In recent years, Balmain’s Creative Director, Olivier Rousteing, has been focused on revitalizing the brand’s fragrance line – Les Éternels, bringing a fresh energy to its aromatic offerings. Actress and singer Dove Cameron has been chosen as the official ambassador for Carbone – the newest fragrance, starring in both still images and a short film directed by Carlijn Jacobs.
Les Éternels is a collection of eight “maximalist” fragrances inspired by Balmain’s rich heritage, drawing from “Pierre Balmain’s destiny to Olivier Rousteing’s life path.” Leading the collection is Carbone, a complex musk that features notes of white musk, Rose NeoAbsolute, suede, patchouli, sandalwood, and cumin.
Dove Cameron as Balmain’s Brand Ambassador
After 13 years of creating high-drama runway collections and building an “army” of fans, Rousteing unveils this new chapter with Balmain Beauty and the Les Éternels de Balmain scent collection, each fragrance representing a unique “personality” and “emotion.” Following a serious accident in 2020 that left him burned and feeling vulnerable, Rousteing took a step back from the spotlight to explore a different form of creative expression. It was during this reflective period that he visited Estée Lauder’s New York headquarters, just after the Met Gala, to discuss launching a fragrance line. That conversation, filled with mutual appreciation, led him to approach the world of perfume with great respect. He even enrolled in fragrance school, finding it therapeutic to express himself in a way that fashion didn’t allow at that time. This journey helped him reconnect with his creativity and regain a sense of momentum that he feared he had lost.
Carbone – Les Éternels de Balmain Collection
Carbone, his first “baby,” is a musky blend of tobacco, suede, cumin, and rose. The first time Rousteing experienced its scent, he envisioned Dove Cameron. “I got the phone call when I was on a plane back from Paris and I started to cry immediately,” Cameron recalls during a Zoom interview from Montreal, where she’s filming an erotic thriller and preparing for her next album release. Before receiving that call in October, she had shared some early music tracks with Rousteing. “I was really touched by her new songs,” he remembers, noting that crafting a perfect pop song isn’t so different from creating a perfect fragrance. Carbone’s notes of darkness, danger, and toughness reminded him of Cameron’s unique and mysterious beauty.
Cameron soon became one of the few people granted access to what she describes as a “government-level” secret, housed in an unmarked black bottle. “I’ve definitely never smelled anything like Carbone,” she says. “It’s so masculine, feminine, demure, and musky. It’s got all of these crazy notes.” Over the past year, she has enjoyed “playing” with Carbone, layering it with the other seven scents in the collection, which include Rousteing’s modern interpretations of Pierre Balmain originals like Ivoire, a scent his “French coquette” grandmother once wore, and Ébène. Rousteing is proud to bring back the legacy of Monsieur Balmain, who was a pioneer in fragrance in the 1940s and 1960s, while also infusing the collection with his own heritage, with deep ties to Ethiopia and Somalia, reflecting a rich blend of cultures in his work.
Dove Cameron for Numéro Magazine’s Cover
Dove Cameron graces the cover of the September 2024 issue of Numéro Magazine, wearing pieces from the Balmain Fall/Winter 2024 collection. In this feature, she opens up about her new role as the Balmain Beauty ambassador for Carbone and shares insights into her relationship with Creative Director Olivier Rousteing.
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