Diptyque X Café Verlet

By Tali Jaffe-Minor

The Paris Café collection is a collaboration between two iconic French maisons: Diptyque and Café Verlet.

The limited-edition collection features four new scents that celebrate the French art of living.

There are candles and then there’s Diptyque. The maison’s latest collection, The Paris Café, a joyful collaboration with Paris’s famed Café Verlet, is a testament to Diptyque’s unparalleled olfactory experiences. The collection–Café (Coffee), Chantilly (Whipped Cream), Biscuit (Biscuit), and Fruits Confits (Candied Fruits)–is inspired by the menu of Café Verlet, known for its selection of 30 pure-origin coffees. “With this collection, our goal was to create fragrances that not only capture the aroma but also the emotional resonance of Café Verlet’s culinary delights,” says Laurence Semichon, VP of Brand. “Through it, we invite our customers on a sensory journey through the streets of Paris.” Ready to go? Preview the collection in our interview with Semichon, and then head to  Diptyque’s Bal Harbour Shops boutique to indulge your senses.

This collaboration is described as a meeting of soulmates. How so?
Just as Diptyque has established itself as a pioneer in the world of home fragrance, Café Verlet holds a distinguished position as Paris’ oldest coffee house, cherished for its exceptional coffee blends and dedication to quality. The collaboration between Diptyque and Café Verlet for this exclusive collection was inspired by the shared desire to celebrate the art of French living and to share with the world the rich and delightful heritage of Café Verlet. The resulting exclusive collection is an ode to indulgence, an olfactory escapade inviting fragrance enthusiasts to experience the sweet and sophisticated delights of French culture.

I experienced the candles before, during, and after they’d been lit, and there’s notable differences in each phase. Can you talk about those variances?
Diptyque places significant importance on both cold and hot diffusion of fragrances in our candles. Each Diptyque candle begins with a perfume concentrate crafted by one of the House’s five long-term perfumers. This concentrate is then transformed by French master wax artisans into a complex olfactory composition. Our wax artisans meticulously blend the perfume concentrate with high-quality waxes and a carefully selected wick, ensuring optimal combustion and the formation of a uniform wax pool. This alchemy between these elements and the perfume concentrate, guided by our French master wax-makers, ensures the faithful reproduction of the scent, retaining its properties throughout the diffusion process.

The Café candle takes on a caramelized tone when lit, almost like the last sip of a sweetened espresso. Then, after it’s been lit for a while, there’s a purer “coffee bean” aroma. Is that accurate?
Absolutely, your observation captures the essence of the Café candle. When lit, the candle initially emits caramelized tones, echoing the rich coffee experience offered by Café Verlet. This initial phase reflects the careful blend of fragrances, high-quality waxes, and meticulously selected wicks employed in crafting each Diptyque candle. As the candle continues to burn, the aroma evolves, gradually transitioning to a purer “coffee bean” fragrance, akin to the essence of freshly roasted coffee beans. This transformation mirrors the dynamic nature of the fragrance development process, which is carefully orchestrated by Diptyque’s master perfumers and wax artisans.

Chantilly is remarkable in that you can feel a texture almost as much as you note the fragrance. How is that accomplished?
The multisensory experience you encountered is a result of the thoughtful composition of each Diptyque candle, combined with the rich heritage of Café Verlet’s expertise in sensory delights. The Chantilly fragrance, inspired by Café Verlet’s signature whipped cream topping, is crafted to evoke its delicate, airy texture, with subtle notes of vanilla adding to its richness. This attention to detail extends to the formulation of the wax itself, expertly crafted to enhance the tactile experience of the candle.

Fruits de Confit was just simply delicious, the scent reminded me of the prickly sweetness of fruits cooking down in a pan.
Your delightful experience with the Fruits Confit candle perfectly encapsulates the essence of this fragrance, which draws inspiration from the rich tradition of French confectionery. Crafted as a tribute to the delectable offerings of Café Verlet, this fragrance captures the essence of its iconic specialty, Fruits Confit, a hallmark displayed in its iconic storefront. Fruits Confit offers a succulent blend of sweet plum enveloped in woody notes of sandalwood, patchouli, and balsam. The candle not only delights the senses but also transports you to a moment of pure indulgence and culinary delight.

Biscuit may be my favorite; I could almost feel crumbles in my mouth! How long does any single candle take to develop?
While we cannot disclose the exact duration of development for this collection, I can assure you that it involved months of dedicated effort and creative exploration. It is then a two-day process involving around 10 separate stages, some of which are carried out exclusively by hand. Hands, eyes, and expertise are unreplaceable. The length of the wick for example is a strategic component in our candles for its perfect burning or scent diffusion. The length changes for every candle size and needs to be checked every time for every candle made.

British Illustrator Clym Everden, seen here, brought the Café Verlet collection to life through his signature style.

Lastly, I love that you commissioned Clym Evernden to illustrate the vessels and boxes. (I’ve collaborated with him myself some years ago and just love his work.) What made him the best choice for this collection?
Clym was selected for the artwork for the collection due to his exceptional talent for capturing the essence of Parisian charm. His artwork reflects the playful and imaginative spirit of collaboration. His illustrations invite customers to embark on a sensory journey through the enchanting streets of Paris, where the façades of Café Verlet and the original Diptyque boutique come to life, in vibrant colors and intricate details.