Another Serge Lutens Perfume Joins the Exclusive Line & Other News on Lutens Paris Exclusives Available in the US

It was predetermined fate...

We had talked about several Lutens fragrances joining the Paris exclusive line almost two years ago. Slowly but surely they all made their way over there from their oblong exports to the beautiful bell jars. The last one to do so is Chypre Rouge, officially confirmed as the latest to join the Paris exclusive bell jars.

On the other hand, news is going around the perfume community that the Paris exclusive line of Serge Lutens fragrances is maybe coming closer to the USA customers than ever before: Non necessitating a Paris trip but rather a phone call to Barney's at New York (dedicated tel.line: 212.833.2425) which would be stocking the till now unattainable. Good news for discerning US customers, an open question regarding the changing business practice of the house. Remains to be seen if and how this will change the perfume scenery.

$280-300 for 75ml of perfume, exclusively at Barneys New York, 660 Madison Avenue [source]

Related reading on Perfume Shrine: the latest Lutens perfume Santal Majuscule review, Serge Lutens fragrance reviews & news 

Lady Gaga shoots her Perfume Ad Commercial for Fame with Ridley Scott, NOT!

To promote her "Fame" fragrance, on which I have reported in detail on this link and on that one as well, Lady Gaga reportedly tapped Alien and Prometheus director Ridley Scott for a shadowy, futuristic clip (as per The Rolling Stone). Scott is no stranger to advertising for perfume: Let me remind you in passing he was the mastermind behind those indelible commercials for Chanel No.5 titled "Share the fantasy"...
However the credits I see on a video on Youtube which looks official (uploaded by Haus Laboratories, the company that produces Fame by Lady Gaga) credit Steven Klein as director with ~beauty purists will be thrilled~ makeup by Stephan Marais while the production company is listed as Blackdog (and not Ridley's familiar Scott Free). Ahem...

The full film, directed by Steven Klein, is expected to debut later this month, via LittleMonsters.com


Dressed in a black jumpsuit, Lady Gaga twists herself before tiny men swarm her naked body. The perfume has been touted as "The First Ever Black Eau de Parfum" and is "built on three main accords: dark, sensual and light" out for launch in September 2012.

 What do you think?

Thierry Mugler Les Parfums de Cuir (The Leather Collection): new fragrance editions

In celebration of the 20th anniversary of French fashion and fragrance house Thierry Mugler, The Clarins Fragrance Group has added a new twist to the brand's classic fragrances with the release of The Fragrances of Leather collection.

The new line-up includes vamped up, leather-ied in fragrance terms (if you're not sure what these are, look it up in our Leather Fragrances directory) special editions in the following best-selling fragrances: Angel (a gourmand with added notes of iris and apricot), A*men (uniting patchouli with leather), Alien (with added amber and dried fruits) and Womanity (highlighting the existing labdanum into a protagonist in the new formula). Leather is a fragrance note that is making a come-back (about time!) as witnessed by the launch of Bottega Veneta eau de parfum (and probably Louis Vuitton  perfume next), catapulted by the niche sector into the mainstream.

 The launch of the new Mugler fragrance editions is set out for October 2012 with a new design for the feminine bottles and the familiar black one for the masculine A*men in ambery juice shades.


[news source]

"Fragrance reviews are silly. Fragrance marketing is even sillier."

Thus pronounces styleite.com and proposes to do some crowdsourcing on how things smell to offer an alternative viewpoint on some of our favorite fragrances.

Intriguing one to appear? Coromandel by Chanel Les exclusifs (and check on my comparison link with some other similar scents).
 Do drop by the styleite site to read and witness your jaw drop on the floor in disbelief (Descriptions range from the incomprehensible “[smells] Like teenage girl mall perfume. Or country club bathrooms” to the equally weird “It’s interesting. It’s almost a little candy-like. But also has some soapiness too. Kinda fruity.”)

Goes to show you: People (layman folks for our purposes, not die hard parfumistas) interpret objective effects in completely subjective ways. It all depends on context and association, I guess.
What do you think?

Atelier Cologne Rose Anonyme and Vetiver Fatal: new fragrances

Atelier Cologne is proposing two new fragrances for their fans, jumping on the oud bandwagon in the process as well.

Rose Anonyme~ “She turned the dial until the safe opened, revealing the diamond. She had stolen jewels before, but none compared with this one. She left a single rose and the scent of her perfume in its place for him to find. In a moment she’d be halfway around the world and he would be in pursuit. The chase began again…” With notes of bergamot, ginger, rose, incense, velvet oud accord, patchouli, papyrus and benzoin.
Vétiver Fatal~ “He was alerted immediately and called on the case, another diamond stolen mysteriously. The moment he opened the dossier, a smile sparked in his deep eyes as he recognized her signature mark. He took one of his passports, burned the file and began the pursuit. This time she wouldn’t get away…” With notes of bergamot, lemon, bigarade, orange blossom, violet leaves, black plum, vetiver, cedar and dark oud accord.
Rose Anonyme is a spicy fresh gourmand-oriental rose.
Vetiver Fatale is a full-bodied and plush, woody aromatic vetiver fragrance.

Both fragrances are aimed at both men and women, developed by perfumer Jerome Epinette, available in 200ml and 30ml bottles at Luckyscent and Beautyhabit.