There are acts of beauty that transcend the everyday to become declarations. A perfume that lingers in memory and a lipstick that leaves its mark on the skin of the day. They are more than adornments; they are personalized signatures. They are expressions of our identity — of who we were, who we are, and who we will be throughout our lives. Today, Givenchy unites these two forces — the invisible and the visible — to remind us that gestures of beauty are not just presence, but essence.
By aNDREA BAU
From forbidden to essential
The story of Givenchy’s L’Interdit was born out of an act of defiance. In 1957, renowned Hollywood actress Audrey Hepburn forbade its commercialization so that the privilege of her essence would remain exclusive. The fragrance became an icon in the history of the beauty industry: an essence that was born from a “no” and ended up defining all the “yeses” in the Maison’s story.
More than six decades later, L’Interdit Parfum doesn’t repeat history: it intensifies it. What Hepburn once wanted to keep secret has now become a fixation for devotees of perfumery.
Its magnetism lies in the duality of its notes: the bitter surprise of almond against the velvety softness of mimosa; a bouquet that radiates light with the blend of tuberose, jasmine, and orange blossom, anchored by the depth of vetiver, patchouli, and resins. A contrast that keeps alive the spirit with which it was born, transforming L’Interdit Parfum into Givenchy’s most irresistible new luxury.
L’Interdit Parfum doesn’t repeat history: it intensifies it.
Identity in matte
If L’Interdit was born from a “no” that became legend, Le Rouge represents the other side of that spirit: the “yes” in color, powerful enough to become a declaration. It was born in 1962, when the Maison launched its first lipstick as a weapon to defy convention. Its daring shades disrupted the feminine discretion of the time. Since then, wearing a Givenchy lipstick has never been an ornament, but an act of presence.
Today, that audacity is rewritten in Le Rouge Velvet Matte. It is not a lipstick meant to conceal, but to define. Its strength —as with L’Interdit Parfum— also lies in contrast: a weightless texture that feels like nothing, but a color that says everything. At Givenchy, matte is no longer rigid — it transforms into the most comfortable, powerful, and yes, unforgettable gesture.
The collection reveals itself in twelve shades, from nudes that melt into the skin to reds that demand attention. Among them, three stand as icons in their own right: George 5, a timeless almond beige; Tailored Nude, a pale pink that emanates pure romanticism; and Blushing Tulle, an intense pink that transforms softness into character. These are not just colors: they are ways of saying who you are without uttering a single word.
a weightless texture that feels like nothing, but a color that says everything.
Two declarations
The heritage of Givenchy now converges in L’Interdit Parfum and Le Rouge Velvet Matte. Two creations that carry the weight of history and translate it into the present. The perfume born from a “no” and the lipstick that became a “yes”. Both find in 2025 their most intense version. Essence and color: together they remind us that for the Maison, beauty has never been mere adornment — it is identity.
