Parfums DelRae are launching a new fragrance developed by Yann Vasnier with the collaboration of Roth DelRae, the fruits of which will be certain to excite as much as previous releases have. The new fragrance by the San Francisco based niche perfumery is called Panache and is inspired by the famous character of Cyrano de Bergerac, the romantic French cadet with the big nose who contrasts the beauty of intelligence and his indefatigable spirit with the superficial beauty of his contesters and his friend Christian. His generosity, character and grace in the face of adversity are the elements which conspire for his beloved Roxane to finally fall in love with him. The name Panache comes from the final word in the play by Cyrano, which is indeed...panache; the driving force which defines his life and makes him unique. But which can also be an inspiration. Dramatic, complex, courageous and elegant... Interestingly, Cyrano de Bergerac was a real person, but his fame today is based on an 1897 play, loosely based on Cyrano's life, by Edmond Rostand. Rostand's play spawned several film adaptations, an opera, a ballet, and is still enjoyed in performances all over the world to this day.
For the DelRae Panache perfume Yann Vasnier created a composition which begins with top notes of ambrette seed and delicious rum, progressing to vetiver surrounded by jasmine Sambac absolute, ylang ylang orpur*, cardamom and finally the foresty tones of oakwood extract. The base is warm with resinous notes of Somalian olibanum orpur and captive molecules of sophisticated musks (the magnificent Cosmone alonside Serenolide and Moxalone) with nuances of ambergris. The finishing off is played on notes of golden amber and white honey.
*Orpur is a term used for sophisticated pure naturals ingredients, comprising the best of the Givaudan aroma-producing company's portfolio.
Notes for DelRae Panache:
Top: ambrette seed absolute, baies roses CO2 orpur, Italian bergamot orpur, magnolia flower orpur, rum extract
We're pleased to be on the vanguard of new developments and to bring you news you haven't heard of before. Just as DelRae Roth was busy promoting the fifth addition to her classy line of fragrances by Michel Roudnitska, Emotionelle (a composition featuring melon, that is in the spirit of Le Parfum de Therese), we learn that a sixth addition is being completed and is launching this coming April: Mythique!
Mythique is indeed the newest fragrance to join Parfums Del Rae, created by young perfumer Yann Vasnier in collaboration with Roth DelRae and the first to be composed by anyone other than Michel Roudnitska. The whole DelRae line is simply fabulous in quality and myself I had been quite ecstatic in my review of the delicate sylphid that is the lily-of-the-valley-laden Debut, so my anticipation is high! The inspiration of the newest fragrance, which is described by Roth as a diaphanous and elegant floral is historically inspired by a most celebrated personage: the famous courtesan Diane de Poitiers, an important figure for king Francis I and the 20 years senior lover of French king Henri II ~consequently the arch-rival of both Anne de Pisseleu, Francis's favourite, and Caterina de Medici, Henri's legal wife (and incidentally the woman who brought fine perfumery in France).
Roth was impressed by this very charismatic woman, Diane ~her beauty, her intelligence, her political astuteness and her strong character that was also compassionate inspired her to envision a feminine fragrance that would stand for those qualities. The basic accord of Parfums DelRae Mythique is based on precious Florentine orris butter coupled with flowers found in the garden of the beautiful Château de Chenonceau, the truly spectacular castle on the Loire River valley that was offered to Diane by Henri II and remained her home until the king's death.
Mythique begins on fresh notes of Italian bergamot, mandarin and ivy while in the heart accords of jasmine Sambac, peony and Florentine iris conspire for a softened, sfumato effect. The base is played on sensuous notes of sandalwood, Indian patchouli and ambrette seeds.
Launching this coming April.
Painting Diane of Poitiers by Francois Clouet via wikipedia. Pic of bottle through Extrait.
Like watching the prima ballerina dancing the night away en pointe during La Sylphide there often comes the realisation that behind such delicate artistry and graceful elegance there must be an insurmountable amount of toil and wistful spending of self. Noticing the details of the Marius Petipa choreography I never cease to wonder how the strength of those calves supporting the dancer's weight is so effortlessly flowing into an optical legato of sorts that defies the laws of gravity and strain to give the sense of fluidity, like that of a forest spirit. Just like a forest sprite, a lily-of-the-valley-centered fragrance is tied to the deceptivy intense work behind nature's spring rites, to reverie and daydreaming among the green foliage, shaded by a passing cloud that tentatively sprinkles the countryside with dew. Début by San Fransico-based niche line Parfums DelRae is one such fragrance: ethereal, sylph-like, effortlessly impressive and with the dewiness of a fine spring morning veering into summer. Created in 2004, Début is characterised by DelRae as "Youthful yet sophisticated. Charming and utterly beguiling".
Nose Michel Roudnitska had hard work ahead, much like the ballerina aforementioned, if only because his formidable father, the great Edmond Roudnitska, has composed what is assuredly the archetype lily of the valley fragrance, Diorissimo, among his other magnificent Dior creations. He had cultivated lily of the valley attentively and tenderly in his own garden to study the elusive aroma so as to replicate it as closely as possible through synthesis and he managed to infuse it with the merest hint of civet that gives an delicious surprise in the drydown phase of the extrait de parfum. Michel however avoided the trap of imitating and thus trying to "gild refined gold, to paint the lily". Instead as if seen through the lens of a Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, lily of the valley takes on a modern sensibility in Début that allows it to be wearable even if one is not wearing a sylph-like gown of white. Alternating between a soapy element, the cooling greeness, the innocence of linden blossoms and the radiance of white flowers (without the headiness usually associated with them), Début feels as if a scintillating scotoma has been lifted and you can see clearly for the first time. Sweet warmth of what smells like beeswax absolute to me, intermingled with the suaveness of sandalwood, lingers seductively to lull me into a daydream of lying in the fields before donning the urban attire again for a round in the busy metropolis.
Notes: bergamot, lime, green leaves, lily of the valley, ylang ylang, vetiver, sandalwood and musk.
Début used to come in Eau de Toilette and Eau de Parfum concentration. Eau de Toilette was abandoned for Eau de Parfum in 2006, but sometimes bottles of the former can still be found. They're both excellent and equally tenacious. Parfums DelRae are available at Aedes, Barneys and First in Fragrance. You can also call: Tel 415 441 1627 • 866 906 9901. Or Fax 415-673-9828. Or email: info@parfumsdelrae.com.
Painting The Black Shash by Giovanni Boldini courtesy of art.com. Pic of bottle from parfumsdelrae. Clip La fille aux cheveux de lin (=the girl with flaxen hair) by Claude Debussy performed by Joshua Bell, originally uploaded by airplanelova 93 on Youtube
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