Etat Libre d'Orange changes the name of their Sex Pistols fragrance (a 2010 release for French Sephora) into a more encompassing name and concept ~and please note this might be one of many to follow. The official site of the niche French brand even declares: The Sex Pistols are dead, long live Malaise (hope not, in the literal sense of the word!). "We thought it was hilarious to name a juice after a band whose stars were called Rotten and Vicious so we could sell it in a cosmetics emporium. But that’s not necessarily the whole story. In fact, we have many more in stock.
Because what is perfume, when you think of it? A potion we use to reinvent our memories. The matrix of as many stories as there are ways of getting into the scent. So what if we drew the consequence of this story-generating mechanism by dressing up the same perfume with as many names, characters and plotlines as it inspires? What if we gave it avatars? So we’re taking ‘Sex Pistols’ and giving it a new name that fits these troubled times…"
But let's see how the presentation changed:
Relive the anarchy of Britain in the punk age with the Etat Libre d'Orange Malaise of the 1970s Eau de Parfum.
Inspired by a wealth of seventies pop culture references, from Star Wars to The Stranglers, Malaise of the 1970s captures the resistant and tumultuous spirit of the times. A metallic juice that resonates like the twang of a guitar string, its sharpness reminiscent of safety pins fastened to tartan. A distillation of rebellion, music and raw emotion.
This scent from Etat Libre d'Orange blends the piquancy of black pepper and electric aldehydes with the headiness of patchouli and leather. Like an act of resistance, you cannot keep it out of your body any more than you can stop breathing. Blast off the last wafts of patchouli tailing after the Summer of Love. Growl out "No More Heroes". Take off to a galaxy far, far away. and indulge in the unique malaise of the 1970s.
Notes for Malaise of the 1970s: Citrus, Black Pepper, Amber, Prune, Electric Aldehydes, Heliotrope, Patchouli, Orcanox, Leather.
One note: Trainspotting came out in 1996. (Even if McGregor became Obi-Wan later on). Just so you know.
Watch a clip on the brand and its manifesto/aims by president Etienne de Swardt.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Scents of Time to Close Down in April
"In the perfume game we were up against some huge businesses such as Dior. It was like David versus Goliath except this time Goliath won. The stone in my slingshot wasn't big enough. We started strongly and it seemed to be going well but people don't have a lot of spare money for a luxury like us."
Thus says David Pybus, of Scents of Time, a historian gone the way of perfume recreation. The info and quotes come from an article on This is Kent.
After collaborating with Dragon's Den, Pybus has created five scents including Nenufar which was Cleopatra's perfume of choice, and Ankh which was inspired by the incense found in the tomb of Tutankhamen. He currently has 500 bottles left of Night Star, the Titanic scent which we had reported on these very pages, now reduced from £40 to £6.[NB. This is a local-only valid offer, as there can be no international orders arrangements at this point]
For more details please visit http://www.scentsoftime.co.uk
If you want to try out the Scents of Time fragrances there are samples (and bottles) circulating from UK locations on Ebay.
Thus says David Pybus, of Scents of Time, a historian gone the way of perfume recreation. The info and quotes come from an article on This is Kent.
After collaborating with Dragon's Den, Pybus has created five scents including Nenufar which was Cleopatra's perfume of choice, and Ankh which was inspired by the incense found in the tomb of Tutankhamen. He currently has 500 bottles left of Night Star, the Titanic scent which we had reported on these very pages, now reduced from £40 to £6.[NB. This is a local-only valid offer, as there can be no international orders arrangements at this point]
For more details please visit http://www.scentsoftime.co.uk
If you want to try out the Scents of Time fragrances there are samples (and bottles) circulating from UK locations on Ebay.
Monday, March 26, 2012
EVAmour: new fragrance
"My first memory of fragrance is my mom," she said. "She wore Charlie but I actually never wore perfume. I would always sneeze when I smelled it and just never found one that worked for me, which is why I wanted to develop my own." And while her debut fragrance was meant to evoke a clean, just out of the shower feeling, this one is "seductive, playful, sexy, and mature," Longoria explains, adding that when she starts making a scent (it takes about a year), she works with a perfume house and tells them what she wants the end result to be—emotionally.
"The perfumers would say, 'oh you mean a spicy musk.' But that's Chinese to me so they would send me samples, we'd go back and forth—but in both cases, I ended up going with the first try!"
Thus goes the article on Allure, chronicling the route that Eva Longoria would take to "co-create" her latest fragrance, called EVAmour. The second celebrity perfume by the "Desperate Housewives" star features notes of bergamot, apple, red currant, vanilla, amber, and musk.
"The perfumers would say, 'oh you mean a spicy musk.' But that's Chinese to me so they would send me samples, we'd go back and forth—but in both cases, I ended up going with the first try!"
Thus goes the article on Allure, chronicling the route that Eva Longoria would take to "co-create" her latest fragrance, called EVAmour. The second celebrity perfume by the "Desperate Housewives" star features notes of bergamot, apple, red currant, vanilla, amber, and musk.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Chanel Perfume Rumour: Les Exclusifs 1932
drawing of Chanel by Jean Cocteau (1932) |
Chanel have just trademarked the "name" "1932" for their perfumery branch. The year coincides with the introduction of Ivoire de Chanel, one of the unknown Chanel fragrances that came out in that eventful decade. The year also coincides with the introduction of Chanel jewelry, focusing on diamond rings and brooches that still retain their delightful art Deco character.
Is, after Chanel Jersey and Chanel Beige, Ivoire to be the next Chanel Les Exclusifs perfume? I think it should be. This could be a re-issue of the unfairly unsung vintage Ivoire, but in all probability it should be a totally modern composition that merely utilizes the retro connotation to instill a sense of patrimonie into the proceedings. Taking into account that the latest Chanel parfums have not strung by heartstrings, I remain sceptical, but would like to sample nevertheless.
Of course they might be trademarking things with an eye into stopping the competition. Coco Noir still hasn't been publicized...
EDIT TO ADD: Sashimi87 has posted an actual photo of the bottle of Chanel Les Exclusifs 1932 on Instagram, as per my reader Wit Siamaise. It's too good not to show to you (plus it corroborates my info) and I hope she's fine with it appearing here.
top pic via rarevintage.blogspot.com
Friday, March 23, 2012
Etat Libre d'Orange Fils de Dieu du Riz et des Agrumes: fragrance review
Despite allusions to Messianic status and references to a Far Asian dish full of endemic ingredients, Fils de Dieu is neither incense-based, nor is it foody in smell. Instead it shoots clarity, modernity and prized complexity into an age-old structure, the classic oriental perfume, making it shed its abundant sunshine like a golden ray shimmering onto yellow butterflies flying over the spring blooms in the balcony. Forget the controversy factor and scare-the-horses impact of the niche brand's infamous Sécrétions Magnifiques. This one is instantly (and easily) likeable stuff you will get serious milleage off; which I'd think defeats the brand's "perfume is dead, long live perfume" manifesto, but there you have it: they need to make wearable stuff too I suppose. Fils de Dieu is among their most approachable.
Etat Libre d'Orange describes its latest fragrance Fils de Dieu du Riz et des Agrumes (its full name meaning “Son of God of rice and citrus”) as "the one who brings on the light, the sunshine", drawing from the Philippines lore (its alternative name was Philippine Houseboy). Perfumer Ralf Schwieger (of Lipstick Rose fame), set to task by the brand's head Etienne De Swardt, took the basic structure of a classical oriental built on tart citrus and creamy ambery and vanillic notes (see Shalimar or even better the more legible Shalimar Light) and renovated it into a modern creation that registers as totally urban, totally effarvescent, totally wearable. But that's not to mean it wears thin or minimalist: the projection of the mouilletes on my library is reaching me, diffusing with gusto, in the bedroom and the sillage trailing off my chiffon blouse is enough to entice the neighbour meeting me round the corner to ask what I am wearing. "It's Fils de Dieu", I reply rather self-consious. "Oooh, sounds like one of those delectable things only you carry around here!" she replies with a resigned sigh. I oblige and write the name down along with intrstructions on where to get some.
That is the effect the new Etat Libre d'Orange fragrance has: uplifting, inviting, alluring, radiant. Despite the lack of heft its vanilla background has (forget thick, "burnt" too foody vanillas, this is nuanced and sophisticated), the tenacity of musk, the crushed flower petals and the profusion of leathery castoreum (reminiscent of a FarEast massage parlour) accounts for a composition that will get you noticed throughout the day. If the equally inviting Etat Libre d'Orange Archives 69 and their universally liked Like This is any indication, the French brand is following a certain kind of compositions quite purposefully lately.
But the interesting thing about Fils de Dieu is the masterful playing of contrast and the injection of herbal into the classic oriental motif: the ginger (in itself having a citrusy facet) pairs with other hesperidic notes, notably sharp lime, starting with bracing, mouthwatering freshness (not unlike the bergamot-rich head note of Cologne Bigarade in the F.Malle line). There's the subtle and brief fennel-like note of shiso and then the perfume swims confidently into plush comfort through the milky-rice note of coconut-milk steamed rice. The zen-like effect of savoury rice cooking on the stove was perhaps most famously explored by niche brand Ormonde Jayne in Champaca: there's something home-bound and soothing about that smell and Linda Pilkington had revealed to me in an interview that she had envisioned it inspired by her Chinese neighbours cooking rice at their appartment every evening. Etat Libre had injected a rice note as a hint in their previous Putain de Palaces. But in Fils de Dieu the progression melds effortlessly into an intimate, gourmand aftertaste with lots of coriander (orange-saffron like, almost), a metallic nuance and suede, sultry leathery notes which retain the fragrance deliciously on both skin and cloth.
Etat Libre d'Orange Fils de Dieu, du Riz et des Agrumes is available from Henri Bendels, MiN New York and online from Luckyscent and Les Senteurs.
Notes for Etat Libre d'Orange Fils de Dieu:
Ginger, coriander leaves, lime, shiso, bergamot, Jungle Essence coconut, rice note, Jungle Essence cardamom, jasmine, cinnamon, French May rose, tonka bean, vetiver, musk, amber, leather, castoreum.
photo via cupcakeproject.com
Biko rice cupcakes from the Philippines |
That is the effect the new Etat Libre d'Orange fragrance has: uplifting, inviting, alluring, radiant. Despite the lack of heft its vanilla background has (forget thick, "burnt" too foody vanillas, this is nuanced and sophisticated), the tenacity of musk, the crushed flower petals and the profusion of leathery castoreum (reminiscent of a FarEast massage parlour) accounts for a composition that will get you noticed throughout the day. If the equally inviting Etat Libre d'Orange Archives 69 and their universally liked Like This is any indication, the French brand is following a certain kind of compositions quite purposefully lately.
But the interesting thing about Fils de Dieu is the masterful playing of contrast and the injection of herbal into the classic oriental motif: the ginger (in itself having a citrusy facet) pairs with other hesperidic notes, notably sharp lime, starting with bracing, mouthwatering freshness (not unlike the bergamot-rich head note of Cologne Bigarade in the F.Malle line). There's the subtle and brief fennel-like note of shiso and then the perfume swims confidently into plush comfort through the milky-rice note of coconut-milk steamed rice. The zen-like effect of savoury rice cooking on the stove was perhaps most famously explored by niche brand Ormonde Jayne in Champaca: there's something home-bound and soothing about that smell and Linda Pilkington had revealed to me in an interview that she had envisioned it inspired by her Chinese neighbours cooking rice at their appartment every evening. Etat Libre had injected a rice note as a hint in their previous Putain de Palaces. But in Fils de Dieu the progression melds effortlessly into an intimate, gourmand aftertaste with lots of coriander (orange-saffron like, almost), a metallic nuance and suede, sultry leathery notes which retain the fragrance deliciously on both skin and cloth.
Etat Libre d'Orange Fils de Dieu, du Riz et des Agrumes is available from Henri Bendels, MiN New York and online from Luckyscent and Les Senteurs.
Notes for Etat Libre d'Orange Fils de Dieu:
Ginger, coriander leaves, lime, shiso, bergamot, Jungle Essence coconut, rice note, Jungle Essence cardamom, jasmine, cinnamon, French May rose, tonka bean, vetiver, musk, amber, leather, castoreum.
photo via cupcakeproject.com
Labels:
castoreum,
citrus,
etat libre d'orange,
fils de dieu,
fils de dieu du riz et des agrumes,
gourmand,
lime,
musk,
new,
oriental,
philippine houseboy,
Ralf Schwieger,
review,
shiso,
vanilla
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