Myrrh: Mythology and Culture

Sacred among essences the resin of the Commiphora myrrha tree grows in the solitary desert weeping its fragrant tears for that which could not be. From the wandering girl Myrrha to the practices of embalming and mummification and the anointing of priest king and lover alike, myrrh is among the most fascinating essences in perfumery and I am pleased to be able to offer my readers who had asked about it two articles investigating its mythology origins and the cultural significance it played in western civilization.

Here is the first part: The Myriad Muses in Myrrh: Mythology ~A tale of lust, incense and guilt.

And here is the second part: The Myriad Muses in Myrrh: Culture ~Between sanctity and carnality.

These are going to be followed by a third part focusing on perfume reviews of my favorite myrrh-centric fragrances.

And let me grab the opportunity to mention those are both part of my new steady column (une rubrique) on Fragrantica especially for my historical articles, besides any other content I provide on the webzine. You can find them on the collective link 1001 Past Tales.

At the Moment

It looks like contrary to what Humphrey Bogart said we won't always have Paris after all. For a Europhile to the core like myself this is a heavy blow. Alas it tinges my thoughts but I'm sure many will agree.
Please feel free to share your thoughts and current activities/favorites in the comments section just below this post.

Thinking

The At the Moment column is usually a way of distraction via description but this little bit lately is resisting distraction. It's hard to avoid thinking what comes next after the 23/11 terrorist attacks in the heart of Europe. Paris has long seemed like the stronghold of peaceful discource between opposing cultures though I'm sure the banlieux have been having their own share of "civil war" from time to time. It's shocking to hear the news and the escalation involving even more countries. I'm crossing fingers and toes and wish I had as many arms as the goddess Kali to be able to wish the terrors away.

Reading

Perhaps not unjustly my thoughts ran to Virginia Woolf and her Thoughts on Peace in an Air Raid. Just finished Letter to a Young Poet though which had been a long while in waiting. Her essay on poetry is most enjoyable to read and think about. Especially when she intones how poetry (life really) should get out of the autistic self and unto the others. (And yes I do get the irony of saying that just as I'm writing about my own self and what occupies me on this post). Next I'm planning on getting an education on the Marvel classics.


Wearing

We've been having the warmest November I can recollect. A light jacket is plenty and I often find myself removing it at noon! I'm on a steady diet of pashminas over lightweight cotton sweaters and long-sleeved T-shirts with blanket scarves. I do lack an animal printed one (so hot this season) and this one from Asos seems to fit the bill.
I'm aching for some cold though I know many will be thinking of the increased cost in central heating. As it is we have not used central heating yet.

I also need a new evening clutch. This Colette frame clutch by Hobo in shade frost ticks two trend boxes in one: fringe and grey. It also looks roomy enough to hold a wallet and keys plus a cell phone.


Perfuming

I've been wearing neglected Orientals lately (and will be devoting a post to my favorite ones soon).
One of them I will whet your appetite with is Cinema eau de parfum by Yves Saint Laurent. Who would have thought back in 2004 that this mimosa and almond floriental would seem almost austere compared with the tsunami of sweet vanillic things to follow?

Listening

Maybe because of Paris I'm revisiting Barbara. I'm especially touched by this song of hers Sans Bagages.

And I'm leaving you with a Greek song by Cretan musician Yannis Haroulis: Άιντε και Ξέχασα.
(And hey I've forgotten)

A black stone rolled and woke life up
and we're escaping from closed windows like the shadows
and all we never dared do we throw to the fire
to warm up our dreams our hands our hugs.

Annick Goutal Les Absolus Vanille Charnelle: fragrance review

The problem with the term "charnelle" (carnal in French) for Anglo-speaking audiences persists after the online mocking of Guerlain's analogous fragrances (Les Elixirs Charnels or better known as Carnal Elixirs). Of course one might argue it's hard to beat Poupée (doll in French) by Rochas... Nevertheless don't let that distract you from the creamy goodness of the latest Annick Goutal vanilla fragrance, Vanille Charnelle, part of Les Absolus d'Annick Goutal luxury perfumes trio.

Vanilla fragrances can come in various guises and heaven knows one more vanilla is not what is missing from the market, especially at this point. However the polished touch of perfumer Isabelle Doyen and art director Camille Goutal promises a milk bath preceding a lovers' tryst Popaea (Sabena) style.

The butyric note in Vanille Charnelle is held down by two interesting elements making the fluffy base more playful; one is a peppery note that tingles the sinuses with the anticipation of a session of light spanking, the other a nectarous ylang ylang which brings the floralcy of vanilla into focus. Dark vanillas exhibit boozy, dark, whiskey and rum facets, but Vanille Charnelle is more reminiscent of almonds than of booze and has that goose down feel that white musk has when done right.

For Goutal, who had already offered the moderately priced Vanille Exquise, which many vanilla lovers counted among the ones they love, the decision to offer a disproportionately elevated in the posh stakes vanilla sounds rather odd. But vanilla is a known aphrodisiac, as per pop culture (and who can forget the Guerlain claims to Shalimar being cat nip thanks to its rich, dark, leathery vanilla) and it seems one can't have too many in one line. It also ensures a steady interest at the counter...

The luxurious presentation by Annick Goutal in the Les Absolus line, that opens like the scene of a theatre production to reveal a performance by good actors, merits the asking price more than the innovation of the formula. Still...pas mal du tout.


Related reading on Perfume Shrine: 
Annick Goutal news & reviews
Top Vanilla Fragrances: a Series

Parisian Thoughts

Malle and Benaim Lecture at Harvard Graduate School of Design

Harvard Graduate School of Design organizes a lecture in their Fall Public Lecture Series featuring perfume editor Frédéric Malle and perfumer Carlos Benaïm.

EVENT
Frédéric Malle of Editions de Parfums with Perfumer Carlos Benaïm
Thursday, November 19 from 6:30pm to 8:00pm in Piper Auditorium, Gund Hall, Harvard Graduate School of Design

Frédéric Malle will speak about design, the creative process, the fragrances themselves, and their ingredients and history, joined in conversation by perfumer Carlos Benaïm.

Carlos Benaïm (left image) spent his childhood in Tangier, close to natural ingredients that gave him a taste for beauty. He later trained under legendary American perfumer Ernest Shiftan, where he instilled a boldness and bravado into his creations.

Frédéric Malle (right image) was born in Paris into a family deeply involved in perfume and the arts, including his grandfather, who worked closely with Dior to create Parfums Christian Dior; his mother, who was art director of the Dior house of fragrance; and his uncle, the film director Louis Malle. After studying art history at NYU, seeking to master every aspect of the perfume trade, Frédéric Malle worked at French ad agency Havas International and at fragrance lab Roure under master perfumer Jean Amic before establishing Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle in Paris in 2000, which soon expanded to department stores and stand-alone boutiques in New York, Rome, and London.

Rejecting the norms of mass produced fragrance, seeking a return to luxury and creativity, Malle has kept his company on a carefully controlled scale in order to empower the fragrance creators while offering the customer an exceptional experience. He has developed his fragrances through collaborations with well-known master perfumers of today, including Dominique Ropion, Jean-Claude Ellena, Maurice Roucel, Olivia Giacobetti, Pierre Bourdon, Edmond Roudnitska, and (son) Michel Roudnitska.

Malle regards fragrance creation as analogous to publishing a book, with the nose as the author, the name of the fragrance as the title, and himself as editor in chief. This metaphor inspired the sophisticated yet restrained brand identity of Editions de Parfums. His shop interiors—including the Greenwich Village store designed with architect Steven Holl—include Malle's own invention: the "smelling column" that first appeared in the boutique in Barney's New York, which allow a customer to experience the scent and appreciate its complexity in isolation from the surrounding air.

Supported by the Rouse Visiting Artist Fund.

For accessibility accommodations, please contact the events office in advance at events AT gsd.harvard.edu or call (617) 496-2414.

There is also a live stream link.