Dior Escale aux Marquises: new fragrance

This coming June, Christian Dior adds a third cologne to his Escale cruise collection (fragrance de croisière ) with Escale aux Marquises (pronounced Eh-SKULL o Mar-KEEZ), which joins Escale à Portofino and Escale à Pondichéry.
Like the last two, this one is also composed by head perfumery at Dior right now, François Demachy. The composition is worked in Eau de Cologne style aiming to a fresh, feminine spirit. The heart revolves around the exotic and much loved tiaré blossom, garlanded with spicy and fresh notes evoking the Indian Ocean.


The îles Marquises of course are part of the French Polynesia which is in the South Pacific, so I am a bit lost on why the Indian Ocean has anything to do with the concept, but I guess it's a well-known scent reference, since so many essences come from the subcontinent. But you know how perfume brands work...(see Terracotta Sous le Vent)

Dior's Escale aux Marquises features notes of blood orange, pink pepper, cardamom, pepper, cinnamon, ginger, clove, nutmeg, coriander, elemi resin, benzoin, Amalfi lemon and tiaré blossom.
Escale aux Marquises will launch on June 2nd 2010 in three sizes: 75ml (68,26€), 125ml (97,37€), and 200ml (136,52€), available at major department stores.

The Mommy Poll

There are some things we laugh about. Until they happen to us, that is...



So, amidst the hectic lives of mothers, are there scented memories you cherish? Please share them with us!

The winner of the draw...

...for the raw materials sampler is Mals86. Congratulations!
Please mail me using the contact on the profile or About page with a shipping address so I can mail these to you soon.
Thanks everyone for the enthusiastic participation and till the next one!

Diane Kruger for Calvin Klein Beauty

German actress Diane Kruger has been announced as the new face of Calvin Klein’s upcoming women’s fragrance launch, Calvin Klein Beauty. Highlighted for her recent work in “Inglourious Basterds”, the stunning starlet is well known for her remarkable style, and joins a brand roster of fashion and beauty icons that includes Kate Moss, Scarlett Johansson, Christy Turlington, Natalia Vodianova and Eva Mendes.

The positioning is interesting: “This is one of our largest fragrance launch events ever,” noted Walsh "an upscale offering, positioned firmly at the premium end of the Calvin Klein fragrance portfolio". Hence the price difference of +5% versus Euphoria, another Klein fragrance and one which is popular.
Kruger attended the Costume Institute Benefit the other night at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, celebrating the night with Francisco Costa, Calvin Klein Collection’s Women’s Creative Director. Her look for the evening was in line with the Calvin Klein aesthetic of clean lines and understated elegance. Calvin Klein Beauty will debut in autumn 2010 and Diane Kruger will star in the global print and television advertising campaign.


Added 6th May: The juice for Calvin Klein Beauty is described as a new interpretation of the lily, “a sophisticated flower…that is the essence of femininity…radiant and powerful”. The calla lily also plays a key role in the heritage of Calvin Klein fashion, and was most recently channelled by Costa in his autumn/winter 2010-11 Calvin Klein Collection Runway Show. Labbé has combined ambrette seeds, jasmine and cedar wood to create a “neo-lily” fragrance. “It was an emotional brief…and I was inspired by the Calvin Klein woman who is feminine, sophisticated and radiates generosity, charisma and true inner beauty,” she explained. The gold-coloured juice is presented in a curved flacon, set atop a glass base. A metallic silver ring encircles the glass, while the metallic silver cap is said to evoke the sculptural shapes that are fundamental to the Calvin Klein aesthetic. The outer carton is a glossy white, with a silver halo.
[source]

Related reading on Perfume Shrine: Advertising perfume, New Face, Upcoming relases.

Diane Kruger, shot by Jean-Baptiste Mondino, on the cover of T Magazine.

Penelope Cruz for Lancome Tresor

Lancôme has signed Penélope Cruz , as the brand's third superstar spokesmodel, along with Julia Roberts and Kate Winslet. According to the official Lancôme blog she "will be the ambassador of Trésor, our iconic fragrance".
This piece of news at first surprised me, as it was so recently that we had raved about the choice of Kate Winslet for the 1990-launched classic of the house. I believed it would have been for another fragrance, probably the not so pushed Miracle Forever, previously fronted by Shalom Harlow. But no, after all, you can't get more official than the company's own blog, these days!


The new Trésor ads were shot in Paris starting April 29th with Mario Testino (and coinciding with her 36th birthday) and they will debut sometime this autumn. As you can see from the pics, Cruz is wearing an elegant one-shouldered black dress standing on the balcony at the Hotel Crillon.
The brand already has an all-star cast, with Julia Roberts, Kate Winslet, Anne Hathaway, Daria Werbowy, Ines Sastre, Arlenis Sosa and Elettra Wiedemannm alongside Sandy Linter and Michelle Phan. The Spanish-born actress is now joining them. Muy caliente!

Photo credits: KCSPresse/Splash News Online, Popsop.com

Serge Lutens Boxeuses & Bas de Soie: new fragrances

The brand which cemented the notion of niche in our minds, Serge Lutens, is coming up with two new fragrances due to launch soon: ‘Boxeuses’ and ‘Bas de soie’.

Boxeuses (pronounced box-EZh) is the Paris exclusive edition that plays on notes of leather and skin. The name means "women boxers" (as in athletes of box), so what else but the taut skin of boxing gloves and the glistening vision of copious amount of skin on display could it evoke?

Of course there is already a leather fragrance in the Lutens portfolio, the orientalised floral-accented Cuir Mauresque and a softer suede-jasmine in Sarrasins, but Boxeuses promises to be more suave, softer, with facets of prunes and licorice evoking gourmand delights, juxtaposed to the dry and smoky notes of a traditional leather; and amidst all that a rich woody note recalling oudh! Boxeuses launches in September 2010, 110 euros for 75 ml.

Bas de Soie (pronounced BA-de-SWAH) is destined for the export line that gets distributed to the US and is continuing on the playful theme of baptizing fragrances with tactile, fabric-reminiscent names, as was Serge Noire and Fourreau Noir. In this case the name is erotically charged as it translates as "silk stockings". Of course from someone like Serge Lutens we wouldn't expect a literal or banal interpretation of tired clichés, which makes it all the more intriguing. I personally prefer to think of it in the terms of the silken gams of Cyd Charisse and the 1957 musical Silk Stockings in which she starred. The core of the fragrance oscillates between hyacinth, deprived of its green facets in favour of powdery touches through the synergy of precious iris. More feminine than Boxeuses but still presented as a potential unisex. Bas de Soie is launching in June 2010, 79 euros for 50 ml.

Last but not least, the limited edition Paris exclusive set for release in the export bottles at the end of 2010 will be Cuir Mauresque!
There is also a slight reworking of the labels on the bottles which you can see from the pic.

Related reading on Perfume Shrine: Serge Lutens news & reviews

Notes via osmoz Thanks to my special source for the heads up!
Actress Clara Bow, the 'It' girl, poses on Malibu beach, on Jan.1st 1927 in boxing gloves. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images). Photo of Cyd Charisse from Silk Stockings via Classic Forever

BCBG Max Azria & Patricia Pepe: new fragrances

The popular fashion Group BCBG Max Azria is signing a licence with New Wave Fragrances for the launch of a feminine fragrance named after the brand (BCBG Max Azria) and set to launch in March 2011. New Wave Fragrances, founded in 2007, currently makes and distributes Ed Hardy, True Religion et Christian Audigier fragrances. The immersion of Max Azria Group (counting 20 brands in its portfolio) in the fragrance market isn't new: There were attempts with Hervé Léger designer fragrances and there are others plans for the future as well, but for the moment the company wants to concentrate on this upcoming feminine perfume. The fragrance itself is going to be developed by perfumers at Givaudan.
Distribution is going to include the brand's boutiques as well as big department stores as well as specialised beauty parlours such as Sephora, while the launch will be of rather global reach with availability in Europe, USA, Canada, South America, the Caribbean, Korea, Japan and Australia.

On the other hand, the Firenze based Italian fashion house of Patricia Pepe is also embarking on launching an eponymous fragrance. The deal is being striken with Beauty San (who is responsible for the Costume National portfolio of scents). Patrizia Bambi, artistic director, announces the plan as the fruits of a long process that was at the back of the mind for many years. It should be "a dress that will reveal my creations and myself in more detail", Bambi concludes. The launch is scheduled for the end of the year, while the international distribution is set to be handled via selected doors.

Photoshoot of SS08 campaign of BCBG Max Azria starring Karen Elson shot by Patric Demarchelier, via fadpaigns
Advertising photo of Patrizia Pepe fashions via Ermou Mag

Guerlain Shalimar Charms & Eau de Shalimar Charms

Two new limited editions from Guerlain are launching:

Guerlain Shalimar Charms Eau de Parfum Spray 75ml for £71.50 and Guerlain Eau de Shalimar Charms Eau de Toilette Spray 75ml for £62.00

"The desire to experience sensuality, feminity, mystery...to succumb to SHALIMAR ÉDITION CHARMS, whose bottle decorated with Oriental motifs, evokes the splendours of India. Slender arabesques unfurl their delicate volutes over the bottle and box.

They are inspired by the motifs on the rings worn by Indian women on every occasion, along with the embroidery admired on the shimmering colours of ceremonial saris. A blue silk thread is wound around the neck of the bottle, holding the famous golden "signet" engraved with the double G."

Obviously the new limited editions pay homage to the origins of the history of Shalimar and its story about being inspired by the famous eponymous gardens. Pretty stuff, no doubt! The juice is exactly the same as the regular editions of each perfume.

Breaking the BONDs

I was fully prepared to write a long post about the latest business practices of Bond No.9 (i.e.opposing the selling of decants of their fragrances through the reliable services of The Perfume Court) after a long hiatus on the brand's news due to the somewhat non-diplomatic (for lack of a harsher word) handling of internet fragrance-camaraderie-politics on the whole (see their handling of the name "Peace"). But thankfully State of the [Car]nation beat me to the punchline with his great post BONDage and Dominance, which is highly recommended reading!

For what is worth, I have given every benefit of a doubt to businesses such as this one in the past, maintaining that they are within their rights to oppose all sales that might pose a threat to the integrity of their wares even inadvertedly ~and if we're all maintaining that perfumery is an art, then how can reselling it piece by piece not lessen that, even if it suits our pocketbook? Same is true for any perfume company (see the ceasing of decant selling on Ebay) and I can see their point. Yet somehow it's the MANNER something is handled that makes all the difference in the world: "Cease and desist" via Twitter messaging somehow appears like a calculated risk that a three-women-operated internet business (all decent ladies as far as I know) would rather drop the line off their stock instead of having to hire a costly attorney and take the case to court for years to come. So not cool!
Maybe we should all become fans of this cinematic reference "Piss on your peace..." instead? What do you think?



Brilliant (and highly educational) dialogue courtesy of the classic film The Lion in Winter with Peter O'Toole as Henry II of England and Timothy Dalton as King Phillip II of France (and Anthony Hopkins as Richard the Lionheart).

Jean Louis Dumas of Hermes: 1938-2010

Jean-Louis Dumas, more well-known as "tête d'Hermès" for 28 years (1978-2006) and fifth-generation descendant of the historic family running the house (son of one of the four daughters of Emile Hermès), has died last Saturday, 1st of May after a long battle with disease.



Instrumental to the continued prestige and the awakened interest in the house, he believed:

"My role is to embelish the garden with creative talent and exceptional know-how [...] Hermès is chic: this state of grace in which one simply knows how to carry a bag, a dress, or a coat."

Rest in peace, Jean-Louis...

Photo of Jean Louis Dumas via Philippe-Burlet

Guerlain Arsene Lupin, Nuit d'Amour, Idylle Duet: new fragrances

What do an amorous night, an idyllic duet and "le gentilhomme cambrioleur" of French literature, Arsène Lupin, have in common? They're all purported to be future releases by Guerlain! Now that I caught your attention, let's take things one by one.

Arsène Lupin has been tied to a leather masculine fragrance created by Thierry Wasser and Jean Paul Guerlain, due to launch in November 2010. {It has been officially confirmed that it is a Jean Paul Guerlain creation alone} It's purported to be an aromatic violet cuir (leather) with hints of Jolie Madame threw in and tentative resemblances to a reworking of the theme of Coriolan and Chamade pour Homme but with a drier leather base (according to Basenotes and mr.Guerlain). Another member on the same forum mentions trying the scent and reports: "[Guerlain's Arsène Lupin] does has some similarities with the other Guerlain masculines - i.e. Coriolan and Chamade pour homme. I could describe it as green-gray aromatic cologne with some flowers (not much) and dry mossy-leathery sillage.
It resembles vintage Jolie Madame by Balmain (violet+leather) and the new Le Temps d`une Fête by Parfums de Nicolai (narcissus or hyacinth) made with more dry feeling. It definitely has green bitter galbanum with bergamot, and some Provençal herbs like rosemary, lavender. Camphor-cooling feeling also detected. Heart is spicy-woody - wormwood, nutmeg and maybe pepper + coriander. Sillage is dry woody - moss, sandalwood, vetiver, immortelle (?) and leather". The longevity was also deemed good, with the intriguing addition that sales assistants report there would be two versions: a younger "dandy" version and a more mature version. (Just how groovy and cunning is that??)

ETA: The newest info we have tells us these will comprise an "Arsène Lupin collection by Guerlain" in which one will be called Arsène Lupin Le Dandy and the other Arsène Lupin Le Voyou (the latter meaning Lout). The double name is meant to reflect the two faces of Janus which the fictional hero exhibits. The bottles are encased in a wooden panel and follow a modern aesthetic (a more masculine take than the one for the Elixir Charnels by the same house), somewhat in contrast with the retro name, whereas the juice is lilac for Le Dandy and straw-golden for Le Voyou as visible on the pics.

*Notes for Arsène Lupin Le Dandy: bergamot, bigarade, pink peppercorn, cardamom, violet, sandalwood, patchouli, cistus, olibanum.

*Notes for Arsène Lupin Le Voyou: bigarade, aromatic herbs, mugwort, coriander, pepper, sandalwood, patchouli, benzoin, rose, white musks.



But what's in a name? The literary character Arsène Lupin began his fictional life in 1905 (under "Lopin", until a namesake politician protested), smack-right into La Belle Epoque; an enigmatic figure in black-tie respendid with white gloves, a cape and a monocle, relieving the haute-bourgeoisie from their money, which seems like the perfect analogy for the clients of Guerlain! The comings and goings of Lupin in horse-carriages and the suaveness of the character evoked saddlery according to Jean Paul Guerlain. Are they pulling an Hermès on us? Or are we to expect a fragrance by the name of Rocambole next? :-)

It's interesting to note that lupin is also a flower, grown in northern climates and known for its antioxidant properties. This might have pointed to the name being only "lupin" and thus tied to skincare instead of fragrancing. So, I decided to research a bit deeper: It seems that the trademark Arsène Lupin is still held by Leblanc Florence, 20 rue Edouard Nortier,92200 NEUILLY-SUR-SEINE and it's applicable to several trademark categories. Among them, yes, perfume too! According to Perfume Intelligence there are already two fragrances named after the gentleman thief, Arsène Lupin pour femme and Arsène Lupin pour homme developped by Intercosma as Eaux de Toilette. However, according to my info it seems that there has been a legal "transmission partielle de propriété" to Guerlain by the original beneficiary, which confirms that the name is official beyond any doubt!


The new feminines by Guerlain will be somewhat different. On the one hand there is the "new" Les Parisiennes for women called Nuit d'Amour, in fact an earlier creation by Jean Paul Guerlain in 2006 which followed the 2005 launch of Plus Que Jamais, and which had previously circulated as a limited edition of only 500 bottles conceived as tribute to Gustav Klimt. According to the official LVMH info: "Jean-Paul Guerlain has always been fascinated by Gustav Klimt’s painting "Lady with Hat and Feather Boa". Gracious and proud, yet fragile, elegant and mysterious, this woman intrigues him. Delicate but intense, Nuit d’Amour is a tribute to the stirrings aroused by meeting a strange woman with an indefinable charm.
Nuit d’Amour is a floral, powdery, woody fragrance, its top notes mingling the freshness of litchi with the gentle tingle of pink peppercorns. A hint of aldehydes, wedded with a bouquet of feminine, graceful Provence rose and subtle, powdery iris, translates the emotions tinting the young woman’s cheeks. Sandalwood prolongs the base note with its warm, sensuous tones, just as the dark feather boa envelopes her shoulders and throat..."
Nuit d'Amour now joins the more "stable" stable of Les Parisiennes (bee bottles exclusive to Guerlain boutiques) as a re-issue, possibly to make up for some of the discontinuations that happened in the line. Please note that the photo depicted here is of the previous limited edition with the Belle Epoque jet-bead "necklace"; the new will be the standard "bee" bottle of Les Parisiennes.

On the other hand a new version of Idylle is already in the cards, aimed at mainstream release and developed by Thierry Wasser, the nose behind the original as well: Idylle Duet Rose-Patchouli is already in the works, an Eau de Parfum version that highlights the two notes. Please find the visual representation included on your right.

It looks like we'll be having lots of material to discuss coming from Guerlain in the next months!
For our French-speaking readers, please watch this interesting video:

Jean-Paul Guerlain testing herbs and spices at the market, talking about modern perfumery ("lesivière!") citing Baudelaire, meeting in the lab with Thierry Wasser (whom he considers a disciple and an accomplice) and his esprit collectioneur des femmes (ah!)!click the link below:

Le surdoué du parfum

Sincere thanks to Moon Fish for their reportage on Basenotes.
Illustration of Arsene Lupin via Werner Maresta. Film stills from the 2004 film Arsène Lupin starring Romain Duris, Kristin Scott-Thomas Pascal Gregorry and Eva Green

Lubin Bluff, Figaro, Inedite, Itasca: new fragrances

Perfumers Lucien Ferrero and Thomas Fontaine worked around original olfactory themes of "Vetiver" and "L'Eau Neuve" by Lubin and produced two versions of each: Bluff and Itasca are inspired by Lubin's Vetiver , while Figaro and Inedite are inspired by L'Eau Neuve. The bottles reprise the design of the originals with stylised colour schemes and relief.

Lubin Bluff

A racy perfume, deceiving by its appearances : topped with lime, bergamot and combining nutmeg and cinnamon, Bluff is first fresh spicy and woody. Then it blossoms into a sensual, almost greedy, heart of clary sage, iris and cola nuts.
Its finally lands on a background of cedar, patchouli sandalwood and vanilla.
Top notes: Lime, Bergamot, Nutmeg, Cinnamon.
Heart note: Sage, Iris, Coconut Cola, Nectarine
Base Notes: Vetiver, Cedar, Patchouli, Sandalwood

Lubin Figaro

Bold and seductive like Beaumarchais, Figaro take as its inspiration liberties with the conventions. Its Vetiver and fig heart notes is embellished with apple, plum and clover. The coriander leaves gives the green effect and ocean pine provides a marine aromatic facet . The woody wake finally combines amber, vetiver, sandalwood, tonka bean and balsam of Styrax.
Top Notes: Grapefruit, Bergamot, Pine
Heart Notes: fig, apple, plum, clover
Base notes: Vetiver, Styrax, Sandalwood, Tonka Bean

Inédite by Lubin

First, a rosewater, innocent and fresh as a mandarin of Sicily, Inédite is spicy and sweet, with a floral wake of heliotrope, lilac, rose and nectarine. Soon the vanilla, iris and patchouli reveals the spices. Sensual Circassian, rubbed with cinnamon, pepper and coriander, cedar and musk, make it even more voluptuous.
Top Notes: mandarin, bergamot, pepper and pink peppercorns.
Heart Notes: Coriander, Lilac, Rose
Base Notes: Vanilla, Iris, Patchouli, White Musk

Lubin Itasca

The Forest of America. The Mississippi River rises in Lake Itasca, in the heart of Minnesota. Itasca by Lubin evokes America's deep forests, those of Algonquin Indians and pioneers. The Minnesota red pine accompanies them on a background of amber, incense, Java vetiver and Texas cedar . First refreshed by juniper berries, then it develops a spicy harmony of wood combined with cloves and nutmeg.
Top notes: Neroli, Mandarin, Juniper Berries
Heart note: Clove, Sage, Nutmeg, Geranium Leaves
Base Note: Red Pine, Vetiver, Amber.

The new Lubin fragrances come in Eau de Parfum 75ml spray bottles for 85 euros each.