In case you haven’t noticed, I’m throwing an informal Guerlain party this week. So far we’ve taken a gander at the perplexing Shalimar Souffle de Parfum (which really should have been an Aqua Allegoria and not a flanker to their flagship fragrance) and the deliciously dizzy and decadent French Kiss, which puts me in a much better mood than the Souffle de Parfum does.
With Guerlain in mind, I thought I’d dedicate my Escentual column this week to a fragrance that doesn’t get the attention it deserves; My Insolence. A flanker the seriously over-the-top Insolence (Maurice Roucel; 2006), this softer interpretation is a gorgeous little vanilla and almond cuddle that shows the industry how a decent fruity floral should be done. Click here to read my review.
Shalimar Souffle de Parfum – The Latest Incarnation of Guerlain’s 1925 Classic
“The sickness of making flankers every five minutes is very upsetting, but if I don’t want to get kicked out for not doing my job, I have to do it”
– Thierry Wasser ¹
Thierry Wasser, in-house perfumer at Guerlain, recently likened the penchant brands have for creating numerous flankers to a “sickness” and when looking at the numerous incarnatons of the house’s flagship fragrance, Shalimar, it’s easy to see why. In the last five years we’ve seen seven, that’s right, seven new Shalimar flankers ranging from the sublime Parfum Initial and Ode à la Vanille to the less interesting Parfum Initial L’Eau, and on occasions the brand has stretched the Shalimar association pretty thin.
With their latest flanker, Shalimar Souffle de Parfum, the link has become so emaciated it may have finally snapped. Sniffing the flanker, it’s pretty difficult to pick out exactly how the two fragrances are alike. Shalimar is a grand dame of the oriental world, showcasing bubbling bergamot, smoky-sweet vanilla powder and tons of heavy resins. Souffle de Parfum on the other hand is, well, the complete opposite of that. It may not be worthy of the Shalimar name, but does that mean that it’s a bad fragrance?
Guerlain describe Souffle de Parfum as a “gently perfumed caress” ² and a “breath of extreme sensuality” ², with the ‘Souffle’ here referring to the French word for breath, as opposed to anything culinary-related. It has been designed to celebrate the lighter facets of Shalimar, specifically focus on the shining citrus that famously graces the Oriental Queen’s top notes, and the plush vanilla that sits at her core. In that respect, Souffle de Parfum succeeds, merging these two themes together to create something that may, or may not be Shalimar, depending on how one looks at it.
I’m still alive! Due to being away for work this week, I haven’t been able to turn my attention to The Candy Perfume Boy. I assure you that normal service will resume next week, with more reviews and news from the perfume world. Whilst I may not have had time to put together a post for the blog this week, I have still written for my weekly Escentual column, and this week’s subject is the fabulous, glamorous and radiant new fragrance from Jean Paul Gaultier – ‘Classique Intense‘.
This new scent, penned by none other than Francis Kurkdjian, isn’t your typical ‘intense’ version that amps up the heavier notes and makes for a thicker and long-lasting experience. No, this is Classique with the glamour dials turned right up – a radiant floral vanilla that is the shows topping starlet to the original’s backstage boudoir. Between all that glitter and gold lies a beautifully composed fragrance that is a worthy addition to the Classique lineup. Read my review here.
This July, famous intimate wear brand, La Perla will launch 2012’s Le Perla In Rosa, in a new Eau de Parfum concentration. This new version is billed as a heaver interpretation of the original and is described as being a “mischievous new elixir” for the “naturally playful and seductive young woman”. La Perla in Rosa Eau de Parfum will launch exclusively to Harrods on 31 July 2014.
“Delightfully audacious, she is full of life and loving every minute. Slipping into feathery layers of lace and silk. She adores the way the lingerie caresses her skin. She feels pampered, confident and exquisitely feminine. A sensation of pure joy intensified by the radiant bouquet of La Perla in Rosa Eau de Parfum”
This year, the French makers of fine crystal ware and jewellery, Lalique will launch a flanker to their 2007 fragrance ‘Amethyst’. This latest entry into the Lalique fragrance collection is a fruity floral developed by perfumer Nathalie Lorson (also responsible for Amethyst) that comes seven years after the original and intends to capture the bold berries and flowers of Amethyst in a more radiant light. The brand describe the perfume, as follows:
“This new offering draws its inspiration from the bountiful oeuvre of René Lalique by revisiting the peony, often stylised by the artist in elegant Art Deco motifs. It was just beginning to bloom in Amethyst’s berry garden. In Amethyst Éclat, it is in full blossom, radiant and majestic. […] Amethyst Éclat is a fragrant translation of the boundless creativity of the artist known as the Sculptor of Light.”
I don’t wear masculine fragrances that often but when I do, I like to think that I choose pretty well. One of my all-time favourites is Terre d’Hermès, a glorious olfactory representation of orange-coloured earth created by master perfumer (and Hermès’ nose-in-residence) Jean-Claude Ellena. I’m not the only one to love it either and since its launch way back in 2006 this most modern masculine fragrance has become a cult perfume amongst fragrance lovers and general consumers of the male species alike.
Hermès is a house that is always respectful of its heritage and unlike many brands they have resisted the urge to dilute the Terre d’Hermès signature by releasing flanker-upon-flanker and including the subject of this review they have only revisited the fragrance twice to launch new interpretations, one of which was simply a Parfum concentration. So it’s safe to say that when Hermès do ‘mess’ with their line of fragrances, they do so in a respectful and tasteful manner.
Which leads me nicely on to my subject of today, ‘Terre d’Hermès Eau TrèsFraîche’ -the latest fragrance in the Terre d’Hermès lineup and a perfume that is billed as a “new crossing of the elements” where the water, sky and earth all meet. It pays homage to Terre d’Hermès but instead of capturing the idea of dry earth, it intends to create the vision of water springing from the soil in a lighter, more lively and refreshing rendition of Jean-Claude Ellena’s phenomenal and undeniably classic masculine.
“Terre d’Hermès Eau Très Fraîche is a dot above an i. The line is the man on earth, the dot is his spirit. Inseperable.”
Every summer, the fiercely innovative fashion and fragrance house of Thierry Mugler launches lighter, more ‘heat-friendly’ versions of their popular Angel and Alien fragrances. Usually, these limited editions see Mugler’s celestial beings draped in fruits, flowers or a delightful combination of both. This year however, is a bit different and instead of creating a limited edition summer flanker for Alien, the brand has decided to launch a permanent edition to the collection in the form of Alien Eau Extraordinaire.
This year’s Angel flanker is also a break from tradition and instead of showcasing the brand’s flagship fragrance drenched in floral or fruit waters, Mugler has opted for a summer fragrance that celebrates our dear Angel’s gourmand signature, albeit in a lighter, more dreamy and delicate way. This perfume is called Angel Eau Sucrée and believe me when I say that it is utterly delicious.
Angel Eau Sucrée is described by Thierry Mugler as being “a new ode to indulgence”, and whilst is is instantly recognisable as ‘Angel‘ it most definitely approaches the world’s first oriental gourmand from a different angle – one where the shimmering particles of sugar are evocative of twinkling starlight and the fluffy clouds of whipped meringue are the plushest, most luxurious fabric known to man. If the sweet shops on Planet Mugler all smell this good, then send me into space with a one-way ticket.
I think it’s no secret thatDior Homme is one of my favourite masculine fragrances and my love for it is possibly due to the fact that it isn’t particularly ‘manly’ in the traditional sense of the word. Using a strong and powdery iris note that is reminiscent of old make up bags, Dior (and more specifically, perfumer Olivier Polge) created a perfume that celebrates the modern man who is in touch with his feminine side. It is nothing short of a masterpiece and easily one of the greatest masculine fragrances of our time.
For 2014, Dior have launched Dior Homme Eau for Men, a lighter and more urban interpretation of the original. What’s interesting about this new Eau de Toilette is that it manages to be lighter in concentration and in character without dumbing down the olfactory profile of its forbearer. If you would like to read my full thoughts on the new launch, please click here to head on over to Escentual. Let me know what you think of the scent whilst you’re there!
French couturier Jean Patou launched his iconic flagship fragrance ‘JOY‘ in 1930, almost immediately after the Wall Street Crash of 1929. Patou created his signature fragrance with a view of making it an affordable luxury for those that were no longer able to shroud themselves in the couture of the day. Quite ironically however, the fragrance was known as the ‘most expensive perfume in the world’ for quite some time, due in part to its prominent use of natural jasmine which, as you will all know, doesn’t come cheap.
It seems poignant almost that the house of Patou should launch a new interpretation of JOY in 2014, whilst the world is in the midst (and hopefully at the back end of) a global financial crisis. This new version of Patou’s classic is entitled ‘JOY FOREVER‘ and is described by the house as being a “stunning floral perfume that unveils a new chapter in continuing story of JOY“. Created by perfumer Thomas Fontaine for “today’s discerning woman”, JOY FOREVER is a more translucent, radiant and vibrant take on one of perfumery’s most iconic and timeless perfumes.
“Her mother may have worn JOY for its sheer luxury but she will choose JOY FOREVER for its natural quality and scent. She lives for the moment….she lives for today!”
JOY FOREVER joins the likes of Chanel’s Nº5 Eau Première and Guerlain’s Shalimar Parfum Initial as entry level fragrances for those that aren’t quite ready to commit to the classics. Perhaps the most surprising thing about it is the fact that, whilst it doesn’t smell anywhere near as heady, intense or timeless as the original JOY, it does look back to the past, not quite as far back as 1930 mind you, but instead it looks to the aldehydic florals of the 1980s, from which it takes more than a few olfactory cues.
Blue is the colour that is most likely to send perfume lovers into a fit of fragrant fear. It is, after all, the hue that is ultimately associated with thousands of dodgy aquatic and oceanic fragrances that populate the plentiful shelves of one’s local department stores. These scents sell by the bucket load and more often than not they play to the lowest common denominator, evoking a sense of cleanliness and not much else.
But that isn’t always the case and there are a number of notable occasions where a perfumer or brand has taken the idea of ‘blue’ and done something intriguing with it. One particular standout is Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s superlative OUD (a perfume that I officially refuse to stop banging on about because it is just so mighty good), an oud that is unlike no other and cast in a wonderful shade of cerulean. So yes, blue isn’t necessarily all bad.
For 2014 the houses of Lalique and Bentley are launching blue-themed flankers for two of their masculine fragrances. Lalique are presenting Hommage à l’Homme Voyageur, a follow-up to 2011’s Hommage à l’Homme and an ode to “the art of travel” inspired by the “sumptuous decor” designed by René Lalique for the luxurious liner – the Normandie. British car manufacturer, Bentley, on the other hand, are launching Bentley For Men Azure, a flanker to last year’s Bentley For Men that “appeals to sporty, smart and style conscious men.”
One of these blue masculines is a wonderfully crafted take on ashen spices, that feels utterly smart and luxurious (and has this blogger completely and utterly hooked, FYI) whereas the other isn’t much more than a typically cobalt execution of a fresh aquatic masculine with a hint of something salty-fresh for added measure. Have you guessed which is which yet?
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