Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Le Secret d'Arielle by Mauboussin: new fragrance & collaboration

News of a collaboration between French jewelers & fragrance brand Mauboussin and French-American actress & singer Arielle Dombasle left me with an instant feeling of heightened, impatient expectation. The reason is twofold: on the one hand the great reputation of Mauboussin perfumes (not to mention the diamond jewels!), on the other the notoriety of Dombasle as a true lover of perfume. In fact, her signature scent has long held something of a fascination to me, back when I was compiling my perfumes worn by celebrities list almost 15 years ago, being highly responsive to her personal choices.

Pierre Olivier Deschamps photography

"Whatever her raison d’être française — like playing catch-up for having been born in the United States and raised in Mexico — she has mastered that oh-so-French savoring of every delicious whiff of life that Americans, as the prejudice goes, like to turn up their noses at.
That is evident by the cloud of perfume in which she arrives for lunch; let others travel by car. “I can live without lipstick, without a hairbrush, but I cannot live without perfume,” she said. “What did the kings bring to the baby Jesus? The ingredients of perfume. It’s the basis of ... ” She trailed off, gesturing as if to indicate the whole world. [...]
Dombasle is not content just to dab on a bit of store-bought stuff, a 20th-century practice she derides as lacking in imagination. Rather, she concocts her own mixture from Cuir de Russie by Chanel, Aromatic Elixir by Clinique and a cheap off-brand white musk she stockpiles from a shop on the Lower East Side. (NYC) "
[source]
Her new fragrance, in collaboration with Mauboussin and the perfumers in charge of creating the formula, is called Secret d'Arielle and comes in a 30ml extrait de parfum. If you want to read a review of it, there's one on Fragrantica.

For those of you wondering: the star of David on the bottle probably alludes to her Jewish husband, French philosopher and writer Bernard-Henri Lévy, affectionately referred to as BHL by the French. Apparently my eyes are not as they were. It's a pentacle.

11 comments:

  1. Have knowledge about her husbond, but never heard of her. Anyway, these perfumes sounds lovely.

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  2. found Arielle through her music, some of which I'm obsessed with, some I can pass on, wouldn't mind getting some of this fragrance though . . . . do you know where it could be found?

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  3. I think things are changing and this time in scent loving people again, because this winter I have discovered that a lot of people actually have craved scents when I have forgot myself and used Must, Scherrer, Voile D'amber, White Diamonds or other perfumes with monster sillage when I needed to be in touch with other people.

    One lady followed me while I was grocery shopping because of Scherrer, I noticed her, but thought her weird before she introduced herself, complimented me about the intoxicating smell and asked about the perfume. I gave her directions on how to get herself a bottle of Scherrer. I thought it could not hurt. Even if we lived in the same town.

    Scherrer is big enough for the both of us.

    Men loves Cartiers Must, so it is a choice when going out and there will be smoking tobacco in the air. They automaticly wants to snuggle. The amber is very comforting for me too.

    White Diamond is a true power lady scent and always get noticed and complimented, even if people recognise its retro feel.

    Those perfumes have in common that they are quality with a huge Q.

    I am going to order Salome soon, wonder how people will respond to that one, I am so excited...

    But I have a theory of that I think that many people hate smelling people and certain perfumes because it is uncomfortable to get turned on in a public place.

    Anyway, just a couple of years ago everybody would "hate" me if I showed up with some of my big scents, so I believe it is time that the baby sillage grows.

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    Replies
    1. It's so wonderful to "meet" another Scherrer fan. I've been wearing it for years and just adore it!

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    2. Hei, so nice to meet you, we the lovers of chypres needs to stay together! <3

      I adore the vintage Scherrer, but the reformulated edt has the greeny "buttery" sharpness of the vintage formula and it was that version I wore that day and this lady liked so much. I have not meet her after this, so I have no knowledge if she bought it and use it and became one of us. ;)

      H

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  4. How magnifique! Her thoughts on life, and the way in which she lives it are sweepingly vibrant. This perfume sounds wonderful.
    How do we find your list from 15 years ago?
    Thank you!
    jean xox

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  5. Anonymous11:19

    That's not a Star of David, which has 6 points.

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  6. Where can we purchase the fragrance? It sounds so lovely!!!

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  7. She approaches and feels about perfume the way I do. I have my own mix of several secrets, and I too. I am pretty loyal to my blend, which varies through essential oils. I like other perfumes (if they are not cheap mainstream scents), just to smell.

    I like what she says "I can live without lipstick, without a hairbrush but I cannot live without perfume" I agree completely (and do live without lipstick and a hairbrush :)

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  8. Helg ..... I have never heard of her so ... I googled!
    I can imagine her loving strong perfumes because she is a bit older than me! LOL Those "clean and wishy washy" perfumes came in way after our "informative and imprinted age" ... you know - teens and half of the 20's.
    The way she mixes her perfumes and the fact that she could never live without perfume .... god I WANT to get her new scent!!LOL

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  9. Anonymous00:50

    Yes, it's a satanic pentacle. Just for that, I wouldn't try it. This Arielle is crazy, as her husband, after going dancing naked in churches now she draws satanic pentacle on her bottles.

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