Summer
A Summer Collage – Bottle in Sunlight, Banksy in Bristol, Boys in St Pancras and Beauty in Vaara

As we head into September with the knowledge that the remainder of the summer season is short lived, I have found myself looking back over the last few months and thinking what a generally lovely time it has been. So much has happened already this year and I find myself feeling a strong urge to simply stop and take it all in.

Perfume has obviously played a big part over the summer and the fact that I’ll soon be retiring some of my summer scents in favour for my winter wardrobe has made me feel more than slightly melancholic about those scents which have carried significant favour through the hotter months.

In this post I’m taking a look back on the events of summer 2013 and the scents that have made it so fabulous. When I say scents, I don’t just mean the fragrances I have worn but also the odours that have accompanied many a wonderful occasion and have helped cement each day as a wonderful, joy-filled memory.

4160 Tuesdays
4160 Tuesdays – Telling Olfactory Stories

When spending a significant portion of one’s time reviewing new launches from both mainstream and ‘niche’ (a word that seems to mean less and less nowadays) houses, it’s not too difficult to find oneself craving something entirely new – perfumes that, unlike many, quietly assert themselves as genuinely fresh and interesting. Is it too much to ask for a breath of fresh every now and then?

4160 Tuesdays is a brand that feels different and approaches things from an entirely new angle. With a touch of British eccentricity, each of the 4160 Tuesdays perfumes tells a story – a series of olfactory novellas if you will – and believe me when I say that these are stories well worth listening to.

Created by writer, perfumer and ex-Lush employee (where she worked as head writer for 14 years) Sarah McCartney, the 4160 Tuesdays’ ethos is simple: “If we live to until we’re 80, we have 4160 Tuesdays. That’s all. Let’s not waste them“. Let’s spend that time making and appreciating the most beautiful things we can.

Two of the most enjoyable stories told by 4160 Tuesdays are Urara’s Tokyo Cafe (a scent made for a charity event held at the aforementioned cafe) and Sunshine and Pancakes (“the ideal 1970s British holiday at the seaside”). So, if you’re all sitting comfortably I shall begin to tell you about two captivating stories…

Carven Le Parfum
Carven Le Parfum

Following the release of their new fragrance – ‘Le Parfum‘ – historic french brand Carven have scheduled a fragrance masterclass with perfumer Francis Kurkdjian at the luxury London department store Selfridges. Having created Le Parfum and a number of other luxury fragrances, Kurkdjian is a fascinating individual with a unique insight to the perfume industry.

“The afternoon event invites guests to enjoy a glass of champagne and canapés whilst Francis journeys through the intimate and captivating charm that encapsulates the couture spirit of the legendary Parisian fashion house, Carven. Guest will discover the history, delicacy and grace of the Carven woman and discuss the raw ingredients of the beautiful new Carven female fragrance, Le Parfum.”

Hedonist
Hedonism or Over Indulgence?

When preparing a review of a fragrance I usually wear it on five or six separate occasions, whilst each time jotting my thoughts down in my perfume book. There is a method to my madness it seems and this process allows me to piece together the many intricacies (or lack thereof in some cases) that make up a perfume.

Most follow this trajectory, allowing me to form a strong opinion at the end of my trials. This however, is not the case for all perfumes that I sample and there is a small category of ‘undefinables’ that seem almost tricky to fathom out. These slippery fishes can either cause great interest or mass frustration, depending on how things pan out and perhaps one of the most severe cases of perfume miffed-ness comes from Viktoria Minya’s Hedonist.

Viktoria Minya is an “award winning Hungarian perfumer” and her first perfume ‘Hedonist’ is described as a “powerful and provocative perfume for a woman who dares to be true to her desires”. With a name like ‘Hedonist’ one expects an indulgent, sensory explosion – a feast of odours for one to dine on like a true glutton. But is this hedonist perhaps a tad too over indulgent?

Positano
The Beautiful Positano

Eau d’Italie really have it made as a brand. I mean, creating fragrances inspired by their native Italy, specifically the phenomenally gorgeous coastal town of Positano (where they own and run the famous Le Sirenuse hotel), really gives them a lot of beauty to work with. Besides, the Italian way of life is incredibly attractive, one can’t help but want to own a part of that, even if it just an olfactory representation.

For their tenth perfume – ‘Acqua Decima’ (Tenth Water), Eau d’Italie have roped in the talents of perfumer Alberto Morillas (Mugler Cologne, Penhaligon’s Iris Prima and Salvador Dalí Parfum de Toilette) to create a perfume that celebrates “the spirit of Italy itself”. The result is a perfume that, as Eau d’Italie puts it; “reflects the sunniest feelings we have inside” but also perfectly captures a way of life in a bottle.

Mark Buxton Perfumes

This week on the Escentual blog I take a look at the newly arrived Mark Buxton collection. Those of you who are familiar with Buxton’s work will now that he is a perfumer of great standing, having created fragrances for brands such as Comme des Garçons, Van Cleef & Arpels and Salvador Dali.

The five perfumes in his collection are intriguing to say the least, with some being quite un-Buxton-esque in their style. So, please click on the image above to head over to Escentual and read my take on Sexual Healing, Sleeping With Ghosts, Wood & Absinth, Devil in Disguise and Black Angel – oh and don’t forget to leave your thoughts in the comments box whilst you are there!

Guerlain has released a beautiful movie for its flagship fragrance Shalimar. Running at a length of just under 6 minutes and featuring Russian model Natalia Vodianova, the glorious epic tells the story of a love like no other and the inspiration for Guerlain’s iconic fragrance – the legend of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal.

With its breathtaking visuals and sweeping soundtrack La Légende de Shalimar (directed by Bruno Aveillan) truly is a feast for the senses that is perfectly befitting for a fragrance that speaks of a romance that transcends time and space. What do you think?

More info below the jump:

Issey Miyake Pleats Please

There are so many new designer perfumes launching at the moment it’s almost impossible to keep up! This week on Escentual I’ve taken a look at the latest from fashion brand Issey Miyake – ‘Pleats Please’ – a fruity floral that shows a refreshing amount of restraint compared to its sickly-sweet mates that flood the genre.

So, if you feel inclined (and I know that you do), please click on the image above to head on over to the Escentual blog to read my review of Pleats Please. As usual I like to hear your thoughts, so do also feel free to leave a comment either here or over there – the choice is yours!

Dries Van Notes par Frederic Malle
Dries van Noten par Frédéric Malle

Dries van Noten is a belgian fashion designer described aptly by the New York Times as “one of fashion’s most cerebral designers”. Frédéric Malle is a fragrant curator who collects perfumers, allows them to take centre stage and gives them the creative freedom they need to shine.

Although both men come from different worlds they share a thirst for innovation and appreciation of beauty in all forms so it is no surprise that these two creative forces would collide. Their collaborative efforts have seen the birth of a truly new fragrance, one that positively shows that when done right there is nothing better than when perfume meets fashion.

The fragrance they have created with perfume Bruno Jovanovic is the first in Malle’s new line of fragrances; ‘by Frédéric Malle’. Intended as an “olfactory portrait of the world of Dries van Noten”, the fragrance captures the essence of erudite fashion in a high-art manner whilst feeling distinctly ready-to-wear.