Guerlain's Mademoiselle Guerlain & Eau de Cashmere: new fragrances

In a christening that strongly recalls Chanel (and their ultra-successful Coco Mademoiselle) Guerlain is reissuing one of their past fragrances in their Les Parisiennes collection sold at Guerlain boutiques in the classic bee bottles.

Alongside this May's Guerlain Muguet 2014, summer will see Mademoiselle Guerlain take her stand proudly alongside the other re-issues in the Parisiennes collection, such as Cherry Blossom, Mon Precieux Nectar or Liu (the collection also includes L'Heure de Nuit which isn't a re-issue so much as a reinterpretation/modernisation of the iconic L'Heure Bleue).

The fragrance is a rebottling of a briefly circulating version of La Petite Robe Noire, in fact called La Petite Robe Noire Modele No.2, which consisted of different fragrant notes than the original La Petite Robe Noire (which continues to be sold very successfully in declinations of Eau de Parfum, Eau de Toilette, Extrait and La Petite Robe Noire Couture eau de parfum, all slightly different from each other). We're therefore talking about a renaming. Mademoiselle Guerlain, aka the former La Petite Robe Noire Modele no.2, comprises perfume notes of orange blossoms, marshmallow, galbanum, orris, leather accord and musk. (I can see die-hard boutique-only Guerlain-o-philes up in arms about the marshmallow note and the pink hue! You can read a review of La Petite Robe Noire Modele no.2 on this link.) To vintage hardcore fans may I remind there was a 1880 Bouquet Mademoiselle fragrance by Guerlain, composed of floral essences.

Let it be mentioned in passing for those who missed it that Guerlain has recently, to celebrate the centenary anniversary at 68 Champs Elysees and the renovation of the flagship, recreated several of the archived perfumes using the original formulae, affectionately called the recreated heritage Guerlain perfumes (more on which on the link). These however are NOT for sale, only for exhibition purposes for inquisitive Guerlain perfumephiles.

Mademoiselle Guerlain will be available starting June 2014 at Guerlain espaces and boutiques.

Guerlain is also augmenting their fabric scent options with Guerlain Eau de Cashmere, a unisex fabric scent that won't hurt delicate woolens and cashmere, and which reinforces the warm, soft ambience of those fabrics with its mandarin top notes and cedarwood and powdery drydown. This newer entry comes as an addition to Eau de Lit (a bed linen scent) and Eau de Lingerie (a scented water for underthings) in the Guerlain fabric scent collection.

[thanks to Mr.Guerlain Facebook page]

Esxense 2014 Calendar of Events

Esxence has announced the full calendar of events for the more popular perfume exhibition of niche creators in Milan.

Thursday, MARCH 20 

12:30 pm	Conference Artistic Perfumery: on the Links between Art and Perfumery with Prof. Claus Noppeney, Bern University of the Arts / Bern University of Applied Science
3:00 pm	Book Presentation I Giardini di Saffo by Prof. Giuseppe Squillace, Universita della Calabria
4:30 pm	Presentation Conversation about the Images with Mustafa Sabbagh interviewed by Ermano Picco, LaGardeniaNellOcchiello.com
5:30pm	Perfumed Cocktail Polysensorial Journey Inside the Perfumes of Edmond Roudnitska Marika Vecchiattini, BergamottoeBenzoino.com

Friday, MARCH 21

10:00 am	Workshop From Conflict Management to 'Pas ded Deux': Towards a Harmonious Niche fragrance Brand/Retail Interface Chairman: Sarah Colton, ThePerfumeMagazine.com and Beauty Fashion Magazine
12:30 pm	Workshop Artistic Perfumery in Middle East (R)evolution Parfumée Chairman: Alireza Khazal, LuxAssist & Co
2:30 pm	Conference The Chemistry in Perfume: Source of Creativity with bernard Bourgeouis, Osmotheque
4:30 pm	Lecture Smells of Saudi Arabia with Nicola Pozzani, S Sense The Senses of Perfume
6:00 pm	Olfactory Tasting Amarone: Smell and Taste the Great Red Italian Wine and its Perfumed Notes Danilo della Mura, Confraternita dell'Amarone and Stileltalia.tv

Saturday, MARCH 22

11:00 am	Book Presentation Michael Edwards - the Man behind Perfume Legends,Fragrances of the World and The Fragrance Wheel Michael Edwards interviewed by Mark Behnke, Colognoisseur.com
12:30 pm	Workshop by Mouillettes & Co Olf'Evolution with Maria Grazia Fornasier and Emanuel Rupi
2:00 pm	Lecture Scent Culture in East Asia with Chi Wai Tang, fragrance Moment
3:30 pm	Presentation by Sultanate of Oman Tourism Office Fragrance and Myths of Arabia Felix: The Frankincense Route and the Roses Gardens with Wanda Benati, Nadia Bizzarro, Sara Cusma
5:00 pm	Presentation Les Lignes de Parfumerie Alternatives Maisons de Luxe vs. Maisons de Niche with Carine Lanteri

Sunday, MARCH 23 

10:30 am	Tribute to Sandrine Videault
11:00 am	Book Presentation Parfums Rares Sabine Chabbert and Laurence Ferat interviewed by Tessa Williams
2:00 pm	Contest - Award Ceremony The Art Of Scent
3:00 pm	Workshop by Mouillettes & Co Olf'Evolution with Maria Grazia Fornasier and Emanuel Rupi

Please note that this year for the first time the Conference Room will be open to everybody, visitors and operators, for the four days of the event.

The winners of the draw….

…for the Eau d'Epices samples are:

In the USA (10):
Holly F.
Gail
Alica Cleis
Haider Lakhani
Woodgirl
Michael
Caragh Girl
Yuki
Fmc
Phyllis Iervelo

In rest of the world (4):
Liisa Wennervita
Patuxxa
Nadja Sand
Chanteuse des Iles


Congratulations!
Please email me using Contact specifying:
1. "Epices draw" and your country of residence in the title of your message for my ease
2. your alias/username with which you entered the comment
3. your full shipping address,
so I can have these sent out to you soon, please.

Thanks everyone for the enthusiastic participation and till the next one!

Serge Lutens Laine de Verre: fragrance review

One of my preferred short stories in the canon by American author Edgar Allan Poe is William Wilson. Less popular than many of his more exploitable, creepy or evocative stories, such as The Fall of the House of Usher, The Pit and the Pendulum or The Tell-Tale Heart, it manages to speak to the soul in a way that reminds me of a later favorite author, Herman Hesse, and his profoundly soul-searching novels with characters struggling to find their fate and to get to know themselves. This preface comes as  a necessary explanation on why I found Laine de Verre, the latest fragrance launch by Serge Lutens, as chillingly puzzling as the double face of Janus, the two antiscians in the above mentioned short story.

via tumblr

Maybe this was all an idea that was suggested by seeing Uncle Serge pacing up and down as if somnabulating against himself in a clip worthy of utter puzzlement… [watch the clip here]

The cryptic text is -as always- a springboard for discussion or a chance for ridicule; it all depends on your worldview:
"It is only after he had been penetrated by the winter that,
laying down his arms, the Lord of Glass came to place
at the feet of the Lady of Wool flowers and ferns which had frosted on him."

Laine de Verre means fiberglass (yes, the one used as insulation) and as odd as a perfume inspiration this sounds (the actual material being a potent sensitizer creating an instant itch on the skin it touches) there comes a point in perfumery that one has to drop the "noble essences from the Comores islands" and the "ethically sustained eco-certified ingredients" schtick and just reinvent the wheel. This moment in perfumery has arrived. Fiberglass, then, why not!! After Serge Lutens fragrances with names such as Tubereuse Criminelle (criminal tuberose), Fille en aiguilles (you'll have to read the review to find out on that, it's more complex than it sounds), Nuit de cellophane (cellophane night), Vitriol d'Oeillet (carnation's vitriol) and La Vierge de Fer (iron maiden), Laine de Verre shouldn't come as a shock, at least in what has to do with semantics.

The "eau" line, with its initial L'Eau de Serge Lutens providing the first chasm with the hardcore Lutens clientele and with L'Eau Froide as the second installment to curdle the blood (in a good way), Laine de Verre continues in this collection that is differentiated both in packaging as well as in concept from the regular Marrakech-inflected line: these are "anti-perfumes", scents which aim to be perceived as an aura emanating from the wearer, legible the way supersonic whistles are legible to higher frequency listeners.

The metallic berries and citrus from Mars and the sharp aldehydes from Pluto opening predisposes for the character of the scent which is alien for the modern consumer of apple-scented shower gels and giant fake peaches standing in for latheriness. Lutens marries the abstract idea of "clean" from the middle years of the 20th century (aldehydic florals, such as Chanel No.22 and White Linen) and injects it with modern signs for niche: frankincense, sharp lily of the valley, a mineral and cedar-musk like haze which one can't put their finger on (actually Cashmeran or blonde woods).

Although I still prefer the more incense-y L'Eau Froide (and cannot wear the super sharp and starchy L'Eau), Laine de Verre has to be the second best in the Eau fragrances by Lutens, subdued but there, average lasting power and throughout ironic the way Comme de Garcons fragrances with no-names such as Odeur 53 made their (well) name. It might sound like sacrilege to the average Lutensian fan, but what Lauder did with their Pure White Linen in relation to White Linen is what the French maestro is doing here as well with a tiny helping of that weird, bleach note that made Secretions Magnifiques so horrifically memorable. Anyone who is mentally striking this off their list, now that I mentioned THE HORRIBLE ONE, might be appeased: uncle Serge hasn't totally went out of his way to make us notice, no. Laine de Verre isn't shocking.

In the end it all boils down to intent. With the Eau series, Lutens is authoring a new grammar of "clean": decidedly cool, with prominent use of aldehydes but also incense, mineral and metallic, maybe with a hint of chalkiness like a crushed aspirin, no sign of dewiness or soft muskiness, they perfectly encapsulate a spick & span minimalist loft or a white padded insane asylum, again depending on your worldview. This hygienic approach is in violent clash against the very idea of an added on fine fragrance, much like William Wilson came crushing down violently against his own self and consolidates my belief that Serge Lutens is pulling our collective leg in a deliciously playful way.

pic: Man Ray, Andre Breton before L'enigme d'une journee by Giorgio de Chirico, 1922.

In the interests of disclosure I was sent a sample in the context of the brand's regular promos.  

Free Fragrance Draw for the Upcoming Launch of Tauer Eau d'Epices

It was a few days ago that I came forward and announced that Andy Tauer is relaunching one of his less well known perfumes in his line: Eau d'Epices. Personally I'm a huge sucker for spicy things (and if you've been following this blog you know it well) and Eau d'Epices is a hardcore spicy wonder, keeping your eyes (and nostrils and attention span) peeled to the last drop, but with sleight of hand, not crude clumpsiness. To give an analogy, it's the Dario Argento of spicy colognes, so you know it's love & hate territory, don't you.

And of course I have a draw which will let you sample if you hadn't had the chance in the past the re-issued Eau d'Epices before anyone else!

via pinterest/asri flickr

The specifics: I have 4 deluxe samples for the international readership (Europe, Canada, rest of the world) and 10 deluxe samples for the USA one. Please enter a comment posting your impressions regarding spicy scents and/or Tauer's line and you're eligible. Draw is open till Wednesday midnight and winners will be announced sometime on Thursday.

You know what to do. Keep them coming! I want to read them all.