Celine Haute Parfumerie ZOUZOU Scent of the Summer 

Celine’s highly anticipated upcoming addition to their Haute Parfumerie collection is titled Zouzou. The name, chosen by Creative Director Hedi Slimane, was taken from an affectionate nickname used for young women with short hair. Celine paints a picture of Zouzou as a lively, fresh-faced young woman, mischievous, and carefree, with delicate features and a smiling pout.

“I WISHED TO CREATE A PERFUME ABOUT UTOPIC ADOLESCENCE, CAPTURING AN IDEAL OF ETERNAL YOUTH. THE RECKLESSNESS OF THE YOUNG FRENCH WRITER FRANÇOISE SAGAN, THE INGENU BOYISHNESS OF JEAN SEBERG FILMED BY JEAN LUC GODARD, THE MAGNIFICENT HEROINES OF THE VELVET UNDERGROUND, TOGETHER WITH THE YOUNG WOMEN I WAS ABLE TO PHOTOGRAPH FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS.

I CALLED MY NEW PERFUME FOR CELINE “ZOUZOU”, AN AFFECTIONATE AND CHILD-LIKE NICKNAME THAT APPEARED IN THE LAST CENTURY TO DESCRIBE A YOUNG WOMAN WITH SHORT HAIR.”

– Taken from Hedi Slimane’s Olfactory Journal

As with the other creations in the Haute Parfumerie collection, this perfume takes its source from Hedi Slimane’s olfactory journal, where the couturier recounts the genesis of this new opus and its name. Youth has been central to Hedi Slimane’s work, shaping their silhouette for decades through his photography and fashion designs.’ – Celine.

Described as a tribute to the sylph-like heroines of the 1960s, Hedi Slimane wanted to capture an ideal of eternal youth. Zouzou takes inspiration from movie and literature characters such as Jean Salberg filmed by Jean Luc Godard and the magnificent heroines of the velvet underground.

Zouzou is a fragrance that 100% gives the wow factor. After my very first spray I knew this would be a love for me. Zouzou is so incredibly pretty – it has a powdery ‘makeup’ aroma that manages to give just the right intensity.  This is a scent that surrounds you in a cloud of delicate pink powder, sweet vanilla and benzoin, I don’t pick up any patchouli, and there is a mild musky note, but not enough that I would call this a musk fragrance. Moreso, this is an ethereal, delicately sweetened caramelised vanilla, floating gracefully in a cloud of candied powder.

With this fragrance, Hedi Slimane intends to give the impression of a young Parisian woman, fresh-faced, with delicate features and short hair. I imagine her sitting at her vanity, in a beautiful French apartment, combing her hair, preparing her skincare and makeup, spritzing herself liberally with Zouzou, and getting ready for the day ahead. Since I moved back to Paris it is ideal for a summer vibe.

Though Zouzou is portrayed as a youthful scent, I can see this appealing to mature women like me with short hair too. There’s an elegance to this fragrance that stops it from feeling overly youthful, but at the same time it is ideal for mature women with a vibrant spirit.