Friday, January 7, 2011

Floris Amaryllis: new fragrance

Floris, after Madonna of the Almonds, proposes a new fragrance, based on a romantic concept: Amaryllis. The name, common for girls in both Greek and Latin-derived languages, comes from the Greek word ἀμαρύσσω which means "to shine, to sparkle" and is referenced in Theophrastus' Idylls tied to a beautiful shepherdess and later in Virgil's pastoral 1st Eclogue/Bucolic, as a singing wanderer of the woods. The fragrance itself, a spicy ambery floral, is inspired according to Floris by the romantically rural theme and focuses on the botanic connotation, which is beladonna lily (which interestingly enough means "beautiful lady" in Italian). But the devolution of the botanical name of the flower into "pink ladies" and "naked ladies" has surely something to do with the pastoral themes of youths teaching the forest to resound the name Amaryllis ("Sit careless in the shade, and, at your call, 'Fair Amaryllis' bid the woods resound") and of rolling merrily on the grass...




And how should the upcoming Floris Amaryllis smell like?

Notes for Amaryllis by Floris
Top notes: Bergamot, carnation, marine accord
Heart notes: frankincense, amaryllis, myrh, tuberose, ylang ylang
Base notes: Caramel, heliotrope, patchouli, musk, tonka bean, vanilla

pic via Calè and vernabob.com

13 comments:

  1. Valentine04:49

    Beautiful name. It sounds like an interesting concept and as if the scent has potential, but those top notes make me wary. "Marine accord" is usually enough to send me running, but the drydown sounds lovely.

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  2. It sounds so lovely to me. I have just discovered this Perfume House through you. Thank you!

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  3. I could be totally out of line here, but the thought crossed my mind that Floris may also be hoping to attract some confused would-be purchasers of Amaranthine.

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  4. Anonymous19:58

    I'm looking forward to your review of this when you test it because there are a good many heavy-hitting notes listed there: will they "sparkle" or "shine" collectively? How thrilling if they do!

    cheerio, Anna in Edinburgh

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  5. Valentine,

    marine is probably the most maligned word in perfume nerds' vocabulary (next comes fruity floral), but there are some beautiful aqueous accords in select perfumes, so it might be nice. I do need to point out that the vanilla is purported to be an aquatic sort too (I guess you can think of Vanille Galante's concept for that note)

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  6. VL,

    I'm ever so glad! Floris has a couple of very good things, one of which is the sadly discontinued Malmaison. But Malabah, Hammam Bouquet, Castile and Lily & Spice are still in circulation :-)

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  7. Vanessa,

    you have a wicked and fertile imagination and you know, it does make sense!! (Now how didn't I think of that?)

    Great to "see" you! Hope you're well.

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  8. anna,

    let's hope that it is lovely as purported to be and lush as imagined. Lily & Spice was a good rendition of the flower's personality, so I'm hopeful.

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  9. anna,

    let's hope that it is lovely as purported to be and lush as imagined. Lily & Spice was a good rendition of the flower's personality, so I'm hopeful.

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  10. Heliotrope is not my cup of tea, but I like the other notes, even the marine accord, why not? :)
    There are some good perfumes which contain some marine note, like Rosine Écume de Rose or Van Cleef Bois d'Iris, and I love them. Oh, and I loved the sadly discontinued old Pierre Cardin Bleu Marine.

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  11. a very interesting selection of notes there- frankincense and marine accords sounds in theory sounds delightful but I do find marines can smell very synthetic.

    I like Floris very much though so hope it's lovely

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  12. Isa,

    good selection and reminding me to re-sniff those. Thanks!

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  13. K,

    it's always a gamble when interesting stuff gets together. It's safer to go with the tried and true, but then half of the excitement would be gone. ;-)

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