Ormonde Jayne luxury travel purse sprays

Wonderful news from posh niche perfumer Ormonde Jayne: it seems like the portability and easiness of small purse sprays has been materialized for our pleasure!


Until now, the Ormonde Jayne fragrances have been available in 50ml eau de parfum sprays or in 50ml pure parfum bottles. Today, responding to deafening demand, each fragrance comes in an elegant box of four 10ml eau de parfum sprays.

These black and gold sprays slip unobtrusively into the tiniest of clutch bags for evening glamour and are perfect for weekends away or in hand luggage for travel abroad. Hand poured in the company’s own studio in London , they perfectly reflect the levels of quality, luxury and service for which Ormonde Jayne is so renowned.

Created and privately owned by self-taught nose Linda Pilkington, the Ormonde Jayne range is composed of eleven original fragrances, eight for women (a ninth to be launched October 2009) and three for men. Spanning the perfume groups from floral through oriental to chypre and finally citrus, each fragrance has its own lineage.

Ormonde Jayne London Perfumery flagship store is in The Royal Arcade off London ’s Old Bond Street . The recently opened store in Dubai is located in Boutique 1 in Jumeirah Beach .
The online boutique http://www.ormondejayne.com/ ships worldwide in 3-5 days.

Luxury Purse Sprays retail for £54 a set.

Related reading on Perfume Shrine: Ormonde Jayne scents news and reviews.



Info via press release.

Dolce & Gabanna Rose The One: new fragrance and its pretty face

The One fragrance franchise is introducing its little progeny as soon as Rose The One hits counters exclusively at Saks next week (the fragrance will get wider, international distribution later on).

The yummy 24-year old Scarlet Johansson, D&G muse and the face of their makeup collection, is “the person that represents actual femininity most in this world,” (Dolce's quote, not mine, to WWD) and will front the campaign for the flanker, taking the baton from Gisele Budchen for The One. The print ads are shot by Jean-Baptiste Mondino. Scarlett was ecsstatic when she told People that Mondino “captured all of a woman’s graces, our quiet moments. That to me, is what makes this campaign so special, and it feels wonderful to have been a part of the collaboration”. Who can argue that the end result is pretty?
Fittingly Johansson is seductively (yet also romantically) "poured in" a custom-made, curve-hugging Dolce & Gabbana pink tulle dress. The typical for Johansson pose (accentuating the waist, baring the shoulders, pursing the lips) suggests lounging on a posh bedroom while her hair is changed into strawberry blonde to reinforce the rose-hued effect that name would suggest.


Coming to think of this, it was only the other day when I was questioning (in a comment to a friend's blog) the sagacity of marketing something fragrant in "rose" parlance, because to a young generation of perfume buyers rose can so often stand for "old lady" (No matter it is mixed in almost everything and most people don't discern it in the formula; such is the corruption our noses have suffered in this sanitized and techno-monopolised world, sadly). Thus naming the newest flanker to The One with the perfectly visible "Rose" moniker has me curious to its reception. I believe they're going on the visual strength of their muse, Scarlett Johansson, probably the best thing in young and feminine curvaceousness ideals since Beatrice Dall and those Alessi pepper mills. And there are several other fragrances which have the "rose" tag in the name (Rock n'Rose by Valentino anyone? Off the top of my head) while still appealing to a younger clientelle.
Predictably the fragrance sounds like a foregone conclusion with its berry-ish fruity top, clean heart of flowers and sweet base. Still, I am eager to see how this will play out commercially, especially in the huge American market. The D&G Anthology collection (issued this year) hasn't been very impressive according to reports so far.

Notes for D&G Rose The One:
black currant, pink grapefruit, mandarin, lily of the valley, rose, litchi, peony, Madonna lily, along with ambrette seed, sandalwood, musk and vanilla.

Dolce & Gabbana Rose The One will be available in 30ml/1oz, 50ml/1.7oz and 75ml/2.5oz bottles of Eau de Parfum.

Pic via style.com

Content poaching is ugly!

A very perceptive reader kindly alerted me to an alarming phenomenon that I hope doesn't catch on: There is a site called basenote.us (no relation whatsoever to Grant Osborne's reputable site basenotes.net) which routinely takes off content from Perfume Shrine along with other popular bloggers whom they present as "contributors"! This dubious, (apparently) automatically-generated piracy site is run by someone called Ari Driver who runs an internet store called Perfumeparadise.ca. in Canada. Usually I don't really give much attention to snippets of my thoughts and words floating on the Ethernet and let it be. After all I get hundreds of comments of spam every day masquerading as casual readers of Perfume Shrine who promote their business in an oh-so-subtle-way (they think!) which is plenty annoying as is!
But what particularly bugged me in this case are two things: 1) There was a plainly seen copyright sign on their pirate page, which is ridiculous under the circustances, and 2) It was attached to a commercial business that was pushing product through our confiscated words!
Ms. Driver has been republishing whole articles from the Perfume Shrine and other blogs without any prior given permission or even the courtesy of attribution to the respective writers. Which is unacceptable...and ugly. Luckily for us, Cait from Legerdenez filed an online report and it seems like it scared the rabbits into their holes again. At least on this occassion.

May I take this chance to please request the many others as well who use the words published on Perfume Shrine for reasons of pushing their business or promoting their Ebay sales to respect the time and effort put on this site.

Guerlain Boisé Torride: new fragrance and preview

We had been speculating about upcoming releases from major houses and saying that Bois Torride would be the next Guerlain in the exclusive line-up. By the looks of it, it sounded like a new member of the L'Art et la Matière line-up (a series within the Guerlain portfolio available at their boutiques with Lutensian names and bottles). Well, it's time to admit that we were not entirely wrong and we were not entirely right either!

• The News

Boisé Torride* is indeed the upcoming (October) "exclusive" Guerlain ~after an avalanche of exclusivities this year, one extravagant specimen cleverly deconstructed by March here~ but it will be the fourth little sistah in the Sex and the City gang of Les Elixirs Charnels (Carnal Elixirs) which we had panned in the past because of their not-so-good ad copy and somewhat predictable scents.
Ad copy describes the newest Boisé Torride as "woody, rebellious, provocative, triumphant, bold and beautiful" and the women who would use it would hope to graft these qualities unto themselves. [NB: Please don't get confused with Eau Torride, a fragrance from Givenchy, which was launched in 2002].

A discerning reader and friend of Perfume Shrine, happened upon a random bottle at Saks labeled "Elixirs Charnels Bois Torride"> It transpires it is truthfully Boisé Torride* (I predict a stampede to Saks and furtive glances of despairing sales assistants). The curtain on that mystery of a scent that was under wraps for a whole year following its copywrited name was finally unveiled: It is the latest Elixir Charnel! That should give us ideas... What exactly should a Carnal Elixir entail and how would it fit into the pattern of the existing trio? The previous fragrances were composed by Christine Nagel, before news of the hiring of Thierry Wasser as head-perfumer, however it has been clear by now, that mr. Wasser is not creating every thing of the numerous Guerlain releases and he was too occupied with the newest Idylle for the mainstream release at any rate. Interestingly to me, it seems like there are thoughts to expand this particular Elixirs collection, much like L'Art et la Matière which had also started with just three scents in 2005 (Rose Barbare, Angelique Noire, Cuir Beluga ~reviews linked), to later incoroporate more (Bois d'Armenie). Might we expect a "Fleuri" (ie.floral) next?

• The name

One of our readers wittily likened it to the title of a bodice-ripper ~which would fit with the Elixirs series, as torrid would suggest passionate or very deep (I pray that the Guerlain headquarters have not thought of what "wood" can possibly imply in English in tandem with those adjectives!) Bois means woods, as I initially thought of this based on the trademarked name and the reportage from my reader, but the actual name boisé means woody, which is a denominator in the fragrance families classification and thus is perfectly in tandem with the other Elixirs Charnels, each picking up on a fragrance family in the name: Gourmand, Oriental and Chypre.
Sylvaine Delacourte, when we interviewed her here, had hinted that the next exclusive will focus on a beloved ingredient of the house (adding: Octavian revealed to me in the comments it will be tonka, and the trademarked name is Tonka Imperiale, the upcoming L'Art et la Matière one which sounds very promising).

• The scent impression

Jarvis described the scent briefly to me in those words and I am sharing, with his permission: "To my nose,it's a sister fragrance to La Petite Robe Noire. If La Petite Robe Noire was a cherryKool-aid sort of fragrance (i.e. like cherry-flavoured sugarcrystals), Boisé Torride feels more like citrus Kool-aid and perhaps some florals over patchouli. That fruit + florals + ethyl maltol +patchouli seems to suggest it owes something to Angel". He also insisted it is very sweet on the whole.
[please note Jarvis didn't have any notes on hand when describing, but I managed to wean those out and they actully don't sound too different from his experience].


Notes for Guerlain Elixir Charnel "Boisé Torride":
Top: bergamot, tangerine, pink berries
Heart: marshmallow harmony, orange blossom, jasmine
Base: patchouli, white musk, cedar

Elixir Charnel Boisé Torride is launching on October 15th at Guerlain boutiques and wherever there are espaces Guerlain for € 175 a pop.

*Both Karin (the first to say so) and Carmencanada confirm the name is actually Boisé which means "woody" rather than Bois (woods). I have since edited the name I was told initially accordingly.

Related reading on Perfume Shrine: Guerlain series, Elixirs Charnels by Guerlain: reviews, Upcoming releases.

Pics of Elixirs Charnels/Carnal Elixirs via Surlaterre blog, pic of fields with markings via ecopolis.org

L'Artisan Parfumeur Havana Vanille/Vanille Absolument: fragrance review

Appraising my impressions on the upcoming L'Artisan Havana Vanille (later changed to Vanille Absolument) I can't help but think that it is more like a sagacious study in black & white rather than a journey to exotic locales respendent with colourful fabrics or outlandish fruit. Its boozy tonalities on the other hand recall to mind the Payard Vanilla Rum Truffles as if they had been painted by Monet, an aspect which will place this release under the aegis of gourmando-philiacs the world over.

Havana Vanille/Vanille Absolument, the latest instalment in L'Artisan's Travel scents after Bois Farine (by Jean Claude Ellena), Timbuktu, Dzongha and Fleur de Liane (all by Duchaufour), was supposed to take us to Cuba. The allusion to the Caribbean island brings to mind tobacco of course and those beautiful chickas rolling the leaves on their sweaty thighs (I have shades of Marisa Tomey in The Perez Family in mind). The practice is not without merit, as the humidity from their tan skin makes for cigars that preserve their precious bouquet well into the aftertaste and do not become dried-out when properly stored in a humidor. Composed by in-house L'Artisan perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour, Vanille Absolument (Havana Vanille) showcases his typical monastic style of diaphanous, orientalised compositions recalling a mystical haze or vapours rising, like his beloved incense which he has explored in every nook and crany thought possible for both his L'Artisan and Eau d'Italie offerings.

Comparison with another Tobaco Vanilla, the one in Tom Ford's Private Line, reveals the L'Artisan endeavour as much lighter and less sweet (the Tom Ford one is much heavier on the tobacco overall, but highlighting the sweeter and whiskey aspects of its leaves, to the point where it is achingly sweet for me; in contrast the L'Artisan has the impression of nuanced tobacco with a passing pomander overtone). It might also nod slyly at the direction of that minx of a scent, Fifi (by lingerie maven Fifi Chachnil), who is climbing into her hot pink lacy undergarments and bringing the silk scarfs at bed for a frisky light bondage romp. Yet somehow Vanille Absolument (Havana Vanille) isn't as naughtily bawdy and seems more introverted, the bookish type who wears Alain Mikli glasses and looks you up quizzically over them when you make a compliment. This would not intimidate men who could opt for this one easily. Of course the pairing of tobacco with vanilla is a natural, as both materials have interlapping facets, much like a Reisling wine would pair with Ibores cheese perfectly and Tolu balsam is also complimenting the mix. Havana the city has been a reference for years due to its exotic locale and contraband allusions (fragrant examples by Aramis and Tuscany, both Lauder brands, which would make you think of a linen-suited Robert Redford gambling away in Havana, the film, while rescuing beautiful political objectors in the shape of Lena Olin).

The boozier aspects of Vanille Absolument/Havana Vanille (discernible rum, the "aged rum and sweet air of Cuba") recall to mind the decadent and rather debauched Spiritueuse Double Vanille by Guerlain (also referenced by NST), a fragrance that has lured many with its dense cloud of smokey vanilla-pod aspects highlighting the darker elements of the husks. This thick, succulent trend has been played for a while now and doesn't seem like fading yet. Indult went for broke with their intensely darkish-vanilla-rich Tihota (great-smelling stuff, yet for those prices you're set with some Vanille Noire du Mexique which resembles it); in Vanille Absolument (Havana Vanille) you get the feeling that the perfumer was trying to preserve a Cold War policy of equal distance from all those references: a little bit of everything but not exactly of the same mind.
What caught my attention about the new L'Artisan creation mainly is the underlying notes of dried fruits with their Lutensian tonality (treated the Coke Zero way, mind you!) and the caramelised maple-like immortelle note that peaks through ~the way it did subtly in the forgotten opus of Annick Goutal Eau de Monsieur by Isabelle Doyen or the more modern vanilla-laced Cuir Béluga by Olivier Polge. The (synthetic) moss doesn't blurr the overall composition into too dangerous territories to my nose and the terrain remains terra ferma with only a leathery hint that doesn't derive from bitter quinolines, but instead the narcissus absolute.
The longevity of Vanille Absolument (Havana Vanille) is average and the sillage is discreet, melding into a skin scent on me within the hour. Like The Non Blonde says it's "understated,without being low brow".

Vanilla seems all the rage again with everyone in the niche sector issuing one, falling into different stratagems: starting with the uber-luxurious, air-spun ~and floral really~ Vanille Galante by Hermès and the correspondingly diaphanous, citrusy Vanilla & Anise by Jo Malone which we reviewed the other day, on to the upcoming Patricia de Nicolai Vanille Intense and the upcoming Creed Vanille. Rumour has it that the groundbreaking (at its time) Vanilia by L'Artisan, which caused ripples with its brightly and kitchily artificial ethylmaltol note of cotton-candy (popularised much later by Angel and its clones in patchouli-laced compositions), will be replaced by the newest Vanille Absolument (Havana Vanille) in the L'Artisan portfolio. The reason could be the upcoming IFRA restrictions, although those wouldn't affect ethylmaltol I believe. It could also be latent style concerns, since the older one issued 31 years ago reflects a direction no longer en vogue. If this is news that has your wallet vibrating with worrisome anxiousness, better stock up before it is too late. On the other hand, if that fluorescent vanilla ice-cone of a scent isn't your cup of tea (and I admit although I admire it intellectually I can very rarely wear it), then you will be probably overjoyous with the newest Vanille Absolument (Havana Vanille).
I predict it will be much better received commercially than many of the latest L'Artisan scents exactly because of its "easy" reading that doesn't require coinnoisseurship. If you're searching for a more economical "twin" to Spiritueuse Double Vanille without the $220 tag attached, then you're all set. Personally, having cornered the vanilla issue in a precious few, select choices and prefering the oddly cuddly cardboard-and-soft animals'-underside of L'Artisan's Dzing! I am not so sure whether I'd rush to buy a full bottle of Vanille Absolument (Havana Vanille); probably not. But I am almost certain many will.

Notes for L'Artisan Vanille Absolument/Havana Vanille:
Top : Rum, mandarin, orange, clove
Heart : Dried fruits, narcissus absolute, rose, tobacco leaf, helichrysum/immortelle (everlasting flower)
Base : Madagascar and Mexican vanilla absolutes, tonka bean, benjoin, tolu balsam, vetiver, moss, musks, leather

Vanille Absolument (formerly Havana Vanille) comes in 50ml/1.7oz and 100ml/3.4oz bottles of Eau de Parfum. The scent is officially launching in October and testers are already appearing here and there.
L'Artisan is planning to surprise us delightfully with another launch later this year!

Related reading on Perfumeshrine: L'Artisan reviews and news,Vanillaand Gourmand fragrances

Photo by Walker Evans Parquet Central III via thephil.org