Serge Lutens is a multi-talented artist whose careers encompass fashion design, perfume design, hair styling, photography and filmmaking. Born in France in 1942, Lutens began his apprenticeship as a hairstylist in Lille, where he also began to experiment with cosmetics and photography. He moved to Paris in the 1960s to work as a makeup artist for Vogue magazine. He worked with top photographers and models of the period, and in 1967, Lutens was commissioned by designer Christian Dior to produce a line of cosmetics.

Lutens worked professionally as a photographer in the 1970s and directed two short films which were shown at the Cannes Film Festival.

Lutens embarked on his own venture, Parfums-Beaute Serge Lutens, in 2000. Lutens creates his perfumes in close collaboration with perfumer Christopher Sheldrake. The brand emerged at a perfect time, when the internet made e-commerce and social networking available and allowed exclusive and unusual perfumes to be obtained and discussed--the "cult" and "niche" fragrances of which Serge Lutens fragrances are a perfect example.