Liquides Imaginaires: Modern Alchemists Who Reveal the Invisible Through Scent

“Perfume has the power to preserve a precious memory forever, to share intimate pleasure, and to celebrate sacred rituals. But that is not all. It moves from darkness into light, becoming both a potion and an antidote. Perfume elevates us, projects us, enchants us, and sharpens our awareness.”
— Philippe Di Méo​

---

Essential Information

• Brand name: Liquides Imaginaires, French for “imaginary liquids”
• Founded: 2011, originating in an art installation at Paris Design Week; commercial development of the brand followed in 2012–2013
• Founders: Philippe Di Méo, Artistic Director, and David Frossard, Business Director​
• Headquarters: Paris, France
• Official website: https://www.liquidesimaginaires.com​

---

The Founders and the Origins of the Brand

A “Man of Water” Born in Marseille: Philippe Di Méo’s Early Life

To understand the world of Liquides Imaginaires, we must first get to know its central figure, Philippe Di Méo.

Philippe was born in Marseille in southern France in 1963. His childhood in this Mediterranean port nurtured a special affinity for water that would later become fundamental to his creative work. As a young man, he studied architecture at the Beaux-Arts school in Aix-en-Provence, then design at ESDI, the higher school of design in Paris, from 1985 to 1989. After graduating in 1989, he established his own agency, Reso Design, at just twenty-six.

At Reso Design, Philippe was less an architect than a scenographer, a director of spaces. Although he loved space, he reportedly regarded it as something “ephemeral and artistic.” Moving between Paris, Tokyo, and Hong Kong, he created spatial and product designs for leading names including Moët & Chandon, Dom Pérignon, Louis Roederer, Baccarat, Christofle, Coca-Cola, Guerlain, Jean Paul Gaultier, Paco Rabanne, and Sephora.

“Design is merely a pretext for approaching other fields. Its greatest advantage is that it offers a method for answering a brief: finding freedom within constraints. I could have made my name with a chair, but I preferred fields with more of a narrative.”
— Philippe Di Méo​

A Detour Through Food: An Organic Restaurant and the Exploration of the Five Senses

An essential chapter in Philippe’s creative life is R’Aliment, the organic restaurant he opened on rue Charlot in Paris in 2002. In France at the time, “organic,” or bio, and gastronomy were seen as incompatible. Organic food was regarded as monastic fare, and La Vie Claire was virtually the only specialist retail chain. Entering that territory was a characteristically Philippe-like act of “subverting meaning.”

The experience would have a decisive influence on his later perfume creation. As Philippe himself explains:

“Contact with renowned chefs enriched my own work. Together, we tried to establish ‘sensual food rituals.’ I have always been fascinated by the concept of ritual. Those culinary experiences influenced the perfume brand. For example, the Les Eaux Sanguines trilogy was inspired by wine, and Les Eaux de l’Est by the culinary world.”
— Philippe Di Méo​

In 2009, he presented a provocative collection linking eroticism and the art of the table at Maison & Objet. In the gardens of the Palais-Royal, he also organized Haute Cuisine Days with fashion designer Alexandre Vauthier and pastry chef Christophe Adam. In this way, Philippe established his own position as a créateur working across all five senses.

Paris Design Week, 2011: The Revelation of “Holy Water”

The turning point came at an exhibition during Paris Design Week in October 2011. Philippe was given the opportunity to create an art installation on the theme of perfume, with a “blank canvas” to work from. What arose within him was an urge to return to perfume’s origins.

In fact, Philippe had already registered the concept “L’Eau Bénite,” or holy water, as a trademark, hoping one day to create something under that name. At one point, he had even considered making it a mineral-water brand. But while preparing the exhibition, he first connected “holy water” with “the sacred origins of perfume.”​

“I did not know myself how deeply perfume was connected to its sacred origins. As a designer, I had previously worked for Guerlain, Paco Rabanne, and Gaultier, but none of those brands spoke about perfume’s sacred beginnings. The public knows almost nothing about them. People think perfume was invented for humans, when in fact it was invented for the gods. That deserves to be brought back into the light.”
— Philippe Di Méo​

The word “perfume” comes from the Latin per fumum, “through smoke.” Ancient Egyptian priests burned incense three times a day to commune with the gods: frankincense (in Japanese) at dawn, myrrh (in Japanese) at midday, and kyphi at dusk. Captivated by this original meaning of perfume, Philippe sought to move beyond the frameworks of beauty and cosmetics and restore its “spiritual dimension.”

The result was the first creation, Sancti, with frankincense at its heart: an answer to the question, “If holy water had a scent, what would it smell like?”​

Meeting David Frossard: The Fusion of Two Worlds

Liquides Imaginaires did not arise from Philippe’s dreams alone. His business partner, David Frossard, was indispensable.

David has an unusual background, having studied philosophy and devoted himself to boxing. His uncle ran a perfume-distribution business in Africa and the Indian Ocean region, and working in its warehouse as a student was his first encounter with the industry. In 2005, he founded his own company, Différentes Latitudes. Specializing in discovering and distributing niche perfume brands, it has supported the international development of now-renowned names such as Byredo, Memo Paris, Atelier Cologne, and Parfums de Marly.

Philippe’s exhibition in 2011 brought the two men together: the artistically inclined Philippe and the business-minded David. The brand’s official text describes these contrasting yet perfectly complementary personalities as follows.

“A multifaceted designer with a deep attachment to words, flavors, and sacred places, Philippe is the creative mind of Liquides Imaginaires. David, meanwhile, is grounded, constantly in motion, and the engine of the business’s growth. While keeping a firm grip on commercial development, he is also a man who can talk for hours about Malraux, Spinoza, and Greek mythology, and who rides his motorcycle down highways to replenish his ideas. Contrasting yet perfectly fused, each carrying his own paradoxes, they are driven by the same mission: to challenge the status quo of perfume and raise it to a deeper dimension.”
— Official brand text​

The Commercial Launch: From the First Trilogy to Nichebox’s Acquisition

Having refined their concept following the 2011 exhibition, the two worked with the major Swiss fragrance house Givaudan to develop the first trilogy, Les Eaux Delà, meaning “the waters beyond.” Its three fragrances, Sancti, Fortis, and Tumultu, expressed three worlds: holy water, protective power, and sensuality.​

Initially, however, distribution for this first trilogy was barely established. A full commercial rollout began in 2013. The concept store Liquides opened at 9 rue de Normandie in Paris’s Haut-Marais, alongside the release of the second trilogy, Les Eaux Sanguines. Sales at Barneys New York in the United States began that same year.

The brand grew steadily, reaching sales of €1 million and approximately 500 points of sale in twenty countries by 2016. In 2018, the newly established holding company Nichebox acquired a majority stake in Liquides Imaginaires. Founded by Dino Pace, formerly of Perfume Holding, with backing from private investors and a Swiss fund, Nichebox positioned itself as a partner offering niche brands funding and industry expertise. Philippe remained artistic director and David general manager, and both retained stakes in the company.

The acquisition accelerated the brand’s expansion in Asia. A flagship store opened in Beijing in October 2018, followed in 2022 by a flagship in Gangnam, Seoul, and several shops-in-shops across South Korea through a partnership with the Hyundai group. In 2023, it also established a corner at Printemps Haussmann in Paris. By the time of the acquisition, the brand had grown to approximately 250 points of sale in thirty countries.

---

What the Brand Stands For

“First Write, Then Smell”: Fragrance That Begins with a Story

The defining feature of Liquides Imaginaires is that perfume creation starts with a story. Philippe is not a perfumer, and he is explicit about that.

“I am not a perfumer and have no intention of calling myself one. I can have an olfactory intention and express it through a theme and words. Just as I would turn to a cabinetmaker to make furniture, I turn to a nose to create a fragrance. Because we speak different but complementary languages, we can make something stronger together.”
— Philippe Di Méo​

Where other designers begin with sketches, Philippe’s first impulse is always to write. When imagining a new fragrance, he sends the fragrance house not a list of specified notes but a story as the brief. Myths, legends, and personal olfactory confessions are written in poetic language and handed to the perfumer.

“Writing has always been at the heart of my work. Even as a designer, I start a project with words rather than sketches, because words give me more freedom.”
— Philippe Di Méo​

It is leading perfumers who transform this story-driven approach into actual scents. Liquides Imaginaires works mainly with Givaudan in Switzerland and Flair, a French fragrance studio. Celebrated noses including Sonia Constant, Louise Turner, Quentin Bisch, Amélie Bourgeois, Nadège Le Garlantezec, Vincent Ricord, Shyamala Maisondieu, and Fabrice Pellegrin have served as “translators” of the Liquides Imaginaires universe.

The Soul of the Amphora: The Bottle and the Talisman

The Liquides Imaginaires bottle is not immediately recognizable as a perfume bottle. A heavy, thick glass vessel made by France’s Verreries Brosse is topped with a cap of zamak, a zinc alloy. Its form recalls the amphora, the vessel used in the ancient Mediterranean world to store and transport perfumed oils and wine.​

“The amphora was the first vessel in history used to hold liquids: perfume, wine, and oil. The ancient Egyptians were already storing perfume in amphorae. Even today, they are like treasures found on the seabed.”
— Philippe Di Méo​

Notably, the word “perfume” appears nowhere on the bottle. Without knowing the context, one might not realize what it is. For Philippe, this is a deliberate choice, intended to free perfume from the fixed idea of a “beauty accessory.”​

The seal engraved on the bottle represents the brand’s talisman, or protective charm. Two letters combine into a key-shaped graphic symbol, meaning “the key that opens the imaginary world.” The talisman is also a pendulum of opposites, symbolizing the attraction between conflicting forces: masculine and feminine, light and darkness, material and immaterial.

A Commitment to Materials: Seeking “Strong, Sharp Scents”

Philippe favors ingredients with powerful aromas.

“I like ingredients with intense aromas. Because I believe perfume can be a powerful magical element that transforms its wearer, I feel that a fragrance should be strong and sharp.”
— Philippe Di Méo​

He makes particular use of incense, or frankincense, woods, and spices, and imposes no geographical restrictions on ingredients. The finest materials are sourced from around the world, including citrus from Reggio Calabria and roses and jasmine from France. The brand is committed to manufacturing in France, generally in small batches.

---

The Fragrance Lineup: A World of Trilogies

The most distinctive structural feature of Liquides Imaginaires is that all its fragrances are conceived as trilogies. Three perfumes form three chapters of a single story, each expressing a different emotion, perspective, or world.​

Philippe explains the significance of the number three as follows.

“The use of ‘three’ in a trilogy is not directly connected to the Holy Trinity. For me, three embodies perfect balance. An upward-pointing triangle represents fire and the masculine; a downward-pointing triangle represents water and the feminine. Body, soul, and spirit; past, present, and future. For the Egyptians, earth, sky, and the world between. With three olfactory creations, we can build a complete, balanced universe.”
— Philippe Di Méo​

The theme running through the entire brand is élévation, meaning elevation or ascent: a passage “from the profane to the sacred, from flesh to spirit, from shadow to light.” The current lineup is as follows.​

Les Eaux Delà: “The Waters Beyond”

The first trilogy, and the origin of the brand: a symbolic series dedicated to perfume’s sacred beginnings. Sancti is a purifying scent inspired by holy water and church incense. Fortis expresses protective power through saffron, oud, and vetiver. Tumultu offers sensual temptation through pomelo and coconut milk.

Les Eaux Sanguines: “Bloody Waters”

A trilogy inspired by sacred wines. Dom Rosa, the brand’s bestseller, evokes the effervescence of rosé Champagne through rose and incense. Bloody Wood depicts a Burgundy red wine, while Bello Rabelo tells an adventure of port wine in scent.

Les Eaux Imaginaires: “Imaginary Waters”

A geographical and fantastical journey through legendary liquids. Île Pourpre means “purple island,” Fleuve Tendre means “tender river,” and Désert Suave means “sweet desert.”​

Les Eaux de Peau: “Skin Waters”

A trilogy on the fusion of human and animal, paying tribute to the primal olfactory instincts humanity once possessed: Peau de Bête, Bête Humaine, and Blanche Bête.​

Les Eaux de l’Âme: “Waters of the Soul”

The artist’s inner passions and dialogue with the world: Beauté du Diable, Ame du Cœur, and Ame du Fleur. The latest, Ame du Fleur, has only just been released, in February 2026.

Les Eaux de l’Est: “Waters of the East”

An olfactory journey along the trade routes opened by Arabian spice merchants: Fleur de Sable, Tapis Volant, and Buveur de Vent.​

Les Humeurs: “The Humors”

A trilogy inspired by the theory of the four humors associated with Hippocrates, the ancient Greek father of medicine. It celebrates perfume’s power to intensify, balance, and evoke emotions. Lacrima is “water of the eyes,” Melancolia is “water of the spirit,” and Phantasma is “water of the lips.”

Les Eaux des Bermudes: “Waters of Bermuda”

A trilogy dedicated to tales of maritime adventure, from the Odyssey of Ulysses to Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Sirenis, composed by Sonia Constant and others, evokes the sirens’ song; Navis, by Nadège Le Garlantezec, expresses the scent of a ship; and Abyssis, by Shyamala Maisondieu, depicts the deep-sea monster, the Kraken.

The Imaginarium Collection

An innovative collection unveiled at Milan Design Week in 2024. It comprises nine fragrances, using citrus hybridization as a new creative language. Philippe worked with students at Givaudan (in Japanese)’s perfumery school, employing artificial intelligence and upcycled ingredients. It is divided into three “houses,” Mandarin House, Cedra Club, and Green Terrace, with distinctive names including Bergamot Brother, Pistachio Cousin, and Lime Sister.

---

Incidentally…

• Philippe is also a poet. He has written a collection of poems exploring “the visible” and “the invisible,” and the name Liquides Imaginaires itself joins opposing concepts: liquids, visible and tangible matter, and the imaginary, things that cannot be seen or touched.​​
• Liquides in Paris is a “bar à parfums,” or perfume bar. It offers a unique space where visitors can lean on a bar counter and explore scents guided not by a bartender but by a “perfume sommelier.” Philippe designed the space himself.
• A limited-edition Millésimé version of Dom Rosa was released for its tenth anniversary. Millésimé is a wine term referring to an especially fine vintage, and this special edition had a higher fragrance concentration than the regular version.​
• Philippe and tarot cards. He has taken lessons in the Tarot de Marseille, and sometimes discusses his creations in relation to tarot cards in interviews.​

---