Bespoke perfume is big business and it’s easy to see why. What could be more attractive of a prospect than a fragrance just for you – one that nobody else could wear? Exclusivity is something the perfume industry obsesses with and whilst it’s certainly a lovely idea to have one’s very own exclusive fragrance there has always been one key sticking point: the price. That’s right, bespoke perfumery has been reserved solely for the rich and unless you’ve got at least £10k burning a hole in your pocket then, bespoke scent is not for you. That is until now…
There are many things I appreciate about the By Killian brand but above all I very much enjoy their sense of humour. In a world where fragrance is taken so seriously, to the point of it being almost painful, Killian Hennessy comes along with his cheeky smile to save the day. Kilian’s opulent fragrances are housed within dramatic packaging that verges on over the top (NEVER a bad thing in my book), often boast cheeky names such as Voulez-vous coucher avec Moi, and have also been known to smell like forbidden/addictive substances such as marijuana. Kilian’s world is one of fun where decadence and debauchery are embraced wholeheartedly. So yes, I’m here for By Kilian and their domain is my kind of place to be.
The latest scent to be added to the By Kilian lineup is Black Phantom (created by Perfumer Sidonie Lancesseur) and as far as cheekiness goes, well, Mr Hennessy has gone all out. Where to start? Well, the slogan for the scent is ‘a little party never killed nobody’ and the box, well, the box is quite something! Atop Kilian’s signature black lacquered box sits a skull, rising out of the the lid with a somewhat sarcastic smile. Not to mention the fact that Mr Hennessy has forgone the standard Perfumer/Creative Director mugshot of posing pensively with a series of smelling strips and has instead donned some rather impressive shirt sleeves and has posed rather foppishly with a jet black skull as if it were a crystal ball. It’s a bit Mystic Meg and it’s wonderful.
But what about the fragrance? Well Black Phantom the fragrance has some rather intriguing inspirations, taking its name from “the dusky shade of a pirate galleon” whilst speaking of scent-soaked sails, ghostly spectres, rum-spiked Irish coffee, cyanide and “the eerie clash of spectral cutlasses”. It’s all so ridiculous, entirely fun and really effing cool. As Kilian says “if it’s dirty, kinky, naughty, messy, or just plain wrong, I want it” and we want it too, so bring it on Mr Hennessy!
ManRose – the latest scent from ETRO and a beautifully luminous rose by way of spice and Turkish Delight. Reviewed this week on Escentual. Clicky here to read.
If you read my Iris Deconstruction recently, you will already know that I have a ‘thing’ for Les Infusions de Prada. What’s more, if you’ve heard me waxing lyrical about one of my all time favourite scents over the last 18 months, the wonderful Mimosa & Cardamom by Jo Malone London, you’ll also be aware that mimosa is very much my jam right now. And if you didn’t know either of these things well, I’ve just told you so now consider yourself informed! With all of this in mind, it’s no surprise that it took little coercing for me to fall head over heels for Prada’s Infusion de Mimosa. In fact, all it took was one sniff…
If you’re not familiar with Les Infusions de Prada, then you’re in for treat. In essence, the collection explores the fantasy of single notes dissolved as infusions to create fragrances that fuse the modern with the classic and explore the diverse facets of their titular ingredient. Like all scented things ‘Prada’ the fragrances are composed by Perfumer Daniela Andrier and Mimosa is the latest note to get the ‘infusion’ treatment. Prada describe the scent as follows:
“It is the smell of the tree in full bloom, late in summer perhaps in the South of France. Powdery, floral, with a yellow-velvet softness that is almost tactile.”
I’m always open to new and exciting ways to wear fragrance – methods that add to or change the standard way to wear scent, which is to spray (because dabbing is waste of everybody’s time, let’s face it). Of course there are many gimmicks out there and it is really difficult to beat a good old spray (or ten) but every now and then a decent alternative comes along that either changes the way one wears fragrance, or at the very least enhances it.
I was recently contacted by Vanacci, a British Company who make a range of scented jewellery, in addition to many other luxury accessories for men. Now, the idea of fragrant accessories isn’t entirely new and many niche fragrance brands offer some form of scented wearable, whether that be the high end jewels with scentable ceramic inserts of By Kilian or the scent-soaked leather bracelets offered by Maison Francis Kurkdjian. But what makes Vanacci different is their affordability, in addition to the fact that they use a special porous material called ‘Lockstone’ which absorbs fragrance and slowly releases it throughout the day. The idea is to have a fashionable accessory that carries with it, the scent of your favourite fragrance. Colour me intrigued!
What struck me about Vanacci’s Lockstone collection is just how attractive it is – the products, which include bracelets, cufflinks and pendants across a number of capsule collections are handsome and streamlined. They’ve managed to create scented jewellery that is simple and unobtrusive, and that can be paired with any outfit. In particular though, my eyes were drawn to the Solaris bracelets, which I must say, were particularly eye-catching. So, to put Vanacci to the test I trialled two of their Solaris bracelets over a few days so see whether; a) they really were as stylish as they looked; and b) they hit the mark as a suitably scented accessory. Let’s see how they faired…
Cire Trudon is not a conventional house of home fragrance. They do not, like many brands, create candles that represent one smell, like rose or oud, or even combinations of such notes. No, Cire Trudon tell stories through wax, smoke and glass. They are a brand that allow you to fill your home with the scent of the cold stone walls from a Carmelite convent or fresh mint from the mountains of ancient tribes. Cire Trudon are not a typical brand and their many scented offerings are anything but ordinary, in fact they are rather extraordinary!
This Spring, Cire Trudon have twisted their narrative ever so slightly with their Les Belles Matières collection. Starting with three scented candles, which are housed in the most eye-catching of blue jars, Cire Trudon promise a “geographic odyssey” with this new collection, which takes one on a journey to three exotic destinations by way of iconic ingredients, covering not only a number of air miles but also three of the most familiar olfactory genres: florals, woods and fruits. The three scents are Tadine (New-Caledonia by way of sandalwood), Reggio (Calabria via citrus) and Maduraï, the focus of today’s review, which is all about “the splendour of Indian Jasmine”.
I’ve never been to India but you don’t have to do much convincing to get me on board with a white floral so the prospect of an jasmine sambac by the bucket load is an easy sell. Maduraï tells the tale of the flower’s many uses, whether they be in tea, as floral garlands or in perfumery. Maduraï is an ode to jasmine in its full glory and unexpectedly, it’s rather glorious.
FlowerbyKenzo the iconic abstract floral reviewed on Escentual with FlowerbyKenzo L’Elixir and the brand new FlowerbyKenzo Eau Lumiere. Clicky here to read.
That’s right, folks, it’s another round-up episode of fancifully fragrant new things. Thomas and Nick discuss the huge new launch from Guerlain and the impact of celebrity faces in marketing campaigns. Our hosts also sniff a wide range of new things including one scent that Thomas describes as “a sex crime in a bottle”. Listen to find out what on Earth they’re going on about!
A few years back, Frederic Malle announced a capsule collection of fragrances that would sit just outside his main line, taking inspiration from a different source: those people that M. Malle admires deeply. Unlike most capsule collections, ‘par Frederic Malle’ launched only with one scent and it has taken a good few years for another fragrance to follow in the series. It seems that Frederic Malle’s painstakingly focused approach applies not only to his scents but to those he chooses to collaborate with. His first collaboration was with the Belgian designer, Dries Van Noten, a man known for his cerebral couture, and now Malle follows Dries with yet another designer, one who is on the other end of the fashion spectrum – this time Frederic Malle has collaborated with the incomparable designer Alber Elbaz (formerly of Lanvin).
It was admiration that led Frederic Malle to Alber Elbaz and through Malle’s wife’s love of his clothes these two wonderful minds were brought together. The collaboration is one of mutual respect and feels very organically grown yet and it pairs three creatives with who respect, above all, quality, artistry and beauty. Those creative men are Frederic Malle, Alber Elbaz and Dominique Ropion and the result of their trio of awesomeness is Superstitious (yes, I also think of the Stevie Wonder song whenever I hear the name, don’t worry) – a fragrance that feels entirely new yet wholeheartedly classic at the same time.
The scent itself started its life as a work in progress – a grand aldehydic floral with a “classic architecture” worked on by Malle and Ropion for more than a year. Alber Elbaz was introduced to the fragrance (after Malle reportedly had to convince Ropion to “give up his fragrance”), fell in love and then worked with the perfumer to bring it to completion. The rest, as they say, is history. The parallels between couture and fragrance are drawn quite strongly with Superstitious and Malle says that the scent was created in the manner that old fragrances were, with the perfumer working in isolation before presenting it to the client, who then requests it to be tailored to their needs, just like a piece of couture. The result? The most special of collaborations.
Please forgive my excitement, fellow perfume nerds, but it simply cannot be contained today, for there are now Angel chocolates on the market. Now, if you know me, you know that there are three things I hold dear to my heart in this world; 1) my family (including my cats) and friends; and 2) food; and 3) MUGLER. So it stands to reason then, that the idea of MUGLER themed chocolates, nay ANGEL themed chocolates would get me just a tad excited. Well that’s exactly what’s got me going today and hopefully they will do the same to you!
So, MUGLER have teamed up with another legendary French house, the chocolatey heaven of La Maison du Chocolat to translate their most iconic fragrance into a gustatory delight. The result is a box of beautiful chocolates that break down the three key accords of Angel into edible delights that are as indulgent as the scent itself. If, like me, you were trying to diet then I’m sorry, Angel has other plans for you and as we all know, she does not take no for answer.
The Candy Perfume Boy 