Louis Vuitton’s Perfumes of the World continues its voyage across cultures with Journey to China, an olfactory quest inspired by the country’s layered art de vivre. Following earlier journeys through the Middle East and California, the Maison turns its attention to China, weaving threads between ancestral traditions, contemporary life, materials, beauty rituals, and the natural world.
For Louis Vuitton’s Master Perfumer Jacques Cavallier Belletrud, the adventure begins with a landscape of extraordinary contrasts. “China is made up of a mosaic of cultures—it’s a blend of absolute modernity and ancestral traditions reimagined for the present day,” he remarked. Together with his daughter and fellow perfumer, Camille Cavallier Belletrud, he has composed three fragrances—Tea Storm, Ink Mark, and Moon Tale—each offering its own dazzling passage into this imagined China.
“China boasts an utterly unique tradition of beauty. Fragrance is everywhere from its cuisine to its herbal teas and art de vivre. I wanted to capture this richness into a flowing olfactory language, free of clichés,” continued Cavallier Belletrud.
Tea, Wind, and the Open Air
Courtesy of Louis Vuitton.
Tea Storm cascades in with a scene: an outdoor tea ceremony surrounded by water and wind, where the elements become part of the ritual. “In China, tea is much more than a beverage—it’s a philosophy, an art de vivre,” highlights Cavallier Belletrud.
“China boasts an utterly unique tradition of beauty.”
Jacques Cavallier Belletrud
The fragrance generously opens with lemongrass essence, followed by magnolia essence, which the perfumer describes as “one of the freshest flowers, with fruity accents and an almost citrus brightness.” Luxuriate in CO₂-extracted rose from Grasse, an exclusive Louis Vuitton raw material, which lends utter softness to the floral soul. Beneath it, a tea accord introduces woody radiance, with silken touches of hay and honey, creating a spirited, gilded finish.
Ink, Movement, and the City
Courtesy of Louis Vuitton.
Ink Mark turns toward Chinese calligraphy, where every gesture carries sincere thought and feeling. The fragrance draws unique inspiration from the scent of black ink and from the meeting of ancient writing traditions with Shanghai’s fast-moving urban landscape.
“Ink Mark was inspired by the deep scent of ink and is built around that fascinating tension between introspection and urban effervescence,” says Cavallier Belletrud. Sandalwood essence forms the fragrance’s velvety, encircling foundation, while white incense essence, skillfully distilled in Grasse through an uncommon process, introduces a mineral freshness. “It’s an ingredient that speaks to the soul and lifts the spirit,” the perfumer says, before ambery notes flourish through the fragrance’s trail.
Beauty Under the Moon
Courtesy of Louis Vuitton.
Moon Tale enters the world of cosmetics, color, femininity, and the theatrical imagination of Chinese opera. Its energy comes from the legend of the Four Great Beauties, including the woman whose grace was said to outshine the moon.
A bright glow of raspberry introduces a floral composition built around peony, geranium, sambac jasmine, and magnolia. Musks leave a gossamer, powdery trace on the skin, evoking the final act in an evening beauty ritual as night gives way to morning.
An Apothecary Reimagined
Courtesy of Louis Vuitton.
The expedition continues through the bottle itself. Stunningly designed by Marc Newson, Louis Vuitton’s signature perfume flacon takes inspiration from Chinese snuff bottles, whose small vessels evolved from practical objects into mesmeric works of art. Jade, quartz, and mother-of-pearl historically adorned their caps; here, lacquered caps and opalescent glass evoke the lustrous surfaces of Peking glass.
A pleated Monogram Ébène satin travel pouch is finished with a hand-tied leather knot invoking traditional Chinese peace knots, warm symbols of benevolent protection. A collector’s miniature set concludes the voyage with three precious 10ml versions of the fragrances.
Journey to China will be available beginning September 10, 2026, in a selection of Louis Vuitton stores and online.
Courtesy of Louis Vuitton.
