Shalimar Ode a la Vanille postponed

The launch of the newest "flanker" on Shalimar, Ode à la Vanille (Ode to Vanilla), has been now officially postoponed, pushed back to middle of October (it was supposed to be end of September and boutiques were taking pre-orders). As luck would have it, it's a lovely blend, so you will just have to sit patiently for a few days more.
In the meantime, read the details from back when we broke the news on the upcoming launch on this article last July.

Related reading on Perfume Shrine: Shalimar (original review & history), Shalimar Eau Legere/Light and Eau de Shalimar(comparison), Shalimar Charms Limited edition

Angel Men Pure Malt: it's back!

Angel Men/A*Men Pure Malt, originally a limited edition which created something of a cult following, has been brought back on popular demand . The masculine cologne is to be found on the official site thierrymugler.com for $70 for a 3.4 oz bottle. For now that seems the only means of purchasing, set to expire with the advent of 2011.
Good news for fans at any rate!

ETA: The next limited edition for men by Mugler will be A*Men Pure Havane according to Basenotes.

Andy Tauer launches his scents in London

Andy Tauer Presents New Fragrances in London: Everyone's favourite niche perfumer, Swiss Andy Tauer will be in London to present his new fragrances, Une Rose Vermeille and Eau d'Epices. (look for reviews here).
This special event will take place from 2-4 PM on Saturday, 9 October
If you would like to attend, please email info@scent-and-sensibility.co.uk with 'Tauer Launch' in the header and there will be a reply with details in your inbox soon.

L'Art de Rene Lalique: new perfume book

The anniversary of 15o years since the birth of René Lalique, one of the most prestigious jewellers and crystal-makers of the 20th century, is marked by a new publication, penned by an expert historian on the perfume industry, Christie Mayer Lefkowith.

The new book is the end result of several years of research and includes numerous, beautiful illustrations of perfume flacons that will interest both the bottle collector and the perfume enthusiast. The most interesting element of course is the analysis of the artistic inspiration behind the creations, often combining glass-making with jewel design.
The book is issued on October 1st.

"L’art de René Lalique, flacons et boîtes à poudre", Christie Mayer Lefkowith, editions Lalique, 98€.

pic via elle.fr

F.Malle to personally appear at Barneys to introduce Home Collection

"Freddie is like a fabulous character out of Proust. The mysterious cult of Frederic Malle draws followers from the grooviest and most sophisticated nooks and crannies of art, movies and fashion. With the introduction of the home collection Fréderic is taking his subtle, intoxicating magic to a wider audience," said Simon Doonan, Barneys New York's creative director.

Malle home collection of fragrances (candles, fleur mécanique and the new metal diffuser, you can read about them here and here) are introduced at Barneys stores across the US. Building on its legacy of launching exclusive products, Barneys will be the only specialty retailer to carry the collection in the U.S (in select stores and online at barneys.com). Malle himself will make personal appearences to private viewings for his most devoted customers.

Meet Frederic Malle at the following "Barneys New York" flagship stores:
Las Vegas - Wednesday, September 29, 4:30-6:30 PM
Scottsdale - Friday, October 1, 6-8 PM
Beverly Hills - Saturday, October 2, 4-6 PM
Chicago - Wednesday, October 6, 5-7 PM
New York – Friday, October 8, 5-7 PM

Related reading on Perfume Shrine: Frederic Malle news & reviews, Myth Debunking: Scented candles cause cancer? The truth.

Dior Diorama new re-issue 2010: Fragrance Review & Musings on Reformulation

When one of the revered classics gets re-issued, it is cause for celebration. Or disenchantment. It really is a delicate balance. Diorama is no stranger to various versions circulating through the years since its original creation by Edmond Roudnitska in 1949. (You can read our own review on this page) Alternatively dirtier/raunchier (perfume aficionado speak is "skanky") or like a bowl of sunny late summer fruit left on the table to ripen a tad longer than usual (thanks to the famous Prunol base which Roudnitska was so fond of), Diorama has had its phases. The latest one involves a re-issue, just this minute going downtown in specific stores wordlwide (contrary to its Parisian Avenue Montaigne exclusivity as of last year) and a different attribution: to François Demachy, creative art director and head perfumer at parfums Dior, rather to Edmond Roudnitska. What does this mean? Many things.

• First of all, the industry secret on it being reworked was revealed to me quite a while ago alongside the difference attribution, when approached by a journalist who wanted my input for his research on something concerning the brand and the perfumer. I hope to be able to reveal the length of our coming and goings in the future. But I digress. The matter is the attribution to Demachy signals a change in the formula. Surely, the formula had been tweaked a couple of times already, like mentioned above. But the name of the illustrious creator was guarded as a porte-chance (a good luck charm). Divesting it of its legendary lineage creates an enigma as to whether Demachy has gained full creative control at Dior under the LVMH shortage of budgets for creations or whether his talents are sort of "sold short" as I believed, especially given his tutoring under Edmond himself. (After all François Demachy did beautiful work when the formula restrains were either lifted momentarily for J'Afore L'Absolu or concaved into the inherent idea of simplicity in the style proposed, as in Escale à Portofino). Is an attribution of the reworking of an acclaimed fragrance the final test and the signal from LVMH that there is perfumer lineage there? Is it merely a marketing trick? Or a desire to highlight the role of their head perfumer?

• Another aspect is that the former unattainability of Diorama (being a Paris flagship Dior store exclusive) for most of the perfume lovers the world over is now into crumbles, even if the places of sale are not low-brow at all. Still, the opening to the Anglo-Saxon market signals something important in the luxury business outlook. Namely that creating a hard-to-get exclusive creates a frenzy (uncle Serge played this game first and best) but you have to make sure that that frenzy finds a way to invade the biggest consumer market of them all and the one more attuned to the Internet: the USA and North America in general. Ergo Saks is now carrying Diorama as an exclusive, catering for the increased awareness of classics and more obscure fragrances by an audience which was brought up on the Internet or delurked enough to take notice. It was with surprise I had found out last year that even regular fare which we consider normal perfume counter-material (Diorella, Miss Dior etc.) is hiding beneath specific counters in the US and you have to explicitly ask for them to try them out. Maybe LVMH has finally realised they're sitting on a (very) dumped down brand (lately) and decided to make amends? Let's hope so!

• Which leaves us with the actual fragrance of the re-issued Diorama. How does it smell like? To cut a long story short, it is still recognisably Diorama, meaning a ripe juice with plummy goodness embracing an unidentified white flower at the heart, somewhere between sweet jasmine and the caramelised scent of immortelle.
  Comparing with the till recently circulating re-issue on Avenue Montaigne one would detect some cleaning up which veered it further into Le Parfum de Thèrese direction with a bastardised peach overripeness rather than melon; and at the same time further away from Femme (both Roudnitska creations, the latter preceding Diorama, the former following it). It was still a nice perfume, but not on a par with the older vintages and I personally voted with my wallet for the contemporary bottles of Diorling.
  The Diorama re-issue of 2010, much like the 50s vintage versions, is closer to Femme with its patisserie density and its bosom-heavy cumin tonalities and sports a particularly vivid Damascena rose on its lapel alongside the peaches and plums. Still, the inky, muddy depth of oakmoss is flamboyant in its...absence. The new re-issue of Diorama feels more like a fruity woody with a thin voice than a traditional chypre with timber tibre, much as it tries...

The re-issued Diorama is currently a Saks exclusive in the US, and available at Harrods and Fortnum's in London. Dior is re-issuing their classics under an umbrella collection called Les Créations de Monsieur Dior (no matter that Dior died in 1957 before many were conceived). You can read all about those here.

Aftelier Fir and Roses: fragrance reviews

Mandy Aftel is behind Aftelier, a niche brand of all natural perfumes which has a cult following. Mandy herself is considered a perfumery guru. In her words: "When creating a formula, I aim to capture a sensuous feeling that results in an aesthetic experience that is both modern and luxurious [...] It gives me great joy when Aftelier Perfumes become part of people's lives and enhance their sense of luxury, well-being, and beauty". It was in that spirit that I came to sample two of her new solids, Roses and Fir. (Hot on the heels of the news that Mandy had collaborated with AHAlife.com where she was distributing a trio of her perfumes in elegant bottles, by the way). Solid perfume is a good idea, especially in our times as you can slip some into your handbag and travel through Draconian measures at airports or never care for accidental spillage. When they come in a beautiful compact it's even better. I haven't seen the latter, because my samples were poured into plastic, but I bet it's pretty as it's supposed to be Mexican sterling silver. But the important issue is what hides inside.

The fragrances are mixed into a base of organic unfiltered beeswax and jojoba oil and they meld at body temperature leaving behind a veil of scent. Roses is a warm honeyed rose aroma which smells lush and warm, that feeling of euphoria upon smelling the first blossoms absorbing the rays of a fondling sun. Contrary to most rose renditions in mainstream perfumery which project with a sharp and sour scent on my skin, natural essences of rose can veer into either liquer-like, almost boozy fruitiness or hesperidic-honey facets (it reminds me of honey harvested by bees grazing on orange groves). Depending on the dosage in the mix, they both do nice things on me, assuming they do not end up engulfing me. In Aftelier Roses despite the name, although unmistakeable a rose blend, the roses aren't agressive but reveal welcome spicy and incense-y nuances.
Fir is more of a classic resinous (and quite mossy!) composition which plays on many a perfumista's favourite tune: the smells of autumn in the country, a walk in the woods, leaves trampled underfoot... The overall ambience is one of gentle sweetness and a little bit of dustiness, as if I am striding into said woods, a cane on my side and tweeds on my back, never knowing I had that urge. The mossiness can be rendered through IFRA-defying revolt and I wonder just how many of the natural perfumers will continue to be able to source the proper materials to do so. At any rate, Aftelier Fir is warm and inviting, possessing a succulent quality which I cannot put in better words than "jammy".
But the best tip was given by Mandy herself: layering the two on skin (she even has one compact with the two scents featured side by side) creates the coveted effect of having roses stretching, reaching out for the sun in a big, shady forest. Autumn, here we come!Product samples are available on this Aftelier page.

Photo of "Roses in the Woods" byWithrow/flickr, some rights reserved.
Disclosure: I was sent two solid miniatures/samples by the brand itself.

Guerlain Rose communelle, new Shalimar bottle by Jade Jagger, Parfums d'Amour book by J.P.Guerlain

Two clips concerning Guerlain perfumery via Wim Janssens who is an ardent Guerlain fan:
First the journey of the perfumer to Bulgaria to pick Bulgarian rose batches for the creation of the Guerlain "rose communelle" (the term used to denote the "blend" that becomes the Guerlain signature for that note)
Wasser choosing roses in Bulgaria
The other is centered on the creation of the new Shalimar bottle designed by Jade Jagger, explaining the vision between the modern, fresh look and the traditional design of this emblematic oriental. The footage comes from the press release at the Ritz, Paris.
Jade Jagger: "I wanted something modern and fresh"
Worth a look!



Jean Paul Guerlain on the other hand is coming out with a new publication via Le Cherche Midi. The new book penned by Jean Paul Guerlain is titled "Parfums d'Amour" and will be in French. In it he highlights his eternal love for vanilla while at the same time he promises to uncover some of the 'secrets' behind the creations of Samsara, Spiritueuse Double Vanille, Nuit d'Amour, Cherry Blossom, Habit Rouge, Vetiver and Vetiver pour Elle. Along with the book a 15ml vial of Spirituese Double Vanille will be included. "Parfums d'Amour" will be available in Guerlain boutiques from October 1st, 2010 and more widely distributed from 21st October onwards. Jean Paul is also the author of another book which takes the form of journey souvenirs for his many fragrance expeditions to source fragrance materials for his family business.
And don't forget: M.Guerlain will attend an evening of book signing on 30th September at the Champs Elysées boutique!

photo from the Guerlain boutique at Le Marais (thinkretail and elisadefeudeau

Frederic Malle Portrait of a Lady: new fragrance

Les Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle have ventured into home fragrance lately (here & more below on this post), but the fine fragrance department was seemingly neglected for a while. Portrait of a Lady, their newest feminine fragrance is going to change all that, introducing another coveted item in the niche line. The name is of course inspired by the same-named novel by Henry James from 1881, focusing on a heroine who afronts her overwhelming destiny with all the tragic mood of a classical Greek tragedy and set in a context which clashes the Old and New World sensibilities to great aplomb.

Composed by Dominique Ropion (who had collaborated with Malle on Une Fleur de Cassie, Vétiver Extraordinaire, Carnal Flower and Géranium pour Monsieur), Portrait of a Lady, the upcoming F.Malle fragrance, is centered around rose alongside spicy notes of clove, cinnamon and incense, developing a complex sillage that is promising to be oscillating between an oriental and a chypre. After all the F.Malle Une Rose is indeed almost chypré already. The woody note in Portrait of a Lady is patchoulol, a terpene extracted from natural patchouli, whose one isomer is responsible for the scent of patchouli itself. This refinement allows to avoid some of the technical problems of using the unfractured patchouli and leads to a purer scent. Rose and patchouli have been a beloved theme of modern perfumery in the last decade with several worthy speciments in niche fragrances, from Voleur de Roses by L'Artisan to Lady Vengeance from Juliette has a Gun. But the orientalised take and the spice addition alongside the smokiness of incense seem like a novel take that seems exciting and promising. Could it prove to be the perfect Gothic rose fragrance that sometimes people are seeking?
Portrait of a Lady will retail from 145 to 215 euros for 50ml and 100ml respectively, available from November 2010.

In the home fragrancing front, ‘Diffuseur Solitaire’, a non electric minimally designed new gadget, shaped like an aluminum cylinder in either black or metal-finish adapts itself to confined spaces. The more modest price point (compared to the 360 euros that were asked for Fleur Mécanique) is another advantage. It is for the moment offered in re-worked scents of ‘Coffee Society’ and ‘Saint des Saints’ (review on the link) which were originally developed for the scented candles in the F.Malle line. But the recharges of the Fleur Mécanique line have also profited from a lifting: a new concentration extrême, touted as more than 50 % is being presented as "+" version.

All pious at the Malle shrine, enter!

Diffuseur Solitaire : 85 euros ; Recharge "+" : 55 à 75 euros, available on the oficial site editionsdeparfums.com/

Related reading on Perfumeshrine: Upcoming releases, Frederic Malle news & reviews

pic via osmoz

The Perfume Diaries ~ A Private View

~by guest writer Fiordiligi

On Tuesday afternoon, September 14, 2010, a small group of people had the tremendous privilege of attending a Private View of the Harrods exhibition The Perfume Diaries hosted by the curator, Roja Dove. (If you missed the previous reportage of the Guerlain evening, please read this article). The exhibition, the brainchild of perfumery buyer Emma Hockley, is the biggest that Harrods has ever staged and Roja’s reputation in the industry is such that legendary perfume houses, as well as private collectors including Roja himself, have lent priceless items, many of which have never been seen in public before.

Structured by reference to socio-economic influences over the past century, the exhibition opens with an explanation of the standard construction of perfumes (the pyramid) and the recognized fragrance families and moves on to mouth-watering displays of rare and beautiful items decade by decade. The initial display covers the century from 1800 to 1900 and Roja, a born raconteur, had his audience spellbound explaining the birth of perfumery in England and, later, in France. Many amazing examples were on display, including the original bottles of perfume made for Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and Napoleon. Roja explained that in the early days there was no such thing as advertising and bottles were generally of a very simple apothecary style, but with large labels indicating the content. The hope was that passers-by would be enticed by the labels and drawn in to the shop to make a purchase.

We are all familiar with the idea of eau de toilette but the origin of the term was explained by Roja. In the very early days, toile (cloth) was scented with oils, dried, scented again, dried again, and so on, until it became thoroughly impregnated with perfume. It was a very costly luxury. The toile was then used, dry, to rub down the body after sleep and provide freshness and scent when bathing was not terribly common! After this start, it evolved into the liquid product called eau de toilette which we all use today. Roja pointed out an incredibly rare sealed bottle which was the original eau de toilette (“water from the little cloth.”)

In the beginning of the 20th century, great houses such as Guerlain, Houbigant and Piver moved from the simple soliflore scents they had been producing and started to give their perfumes fanciful names (how about Voila Pourquoi j’Aimais Rosine?) as they started to use some of the modern synthetics to make their fragrances more complex. Roja joked that celebrity scents are nothing new, as Guerlain named one of their perfumes Jasmiralda (and yes, there is a full bottle in the exhibition) after Esmeralda, the heroine of Victor Hugo’s popular novel Notre Dame de Paris.

The genius known as the father of modern perfumery, the Corsican Francois Coty, revolutionised the perfume world in the early part of the 20th century, not only with his wonderfully innovative creations but also with the presentation of his scents. He had his friend Baccarat make bottles and another friend, a jeweller by the name of Rene Lalique, make labels and boxes for his perfumes (previously unheard of). The rest, as they say, is history.

The 1920s saw the launch of many masterpieces, and the creation of Chanel No 5 in 1921 with the use of aldehydes was a milestone. Roja showed us an exhibit which belongs to him – a red leather box containing Chanel No 2 (never produced commercially), Chanel No 5, Chanel No 11 (again, not a commercial production) and Chanel No 22. His box is the only one known in the world!

As the exhibition moved through the decades, the stories came thick and fast. We saw the fabulous silver ship presentation of Patou’s Normandie which was presented to every lady in First Class on the inaugural voyage of the luxurious transatlantic liner of the same name. The example of the bottle on display is numbered one, belongs to Roja and was recovered from a skip where it had been jettisoned after Patou was sold.

In the 1940s the wind of change was sweeping through the world after World War II and it brought with it fragrances such as Vent Vert and Miss Dior. One of the few non-perfume exhibits is the original dress from Dior’s New Look collection of 1947, named Miss Dior. Roja also pointed out a bottle in the shape of a dog, called Tian, which contains Miss Dior. This incredibly rare item is named after Monsieur Dior’s dog, called Tian as a diminutive of Christian, his owner’s name.

As we moved into the 1960s Roja talked about the social changes which would have such a huge influence on everyone – the Beatles, the Pill, the mini-skirt and the new freedom of the decade. Dior launched Eau Sauvage which capitalised on the new synthetic hedione (a jasmine derivative). Such was the influence of this scent that just about every perfume made since that time has incorporated this element. Roja showed us an unbelievably rare bottle in the familiar Eau Sauvage ribbed style but with the label Favorit, for that was to be the name until a Dior employee named Monsieur Sauvage, always late for meetings, walked in one day, late as usual, and a colleague said “oh, Sauvage!” The perfume had its new name.

The display for the 1980s had everyone laughing and amongst the tales of excess was the one recounted by Roja which was that when Giorgio was released there was a line outside Harvey Nichols in London stretching right down the street every single day as people rushed to buy this blockbuster! It is also interesting that the first true celebrity fragrance appeared in the 80s, and it was Elizabeth Taylor’s White Diamonds.

The 1990s, with the rejection of excess and embracing of minimalism, together with the fear of HIV/Aids, brought us the anti-scents of Calvin Klein’s Escape and Issey Miyake’s l’Eau d’Issey, using the synthetic Calone, previously used to fragrance detergents. It also brought us the return to childhood which is the sweet and sticky candy-floss of ethyl maltol found in the astonishingly successful Angel.

None of those present wanted the guided tour to end, but after almost two hours we landed in the present day with its “sets” of fragrance, such as Cartier les Heures, Chanel’s Les Exclusifs and Van Cleef and Arpels range. Roja pointed out that this craze for a group of perfumes was started with Guerlain’s Aqua Allegorias and Jean-Charles Brosseau’s Fleurs d’Homme, so there really is nothing new under the sun.

Among the highlights of the afternoon were the incredibly rare early bottles and all the amazing Guerlains, many in mint condition and in very large sizes, all described so vividly by Roja. Next time you feel guilty about buying perfume, remember that until relatively recently, perfume extrait was sold in 30 ml, 60 ml, 120 ml and 250 ml bottles. The little 7.5 ml size was for a lady to keep in her handbag, before the advent of the travel-sized atomizer. And Hermes made (unsigned) coloured leather or crocodile cases for Guerlain, containing bulb atomizers to fill with your favourite scent. Imagine!

A few of the other special items on display and their stories:

• The Baccarat Papillon (bow-tie) bottles were made of blue glass and covered in gold (they originally contained Guerlain’s Coque d’Or) but some were not covered in gold. Why? Well, the factory doing the gilding burnt down!

• Receipts and bills for Marie Antoinette, who had the Sevres factory make porcelain flowers for her garden at Versailles, which were scented every day with her favourite perfume.

• A large leather ledger from Floris shows orders for the King and Queen. The late Queen Mother paid her Floris bill by Postal Order!

• A “plan” of the Chanel No 5 bottle (i.e. the view looking down from above on the stopper and bottle) reveals itself as a diagram of the layout of the Place Vendome in Paris.

There is so much to see in this museum-class and absolutely enthralling exhibition and anyone who can manage to get to London should make a point of visiting as soon as possible.

pics via cultbeauty.co.uk, vintageposterart.com, britishbeautyexperts.com, quirkyfinds.com

The winner of the draw...

...for the Tauer bottle of your choose (between Eau d'Epices and Rose Vermeille) is Matt. Congrats and please email me with a shipping address and your choice of scent so I can forward your data to mr.Tauer and he can ship your bottle to you.

Thanks to everyone for your enthusiastic participation and remember the Serge Lutens exclusive Boxeuses draw is still open.

Hermes Hermessence" Iris Ukiyoe": new fragrance

The upcoming Hermessence exclusive Hermès fragrance by Jean Claude Ellena is named
Iris Ukiyoe, centered around the noble rhizome of iris and set to launch in November 2010. We had discussed this as a rumour, stemming from a conversation I had with the House and the perfumer about their upcoming projects, last winter, but discretion didn't allow Jean Claude to elaborate on what was still on the mixing lab, so to speak. Now after much time it seems conclusive, as depicted on this page (the bottom bottle in purple is of the upcoming Iris Ukiyoe).
The composition is focusing on "a new, unexpected variation on the iris flower". Ukiyo-e means "images of the floating world" and is a genre of Japanese woodblock prints from the 18th and 19th century (for instance everyone knows this one). This Far East predeliction is in tempo with Jean-Claude's own "zen" approach to his art (Spartan use of materials, utter refinement, a sense of tranquility and a detest for "easy" solutions). It's also in the context of the theme of the House for this year which is "Tales to be Told". But it could be also seen with the -contemporaneous- news of Hermès launching their new line for the market of China. As we had announced last January: ""It was also announced in late December that the French label plans to launch a new brand in China, called Shang Xia. The goal is to play a bigger role in the Chinese market by creating items and styles using materials rooted in the Chinese culture". Is China a market similar to that of Japan now? Seems to be growing beautifully. Japan is considered among a luxury house's dream destinations, at any rate.

Judging by the Japonesque name of Iris Ukiyoe, which alludes to delicate artistic woodcuts, the new Hermessence fragrance would include Ellena's beloved dosage of transparent woody Iso-E Super alongside an aqueous note (much like he did with Vanille Galante, infusing vanilla with an aqueous net of salicylates). My own personal interpretation is that it might also contain a surprising hint of cocoa, a natural facet of the iris not yet exploited fully in perfumery (and certainly not in the already iris-infused offering of the house, Hiris, Kelly Calèche, Eau de Gentiane Blanche and Un Jardin en Mediteranée among them, but on this I cannot say more for now...

Available at exclusive Hermès boutiques around the world 100ml of Eau de Toilette for 170 euros (November 2010) and later online at Hermes.usa.

Related reading on Perfume Shrine: Hermessences, Jean Claude Ellena interview, Hermes reviews & news, An iris problem: how to build an Iris fragrance, Upcoming releases.

info confirmation alert thanks to my good fairy :-) pic via L'Express

Serge Lutens Boxeuses: fragrance review & draw

I wouldn't hesitate to think of the latest Paris exclusive fragrance by Lutens , going by the insolent name Boxeuses, as Féminité du Cuir instead. What do feminine pugilists (the true meaning of Boxeuses, pronounced box-EHz, in French) have to do with the delicate and mysterious affair of perfume? And why did Serge choose that name?

Plenty it appears and Lutens isn't one to go by conventional names anyway. This enigmatic woody leather is molded after a soft kid's leather glove that hits all the sweet spots for any ardent Lutens fan, that's why! After all French perfumery did arise through scented gloves, didn't it? Unlike the green fairy of Bas de Soie with the icy sensuality that demands kinky behaviour to unhinge itself, Boxeuses goes straight for the jugular, playing on the familiar, original codes of the Lutensian universe: violet-tinged woods, plummy fruits, somptuous spices...

To those who are intimately familiar with the Lutensian opus, Boxeuses can't fail but instantly remind them of Féminité du Bois and in fact the whole Bois series it spawned for the launch of Les Salons du Palais Royal back in 1992 (Bois de Violette, Bois et Fruits, Bois et Musc, Bois Oriental). Much like them, Boxeuses is full of the woody backdrop of Iso-E Super and violet methyl-ionones, plus a good dosage of plummy nuance redolent of Arabian desserts which perfumer Chris Sheldrake elevated beyond manière into Art. To those who are not, Boxeuses could be the love-child of a Cuir-de-Russie-type (notably Chanel's offering with its luxurious feel) due to the birch tar material anchoring it and Rochas Femme with its Prunol base; the latter in all its cuminy sexy glory, thank you very much. Of course the lineage might be de trop to mention: Féminité du Bois does owe some of its genius in the sexiness factor of Femme, but pushing the envelope further thanks to its sombre spiciness of cinnamon and cardamom which couple with woods reminiscent of a box of lead pencils; unheard of at the time.

If Cuir Mauresque (his other "leather" and this year's limited edition export of the Paris exclusives, scheduled for a late 2010 launch) recalls a "Peau d'Espagne" or Cuir Ottoman sensibility, Boxeuses is restrained enough in its opulence to be closer to a Cuir de Russie type or Tabac Blond (the pyrogenic coupling of acidulous notes and styrax with birch) and similarly genderless, despite the name. The leathery and spicy facets of Boxeuses come to the fore immediately, on one hand an anisic tinge recalling licorice and classic French perfumery, on another an incensy feel with cinnamic facets recalling Serge Noire. The sticky plum surfaces next, not sacharine but shaded with violet, rounding out the fragrance alongside smoky woods and milky soft musk with a smidge of dark cocoa, sustaining that impression with medium sillage for a long time.

To those forlorn, after the launch of Nuit de Cellophane, then L'Eau Serge Lutens and even of Bas de Soie, claiming Serge was "softening" and much like Alexander the Great allowing himself to adopt the customs & sensibilities of a completely foreign aesthetic, Boxeuses is a punch in the nose. Like Australian boxing film sensation Girlfight (2000) proclaimed, Lutens attained the unexpected through the most expected way: "Prove them wrong!"

For our readers, 5 samples of the exclusive Boxeuses will be given out of my own personal bottle. Tell us WHY this scent sings your name in the comments and I will pick 5 winners. (Draw is open till Friday 24th midnight).



Notes for Serge Lutens Boxeuses:
Birch tar, styrax, incense, spices, cade oil.

Serge Lutens Boxeuses forms part of the Paris exclusive line, available as 75ml of Eau de Parfum in the bell bottles. The packaging has been slightly changed (ever since the launch of Bas de Soie last July actually) and the bells are not sealed so as to protect contents from spillage and tampering. It retails for 120 euros at Les Salons du Palais Royal in Paris.
Related reading on Perfume Shrine: Serge Lutens reviews & news, the Leather Series

Photos of female boxers via the Hulton Archive. Photo of Lutens Boxeuses bottle © by Elena Vosnaki

Amouage & C.Chong at Bergdorf Goodman's

Christoper Chong, art director of ultra-luxury Oman-based niche brand Amouage, is making a personal appearance at Bergdorf Goodman's women's store at the perfume department in NYC on 30th September from 4 to 6 pm. The occasion is scheduled for the launch of Amouage Memoir pour Homme (man) and Memoir pour Femme (woman) duo of fragrances.
Read more on the upcoming Amouage Memoir fragrances here.
Bergdorf Goodman: 754 5th Ave, New York - (212) 753-7300
Call now for further inquiries.

Related reading on Perfume Shrine: Amouage house reviews & news

Sissel Tolaas: Smell Anarchist

The woman who has described herself saying "I’m a professional provocateur" gives an exclusive interview to Extrait.it at Pitti fragrance exhibition in Florence.

Lancome Tresor Diamant Noir: new precious bottle

To mark the 20th birthday of Trésor (issued in 1990 and fastly becoming an enduring best-seller), Lancôme is launching an exclusive, limited edition named Trésor Diamant Noir. The most precious stone of them all, the black diamond, was the inspiration for this anniversary bottle which looks like a faceted and polished black diamond which hides the ambery-coloured juice inside. The bottle neck is decorated with a ring of crystal and ebony black hematite. The box is pitch black and engraved. The fragrance inside remains the same.

Lancôme Trésor Diamant Noir will be available from October 2010 in only 20 bottles, exclusively at Lancome Institute with the price per bottle at 2000 euros ($2575).

photo bia luxurylaunches

Christophe Laudamiel on How Smell Works

How does our brain pick up scents? Fractally it seems and not even trained noses get everything at once. As acclaimed perfumer Christophe Laudamiel says:
"[Smell perception of fragrant molecules] is processed like patches, like facets. And even the best experts can smell only five to eight facets at a given time," explains Laudamiel during his Big Think interview. "For the brain to register a facet, you have to have at least several components for each facet which together are going to give this signature that then you will recognize as coffee. But you won't be able to recognize the different things that you would see in coffee. Some of them, if you take them one-by-one... smell like raw potato, another one is going to smell like smoke, another one like toasted bread, another one like earth, and et cetera." And goes on to add that when creating Aura for the Thierry Mugler coffret he composed for the issue of novel-adapting film "Perfume, Story of a Murderer", asked to recreate the scent of a virgin, "he focused on the scents of milky elements like rice and the soft and velvety scents of water lily and apricot skin. Of course, to add a little human je ne sais quoi to the fragrance, he also added an a few aldehydes, which helped to mimic the notes that our decomposing skin emits regularly".
Read the rest of the article on the Big Think link.


Pic from the film "Perfume, Story of a Murderer" via jdnightghobhadi/livjournal

Win an A.Tauer Bottle of Your Choice! (and reviews on Une Rose Vermeille & Eau d'Epices)

Andy Tauer has been at the Pitti Fragranze exhibition in Florence, but his generosity to the perfume community is well documented and knows no territorial bounds. Therefore, he offered a contest for Perfume Shrine readers with a brand new bottle of perfume as prize and the winner gets to choose between his two upcoming launches: ROSE VERMEILLE or EAU D’ÉPICES.
So what should you do to enter the contest? Simple: State which is your favourite Andy Tauer scent & why in the comments; or if you haven't tried any, why you would want to sample an A. Tauer fragrance and maybe which catches your fance.
I will pick the best entry (to my discretion) and forward the winner's data to Tauer, so he can send them the fragrance. Contest is open till the end of the week, Sunday midnight, so you have plenty of time to participate.

In the above context and to help you a bit, I have sampled both fragrances and they're predictably very good. Of course all spicy fragrances by Tauer are awesome and the characteristic "Tauerade" (the house's beloved mix of labdanum, Tonka and the ambergis note) in the base is echoing through both. The spicy bouquet on top of L’eau d’épices is comforting and cozy. I don't know if it's the approaching cool of autumn and the longing for evenings spent by the fire, wrapped with a fluffy blanket and holding a mug of muled wine, but there's something immediately appealing about this scent which I am sure will find many fans. The cardamom is especially nice and coupled with the labdanum at the base created a sweet, resinous feeling. Tauer likens it to a walk through a pineta and I wouldn't disagree. The other spices are more of a familiar clove-y mix which recalls pomanders, the juicy citrus peel festooning the spicy prongs.
Une Rose Vermeille is a fruity rose, but fruity in the way that natural rose essence has a tangy, sometimes honeyed-hesperidic quality: the rose pairs with the mandarin and the framboise very well. After all, Tauer does love his roses and treats them like princesses. Andy here used Bulgarian rose absolute, which is very costly, and bypassed the powdery aspects into highlighting the liqueur-like tones so it reads "modern" and almost edible, like the rose jams we used to make around here, rather than "retro". Succulent!
Both fragrances project clean somehow, they feel "fresh" and bright and could be worn by either sex, but they're a far cry from the laundered & bleached "clean" fragrances that flood the market and recall functional products rather than fine fragrance. This is ascertaindly fine fragrance and is proud of it!

By the way, Andy intimated that he's introducing a smaller 30ml flacon for two of the Homage scents, Une Rose Chyprée (you can read a review here) and Une Rose Vermeille. Good news for those with tighter budgets!


Notes on the two new scents from Tauer Perfumes:
Scent N0. 12-EAU D’ÉPICES (eau de parfum, in the classic blue Tauer 50 ml flacon).
HEAD NOTES An Indian basket of spices with cinnamon, cardamom, clove and coriander with red mandarines.
HEART NOTES An opulent heart of orange blossom, jasmine, orris root and incense.
BODY NOTES A woody cistus ladaniferus resin, softened with ambergris, Tonka beans and vetiver.
Available worldwide end of September, about 120 $US

Scent No. 10-UNE ROSE VERMEILLE (eau de parfum, in a new 30 ml flacon, presented for the first time in Florence, September 10).
HEAD NOTES A citrus chord with lemon and bergamot with a whisper of lavender.
HEART NOTES Sumptuous bouquets of roses and violets, kissed by luscious raspberries.
BODY NOTES The richness of vanilla, sandalwood and Tonka beans, touched by the elegance of ambergris.
Available worldwide end of September, about 130 $US

Disclosure: samples vials of the scents were sent me by the perfumer

Ormonde Jayne Gold Rush: new products

Ormonde Jayne is spoiling us rotten again with a slew of new products:

Gold Crème, an opulent scented crème for the décolleté and shoulders is available in two of Ormonde Jayne’s award winning fragrances, Orris Noir and Ta’if. Gold Crème leaves skin delicately fragranced with a beautiful golden shimmer.

Price: £56 for 15ml
Stockist: 12 The Royal Arcade, 28 Old Bond Street, London W1S 4SL, 020 7499 1100
Ormonde Jayne, Harrods, Black Hall, London SW1X 7XL, 020 7730 1234
http://www.ormondejayne.com/

Gold Dust on the other hand is decadent, recalling retro films with dangerous heroines who wrecked havoc with their enchanted entourage and used big puffs of powder in front of their mirror. Gold Dust will be the ultimate luxury this Christmas and is exclusive to Harrods. 24-carat gold dusting powder, housed in a black lacquered handmade gold box crafted by British carpenters. The lavish puff is hand sewn in the Ormonde Jayne London studio in French satin with a beautiful champagne coloured marabou feather trim. Gold Dust is perfumed with the rare and exotic Ta’if Rose. Ta’if Roses are harvested only during April and are handpicked early each morning, five thousand feet above the shores of the Red Sea and overlooking the Arabian Desert. For the ultimate evening glamour, apply over Ormonde Jayne Ta’if Eau de Parfum or Parfum to leave you with an enthralling fragrance which will last the length of any party. Linda Pilkington, creator and owner says: “The ultimate in decadence and glamour for that bit of vampish femme fatale in all of us.”

Price: £400 for 15ml gold dusting power and handmade puff
Stockist: Ormonde Jayne, Harrods, Black Hall, London SW1X 7XL, 020 7730 1234

Finally, there is the Navidad Scented Candle for Christmas 2010. Fragranced with warm, festive notes of Mandarin, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Bay, Amber and Tonka, this limited edition candle creates the perfect Christmas atmosphere. Each of the three hundred limited edition Navidad candles is housed in an beautiful antique gold box with an embossed gold lid. Every candle is hand poured and finished in the Ormonde Jayne London studio.

Price: £60 for 290g Limited Edition Candle in luxury Christmas presentation box.
Stockist: as above for the Gold cream

some info & pic via press release

Hang on to your seatbelts!

I have been so burdened with fragrance writing and projects my arms are stiff, but I will come back with a BIG surprise and contest you won't want to miss in a short while. Very soon, promise!

Aftelier Candide: new fragrance

From niche, indie brand Aftelier, headed by Mandy Aftel, comes a new fragrance, Candide.

Candide is a bright, uplifting floral, expressing its theme of optimism through sublime jasmine and age-old frankincense. Recent research in the Journal of Biological Chemistry finds that the scent of jasmine is better than Valium at calming and soothing. The sunny color comes from the orange shades of jasmine , pink grapefruit, and blood orange essences. The smell of jasmine is uplifting and cheerful in a sexy way – the perfect blend of high and low, sweet and dirty. The pink grapefruit is juicy and sweet; the blood orange smells of mouth-watering orange mixed with raspberries. The name is an homage to the great novel by Voltaire, with its theme of optimism.

Candide is available in one quarter ounce ($150) and 2 ml mini size ($45). Our one quarter ounce perfume comes with a complimentary mini kit. Contact info@aftelier.com

Lady Gaga and her celebrity scent

Can I just yawn my way out of all these celebo-scents? Theoretically, there is nothing wrong with a famous person having a fragrance out bearing their name and ugly (or pretty, as the case is) mug on the bottle, but so very often the juice inside is just swill... Not to mention it's often unlikely that there would be any class involved (see this) or innovation (see that) or at the very least a sense of continuity with the "brand? (see that, for Pete's sake).
At any rate, who else but Lady Gaga, the major pop culture phenomenon of the last -oh, how long was it, again?- years, to bring out a new celebrity fragrance. According to People, Gaga has signed a deal with Coty to launch her own fragrance, set to be in stores in spring 2012. The lady herself has been known to wear Chanel Gardenia. Go figure! Who knows how the new fragrance will smell like, but I guess we're to be greeted with news of "rock accords" and "jarring fashion sense chords" soon.
Wondering what will really set it apart? Perhaps much like the eponymous pop star's garments, it will require special staff to hold on and use for its designated purpose. Or something...

Photo of Lady Gaga in all her feathered glory via zimbio

Evening of British Perfumery at Harrods

Harrods Perfume Dairies exhibition is inviting you to an Evening of British Perfumery on Thursday 16th September 2010 6.30pm - 8.00pm
Explore the best of British perfumery, led by curator Roja Dove, with speakers from Ormonde Jayne, Floris, Grossmith, Penhaligon's and Clive Christian

A Very Special Guerlain Event: Fragrant Reportage at Harrods Perfume Diaries

~by guest writer Fiordiligi

The Perfume Diaries exhibition, currently attracting plenty of attention at Harrods department store in London, offered an enticing and perhaps once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Guerlainistas last Thursday, September 9, 2010. Harrods and the organisers of this exhibition managed to persuade the legendary but now somewhat frail Jean-Paul Guerlain to travel to London, accompanied by his successor as “nose” at the house of Guerlain, Thierry Wasser, in order to participate in an interview for a few fortunate perfume fans.

From left to right (click for reviews): Guerlain Pour Troubler, Chant d'Arômes, Fleur Qui Meurt, Après L'Ondée


In an intimate setting within the exhibition space, Jean Paul Guerlain and his protégé (who clearly enjoy a relationship of mutual respect and admiration), responded to questions from the Harrods Fashion and Beauty Director Marigay McKee. A measure of the importance of this event was the appearance of Harrods owner (but perhaps not for much longer if the Press reports are to be believed) Mohammed Al Fayed at the beginning of the session.

The opening question and its response summed up the entire Guerlain ethos: when asked by Ms McKee to explain Guerlain’s longevity as a perfume house, Jean Paul had an unhesitating one-word response: quality. Later, he also insisted that another reason for the success of the House was the fact that they only sell what they can produce; in other words, Guerlain is a perfumer, unlike the fashion houses which “buy in” a fragrance to which the designer’s name can be appended and which can be sold alongside handbags and dresses.

Jean-Paul Guerlain’s first creation for the family business was when he was 15 years old, and he is still making perfume (thank goodness!) some 58 years later. When asked for his most personally meaningful creations, he cited Vetiver and Samsara, and then added Nahema. It is well known that the Guerlain family has always nurtured a tradition of stories lying behind the creation of each fragrance, and Jean Paul talked about the creation of a fragrance being linked to love, being in love or wanting to woo someone. Later, the relationship between food and perfume was also discussed (Jean- Paul apparently being a wonderful cook).

Mention was made of the next scent by M.Guerlain (Arsene Lupin), already discussed here, and the travels he still undertakes in search of the raw materials for Guerlain fragrances, including to Liguria, Calabria (for bergamot) and India. He loves to travel, still, and has particularly fallen in love with Nepal and Tibet.

Naturally, the bulk of the short interview was spent in discussion with the Guerlain legend, but Thierry Wasser, an elegant figure in a dark suit, who clearly worships his mentor, spoke modestly and self-effacingly about how he came to Guerlain through his work at Givaudan and, interestingly, how he always makes up the original formula of the Guerlain “greats” as a reference before attempting to re-work it. The mention of the new IFRA restrictions led to the most marvellously eloquent Gallic shrug and hand gesture from M Guerlain – “pah” would describe it best! Clearly, he, like the rest of us, is not impressed.
Mr.Wasser would obviously not be drawn on any new projects although he did say that something was being planned to celebrate the centenary of Jacques Guerlains’ masterpiece L’Heure Bleue in 2012.

Just one or two questions came from the small audience before the interview ended, to prolonged applause, and it would not be an over-statement to say that Jean Paul Guerlain looked very touched by his reception.

Fiordiligi is going to a private view of the actual exhibition guided by Roja Dove on Tuesday, so hopefully she will grace is with a companion piece here soon!

Related reading on Perfume Shrine: Guerlain news, Guerlain Series of reviews


Photo of Guerlain bottles via Grant at Basenotes, many thanks and please visit

Rihanna is Out with a Perfume Soon: Reb'L Fleur

In a chat on her official fansite, Rihanna Daily, Rihanna(identified by a special pink admin name) told fans she’s done recording the entire album and promises it won’t disappoint. [...] The pop star also revealed the name of her new fragrance, which will be out by the end of the year, and it’s a familiar name to the Rihanna Navy: Reb’L Fleur. It’s much like the new tattoo she recently got on her neck, “rebelle fleur.” [source]
Guys, it's official now!




Update: According to the Parlux press release the new Rihanna scent is "Daring, sexy and truly memorable, Reb’l Fleur is as much in tune with Barbados-born Rihanna’s roots as it is with the glamour of her present life in New York City." The bottle design is rather quirky: an inverted stiletto heel wrapped with satin ribbon and topped with a gold ring. Reportedly, however, industry professionals weren't wowed and I kinda see why.
The scent will be available for purchase from February 2011. Reb'L Fleur by Rihanna includes fragrant notes of tuberose, violet, hibiscus, and coconut water [source].



Top pic via popcrunch ,second pic via Rihannadaily.com, bottle pic via Parlux

Top 5 Sexiest Fragrances

A BellaTV snippet (via PopSugar) featuring 5 picks from Scent Bar in Los Angeles (the brick & mortar store of Luckyscent). Basically a promo for Luckyscent, but oh well...it's a rather fun clip! Gotta love Zelena when she wrinkles her nose sniffing a bottle at 00:05. What bottle is that, by the way, anyone knows? Is it a Nanadebarry, Monocle Laurel or one of the Six Scents? And again when she first smells Molecule 01 (watch her expression, priceless micro-detail there) and proclaims it smelling very natural. I mean...Yeah, baby, yeah!

The five sexiest fragrances for men and women in the world according to Steven Gontarski, Scentbar expert (cute guy) are:

Lumière Noire pour Femme by Maison Francis Kurkdjian
Monyette Paris by Monyette Paris
Molecule 01 by Escentric Molecules
Costes 2 by Costes
CDG Red Series Sequoia

Agree? Disagree? Have your say! Which scents rate as sexiest to you?

Annic Goutal roses review: Rose Absolue, Rose Splendide, Quel Amour

Annick Goutal is no stranger to roses: From the retro-smelling rosiness of Ce Soir ou Jamais, to the refined Turkish rose on a powdery base of iris & sandalwood of Heure Exquise, all the way through the fabulous skincare which utilizes rose serum for its caring and skin-regenerating properties, high quality rose essence has a pride of place in the Goutal range, reflecting Annick's passion for the fragrant bloom. The three latest launches come as a trio of limited editions nicknamed Rose So Chic that highlight varying facets of "the king of flowers", the rose, resulting in as many permutations created by perfumer Isabelle Doyen, fit for a different woman or a different mood. Two of them (Rose Absolue and Quel Amour) are lighter interpretations of the existing perfumes in the line, while Rose Spendinde is a new release.

From lightest/fruitiest to "heaviest"/truest they are:

Quel Amour: The impertinence of peonies, the burst of wild rose and geranium rosa, combine with a sharp note of red currants, pomegranates and wine peaches, lending a sense of sweet cravings. Quel Amour smells rather innocent, with a mischievous, sweet tooth (a little whiff of lilac) deriving from a fruity heart and a wine-y, slightly sour note in the aftermath coming from the currants. Basically a berry-rose chord with a zingy, citrusy top note, Quel Amour is romantic the way texting sweet nothings is or settling a little lovers' argument through an apology on your Facebook profile: There is just something about it that appeals to the young and is completely uncomprehensible to the older generations. If searching for a fruity floral to offer to a young one you could do much, much worse elsewhere.

Rose Splendide: Fresh, green and musky, this "eau parfumée" is reminiscent of an early morning walk through gardens sparkling under the new day's dew...A composition based on the delicate, fragile Centifolia Rose, enhanced by the fresh scent of magnolias, musk and a touch of pear, for an incredibly mischevious revelation ! Rose Splendide is presented as the scent of a rose that has not been cut yet, and indeed this continuity between stem and thorn and flower is what keeps me interested. The gorgeous face creams and toners in the Goutal Spendide range have been aromatized for years with a comparable scent (Damascena rose and a bit of blackcurrant) and it was entrancing enough to keep me coming back for more, muffling the siren calls of several other high-end skincare lines. The mysterious underlying muskiness alongside the herbal/leafy touch on top (which reads as cut-grass green) is what seals the deal for me, making Rose Splendide my favourite in this trio of rose fragrances.

Rose Absolue: The quintessence of the noblest roses from the East and West : May, Turkish, Bulgarian, Damask, Egyptian and Moroccan roses. A creative folly for eternal feminity now reinterpreted in an Eau Parfumée. Like an armful of fresh roses, intense in their message, over the top romantic like bowing down on bended knee with the Seine at the background to propose, Rose Absolue is a must-try for anyone in love with roses. The light musk trail at the base notes lends it a whiff of something starting to hint at more intimacy; the love story is beginning to veer off the platonic and into the carnal but it's not quite there yet. The only drawback is the relatively lower staying power.

All three Goutal fragrances in the Rose So Chic collection are circulating as 100ml Eau parfumée spray, under a limited edition presentation of a pink/reddish organza ribbon around the neck under the "turban" cap. They retail for 85$. Annick Goutal will donate 5€ from each purchase of any of three fragrances to AVEC (Association pour La Vie Espoir contre le Cancer) between September 1 and October 31st, 2010, as a commemoration of Annick's battle with cancer.

New Dior Homme Commercial Directed by Guy Richie

The new Dior Homme commercial titled Un Rendez-Vous stars suave Jude Law engaged in ~apparently~ some role-playing sex game with a girlfriend (introducing Slovak model Michaela Kocianova who has a ridiculously predictable thick accent and sounds like Elmer Fudd!). The news is it's been directed by acclaimed British director and ex-Madonna-spouse Guy Ritchie. “You know who I am,” Law growls as Michaela Kocianova helps him slip into his pants, obviously made at the Dior ateliers. “I know who you are. You know where I’ve been. I know where you’ve been….” The dialogue is left at that (it's sounding all too repetitive or is it just me?)— and it’s never quite clear who Law is talking to. Then Law jumps into a vintage car and speeds off to the Eifel Tower. Nice touch to have the girl wearing his cologne, Dior Homme is great on women's skin too! (Have been enjoying it myself)



Greaaaaat, now what do YOU think? I'm a little stumped myself (Isn't it a little confusing? There's some back and forth between past and present all while they're talking on the phone). I like Guy Ritchie's cinematic work on the whole.
And what's that with famous cinematic directors reprising commercials for perfumes lately? (see Scorcese and Chanel Bleu)

More reading about the Ritchie-Dior film: Whiteblog.net

clip brought to my attention via popwatch

Penhaligon's Sartorial: new fragrance

Due to launch in October 2010, Sartorial [the new Penhaligon's fragrance for men] continues the theme of heady innovation. Formulated by Penhaligon’s master perfumer Bertrand Duchafour to reflect the aromas of the workroom at Savile Row tailors’ Norton & Sons, it features notes of oakmoss, tonka bean, lavender and beeswax, which picks up on the blocks of beeswax used in the workroom to coat each thread before stitching. [source]

Sartorial is a contemporary interpretation of a classic Fougère; the traditional notes of oakmoss, tonka bean and lavender have been stitched together with woods, ozonic and metallic effects, leather, violet leaf, honey and spices to create the perfect illusion of a tailor’s workroom. The modern thread running through Sartorial is beeswax. According to Whomyouknow: "This sweet smudged note ties together the more traditional elements; the oiled flash of shears cutting cloth, the rub of fabric beneath fingers, tobacco tinted cabinetry, puffs of chalk in the air and old paper patterns vanilla with age. Bringing together the great traditions of British perfumery and British bespoke tailoring, Sartorial is a fragrance for a new generation of gentlemen".
Basenotes member HDS1963 previewed it thus: "a very elegant and distinguished spice-topped fragrance which contains the heady lightness of previous offerings such as Castile and Douro, but with a rich-come-dirty spiciness to it lent by what smelled like a light cumin-sweetened by cardamom to it."

Will Sartorial join the fleet of scented cabs running the streets of London with drivers in attendance for questions from inquisitive passengers? (Currently there are 5 cabs, scented with Artemisia, Blenheim Bouquet, Endymion, Malabah and Orange Blossom).If you sport one, photograph it and post & tag it on Facebook you enter a prize draw for 100ml of the scent of your choice.

Notes for Penhaligon's Sartorial:
Top: Aldehydes, Ozonic Effect, Metallic Effect, Violet Leaf, Neroli, Cardamom, Black Pepper, Fresh Ginger
Heart: Beeswax, Cyclamen, Linden Blossom, Lavender, Leather
Base: Gurgum Wood, Patchouli, Myrrh, Cedarwood, Tonka Bean, Oakmoss, White Musk, Honey Effect, Old Wood Effect, Vanilla, Amber

Penhaligon's Sartorial will launch in the US on 11th October 2010 and will be available in Penhaligon’s boutiques, retailers carrying the line and online at www.penhaligons.com, in 50ml (80$) and 100ml (110$) of Eau de Toilette concentration.

photo via indieperfumes

Racy commercial for Intimately Yours by David & Victoria Beckham

"Racy": really? I thought it was rather predictable. What say you?

Intimately Yours duo of fragrances (for him and for her) by David & Victoria Beckham is set to be the 5th launch of the super-duet, promising it's the steamiest of their celebrity scents offerings so far. They would, wouldn't they?



Source Marie Claire UK

What's Life Without Fragrance?

For men, it apparently offers a sleeker look....
Enter Osmoz as well to win a year's worth of fragrance!

Watch also this clip and that one.

Clip via Osmoz TV

A Perfume Organic: Contest & Samples

A Perfume Organic, a fairly recent niche brand offering certified organic fragrances, is celebrating Fashion's Night Out this coming Friday 10th September in New York City at 2 Great Jones Street, Broadway & Lafayette from 6PM-10PM.

A contest with prizes is organized, some prosecco drinking and complimentary fragrance samples for all. Participate in a scavenger hunt-themed styling contest in multiple Soho New York-based locations called "Dots SPOTS." Meet at Imilla Road, and meet Richie Rich and celebrity stylist Mia Morgan who will co-host and judge your personalized looks!
Winning looks will win a day of beauty and styling with Mia Morgan, a new Dots wardrobe & a trip for two to a tropical location!
A Perfume Organic is an official sponsor for The Green Shows - the premiere fashion event exclusively committed to eco-friendly fashion - September 12-14th.

For more information: Imillaroad.com, A perfume Organic, The Green Shows

via press release