Maison
Diptyque.
“Founded in 1961 by three artist friends on Boulevard Saint-Germain — the house that elevated the home fragrance candle into an art form.”
Saint-Germain's quiet perfumery — candles, eau de toilette and the famous black oval.
Specimen Card
Réf. DIPTYQ
In the collection
—
Bottles in stock
Status
Live inventory
- Founded
- 1961 · Paris
- Speciality
- Luxury candles · Eau de toilette · Eau de parfum
- Style
- Illustrative · Botanical · Quietly intellectual
The Dossier
What to know about Diptyque.
Diptyque was founded in 1961 by Christiane Gautrot, Desmond Knox-Leet and Yves Coueslant — three artists who opened a small boutique on Boulevard Saint-Germain selling fabrics, wallpaper and, almost by accident, scented candles. The candle line was launched in 1963 — Aubépine, Cannelle, Thé — and effectively created the modern luxury home fragrance category.
The fragrance line followed in 1968 with L'Eau, a clove-cinnamon-rose composition still in production today. The Diptyque signature is illustrative rather than narrative — compositions evoke a specific place, a season, a memory. Philosykos (the Greek fig tree in summer), Tam Dao (Vietnamese sandalwood), Do Son (the tuberose breeze of a Vietnamese seaside town), Eau Duelle (vanilla, black tea, frankincense).
The black-and-white oval label, hand-drawn by Knox-Leet, has remained unchanged since the founding.
Notable releases
- PhilosykosFig leaf, fig fruit, cedar — the reference fig perfume
- Tam DaoSandalwood, cypress, cedar — Vietnamese forest in a bottle
- Do SonTuberose, jasmine, orange leaf — sea breeze and white flowers
- Eau DuelleVanilla, black tea, frankincense — Diptyque's reference oriental