Pacific Chill has joined Louis Vuitton’s array of Los Angeles-inspired fragrances, rounding out the brand’s collective narrative focused on the story of light:  from the gentle glow of the daytime sun to the sparkling lights of a city at dusk. Featuring notes of blackcurrant, carrot seed, and aromatic herbs, Pacific Chill can be characterized as ethereal and misty, capturing the feeling of the sun’s light of a new day on the skin and inspired by California’s affinity for health and wellness. 

Composed by Master Perfumer Jacques Cavallier Belletrud, the scent is described as a daring work of olfactory innovation, and one that challenges typical understandings of fragrance. Pacific Chill is more than just a fragrance – it is a deep breath, stimulating all five senses and attuning them to reawaken to life. Wellness meets fragrance in the experience, creating a unique scent that lends itself to invigoration and exhilaration. Designed to rally the scenes, uplift the spirit and introduce a detox-like effect, Pacific Chill acts as an energizing force for both the body and spirit. 

“One morning in Los Angeles, while I was chatting with Alex Israel, we both ordered one of those detoxifying smoothies that Californians love. I was inspired by the vitamin-packed juice and said to Alex, ‘I’m going to create a detox Cologne!’ I tried to transcribe, through emotion, the well-being effects of that fruity blend,” shared Jacques Cavallier Belletrud.

“Blackcurrant has a truly interesting temperament. It’s vibrant, fruity, almost like a raspberry but lighter, and it’s also a concentrate of leaves held aloft by notes of cedrat and lemon. Blackcurrant’s character is fickle, which I amplified with a blend of coriander and ambrette seeds, basil, peppermint, and orange essence. Hence the lightning starts, like the sensation of foliage brushing against the skin. From the carrot seed I extracted an essence developed in Grasse. That essence of the carrot tempers the impact of the blackcurrant’s green tones, which are as frontal as a painting by Gauguin. The carrot has an iridescence, with creamy, velvety accents of apricot, date, and fig. It brings a lot of depth; it lends structure. A hint of May Rose offers floral sweetness and seals the alliance.”

A scent so specific and unique demands artwork that is able to personify such nuance. Alex Israel, a frequent, artistic collaborator of Louis Vuitton, takes on the job, painting a California land-and-seascape composed of blue and green hues evoking an “impression of the morning sun”. Inspired by the first moments of sunlight, the artwork further builds the Californian adventure so central to the fragrance itself, capturing the West Coast’s essence: calm, cool, and serene.  The scent is also accompanied by a fragrance trunk and travel case that reprise Israel’s painting on monogram canvas.

“The green and blue gradient is resourced directly from the landscape which I associate most intuitively with the scent: it’s the green of the hillsides and the blue of the sea and sky along the Southern California Coast, in the morning. It’s where I love to hike.” explains Alex Israel.

Pacific Chill is now available to purchase on LouisVuitton.com