French company L’Occitane is launching a new fragrance collection for the holiday season, called Arlésienne, which combines traditional and modern ideas of femininity. It is inspired by the olfactory territory of Provence and the distinctly feminine silhouette of a woman from the South.

Arlésienne means “a woman of Arles” and gets its embodiment from Venus of Arles, a marble sculpture discovered in 1651 during the excavation of Roman ruins near the theatre of Arles in Southern France. The town of the same name is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as it has the most Roman monuments after Rome itself.

Key ingredients are saffron from Provence, rose from Grasse and violet from Provence. The head notes are saffron and mandarin orange, with peppery and spicy notes. The heart of the scent is Grasse rose, enhanced by lily of the valley, while the base notes consist of sandalwood and violet, which interestingly are echoed by tonka bean.

The perfume bottle, designed by Olivier Baussan, is engraved with flowers and inspired by the movement of a dress, while the colourful boxes are inspired by the dance of the Arlésiennes.

The permanent collection includes eau de toilette, shower cream, velvet hand cream and silky oil, and the limited edition consists of hair mist, beauty body milk, perfumed soap, lip balm and solid perfume. “Arlésienne” will be released in December in all the brand’s boutiques across Canada.