French film icon Alain Delon died yesterday in his home, he had been suffering with lymphoma.
Alain Delon was a renowned French actor and global cinematic icon. Delon starred in a range of classic films, including Purple Noon and Le Samouraï. The latter of which would be the inspiration for a series of perfumes by Delon.
“Alain Fabien, Anouchka, Anthony, as well as (his dog) Loubo, are deeply saddened to announce the passing of their father,” Delon’s children said in a statement to AFP.
“He passed away peacefully in his home in Douchy, surrounded by his three children and his family,”
In conjunction with Parfums de Paris, Delon launched his first eponymous men’s fragrance in 1980, and followed up with the feminine Le Temp’s d’Aimer the next year.
Later perfumes would include Iquitos, Samouraï and Lyra.
The Alain Delon license was picked up by Zurich-based Art & Fragrance (now known as Lalique Group) in 2007. The Alain Delon name was dropped and fragrances are now sold under the Samouraï name.
Their website has no mention of Delon, and describes the range as “The ethos of Parfums Samouraï draws on power and wisdom, energy and spirituality, and pays homage to a proud tradition. The first Samouraï for Men fragrance was launched in 1995 and became an international success. Since then, the Samouraï fragrances have been particularly popular in Japan and rank among the country’s best-selling perfumes due to their focused product development, marketing and brand name.”
Since 2009, archive photos of Delon was used to promote the Dior fragrance, Eau Sauvage.
In a statement, Dior said:
“The House is deeply saddened by the news of the passing of one of its dearest friends. Since 2009, Alain Delon had been the face of Eau Sauvage, Dior’s iconic fragrance and a symbol of timeless masculinity. The partnership was a natural fit, with Delon’s elegance and commanding presence perfectly embodying the revolutionary essence of the scent. Alain Delon and Dior—a legendary story that will forever remain fragrant.
He was a remarkable actor and, above all, a friend of the House for many years; our thoughts are with his family and friends.”