Le Labo Lys 41 and Ylang 49: new fragrances

Florals are never taken lightly in perfumery and even less at Le Labo where it has taken three intense years to add to the brand's floral chapter. Le Labo is thus proud to present imperfect twins, the result of a long creative process and the birth of two new floral statements - LYS 41 & YLANG 49.

LYS 41 is an overwhelming white floral - a blend of jasmine, tuberose absolute and lily, bewitching in its noble, warm and sunny approach yet treacherous once caught in its web of noble woods, vanilla Madagascar and musks. LYS 41 rewards those looking for a statement with an addictive floral buzz that is as potent as its wake and as insistent as the people following you around. Good luck. Lys 41 has been created in collaboration with Daphné Bugey. Daphné is one of Le Labo’s iconic noses, she is the perfumer behind Rose 31, Bergamote 22 and Neroli 36.

YLANG 49 is a chypre floral, where Pua Noa Noa (gardenia from Tahiti) completes the floral voluptuousness of ylang ylang... Patchouli, oakmoss, vetiver, sandalwood and benjoin follow to tip the blend into darker sensual undertones... Ylang 49 is a walk in the woods, a lush floral bouquet in your hand, listening to G. Gould's well-tempered clavier and realizing that a floral composition can go beyond flowers, in the same way a fugue in D minor is way beyond the D... Ylang 49 was composed with Frank Voekl who was also involved in the creation of Santal 33, Iris 39, Musc 25 and Baie Rose 26.

LYS 41 & YLANG 49 IN A NUTSHELL

	Lys 41	Ylang 49
Notes	lily, jasmine, tuberose absolute, warm and sunny notes, woods, vanilla Madagascar, tiare, musks	ylang ylang, pua noa noa (gardenia from Tahiti), patchouli, oakmoss, vetiver, sandalwood, benjoin
Concentration	25% (Extrait de parfum)	30% (Extrait de parfum)
Perfumer	Daphné Bugey	Frank Voekl

Prices & Sizes:

15ml: €€45 (boutiques & online)
50ml: €€110
100ml: €€170
500ml: €€560
travel tube kit: €€105
travel tube refill: €€105 .
perfume oil: €€90
amulet: 57€€
ceramic oil: 37€€
body oil: €€50 (available in Fall)
body lotion: €€50 (available in Fall)
shower gel: €€38 (available in Fall)

Date of release: 8th June 2013
Availability: Le Labo stores, corners and online: http://storeinternational.lelabofragrances.com

A new city-exclusive (San Francisco), Limette 37, is also in the cards, to be officially announced on May 20th (my announcing post on it of May 14th has since been retracted at the request of the company)

L'Occitane La Collection de Grasse: The Vert & Bigarade, Vanilla & Narcisse, Jasmin & Bergamote, Magnolia & Mure (new fragrances)

L'Occitane en Province founder Olivier Baussan and perfumer Karine Dubreuil revisit their southern roots for that prized feeling of authenticity and pure simplicity that the town of Grasse is known about. The duo sign a collection of four new unisex fragrances composed around duos of natural ingredients.
 

 The bottle and packaging retain a sparse architectural look, highlightening the ingredients themselves and and the shade of the fragrance. Thé Vert & Bigarade is a citrus aromatic, Jasmin & Bergamote is a floral jasmin, Magnolia & Mûre a fruity chypre and Vanilla & Narcisse a floriental. To usher in summer and the ambience of the South of France!

M.Micallef Le Parfum Couture Denis Durand: new fragrance

Le Parfum Couture Denis Durand for M.Micallef has just been released on the occasion of the Cannes Shopping Festival. Creating for 20 years, the fashion designer from Lyon has achieved real fame with a demanding clientele permanently looking for exceptional pieces able to combine future trends, timeless elegance, and a perfect hand-made savoir-faire. Since the showroom opening in Cannes in 2010, the Denis Durand brand evokes wonderful creations, evening and wedding dresses. Each one is a unique piece, made in the most delicate fabrics and embroidered with semi-precious stones and Swarovski crystals, and recalls his personal universe referring to classic movies and legendary stars.



Through Martine Micallef's and Denis Durand's close friendship and artistic cooperation, a glamourous, mystic and sophisticated perfume was born: Le Parfum Couture Denis Durand for M. Micallef. The fragrance composition explodes on citrus head notes spiced with cinnamon. Intense and complex, the heart and the base cleverly balance the rose, orange blossom and honey softness with the strength of animalis and woody notes.

Notes for Les Parfum Couture Denis Durant for M.Micallef:
Head Notes: Ceylon cinnamon, Italian tangerine
Heart Notes: Bulgarian rose, orange blossom, honey and animalis
Base Notes: sandalwood, patchouly, amber and white musk.

Dressed with hand sewn delicate Chantilly black lace, the bottle is adorned with a little satin bow and a golden medal with the initials of the two artists. Available as Eau de Parfum spray 50ml/1.7oz from April 2013 at select stockists, retailing at 145€.

Guerlain Le Muguet 2013: new fragrance edition

On May 1,1561, King Charles IX of France received a lily of the valley as a lucky charm. He decided to offer the flower to the ladies of his court each year, and as a result, it is now custom to give a lily of the valley, the symbol of springtime, on May 1.

To honor this rite of the season, Guerlain offers its own lily of the valley fragrance, Muguet, once a year for a limited time. Dreamed up by Jean-Paul Guerlain, Muguet is offered as a token of luck, the promise of making the most of each moment. Lively, green and capricious, this fragrance heralds the arrival of spring.

Source: buro247.ru via PerfumeShrine on Pinterest

This year's edition, Le Muguet 2013 by Guerlain, will be presented on April 25th as an early spring gift.

In-house perfumer Thierry Wasser mingled notes of lily of the valley (i.e. muguet) in the heart with fragrance chords constructed around freshly cut roses and rich jasmine in a composition that aims to combine freshness with elegance.

The new Muguet fragrance edition of 2013 comes in the "quadrilobe" flacon, a design invented in the early 20th century. The pale green bottle has its neck encircled by pale green silk cord, the ends decorated with the initials G, standing for Guerlain, and a papier mache applique on the front depicting in relief lily of the valley blossoms. The final touch is a pear bulb atomiser which turns this fragrance into a retro-looking feminine accouterment.

Price point (as of the minute of writing): 250 euros.

Related reading on Perfume Shrine: Guerlain Le Muguet history & pics of various perfume editions, Perfume Raw Material: Lily of the Valley

pic originally via buro247.ru

Neela Vermeire Creations Ashoka: new fragrance

Neel Vermeire recently previewed their latest creation Ashoka eau de parfum, during Esxence in Milan last week. Several visitors in the field/aficion really enjoyed trying the new creations.



Ashoka has been created over the past year with Bertrand Duchaufour. It will be available in select stores from early autumn 2013. The fragrance, Ashoka by Neela Vermeire creations is a tribute to an emperor who was conquered by his own compassion at the moment his victory was assured. He converted to Buddhism and devoted the rest of his life to spreading Buddh'as teaching to truth, to justice and to compassion for all living creatures beneath the sun. His own evolution from ruthless conqueror to benevolent emperor is reflected in Ashoka's journey from the pierce opening to a softly floral heart and the gentle embrace of its richly complex drydown.

 Notes for Neela Vermeire Creations Ashoka: fig leaves, leather, white & pink lotus, mimosa, fig milk, osmanthus, rose, water hyacinth, vetiver, styrax, incense, sandalwood, myrrh, tonka bean, fir balsam.

But there are more news regarding the Neela Vermeire Creations line. As Neela herself says: "We will also be releasing a higher concentration of NVC Mohur in the original flacon in amethyst glass with a special panache spray. You will also be pleased to know that we now have a beautiful new mist spray (panache spray) bottle designed by the design legend Pierre Dinand. The new silver metal cap has the NVC logo on it. There are twenty four ridges on each side like the spokes on the wheel on the logo."

More info on the line on the official Neela Vermeire Creations.

info via press release

Prada Candy L'Eau: new fragrance & the film to promote it

Wes Anderson, in an interval between his takes for his upcoming "The Grand Budapest Hotel", has teamed up with director Roman Coppola to make a mini-movie for Prada's newest feminine fragrance, a flanker to their successful Candy perfume, called Candy L'Eau.

Lighter than its predecessor (and recognizable thanks to its more pastel-hued packaging), Candy L'Eau blends white musk, caramel, benzoin, sweet pea and citrus notes. Available in 30ml, 50ml and 80ml bottles, the fragrance is available exclusively at Selfridges UK from March 28, set for an international launch in the end of April (some markets will get the new fragrance in late May-early June).

via belezzaesthetica.it

The little film features Léa Seydoux again as Candy, a fun-loving French ingénue who has not one but two suitors surprising her with balloons, birthday cake, and Jacques Dutronc's "L'Idole" on the background. [There will be a third part, coming up soon]. The Nouvelle Vague influence and specifically Jean-Luc Godard is unmistakeable (and Dutronc is a wink) And don't you just love how Léa stuffs herself! (A touch of realism and also a hint of the "gourmand scent" character of the Prada Candy fragrance.)

 





EDIT TO ADD: the third and final part is here.



Question: Prada (and Miuccia herself) are Italian, Roman Coppola is Italian-American and Wes Anderson is American. Why is the film in French? (I doubt that "Mission Impossible" starring Léa Seydoux has had trouble with English). Probably because it's an homage to Nouvelle Vague but still...that kind of Parisian utopia is largely a film creation, perpetuated by clever marketing.

Etro Rajasthan, Floris Cherry Blossom, Tom Ford Sahara Noir: new fragrances

The newest Etro fragrance in a gloriously paisley-motif presentation that recalls its previous splendor and the regal decoration of Indian textiles, is called Rajasthan and vividly depicts the sumptuousness of a Maharaja's palace.

The fragrance notes of Etro's Rajasthan include lemon combined with rich Damascus rose and yellow mimosa on the top. The heart is reprising the mimosa via acacia farnesiana softened with the rosiness of pink pepper, while the base includes amber, labdanum and white musk.

Available from March 2013 in 100 ml Eau de Parfum.



Floris on the other hand is inspired by Japan and its tradition of sakura and hanami, the blossoming of the cherry tree and the celebrations surrounding it for their latest, Cherry Blossom fragrance.
The fresh, luminous blend of bergamot, orange and pink pepper gives way to the floral bouquet of cherry blossom, osmanthus, rose and peony with a fruity note of cherry. Warm sandalwood and musk finish off the composition.

Cherry Blossom by Floris is available as 100ml eau de parfum.



Tom Ford is augmenting his line of department store available fragrances with Sahara Noir, his newest perfume for women inspired by the Middle East.
This woody oriental is encased in a gold bottle that reprises the design of Black Orchid, Violet Blonde and White Patchouli, this time in gold.

Sahara Noir opens with bitter orange, sweet oasis grasses and Levantine cypress. The heart is composed of frankincense that is offset with cinnamon, Egyptian jamine and Moroccan rose. Sahara Noir finishes with cedar and vanilla tones.The name is inspired by the makeup shades by Tom Ford under the tag Sahara Haze.

via relaxnews.com

According to the Moodie Report: "The oriental woody juice is crafted around a heart of frankincense. This key ingredient is complemented by top notes of cistus essence Orpur® (Orpur denotes a natural ingredient of exceptional quality and purity), bitter orange, Jordanian calamus – an oasis sweet grass – and Levantine cypress, famed for growing in the gardens of the 1001 Arabian Nights.The heart blends frankincense essence Orpur® , cinnamon, cool papyrus extract, Egyptian jasmine templar and rose absolute from Morocco. A beeswax extraction from Burma lends body and a supple, honeyed-animalic richness. The warm dry down is laced with amber. It is formed by a special blend of labdanum – labdanum absolute and a rich natural fraction of labdanum known as ambreinol – combined with benzoin, vanilla, cedar, frankincense resin, agarwood (oud) and balsam."

Launch date is set for March 2013 for the Middle East and May for the rest of the world.

Tom Ford is also launching a new Private Blend soon, more details on which will be revealed as soon as they let me into it.

Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Flora Rosa: new fragrance

Guerlain has thankfully taken a renewed interest in their Aqua Allegoria line of fragrances in recent years, not only with beyond decent releases (such as Lys Soleia and Jasminora) but also with an annual duo production; one of a mainstream launch in department stores and another in the travel retail exclusives circuit (i.e. the duty-free). This year the mainstream AA, as we have already announced, is Nerolia Bianca. But which fragrance will you be grabbing at the duty-free next time you board a plane?

The travel exclusive for 2013 is Flora Rosa by Guerlain and is a limited edition (just like Bouquet No.2 etc were before it). A fresh and lively interpretation on the rose blossom, Jean Paul Guerlain's favorite flower, it is boosted by other floral anchoring notes to give it duration and depth, Flora Rosa aims to fill the void left by the previous, discontinued Aqua Allegorias Rosa Magnifica and Rosa Bianca from 2011. 

The new Guerlain Flora Rosa will be available from 1st March 2013 in eau de toilette 75ml at the duty-free internationally, retailing for 47.50€.

L'Artisan Parfumeur Re-issues Two Oldies for Spring

L’Artisan Parfumeur’s spring limited edition releases are a much-anticipated event among perfume aficionados.

This year, there will be two fragrances re-released from the brand archives, both much-loved and much-requested: Ananas Fizz and Côte d’Amour.

Ananas Fizz – Eau de Toilette 
Ananas Fizz is a celebration of summer and of the Victoria pineapple, typical of the French Reunion Island, in the Indian Ocean. A mouth- watering cocktail of citrus and sunny fruits, topped with the unexpected and radiant presence of the pineapple blends into a deliciously fresh fragrance. Ananas Fizz takes you into a swirl of litchi, frangipani tree; vanilla and of course pineapple notes, and is to be used without moderation!

 Côte d’Amour – Eau de Toilette 
Like a voluptuous, caressing marine breeze, the inspiration of this iconic fragrance of L’Artisan Parfumeur is a stroll along the coast in Loire- Atlantique, in the West of France. The soft caress of the sea air and the sand, the wonderful scents of the seashore, expressed by wild notes of the everlasting dune flower, cypress, pine trees as well as this iconic marine and salty notes, give this fragrance a personality like no other.

100ml Eau de Toilette for £55
Οut in March 2013 ιn L’Artisan Parfumeur boutiques, concessions and website.

news via press release

Babylon Noir: new fragrance by Opus Oils in time for Valentine's Day

To mark the occasion of the launch of ~ BABYLON NOIR ~ The Scent of Seduction

 The Three Muses invite you to join them on Valentine’s Day at the beautiful Opus Oils' Jitterbug Perfume Parlour in Hollywood for an evening of indulging the senses. Exploring Love, Beauty and Art as it should be on this grand day of romance.

 Join Kedra, Melora and Vikki for a sensual soirée that aims to create an enveloping atmosphere of delicious delights: Be transported on deliciously fragrant breezes with artisan perfumes. www.opusoils.com Journey to times past of gloriously ripe goddesses and sensual contemplation through the prints of Melora Walters.
 www.serpentinepress.com 
www.saatchionline.com/serpentinepress 

Take a flight of fancy to the adult dressing up box with the opulent, hand sewn adornments and enchanting attire of Mascherina. www.mascherina.etsy.com Bring your Valentine for an evening of romance and sensory adventure they won’t forget and help us prevent poor old San Valentino doing a 1700th revolution in his casket from yet another rush purchase of a Hallmark card and Gas station bouquet.
 Fine, romantic and decadent attire encouraged.
 Boudoir inspired refreshments will be served: virgin and spirited. 21yrs and over.

 February 14th, 2013 from 7.30 pm
 OPUS OILS' Jitterbug Perfume Parlour 4959 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood,
CA 90027 (323) 667-3376 www.OpusOils.com

invitation via press release

Guerlain Nerolia Bianca: new fragrance

The latest in the Aqua Allegoria line of Guerlain fragrances is Nerolia Bianca, a fresh take on the whole orange blossom tree, composed by in-house perfumer Thierry Wasser.

With a release date at the end of March 2013, this new Aqua is the annual addition to the "introductory Guerlains" as the Aqua Allegorias are known among perfumephiles. Nerolia Bianca contains extracts of orange, bitter orange, neroli, eau de brouts, orange blossom and petit-grain (if you don't know what some of these notes mean, please click on the link for their origin and differences), aiming to give an olfactory impression of the entirety of the bitter orange tree. The concept isn't new (several niche brands have ventured into the bigaradier tree -i.e. citrus aurantium- transliteration), but Guerlain might be trusted to offer the completist one, judging by the very lovely latest Aqua Allegoria fragrances, namely Jasminora and Lys Soleia. The upcoming fragrance reminds me of the much lamented discontinuation of a previous Guerlain take on neroli which was Flora Nerolia, a delightful white floral with fresh accents, built on the freshness of neroli essence on a bed of jasmine and a smidgen of incense. Let's hope that the substitute is no less beautiful than the predecessor.

Nerolia Bianca will be offered in the standard 75ml bottles with gold honeycomb of the Aqua Allegoria range. May I remind you that from the original line-up of Aqua Allegorias, only Herba Fresca and Pamplune remain, the rest being ephemeral editions.

L'Artisan Parfumeur Caligna: new fragrance

The name of the upcoming L'Artisan Parfumer fragrance, Caligna, comes from the Provençal word 'to court' or 'flirt', indicative of the concept of using local ingredients in the formula, such as clary sage and a special "jasmine marmalade" accord recalling a delicacy that perfumer Dora Bagdriche-Arnaud consumed locally. Caligna, the new perfume, is also using such Mediterranean-evocative notes such as fig, mastic, pine needles and oak notes.

Top notes
Clary Sage, Rose Bud, Fig, Mandarin tree Leaves
Heart notes
Clary Sage, Rose Bud, Fig, Mandarin tree Leaves
Heart notes
Pine Needles, Oak chips, Ambrox
 The promo will include images of dancer Gudrun Ghesquière, shot by American photographer Michael James O'Brien, for the first time.
Launch of Caligna by L'Artisan Parfumeur is scheduled for April 2013 and the concentration will be an Eau de Parfum 100ml.

Dries van Noten par Frederic Malle: new fragrance & draw

Frédéric Malle has a few tricks up his elegant sleeve for catering to jaded perfume lovers still. In a new project involving collaborating with various designers, offering his editorial skills and his liaisons with the best perfumers in the business, I learned that Malle is going to launch a line of eponymous designer scents that go off the beaten path. The first fruit of this collaboration is a fragrance for Dries Van Noten, one of the pioneers of the Antwerp "School of Six". The collaboration isn't that out of the blue as one would think: Van noten distributes fragrances in the Éditions de Parfums Frédéric Malle in his boutiques for some time now; Dries Van Noten par Frédéric Malle is the natural outcome.

Source: Uploaded by user via PerfumeShrine on Pinterest

Although the formula was being developed for the past year and was originally set for an autumn 2012 launch the perfectionism of Malle prevailed and the launch is set for February 15th. But that's not all.

Not only is the collaboration with a fashion designer news, it's also an innovation on the formula front, as the new Malle perfume is touted to be inclusive of a new, natural Indian sandalwood from a sustainable source. Indian sandalwood, for those who didn't know, had essentially been eradicated from perfumery in the last 20 years or so, due to concerns and regulations on the sustainability of the Mysore sandalwood. The news therefore is a leap of hope for the industry in general and sure to create a real peak of interest in the heart of every perfume fan out there. The new fragrance is an oriental woody, smooth and polished like the designs of Van Noten.

The composition has been undertaken by rising perfumer Bruno Jovanovich of International Flavors and Fragrances (IFF) The fragrance notes for the upcoming Dries van Noten par Frédéric Malle are citron, sandalwood, guaiac wood, saffron, Spanish jasmine, tonka beans, Cashmeran/blonde woods, vanilla and musk.

As you can see the presentation of the bottle is also different than the rest of the Malle portfolio, as this is a separate line.

A lab batch sample is trickling my way and after a percursory sniff I'd love to offer it to one of our readers before its official launch. Please enter a comment with any of your thoughts on the Malle line or on sandalwood, or anything perfume related and I will draw a winner on Thursday.

M.Micallef Royal Vintage: new fragrance

At the beginning of February, French niche house Parfums M.Micallef launches a new fragrance for man, ROYAL VINTAGE. It is a perfume aimed for men with timeless, sophisticated elegance.

Head note: Pink berries and bergamot
Heart note: Cypress and leather
Base note: Patchouly and musk.
 “… For this atypical fragrance in our collection, I wanted to reinterpret the EXCLUSIVE bottle using the design codes of these beautiful vintage cars… " says Martine Micallef. "

The design of the ROYAL VINTAGE bottle was inspired by glamorous and iconographic images from the classic cinema universe: beautiful vintage cars adorned with glittering chrome bumpers. For this atypical fragrance in our collection, I wanted to reinterpret the EXCLUSIVE bottle using the design codes of these beautiful vintage cars, "says Martine Micallef. In the authentic French tradition of crafts and luxury, the M.Micallef Company gives priority to qualitative and natural ingredients in its fragrances and magnifies each bottle in its art studio. The glass bottle of ROYAL VINTAGE is covered with a chrome color metallization with a black ring hand affixed in the middle and is wearing a matte black metal cap.

quotes via press release 

Spray bottle in eau de parfum concentration, 30 and 100 ml retailing at 76 € and 175 € respectively.

What Will 2013 Bring? Upcoming Fragrance Launches

The year has began and anticipation is building. For those of you who read Italian, Simona Savelli over at Extrait.it has done a most interesting post on past "cult" perfumes from years ending in 3, just like 2013, wondering what new cult classic the new year will bring forth.

I won't go that far ahead just yet, but in the interests of sorting out the mess, I have highlighted some of the more anticipated or more prime for snark perfume releases of 2013 with a little commentary of my own on why they're looked forward to in one way or another. Many thanks to Robin of NST and to the  Fragrantica Perfume Encyclopedia for archiving the industry news. The dates below mostly refer to US releases (sometimes Europe gets some releases ahead or vice versa). If you have more conclusive info on specific dates or anything else to comment upon, don't hesitate to add it in the comments.

Anna Sui La Vie de Bohème: Remember those gothic black bottles of the original Sui or the dolly head scary ones for Dolly Girl? I expect something visually striking again.

Balenciaga L’Eau Rose (March 2013): Every Balenciaga fragrance has tongues wagging, because they have perfect top to bottom design (even if they're not entirely groundbreaking). Hopeful. 

Bottega Veneta Eau Légère (February 2013): The original Bottega Veneta EDP is a hard act to follow and was as perfect as perfection goes. I wonder if lightening would be needed, but then a summery version perhaps would be good.   

Carven new fragrance for women: When was the last time Carven issued a fragrance? Right...The uber-classic Ma Griffe and the elusive Carven Vetiver are legends. Let's see!

Castelbajac new fragrance: No name yet. The original smelled of children's glue and almonds.

Chloé See by Chloé (February 2013): One of my readers is taken with a scent strip smelled in a magazine. She says it's a fruity floral with a yummy subtle vanilla. Hoping for more of the Love, Chloe camp than the screechy soapy Chloe by Chloe.

Christian Dior Hypnotic Poison Eau Secrète (January 2013):  Eau Sensuelle was a lighter version of the Hypnotic Poison brand which smelled quite true. Is another "eau" needed? Who knows. We'll find out soon enough.

Elizabeth & James (Olsen twins) debut fragrance (March 2013): Gossip columns anticipated that for some time. The time has come. (Can't bring myself to say "finally")

Givenchy fragrance for men fronted Simon Baker (Spring 2013): The preliminary ads for Givenchy Gentleman with mr.Mentalist gallantly holding the umbrella look promising. Could this be something different enough for Givenchy to recalibrate their image?

Gucci Gucci Museo Forever Now (early 2013): If only because the name is so non sensical.

Gucci Guilty Black & Guilty Black Pour Homme (February 2013): The bottles looks fetching. 

Jean Paul Gaultier Le Beau Male (February 2013) : A flanker, but Le Male is an uncontested best-seller for years, so its variations pose an interest.

Jimmy Choo Flash (March 2013) : The shoe brands are going strong. 

Jo Malone Sugar & Spice collection (March 2013): The previous Tea Collection was rather good. The Spice part has me excited, the Sugar one not so much.

Kanye West debut fragrance from Parlux: What celebritoid have we had shoved down our throats this past year? You guessed it. 

La Maison de la Vanille Intense Patchouli, Ambre Secret & Royal Oud: Something non especially vanillic from la Maison de la Vanille. Oh, and an oud! (fancy that!)

L’Artisan Parfumeur Caligna (Spring 2013): No major info yet ("addictive and aromatic" is the bit I leaned), but it's not a Duchaufour which might be interesting in its own right. 

Louis Vuitton debut fragrance by perfumer Jacques Cavallier : We have been talking about this for some time. Let there be light!

Maison Francis Kurkdjian new fragrace (September 2013): Because the niche house generates its own buzz.

Malle Frederic for Dries van Noten: a new fragrance is being developed and we will hear about it soon. 

Marni by Marni (February 2013): Preliminary tweets talking about "burning flowers" are intriguing.

Repetto debut fragrance (with InterParfums, 2013): The famous flats now come accessorized with scent.

Roberto Cavalli Just Cavalli (February 2013): Cavalli will soon have its own spot in hell along with Boss, Gucci, Ferre and Dior for confusing us so very much with the sameness in the perfume names.

Salvatore Ferragamo Acqua Essenziale (February 2013): Shoe brands are busier than ever!

Serge Lutens La Fille de Berlin (February 2013): Every Serge is highly anticipated. (And just wait till La Vierge en Fer rolls out later on in the year in the Exclusives line)

Versace Pour Homme Oud Noir (January 2013): Versace didn't have an Oud or a Noir in their line up, did they? Double whammy.

Yves Rocher Ambre Noir (January 2013): Yves Rocher makes some more upscale fragrances and this one looks like the men's equivalent of their feminine Ambre, with deep foresty notes. Could be the bargain of the year, we'll see.  Note the "noir" again in the name. (With that much pitch black darkness it's a wonder anyone will be able to see where they put their bottles)

Zac Posen debut fragrance: Another designer brand which might potentially be a good entry into the world of fragrances. 

pic via extrait.it

Pétale Noir by Agent Provocateur: new fragrance

British lingerie brand Agent Provocateur will launch its fourth fragrance (after the original Agent Provocateur eau de parfum, L'Agent and Maitresse)— called Pétale Noir — this Valentine’s Day with a coordinating Luxury Body Elixir, according to WWD.

The cult lingerie brand further elaborates: "[Pétale Noir] is a deep floral scent with a hint of oriental mystique. The launch of the new Pétale Noir fragrance personifies the modern and naturally confident woman, but be warned, she knows what she wants and knows how to get it. The fragrance is made with the finest of oils featuring dramatic florals for the heart and precious woods, enhanced by musk crystals and sweet spicy accords that ignite the senses. A rich, vintage rose pink juice, perfectly complements the delicately floral, and beautifully shaped sensual bottle. Yet beware, things are not how they seem as the soft petals make way for dangerous prickly thorns. This contrast in mood is further emphasised by a striking black chain around the neck, symbolising the stark suggestive passion that binds us together".

Serge Lutens La Fille de Berlin: new fragrance

“A flower grown under the ruins, cut off from the world, it appears before your eyes; to all of us to open our eyes. I took courage in both hands, in her flowing Rheingold hair. On the lips, I tasted blood. My girl from Berlin showed combative, more beautiful than ever – and so I broke my contempt and even my shame, hiding under the guise of my pride. Through the power of criticism, of love and hate, God and the devil, death and life, I drew a furrow in which she disappeared. And while the maelstrom beats on me, I pay homage to her beauty enraged”.
~Serge Lutens

Cryptic, no? Typical. The Girl from Berlin (this is what La Fille de Berlin translates to) recalls a Siegfried Idyll in some ways, but it is apparently the next Serge Lutens export fragrance to hit stores in March 2013. The renowned aesthete not only just launched in Berlin's Hotel Adlon his third book "Berlin à Paris", a collection of photographs from the years 1967 to 2008, but he also introduces his upcoming fragrance "La fille de Berlin"; an elegant velvety, dark red rose with peppered romantic nuances, dedicated to the real-life drama that helps self-expression flourish.

The genre of spicy rose is rather overpopulated (see Cinabre by Maria Candida Gentile for a fabulous specimen, as well as Parfum Sacre by Caron) and Serge is no stranger to spices, from smoky clove in Serge Noire, to dirty cumin in Arabie and El Attarine, to tart ginger in Five o'clock au Gingembre. 
The ruby-red color of the juice inside surely speaks of drama and has caught my attention, at the very least.

La fille de Berlin by Serge Lutens is an Eau de Parfum concentration available in 50 ml for 78 € from March 2013  
Serge Lutens's book: Berlin á Paris • 176 pages • 4-color • Electa Milano 2012 (Source: Serge Lutens, pic duftarchiv.de)

Cartier L'Heure Vertueuse: new fragrance

Mathilde Laurent, head perfumer at Cartier since 2006, introduces L'Heure Vertueuse (the virtuous hour), another installment in Les Heures de Parfum collection for connoisseurs issued by the acclaimed jewelry house in tall architectural bottles with latin numbers designed like a somber clock. For this one, representing three o'clock in the morning,  "it is time to walk in a magical garden, to breathe the enchanting fragrances of miraculous plants. A unique moment, an aromatic caress of fresh, gentle green notes."

Mathilde further specifies that the new Heure III, L'Heure Verteuse evokes ‘toutes les herbes, aromatiques, sauvages, médicinales, même la lavande, même l’absinthe’ (every herb, aromatic, wild or medicinal, lavender as much as absinth) like a Middle Age herbarium. This green and aromatic fragrance recalls compositions of old which became a symbol of a simple and natural life, like for instance Le Jardin de Mon Curé by Guerlain -or rather her own creation for Guerlain inspired by the garden of her beloved grand-father who died at 101, Herba Fresca.

And yet, Laurent's aim is to present contemporary fragrances, as she reveals her goal: "Comprendre [son] époque, pour proposer des effluves modernes et beaux qui apportent du plaisir." (Understand one's era, so as to present modern and beautiful scents that bring pleasure). In fact L'Heure Vertueuse III draws its inspiration from Corsica and maquis.

 L'Heure Vertueuse III by Cartier contains notes of absinth, rosemary, mastic (lentisque), thyme, verbena and lavender to soothe body and spirit. Available as eau de toilette, 75ml exclusively at Cartier boutiques.
Official Cartier site here.

 [quotes source]

Hermes Jour d'Hermes: new fragrance

"From dawn until dusk, a luminous and sensual floral that flourishes." The new feminine floral fragrance by Hermes is composed by in-house perfumer Jean Claude Ellena and is set to be widely released in February 2013 (the 15th) for the upcoming spring season. Hermès boutiques already stock it as a temporary exclusive.
You can refer to our detailed fragrance review of Jour d'Hermes on this link.

pic via sabinedewitte.nl

Jour d'Hermès is available as Eau de parfum natural spray 50 ml/£67.00 at the official Hermes site as well as bigger 85ml and 125ml bottles. Click to the official Hermes e-boutique link here

M.Micallef Ylang in Gold: new fragrance

The third fragrance in the JEWEL collection, after M.MICALLEF JEWEL FOR HER and JEWEL FOR HIM, YLANG IN GOLD opens up on refreshing citrus head notes and consists of voluptuous flowers warmed by sweet and sunny base notes suggesting tropical islands, comprising ylang-ylang, sandalwood, coconut and vanilla. In the authentic French tradition of crafts and luxury, the M.Micallef Company gives priority to qualitative and natural ingredients in its fragrances and magnifies each bottle in its art studio. The bottle of YLANG IN GOLD is delicately hand decorated with Swarovski crystals specially designed for M.Micallef.

On the skin, YLANG IN GOLD leaves a light and delicate pearly golden dust made of golden powder, especially created and elaborated according to current standards for cosmetics.

Notes for Ylang in Gold by M.Micallef:
Top notes: Tangerine orange, geranium, artemisia
Heart notes: Ylang-ylang, rose, sandalwood, lily-of-the-valley, magnolia
Base notes: Coconut, vanilla, musk.

100 ml of Eau de Parfum with golden dust suspended in the juice ($245), as well as a same-size edition without the shimmer. Debuts October 2012.