ELLE Exclusive: India Gets A Whiff Of Elie Saab L’Homme

You know that feeling when a scent stops you in your tracks, makes you feel something? Maybe a little glamorous, a little mysterious, a little main character? Well, Elie Saab has bottled that exact energy and it's finally landed in India.

To mark the launch of Elie Saab L’Homme, I caught up with Patrizio Stella, the CEO of Give Back Beauty (GBB), to talk nose-to-bottle storytelling and which perfume makes him feel like royalty.

You’ve been at the helm of GBB’s global growth—what’s the secret sauce to building a fragrance empire across continents? Is it nose first, business second, or the other way around?

Patrizio Stella (PS): The secret is to start with clear goals. We wanted to create something new in the beauty space, something that didn’t already exist. Then, it’s about values—teamwork, respect, sustainability—and the people who embody those values. Of course, the team is everything. If your foundation is solid and your vision is aligned, the growth becomes a journey rather than a challenge. The fragrance may start with the nose, but it succeeds with the heart.

Elie Saab’s L’Homme has been a global hit. Why is now the perfect time to bring it to India?

PS: This is a magical moment for the Elie Saab brand. Elie himself has always dreamed of a masculine counterpart to his couture universe—and L’Homme is that dream realised. The timing felt right because India is now both a celebration of heritage and a gateway to the future. Indian consumers are sophisticated, curious, and incredibly fragrance-aware. Bringing L’Homme here felt like a natural evolution.

Elie Saab is synonymous with couture. How does that kind of elegance translate into a bottle?

PS: Elie Saab designs like an architect. His fashion is all about structure, lines, and form, and L’Homme mirrors that approach. The bottle and the scent were created with that same eye for detail: every note, every curve, has been thought through with precision. It’s modern, architectural, and just a little bit dreamy.

GBB’s portfolio spans the high-glam of Elie Saab to the all-American cool of Tommy Hilfiger. How do you manage such a diverse mix of brand personalities?

PS: It’s like being surrounded by a brilliant group of very different friends. Each brand has its own world, its own story, and our job is to make sure they all shine in their own way. We operate like a sports team. Each player has a position, a strength, and my role is to help them perform at their best. 

Do you have a personal favourite from the GBB portfolio—or is that like asking a parent to pick their favourite child?

PS: Exactly that, impossible to choose! But I’m very drawn to a fragrance we created with Alberto Morillas—it’s clean, transparent, and fresh. But I also love richer, more complex scents like the transparent and crisp Chopard Les Origins Vetiver, or the luminous and rich Chopard Oud Malaki or the more sporty, masculine vibe of Marcedes Club Black. It all depends on the day, the mood, and the moment. 

Speaking of moods—what fragrance are you wearing today, and how does it make you feel?

PS: Today, I’m wearing Elie Saab L’Homme, naturally. But this version is a new twist we’re about to launch—a little more daring, a bit more intimate. When I wear L’Homme, I feel like a modern prince. But once I’m back home with my wife and kids, I’m just the court jester again!

India seems to be rising as a fragrance frontier. What makes the Indian consumer so unique—and a bit of a challenge?

PS: India is a beautiful contradiction. It’s tradition and innovation. Heritage and futurism. Local depth and global awareness—all at once. That duality makes India incredibly exciting and also very demanding. Consumers here know scent. This is a culture where perfume has deep historical roots. So, for international brands, the bar is high, but so is the reward. If you can honour that legacy while offering something fresh and meaningful, you’ll find a very loyal and passionate audience.

Is there a scent note you believe will define the next big wave in perfumery? Something underrated you’d bet on?

PS: Rather than a single ingredient, I believe the future of fragrance is about authenticity—stories, emotions, roots. But if we must name names, Peony is one to watch. It’s delicate, a bit underutilised, but I see it becoming more global and versatile.

If Elie Saab L’Homme is the scent of a modern prince, what does that say about today’s man?

PS: It says he’s confident but kind. Elegant, but grounded. L’Homme isn’t just a fragrance, it’s a statement about who you are and how you carry yourself in the world. And that’s something we could all use a little more of.