Diptyque has launched its latest fragrance, Lazulio—the newest addition to its “Les Essences de Diptyque” collection. Imagined by perfumer Quentin Bisch, the eau de parfum follows the theme of others in the line by transforming a natural treasure with no perceptible scent—like previous starting points of coral, mother of pearl, bark, and desert rose—into a perfume to behold. For Lazulio, Bisch was inspired by a peacock feather, transforming its visual splendor into a scent filled with bright rhubarb, creamy benzoin, Haitian vetiver, and a touch of rose.
The name “Lazulio” nods to lapis lazuli, a stone with a gorgeous blue brilliance that echoes the iridescent hue of a peacock feather. Presented in Diptyque’s iconic oval-engraved bottle, complete with a refillable design made of recyclable materials, Lazulio is animated by a watercolor illustration by Nigel Peake inspired by an original by Diptyque’s Co-Founder Desmond Knox-Leet, making the object as much an artwork as the fragrance within.
For Bisch—a graduate of the Givaudan perfumery school who has composed over 140 fragrances—Lazulio adds to his portfolio of aromatic potions, including Jean-Paul Gaultier’s eponymous fragrance, Chloé’s Nomade, Thierry Mugler’s Angel Muse, Ex Nihilo’s Fleur Narcotique, and more. Different than many others he’s created in the past, Bisch’s Lazulio channels his gift for emotional storytelling and his refined restraint in composition. The result is a radiant contrast filled with both bright and soft notes.
Whitewall spoke with Bisch about capturing the beauty of the peacock feather for Diptyque and how he lets color, texture, and light become the fragrance.
Behind the Scent with Quentin Bisch
Quentin Bisch, courtesy of Diptyque.
Courtesy of Diptyque.
WHITEWALL: For Lazulio, the peacock feather was your muse, yet it’s an unexpected one, as it doesn’t doesn’t have a scent. How did you begin to translate something so visual and symbolic into something olfactory?
QUENTIN BISCH: One of the main challenges in creating Lazulio was to translate something as visual as a peacock feather into a fragrance, something that has no natural smell but carries such symbolic and emotional intensity. This required selecting ingredients that not only worked together on a scent level, but that could also evoke sensations and emotions sparked by the feather, its beauty, elegance, and textural contrasts. I approached it as both a visual and tactile exercise. The feather’s brilliant juxtaposition of blues, greens, and golden tones, as well as its softness and grace, became a map for building contrasts in the fragrance. The goal was not to recreate a color or image, but to invent an accord that was radiant and sparkling, then bring it into conversation with warm, textured materials, just as a feather feels both luminous and soft.
WW: Lazulio unfolds with rhubarb, benzoin, vetiver, and a touch of rose. How did these elements come together to mirror the feather?
QB: I wanted to capture the emotional impact of seeing a peacock feather for the first time—the admiration of vibrancy, contrast, richness. The rhubarb opens with a crisp and tangy brightness, a kind of fluorescent green energy. Benzoin from Laos brings warmth, softness and a golden light with its balsamic, powdery facets. Vetiver adds a vibrant structure with woody and citrus nuances. The touch of rose completes the composition with a layer of elegance and refinement. These notes allowed me to play with juxtapositions—brightness and comfort, vividness and texture—like the feather itself.
Courtesy of Diptyque.
WW: Diptyque’s “Les Essences de Diptyque” explores natural treasures that have no scent perceptible to humans. Where does Lazulio sit within that narrative? How does it evolve the concept?
QB: Lazulio continues the exploration of unscented natural marvels that define Les Essences de Diptyque collection—like coral, mother-of-pearl or desert rose. The peacock feather, though olfactorily neutral, is rich in symbolism, texture and emotion. I wanted to interpret its poetic presence, to transform something intangible into a sensory experience. Lazulio is my personal vision of this feather’s brilliance, majesty, and tactile beauty, and adds a new chapter to this narrative by focusing on movement, light and contrast.
Lazulio: Distinctly Diptyque
WW: You’ve been crafting fragrances for decades. What felt distinct about crafting this scent for Diptyque?
QB: The challenge was to avoid a too literal interpretation of the feather. I didn’t want a cold fragrance built only from deep blues or greens. What I wanted to capture was the brilliance, the contrast, the “wow” factor. Lazulio had to express both light and texture—a strong presence with softness at its heart. And, of course, it was my first creation for Diptyque, which made the experience very personal. I’ve always admired the maison—its magical, timeless French elegance—and I was incredibly moved to be invited to join the very select circle of perfumers who create for the house.
WW: Lazulio references Diptyque’s origins, connecting to the first fragrance, L’Eau, and its early peacock illustration. How did that piece of the brand’s history influence your thinking?
QB: Whether in scent or in image, Diptyque has always embraced freedom of interpretation. The feather became a starting point for imagination, a way to echo the Maison’s heritage without replicating it. More than a reference, it felt like a resonance.
Courtesy of Diptyque.
Courtesy of Diptyque.
WW: Even the name “Lazulio” evokes rich blues. Did the color itself play a role in your creative process? Or in shaping the mood of the fragrance?
QB: Absolutely. The name Lazulio refers to the lapis lazuli stone—its crystalline, deep blue evokes both mystery and brilliance. That duality resonates with the peacock feather and guided the mood of the fragrance: a contrast between brightness and texture, light and depth. Rather than illustrating the color literally, I aimed to capture the emotional atmosphere those tones evoke: rich, elegant, and almost hypnotic.
Spirit Captured by a Watercolor
WW: Nigel Peake’s watercolor bottle design feels like an extension of the scent. Did his visual interpretation inspire or echo aspects of your fragrance?
QB: At Diptyque, there is always a dialogue between the hand and the nose—between the visual world and the olfactory one. It’s part of the Maison’s philosophy: fragrance is never isolated; it resonates with forms, materials, colors, and gestures. Nigel Peake’s watercolor captures the same spirit I tried to express through Lazulio—the finesse and majesty of the peacock feather, its shifting blues, its hypnotic elegance. His artwork and my composition were created independently, but they echo one another naturally, as two interpretations of the same poetic subject.
Diptyque East Hampton, photo by Eugene Gologursky for Getty, courtesy of Diptyque.
WW: When someone first encounters Lazulio, what do you hope lingers in their memory?
QB: A dual sensation: the initial burst of rhubarb, full of light and sharp green energy, followed by the soft warmth of benzoin, like golden powder settling on the skin. It’s this contrast that defines Lazulio—a fragrance that is both vivid and comforting, like a colorful feather floating gently through the breeze.
WW: What fragrances do you personally wear, or enjoy at home?
QB: I haven’t detailed what I wear most personally, but I can say I’ve long been a user of Diptyque candles. My favorites are Mousses, Pomander and Feu de Bois. They all create rich, warm atmospheres that I find incredibly comforting and inspiring.
WW: What makes Diptyque’s fragrances stand out or are ultra unique to you?
QB: Diptyque has always been a source of inspiration. What makes it unique is its ability to combine creativity and refinement, imagination and storytelling. It doesn’t follow trends; it creates timeless olfactory narratives. That blend of poetry, precision, and freedom is what drew me to the maison, and what I tried to honor through Lazulio.
