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Lebanon Inspires Diptyque’s New Limited Edition Candle

Photo: Courtesy of Diptyque

To celebrate its 60th anniversary, French fragrance house Diptyque is taking us across the globe, with its new Le Grand Tour collection. Five different artists and designers –  Joël Andrianomearisoa, Johan Creten, Zoë Paul, Hiroshi Sugimoto, and Rabih Kayrouz – have created five original works of fragranced art. Each piece signifies one of five stopovers: France, Venice, Greece, Japan, and Lebanon.

Photo: Courtesy of Diptyque

Lebanese designer Rabih Kayrouz has turned his hand to candle design for his limited edition contribution to Le Grand Tour. The fashion designer created a marbled clay pot for the Byblos candle, a new spicy fragrance for Le Grand Tour’s fifth and final stopover. ““I’m already sculpting materials and fabrics around the body for my dresses,” says Kayrouz. “But ceramic is a major first for me. I’m having fun with this new predilection.” With a chic marbling pattern, the grey and charcoal markings are inspired by wisps of steam rising from a traditional Arabic coffee.

Photo: Courtesy of Diptyque

For Kayrouz, Byblos the place has held special meaning since his childhood. “It was the only historic location I was able to visit back then,” says Kayrouz. “For me, this town has always been a place to dream. I would try to understand the way people lived there, back in ancient times. I have countless memories associated with the town, and plenty of fantasies too.”

Photo: Courtesy of Diptyque

The Byblos candle pays homage to the Levantine port and the Ottoman souks, with the fragrance recalling the ancient coastal city’s bustling marketplaces. Created by perfumer Fabrice Pellegrin, the notes include roasted coffee, atlas cedar, white musk, and essence of cardamon. “The directness and honesty of this perfume brought back countless memories,” says the Maison Rabih Kayrouz designer, “especially the scent of coffee and cedar wood. For me, these are highly evocative of Lebanon.”

Read Next: Fall’s Best New Fragrances

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