At the back of my childhood home we had a sprawling piece of land that my parents never really did anything with. At time it was vastly overgrown and my siblings and I would have to beat our way through the undergrowth with big sticks to get to the wooden fort my father made for us – our base where all mischievous schemes were planned. As you can imagine, all of this was tremendous fun and I have vivid memories of us playing in the tall grass and weaving in and out of the rows of cow parsley that stood tall along the borders – long stems exploding like floral fireworks out of the ground.
Cow parsley, or “Queen Anne’s Lace” as it is also know, is the inspiration for Miller Harris’ latest fragrance ‘DANCE Amongst the Lace’, which joins WANDER, LOST and HIDDEN in the brand’s Forage Collection. The idea of the collection is to celebrate the idea of nature existing in urban spaces – the interplay between the natural and the man-made. DANCE aims to capture the “surprising freshness and unique scent of cow parsley” – a plant that is found in many of London’s urban spaces. What they’ve created is an incredibly modern and easy-to-wear fougère that is perfect for summer.
The Notes
Top: Red Berry, Cardamom, Spearmint, Peppermint, Lime and Verbena
Heart: Bergamot, Fennel, Angelic Root, Geranium Bourbon and Blackcurrant
Base: Vetiver Haiti, Sandalwood, Moss, Musc and Myrrh Resin
How Does it Smell?
The first thing you are going to think when you smell DANCE Amongst the Lace is “lime” and lots of it. It’s so vivid, that you will think that someone, somewhere close to you has just squeezed a lime between their fingers. But that is zesty, juicy, blast of refreshment will be quickly followed by another though – a thought that is even more vivid: the thought of “mint”. Sitting on the more green, herbaceous side of mint (rather than anything remotely toothpaste-like), it blends with the freshness of geranium, which itself has a minty facet, clicking together to create an impression that is like emerald-coloured leaves weighed down by droplets of mint-flavoured dew. It is incredibly crips and refreshing.
I wouldn’t call DANCE one-note or linear, but it’s development is most definitely subtle. As the bracing freshness of the opening fades, it settles to a soft, musky and mossy base with earthy hints of vetiver, which itself brings some acidic, grapefruit-esque juiciness. The overall feel is modern, lightweight and incredibly easy. It’s the type of fragrance that I would call affable – one you could spritz on under a linen shirt in the height of summer, for some suave refreshment.
DANCE Amongst the Lace has a crispness that I really enjoy. It feels like it would be the perfect olfactory refreshment on a hot summers day and whilst it’s more of an artist’s impression of cow parsley than a photorealistic rendition, it works as a modern and genderless fougère that has a vibrant, energetic feel. DANCE fits perfectly along side WANDER, LOST and HIDDEN in the Forage Collection, sharing the contemporary natural feel of the others whilst taking a few more steps into the countryside. I think it’s going to get a lot of mileage this summer!
Availability
DANCE Amongst the Lace is available in 50ml (£95) and 100ml (£140) Eau de Parfum
Disclaimer
Images are my own. Sample sent by Miller Harris for consideration. I was not paid for this article, nor did Miller Harris have any say in the content.
The Candy Perfume Boy 