The Real Nose: Interesting Article involving Luca Turin and MIT

According to the Perfumer & Flavorist magazine, Flexitral Inc. and MIT will be in collaboration to Create the “Real Nose”.

"Flexitral Inc. (Chantilly, Virginia) will provide a principal investigator, founder Luca Turin, to the MIT RealNose project funded by DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency). According to DARPA, “The key to the program concept is that by simulating the entire mammalian olfactory system (from air intake to pattern recognition), revolutionary detection capabilities will be created. The primary goal is to create a more advanced model of the e-nose, one that can detect specific substances at increased distances and with higher accuracy (essentially, to be as reliable as a dog).” The program will utilize Turin’s well-publicized “vibration” theory of olfaction".

The full article appeared on the Jan 14th issue of Perfumer & Flavorist magazine.

Happy Valentine's

From the film by Alfonso Cuarón Great Expectations after Charles' Dickens novel

Originally uploaded by Filth2476 on Youtube

L'air du Printemps by Nina Ricci: new edition of L'air du Temps

Nina Ricci is launching a spring spin on their iconic L'air du Temps fragrance, the one which sells one bottle every 5 minutes somewhere in the world: The new fragrance is called L'air du Printemps (Spring Air)
and has been slightly adapted by Olivier Cresp who retained the freshness of the original juice but injected some more powdery and sensual notes with a crystalline, modern facet. In the heart jasmine is married to rose and frangipani, while a pear note on musks provides more powderiness. The final accord of cedar and sandalwood affirm its femininity. The interlocking doves of the original bottle are kept, while the body of the flacon is given a rosy hue matching the romanticism that the fragrance always evoked.L'air du Printemps by Nina Ricci is going to be a Limited Edition. I admit that although I am usually not drawn to concepts of festive editions, this looks to me like a most romantic gift to be received. Available from March, 69,50€ for 100ml

Pic via Vogue

Christian Lacroix Absynthe: new fragrance and advertising campaign

The advertisements for the new fragrance by Christian Lacroix Absynthe (tagged "undefined") are decked in the green fairie shade of hallucinogenic properties ~that of absinthe, the verbotten drink of the damned poets of the 19th century: a bright, acid yellow-green hue which makes a comeback every few years in the fashion vogues.
The advertisments are well done with the green chiffon dress being meshed into the liquid and acting as a visual extention of it, fronted by Lacroix runway model Vlada Roslyakova . The bottle follows up on Lacroix's Rouge previous effort in red (and the Noir for men) and is encasing 50ml of Eau de Parfum concentration. The fragrance is reportedly a mysterious green-oriental, inspired by "the green faerie of absinth", with notes of absinth, anise, saffron, floral touches of freesia and narcissus, on a bed of smoked woods, ebony, musk, myrrh and a smidgen of amber.
The licence is held by Avon, a cosmetics giant responsible for the distribution of parfums Lacroix among many others in the mass-market. The slogan says it all on the smartness of the collaboration: "Now everyone can experience haute couture". The clip for the new campaign is already available on Youtube .You can watch the previous scents presented here and an interview with Lacroix in English here with subtitles in Portugeuse.

Related reading on Perfume Shrine: Absinthe, Anise, Angelica & Wormwood series.

Pics through Maxitendance.com

Change of licence for parfums Jean Couturier

The Jean Couturier perfumes have just changed hands: Formely owned by Cosmoprod since 2005, the brand has been bought by VAG, ie. Victor et Anthony Gambirasio, a company founded 5 years ago. VAG bought the licence for distributing the fragrances by Jean Couturier in France and around the world.
The Jean Couturier portfolio includes 5 feminine fragrances ~the well-loved Coriandre (1973), Kéora (1983), Eau de Coriandre (1996), Marjolaine (1997) and Lilas Mauve (2002)~as well as one masculine cologne (Jean Couturier Homme from 2004, as 12 is long discontinued).
VAG holds the licence for French distribution of Léonard, 4711, Yardley and Dana up till now. The company plans on extending its acquisitions, targeting other brands in the near future.

Usually a buy off of licence means a revamping of the brand with a possible twist on the juice itself, either for the better or the worse and also axing of some of the fragrances. Indeed although 5 feminine fragrances have been issued by Jean Couturier, the announcement of the VAG acquisition mentions only 3 of them, with no further details as to which (Coriandre should be definitely kept as it is the flagship scent in the line, although no one knows in what form). Therefore, should you find yourself loving one of the Couturier fragrances madly right now, you might be advised to stock up!

News via cosmetiquemag/février'09