Thursday, March 26, 2009

Warm Weather Aquarelles part 1

Warm weather almost de iuro demands a lighter disposition and a scent to match it. One which might unfortunately be dismissed by serious fragrance enthusiasts as...watered-down. Not unjustly market reality has objectively proven that often this is not too far off the mark, making many of us wary of summery editions as non-sensical or even a blatant rip-off. Yet sometimes a twist here or there might make a previously opaque and opressing scent just right and pliable to more ethereal moods. The latest edition of French Vogue has a small selection of recommendations for diaphanous and refreshing fragrances for the warmer months ahead. The choice is among some of the latest or upcoming releases and -let's be realistic- it is to be expected in a publication which is largely dependent on advertisers. This is why you will not see niche recommendations on this list, but instead major players in the industry. In fact there is a bit from everyone, so that no major Group is left out. But perhaps I am meowing too much! The main interest and the reason I decided to include the selection on PerfumeShrine is that it allows a glimpse into how the French -and consequently the European, and further on the international- market is shaped. Here is the list of 10 spring and summer scents with commentary and links to articles/reviews of my own.


Dior Miss Dior Chérie L'eau: The fresh accent of gardenia promises to take the popular flanker out of the super-sweet gourmand territory of candy-country Miss Dior Chérie ~ though I simply adore its commercial! In this version I like the lightly green colour and the simpler flacon. (sug.retail price: 59,01€ )

Essence de Narciso Rodriguez: Supposedly a light fragrance based on musk, which surprisingly is formidably tenacious to the point of never quiting (musks tend to hang on for a long time). A smidge of amber warms the proceedings giving the warm skin feel, although the overall impression is one of laundry day; the soapy aldehydic impression very prominent! Not as distinctive as the regular Narciso for Her and its many confusing concentrations, more unisex, but quite pleasant in an unexpected way.
Full review here. (sug.retail price: 72€)

Beige de Chanel : Frangipani, ylang ylang and jasmine bring out a discreet note of honey, making the whole smell like upscale shampoo. The "clean" trend hasn't expired but has conquered even the mightest bastions. Pretty, if a little unexciting for the price and exclusivity. Full review here. (sug.retail price at Chanel boutiques: 200€).

Flora de Gucci : Floral as suggested by the name, based on rose and osmanthus (a Chinese blossom of almost suede-like apricotty tonalities). I expect quite a bit of clean notes too! Full article here. (sug.retail price: 50€).

Burberry Summer Here we tread on fruity avenues once again: litchi, mandarin and blackcurrant ally with "water jasmine" (hedione is more like it) and rose. Reportedly very fresh and scintilatting. We'll see...(sug.retail price: 55€).

Calvin Klein CK One Summer Another limited summer edition of CKOne (there is one evey summer, mainly changing the bottle colouring) focusing on grapefruit, orange pulp, mandarin and fresh mint for a vitamin cocktail when there is shortage of energy. Personally I don't expect it to distance itself damatically from the tried and true of lime on a clean musk gush of frosty wind. (sug.retail price: 49€).

Eau de Shalimar by Guerlain The sunny notes of bergamot and citron bighten up the vanillic base making it excellent for summer and any other time time-tested regular standby Shalimar is too much. Full review here. (sug. retail price: 86€).

Flower by Kenzo Spring Edition The smashing best-seller of powdery notes in the poppy-crowned bottle, Flower by Kenzo, has several limited editions. This one focuses on mandarin and ginger accents that contrast with the violet and white musk notes of the original.(sug. retail price: 49€).


Very Irrésistible Récolte/Harvest 2008 by Givenchy Givenchy has adopted the habit of picking one note of the bouquet of their fragrances each year and investing in a specific harvest of it that is meant to denote millesime quality, such as in wines. An idea that was first explored by L'Artisan with their Harvest scents. This year's Very Irrésistible will highlight Rose Damascena, harvested at Isparta in Turkey. I haven't sampled it yet, but I recall being impressed only by the Organza Jasmine Harvest 2007 (sug.retail price: 90€).

Angel Sunessence by Thierry Mugler. Bergamot and hibiscus will garland the well-loved patchouli and vanilla accord of perennial best-seller Angel, lightening it considerably. If the previous twist on classic Angel, Eau de Star, is anything to go by I am curious to test this one! Full article here. (sug.retail price: 59€)


On the second part I will propose my own warm weather aquarelles recommendations. Stay tuned!

8 comments:

  1. Being the osmanthus dork that I am I am really intrigued by Flora by Gucci.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Can I ask you a favour? If you are inclined, would you be so kind as

    to pop over to http://style.la-mimi.com/weekly-fashion-idol/vote-for-your-favorite-fashion-idol

    I just would love if you would vote for your favourite. Better if you vote for me. :)

    Thank you

    The Seeker

    ReplyDelete
  3. Just to correct you, I went to try Flora (and I ow the review to the world) and it's for 81 euros at Gucci. Which is what I call freakishly expensive.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Jen,

    I hope it pleases. I haven't tried it yet. I hope it delivers.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Seeker,
    thanks for the alert. What can I say? I will check it out :-)

    ReplyDelete
  6. L,

    is that so??? I went by the prices quoted on Vogue.fr (I guess they list the most economical size first, so if there is a 1oz bottle, maybe that's the one they list?)
    It's not cheap at 81 euros!! I agree!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi dear, back again from sunny and warm spring-joyfully Spain where i was able to test Miss Dior Cherie-L'Eau and Gucci Flora (both nice but didn't speak to me, really) already, i feel weird now in snow-rainy G. again and i am dreaming along with your recommendations, excited to read part II! Absolutely curious about the "summer-Angel" and completely crazy about Eau de Shalimar resp. Shalimar light!
    CK one summer and Kenzo Flower summer appear to me very very similar each year... is it all about the new bottles?
    One i always sniff/also buy some years is JPG classique summer. Also very very similar each year, to me.
    Yours
    lillie

    ReplyDelete
  8. My dearest N,

    welcome back!!!Missed you :-)
    Hope you had a marvellous time, Spain is just wonderful, isn't it? (all year long, but especially in spring)

    I haven't smelled either MDCL'E nor GF, but I will give them a test at some point. I don't expect to jump off the cliff for them, LOL, but...you know. Have to test them! The concept of a summer Angel is always intriguing (sounds such a misnomer, that;s why) and EdS is rather nice, if a little inferior than the previous incarnations.
    I think indeed the other scents are all about the bottles. The Flower one has a sping to lighten the powder though. (then again powder is Flower's main characteristic!)

    ReplyDelete

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