In this new series, I put together a quarterly overview of five of my favourite fragrant subjects that have been piquing my interest over the last three months. These items can be individual perfumes, brands or houses, genres or even themes that have been taking my fancy. They can even include other books, bottles and other blogs that have been keeping me entertained. There are no rules. Well, there are three rules with this series; 1) the subjects must be linked to fragrance somehow (a rule that I’m allowed to bend); and 2) the hitlist is to be published towards the end of each quarter; and 3) the list must include my favourite things, as if I were a fragrant sort-of Oprah.
So, now we’re heading towards the end of March what’s topping my hitlist for quarter one of 2015?
For 2015, the intergalactic perfumery of renegade fashion house, Thierry Mugler is launching a brand new star into the celestial wardrobe of their flagship fragrance, Angel. Dubbed the ‘Gravity Star’, this new 75ml refillable flacon has been designed by Mugler’s Artistic Directors, Virginie Delpeuc’h & Stéphanie Calvi, as a “three-dimensional star that captures light with its countless facets”. Most intriguingly, the flacon has been created with no ‘true bottom’, meaning that it can be placed on any one of its faceted sides.
As with all things Mugler, the Gravity Star is beautiful and multi-faceted, changing its form depending on which side it is laid. The asymmetry is remarkable, resulting in Mugler’s most abstract execution of the classic star to date. Faceted like a jewel, the Gravity Star is a luxurious objet d’art that takes Angel far into the future, via the medium of a sharp and angular starburst. The whole thing is incredibly and faithfully ‘Mugler’ from head to toe, and I’d even go as far as saying that it’s one of the best guises we’ve seen our beloved Angel wear. It’s simply stunning.
The Gravity Star is yet another example of excellent craftsmanship from the House of Mugler. Since Angel launched in 1992, the fragrance has been housed within a spetacular array or dazzling stars, ranging from classics such as the ‘Nomad Star’ to the alien purple tones of the ‘Etoile Mystique’. Presentation has always been a key part of the fragrance’s success, and to celebrate this latest instalment in the galaxy of Angel stars, I’ve compiled a retrospective of Mugler’s etoile flacons, in a handy slideshow. So, without further ado, please prepare your vessels for hyper drive and get set to jump below the, err, jump for our tour of the Angel galaxy.
The Candy Perfume Boy 