Lancôme, long considered a pillar of French beauty for more than nine decades, marks its milestone with Les Exceptionnels. Rather than a simple drop of products, Les Exceptionnels arrives as a tightly curated, limited-edition experience. It pays homage to the house’s heritage while spotlighting artistry, materiality and modern luxury. Three of Lancôme’s most iconic creations anchor the collection: Absolue Longevity Soft Cream, Absolu Rouge lipstick and the cult-favorite La vie est belle Eau de Parfum.
The collection is brought to life through an unexpected creative alliance with Pininfarina, the legendary Italian design studio revered for sculptural aesthetics and emotional form. French refinement meets Italian futurism as these beauty icons are reimagined as collectible objets d’art. Each piece is built to be refillable, designed to be kept, displayed and revisited as part of a long-lasting ritual.
La vie est belle takes on a new attitude. The perfume’s iconic “smile” becomes a fluid, dancing gesture, turning the bottle into a symbol of joy in motion. It rests on a pristine white ceramic base finished with Lancôme’s gold rose agora motif. When lifted, the curved foundation lets the bottle sway lightly across a surface, an almost playful reminder of the fragrance’s optimistic spirit. The signature crystal smile appears as a sweeping curve, while the gold ribbon wings rise as if caught mid-flight.
Absolu Rouge emerges as a sculptural statement piece. The lipstick is wrapped in Versailles 23.5-carat gold, reshaped into a sleek, hand-crafted form textured with clean architectural lines. At the top, the rose agora emblem appears like a stamped insignia. Pressing the ceramic rose button opens the case with a satisfying click, revealing a bullet engraved with the same motif, a nod to Lancôme’s ninety-year romance with the rose.
The Absolue Longevity Soft Cream pays tribute to its 1965 predecessor, originally housed in ceramic. Its contemporary incarnation sits within a pure white porcelain vessel that can be refilled. This inner jar is embraced by an outer porcelain layer brushed in textured gold. The lid, imagined as a golden gua sha tool, brings a sensorial element to the ritual and is etched with the rose agora pattern.
At the crossroads of luxury, craftsmanship and innovation, the collection unites three French maisons known for mastery in their fields: Lalique, the sculptors of light, Bernardaud, the porcelain artisans of royalty, and Ateliers Gohard, the gilders behind the Palace of Versailles. Their expertise elevates each Lancôme icon into a true objet d’art.
This limited-edition series stands as a tribute to Lancôme’s legacy and values, amplified by Pininfarina’s visionary design approach. As the Italian house celebrates its own 95-year journey, its affinity for limited-edition craftsmanship aligns naturally with the project. Together with Lalique, Bernardaud and Ateliers Gohard, it transforms three beloved beauty staples into future collectibles.
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