging towards a mysterious Dome whose coral glow draws them into a long abstract tunnel.
They move as one behind Zoë, the leader of the pack.
“Zoë has a naturally powerful presence that you can feel”, Anton Tammi explains. “It should be as if we’re on this on this adventurous night out with her chasing a never satiated high…”
Glittering bottles of BLACK OPIUM hang around them. Zoë grabs one: she knows it is intended for her. “Its presence is so attractive that when Zoë looks out of the frame, we immediately know what catches her eye: Black Opium”, Anton Tammi says. “If there’s some sort of love interest in our film – it’s between Zoë and her relationship with Black Opium.”
One spray, and the scene turns into an ecstatic party, surreal and dreamlike. Bodies join around her, dancing furiously, in an explosion of sensuality. Boys and girls brush against each other, mingle, electrify. We see the crowd going wild. The scene is hypnotic. Time stands still. Zoë revels in what she’s achieved. Taking back the night.
Cut to Zoë is on top of the Dome, dominating the nighttime city… Cradling a bottle of BLACK OPIUM, she gazes at us defiantly, sensually. In a dreamlike image, the gigantic coral Dome and endless urban vista slowly morph into the iconic BLACK OPIUM bottle… THE NIGHT IS OURS.
THE DIRECTOR. ANTON TAMMI
Eclectic. Mysterious. Sensual. Anton Tammi is a film director from Finland, best known for his cult, otherworldly music videos. After moving from Helsinki to New York, Anton continued to develop a style that sits between the surreal and the dreamlike. The music video ‘All Your Words’ for JIL in 2017 established him as a Director to watch, with a knack for sensuous lighting and disorienting cinematography. The world he creates is ripe with color, flickering lights, streaming rain and heady landscapes.
In 2019, Anton began a fruitful, ongoing collaboration with The Weeknd. Together, they steered the creative direction of the historic The Weeknd's 6th studio album ‘After Hours’. Anton shot the album artwork directed a series of music videos, one of being ‘Blinding Lights’ – video that won the best video of the year award at the 2020 MTV VMAs, same year Anton Tammi won the best Director of the year award at the UKMVA.
“I love the message of power, possession and control of the night conveyed in this YSL Black Opium campaign film”, says Anton. “It’s an anthem for these diverse, independent spirits who recognize YSL symbol displayed around the city as a call to adventure. They join Zoë to rejoice in this seemingly endless night out, brought on by a single spray of Black Opium. It’s a metaphorical initiation of that courageous spirit inside of all of us.”
THE PHOTOGRAPHER. ADRIENNE RAQUEL.
A Texas-raised image-maker and Art Director working between Houston, New York and Los Angeles, whose work has been featured in Numéro, Elle, GQ and Vanity Fair, Adrienne Raquel is inspired by femininity, soulfulness, and color. Her work is rooted in nostalgia and fantasy while remaining fresh and contemporary.
Exhibitions include Aperture's New Black Vanguard, Jeffrey Deitch: Shattered Glass Miami, and Mickalene Thomas' Better Nights at Miami's Bass Museum. Adrienne's first solo exhibition, ONYX, was on view at Fotografiska New York in 2021. Photographed over the course of 2020, ONYX highlights the artistic balance of exotic dancing, athleticism, and sisterhood at one of Houston, TX most famous nightclubs.
“This campaign for the new chapter of Black Opium is a DREAM project!”, says Adrienne, the first woman to photograph a BLACK OPIUM campaign. “I am honored to collaborate with the legendary YSL and an iconic beauty and culture-shifter, such as Zoë Kravitz.”
BLACK OPIUM. THE FACETS OF AN ICON.
Edgy, sexy, rock chic, the BLACK OPIUM woman embodied by Zoë Kravitz dares to be different and stakes out a new olfactory territory. The new, high-intensity BLACK OPIUM LE PARFUM joins a bestselling, glittering range matching the icon’s signature floral coffee accord with a range of edgy, thrilling notes:
BLACK OPIUM EAU DE PARFUM features the first-ever overdose of black coffee accord in a feminine fragrance, boosted by sexy white flowers & intoxicating vanilla. Sensual. Edgy… Feel the call.
NEW BLACK OPIUM LE PARFUM amps up the intensity with an over-rush of vanilla, boosted by the buzz of the fragrance’s iconic black coffee accord. Powerful. Infinite. Mysterious… The night is ours.
BLACK OPIUM EAU DE PARFUM EXTREME reaches new heights of olfaction, boosting ultra-black coffee accord with dark patchouli, black vanilla, and white jasmine. Edgy. Radical. Uncompromising… Cross into the extreme.
BLACK OPIUM EAU DE PARFUM NÉON slashes the electrifying black coffee accord with the neon light of a glowing green dragon fruit note. Luminescent. Flashy. Vibrant… Get neon.
BLACK OPIUM EAU DE PARFUM ILLICIT GREEN shoots a fresh twist of green mandarin, fig leaf and fig flesh accords into the icon’s signature floral coffee accord. Experimental. Festive… Dare it. Shake it. Feel it.
BLACK OPIUM HAIR MIST, enriched with Argan oil, extends the intoxicating trail of the signature floral coffee accord while leaving hair silkier and shinier. Sensuous. Unmistakable… Spritz and shine.
