Devoted to his constant pursuit of creating otherworldly beauty, Edward Bess turns to master perfumer extraordinaire Carlos Benaïm for his expertly honed nose and vivid imagination to create a curated collection of scents that will take your breath away.

“Perfume is the art of evoking a memory - a chance to immortalize the beauty of a fleeting moment in time,” says master perfumer Carlos Benaïm. This magical ability to transcend time is exactly what led Edward Bess to curate a collection of scents inspired by his fondest memories of beauty.

As he set out to capture the essence of these most inspiring encounters, Edward knew there was only one maestro who could bring his vision to life: renowned master perfumer Carlos Benaïm. Carlos’s esteemed reputation is not only the result of his long history creating perfumes coveted around the world but is also owed to his unparalleled attention to detail as he conceives each fragrant note that will comprise his masterpieces. These early stages of Carlos’s creative process while creating a perfume illustrate his singular genius. With the same thoughtfulness of a composer arranging his score, Carlos brings his brainchild to life by carefully selecting the notes he instinctually knows will yield olfactory magic. His paradoxical pairings are just the sort of unexpected sensorial surprises that have become the Carlos Benaïm signature over his forty-five year career.

As a great admirer of Carlos Benaïm’s portfolio of perfume creations and in celebration of his brand’s ten-year anniversary, Edward enlisted Carlos to channel his vivid imagination to create three groundbreaking scents that seduce the senses. Working closely alongside Carlos throughout from concept to inception, Edward cites his role was more voyeur than creative director. “Witnessing Carlos’s creative process provided me the greatest thrill I have yet to experience in my decade of creating beauty. These intimate moments of seeing Carlos masterfully compose each perfume evoked the greatness of Fellini – I would simply watch in awe as he would create out of nowhere the most intoxicating scents I have ever encountered.” It was up to Carlos to interpret the memories Edward sought to harness through each perfume.

How does one capture the ethereal scent of a Spanish Veil, and what secrets lie beneath this starched net? For Carlos these answers were revealed by combining precious sandalwood with rich, velvety tonka to epic proportions. What notes float so freely through the air that they conjure the whims of La Femme Bohème? A soupçon of seductive amber and honey, of course. How does one dare to define Genre, an androgynous enigma so mysterious that it cannot be classified? If you are Carlos Benaïm, you delight in the challenge by balancing the smoky intensity of frankincense with the unexpected tenderness of a suede cloud. Challenged to capture the raw essence of a boxer battling in the ring as part of Edward’s collaboration with Michèle Lamy, only Carlos could throw a knockout punch with his shocking blend of Blood, Sweat and Tears. There are no rules in Carlos’s world of creation – instead, the master invites us to submit to our senses as his perfumes lead the way.

GENRE

A force than cannot be defined, gracefully balanced between Alpha strengths and feminine vulnerabilities. Attempts fail to classify this ambiguous state of seduction simply because there lies no explanation to the phenomenon of this androgynous prowess. Savage and delicate at once, this very fine line plays tricks on the mind. Mysteriously one soul possesses all that is alluring in man and woman, a Genre all its own.

LA FEMME BOHÉME

She travels in any direction the wind decides to blow, languid and free without the slightest worry in the world. Unbound by the restrictions of time, she follows her careless whims instead. The sun is already high in the sky when she wakes on a bed of hay, a resting place not unfamiliar after a night drenched in the hazy pleasures of wine. A soupçon of dried sweat mixed with a veil of smoke lingers on her skin, a scent intensified by the blaze of the afternoon heat. Who knows what today will hold? Life is just meant to be lived and she is La Femme Bohème.

SPANISH VEIL

A second skin clings to the face, draped ever so carefully to reveal only a glimpse of flesh underneath. Steeped in alluring tradition of centuries ago, the veil's sheer beauty possesses the feminine power to seduce great kings, conquistadors and Matadors unable to resist a single stare veiled in hypnotic mystery. Within this black web of wonderment rays of white light from the Spanish sun trickle in casting a kaleidoscope of intricately woven shadows that censor all signs of age. Scents of the outside world are trapped in the starched net, a magnet for the plumes of smoky incense wafting through ancient basilica walls that mix with the smells of savage animal hides in bullfighter rings and clouds of white dust native to the Latin land.

BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS

The makings of a prizefighter cannot be fully explained, for there is no single measure of what pushes a boxer to reign in the ring. Within every champion lies a rare combination of Blood, Sweat and Tears. ­A limited edition fragrance created by Edward Bess for his collaboration with Michèle Lamy to emobdy LAMYLAND, the concept of Blood, Sweat and Tears eau de parfum captures the fragrant fighting spirit that fills the boxing ring. This trio includes three separate vials to make a custom blend of the three elements found in every fearless fighter who bravely enters the boxing ring.