S/: In the world of perfume, the image usually follows the juice. But when the men behind the scent are art directors—specifically, Michaël Amzalag and Mathias Augustyniak of world-renowned M/M (Paris)—all bets are off. For their first fragrance, M/Mink, a collaboration with Sweden's Byredo Parfums, the duo began with a triptych of inky images. But seeing the much-tattooed arms of Byredo maestro Ben Gorham pushed them even farther. "Ben's tattoos gave us this idea of ink on the skin and what that might smell like. It was a starting point," Amzalag said. The resulting eau debuted yesterday at Colette.
To celebrate, Byredo, Amazalag, and Augustyniak hosted dinner for 100 at Thoumieux, the legendary Paris cantine M/M recently revamped for new owner Thierry Costes. Among the well-wishers: Erin Wasson, Pat McGrath, Opening Ceremony's Humberto Leon, Pierre Hardy, and Kanye West, who arrived with an entourage (including is-she-or-isn't-she-girlfriend Selita Ebanks). West passed up the shows this week; he's in town, rather, to preview his film Runaway, co-starring Ebanks and the rapper himself. (The 40-minute feature, billed as the longest music video in history, includes songs from West's upcoming album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.) "This is the mecca of creation, so I had to preview my film in Paris," said West. But, he added with a wink, he was also in town "just to chill out."
