British photographer Rankin is making his first foray into fragrance. The London-based lensman has teamed with Azzi Glasser of The Perfumer’s Story on a unisex scent that is slated to launch in October. “I’ve always wanted to work on a perfume, on a scent,” Rankin told WWD. “I’ve met [Azzi], like, a hundred times probably, but never just put two and two together, so in a way it was like working with family. So when we met we talked about myself, I asked her a lot of questions and then somehow she went away and brought it back.” He added that, usually, when he collaborates “I just go back and forth, back and forth, never happy, never happy, but with her it was an instantaneous. I smelt it and I was like ‘I love it,’” he said. Visiting her laboratory, “her den of perfume, is absolutely one of the most amazing experiences,” Rankin added. S&X by Rankin contains notes of poivre, olibanum, castoreum, leather, jasmine and magnolia with hints of Earl Grey tea, Elemi oil, amber resin, white musk, patchouli and guaiacwood. A 30-ml. bottle will be priced at 95 pounds, or $119. It will launch exclusively at Harvey Nichols and on Theperfumersstory.com on Oct. 1.
The scent will be available at select retailers from January.“It’s very sexy,” said Glasser, whose company develops bespoke fragrances for brands and individuals. “To me, a perfume should be sexy anyway, but with this one I wanted to make it addictive and also to leave that trail behind so when you wear it, you walk past and you should leave this essence of a trail.” She called the new juice “a print” of Rankin’s life, character and style. “Then I sort of translate that to molecules; molecules is a smell.” Glasser has created fragrances for Bella Freud and Agent Provocateur, and bespoke personal scents for the likes of Helena Bonham-Carter, Orlando Bloom and Johnny Depp. She isn’t stopping with Rankin. She has a host of other projects lined up, including a collection of candles that will launch in September at Liberty, Fortnum & Mason and The Conran Shop. She will be launching fragrances from The Perfumer’s Story with Net-a-porter in September. “It’s the first time they’re going to have a bespoke perfume line as well online.” She also plans to launch in Paris. “We’re not in Paris at all at the moment so it’s time,” she added. “And there’s quite a lot of new things happening.”