Launches & Releases: Musc 25, Le Labo's City of (Sinful) Angels

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Back when Le Labo opened in the spring, the perfumery was already discussing its plans for a signature LA scent, described as "angel with a core of sin." Now, the concept has been realized with Musc 25, which in the LAT's words is "a soft, billowing fragrance, grounded in a base of white musk...at once smutty and wide-eyed. How very L.A." Other notes include "earthy-smelling ambergris, patchouli, rose, amber and vetiver (which lends a vaguely grassy essence)."

Le Labo co-owner Fabrice Penot told the paper the concoction has a three-fold inspiration: "a drive on Mulholland at night"; "the idea of L.A. being the 'City of Angels' in the Red Hot Chili Peppers song 'Under the Bridge' "; and a raucous Academy Awards night with best actress winner Marion Cotillard: "drinking a lot and being at Marion's table, and I discovered the other side of this purity—the sin...Then I had this idea of doing a white ball of musk with a black, dirty center that would be the symbol of the city."

Also adding to the mix is "a synthesized representation of human semen," which (big surprise) smells awful by itself, but adds the "dirtiness...the sex" to the perfume. Uh, yeah.

The prices reflect the complicated development and pricey ingredients at $260 for 50-milliliter bottle and $400 for 100-milliliter bottle. Musc 25 is only available at the West 3rd Street boutique. On another note: Le Labo will be opening a shop-in-shop at Barneys in Beverly Hills in 2009.
· Le Labo's Musc 25 perfume is L.A. in a spray [LAT]