Guerlain Vere Novo: fragrance review of the extremely rare & vintage

"All is mystery; but he is a slave who will not struggle to penetrate the dark veil". Benjamin Disraeli's quote rings in my ears each time I try to apply my scientific skills into unravelling a perfumery puzzle: The who, the what, the when, the where, the intricasies tied into the interaction between these parameters; each time they create their own small district. Far from pontification, the work on Perfume Shrine aims to reconnoiter, to probe, to create sparks that will lead to personal explorations and a new way of thinking. Imagine the gluttony in my eye upon hitting on a rare specimen, the pearl beyond compare, the diamond in the pile of coal; it's a dirty job, but someone's got to do it, right? Out of the blue, one such thing came rapping, rapping at my chamber door: Vere Novo by Guerlain. 

Arguably the most beautiful of French perfume houses (certainly the most prolific one), Guerlain, since its foundation in 1828 on the Rue du Rivoli, has produced over 800 perfumes, creating a unique trajectory in history. Beautiful, evocative, dreamy, obscure names litter the catalogue, like a queen-bee populating a new hive with frantic pace: Senteurs de Champs (1828), Cyprisine (1894), Le Jardin de mon Curé (1895), Voilà Pourquoi J'aimais Rosine (1900c.), Bon Vieux Temps (1902),Violette à Deux Sous (1902c.), Avril en Fleurs (1905), Vague Souvenir (1912), Mi-Mai (1914), Bouquet de Faunes (1922), Ne M'Oubliez Pas (1923)... We have reviewed on these pages some rarities too: Pour Troubler (1911), Guerlain Djedi (1928), Loin de Tout (1933), Fleur de Feu (1948), , Atuana (1952), or the lush tuberose of Guerlain Marie-Claire...

My own precious sample came through the inquisitive kindness of Liisa of Under the Cupola, whom I trust implicitly. She sourced her own stash through the vast and intricate world of international auctions & splits, so I can't vouch for who the original seller was. (Isn't that true for most decants sourced?). But this thing smells glorious all the same, negating any doubt I might have for its comparatively light colour (the wee shade is close to how Après L'Ondée used to be or Jicky); and it does smell like a Guerlain through and through!

To my nose Vero Novo bears Jacques Guerlain's name (it's exactly contemporary to Le Jardin de mon Curé, both from 1895; though other sources mention it introduced sometime between 1883-1889) and seems to bear traces of both his own themes explored later on in Vol de Nuit and his predecessor's (Aimé Guerlain) in Jicky.

The name comes from Virgil (Georgicorum, libri quator) and translates [J.W.Mackail, 1934] as "in early spring". But to Italians, spring begins on February 7th [Varro, I.28], and Virgil was familiar with the sight of the Alps from childhood, witnessing the earliest sign the gradual melting of snow. To the Guerlain family, the melting of snow is mingled with the cold-warm, cuddly, slightly animalic, slightly leathery scent of the cassie (a richer, muskier variety of mimosa, with violet tendencies complimented by anisic accents and full of farnesol which is terpenic-smelling, i.e. dry piny-woody).
It was in 1869 that heliotropin, a golden standard for Guerlain, was discovered by Filtig & Mielk, its structure analysed two years later (by Barth) and synthesized from safrole in 1890 by Eykmann. Vanillin from guiaicol was synthesized by Reimr and Tiemann in 1874. This was a time in history when the breakdown of many materials created the modern face of perfumery as we know it, almost to this day.

Mingling the imaginary accords with the natural, Guerlain took the plush of civet-smoky vanilla in Jicky and diluted it threefold (watching to bring forth the piperonal in vanilla, but not dusting discernible "powdery notes"), adding what later became the velvet, earthy sheen in vintage Vol de Nuit,  plus some woody resinous citrus-peel notes (bergamot & some petit grain?) with a pine-needles effect (discernible in the opening), thus producing in Vere Novo a great skin scent, full of overall softness and the delicious contrast between fragrance dryness and buttery, sweet tones.
Vere Novo wafts deliciously, mingling the hint of patisserie with a suede note. I caught myself catching my wrists to sniff and question: "Do I smell that good?", more times than I care to admit. I suppose this is part of the classic Guerlain magic: Creating an experience that compliments the wearer's decolletage and mingles with the aroma of culinary pleasures that wrap an evening full of earthy delights.

Vere Novo was being produced by Guerlain from its launch in 1895 till the outbreak of WWII according to most records and official Guerlain text ads (in the form of little stories bearing the names of famous perfumes of the house) that were in circulation during L'Entre Deux Guerres (i.e. the 1920s and 1930s). Meaning it's discontinued and extremely rare to get hold of. The fact that several Guerlain fragrances from that era, such as Shalimar, Mitsouko and L'Heure Bleue (as well as Vol de Nuit) became classics and best-sellers for the French house probably explains the demise of some of the older products, such as this one. Pity and we can mourn to eternity, but there you have it. The surprising pleasure of discovering a diamond within the coal pile however is the perfume historian's not so humble lasting delight.

Related reading on Perfume Shrine: Guerlain series

Illustration: Withered Spring, by Aubrey Beardsley

Michelle Yeoh for Guerlain: new face

Famous faces haven't been in short supply these days at Guerlain: Natalia Vodianova (face of Shalimar, Parfum Initial and also the classic Shalimar), Nora Arnezeder (for Idylle) and Hilary Swank (for Insolence). This alpha team is joined by ~ageless! can you believe she's 50?~ Malaysian born, Hong-Kong based actress and producer Michelle Yeoh.

Funnily enough, it won't be just for her high cheekbones, balanced features and truly amazing skin that she Michelle Yeoh is promoted as a Guerlain ambassador (although she is used for all that too), but also for her potential to introduce the idea and magic of fragrance to the Asian market. "Beyond our success through our innovations in skincare and make-up, since 1828 the heart of Guerlain beats in perfume, still quite distant in the culture of our friends in Asia. Michelle Yeoh will be our guide to introduce our Asian customers into the magical universe of our perfume creations", according to Laurent Boillot, PDG at Guerlain. He adds: "“Beyond being a beautiful lady, Michelle defends several causes, she is a woman of conviction and we are pleased that she is now going to defend the causes of beauty and elegance in the French way, for a company which for 183 years has been transmitting the values of courage, creativity and refinement”.


It remains to be seen whether there will be separate advertisements for  existing Guerlain fragrances for the Asian market fronted by Michelle or whether there is a new fragrance in the works specifically targeted for that demographic.

Photo of Michelle Yeoh at the flagship Guerlain store in front of the famous chandellier with all the glorious Guerlain fragrances via Paperblog.fr
Photo of Michelle Yeoh with orchids via newzy.net 

Interview with Melissa Ceria, director of Art de Vivre programs at French Institute Alliance Francaise

"Perfume is an ephemeral thing, but it has a lasting effect on people". As I hear those words in the melodious cadenza of Melissa Ceria's voice I find myself nodding my head appreciatively. How many times have we not marveled at the power of fragrance, its mystique, its pull, its ability to inflict guttural responses, but also its ethereal quality of having the potential of an objet d'art.
Melissa Ceria, director of Art de Vivre Programs at The French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF) in New York City, graciously granted me an interview in which we talked in detail about their upcoming Series Le Parfum: The Power of Fragrance, we had announced on Perfume Shrine a while ago. (Please refer to our timetable, descriptions on which perfumers to meet and ask questions of, tickets and links on our Art de Vivre announcement).

Melissa is a joy to talk to, a mother and professional who takes the time to answer questions with great care and genuine interest. She's generous and forthcoming with information and someone who really "gets" what makes a perfume lover tick. After all, she used to collect miniatures at the ripe age of 11 and dream of how these scents expressed her budding femininity. She's one of us!

In her words: "There is also a very aspirational angle in wearing perfume. Who do we become when we spray on our favorite perfume? Does it help us project a certain image of ourselves? (We make demands of perfumes.) Women want to get inspired by perfumes, to dream a bit. Advertising images especially cater to that, but also the whole experience of packaging and names and presentation, all these things inspire responses from women."

For the Art de Vivre series of exciting events scheduled as Le Parfum: the Power of Fragrance, kick-starting today, she invited Christophe Laudamiel, who will introduce samples provided exclusively by the perfume museum, L' Osmothèque (where he's co-curator), therefore rare and covetable by all serious perfume lovers, letting audiences discover an array of scents and their stories. Next, she introduces a panel of acclaimed professionals in fields having to do with fragrance and scents, who will discuss the influence of fragrance on identity, memory and desire. Last but not least, Melissa organizes "Speed Smelling", "a really great way for the audience to get to experience the work of great perfumers working today. They will have the chance to see what inspires a fragrance (Anything from grapefruit to graffiti, we say!) and meet with no less than 9 renowned IFF perfumers [...] as they unveil personal creations composed around elements that have inspired them. Each perfumer will sit at a table with guests, talk about their sources of inspiration and then reveal the perfume they created around those ideas. None of these fragrances are available on the market, so there's a surprise element to this that's fun. Attendees will be able to smell, ask questions, interact with the perfumers. Each session with each perfumer lasts for 5 minutes and then attendees will hop to the next table and meet the next perfumer! "

This is a piece of a greater piece. You can read the whole interview on this link on Fragrantica.

Giveaway: Win a Real Grain of Natural Ambergris

The amount of feedback and requests with questions concerning natural ambergis I have received has been amazing. I have explained about natural ambergris as a perfumery material in the past (contrasted with synthetic woody-ambers) and posted about cooking with ambergris and the joys of actually eating it (yes, you read this right), so it was only natural that adventurous readers asked me about sources and details.
I came to realize that for some of them the whole subject sounds totally inaccessible, so in the interests of being a good sport & doing a public service (and at the same time drawing out some of our lurkers; come on, we welcome questions, there is no such thing as a stupid question) I'm offering for grabs ~out of my own personal stash~ one gram of natural ambergris, ethically harvested from the shores of New Zealand for one (ultra) lucky winner. It will be sent raw in a small glass vial by me to anywhere in the world and you can keep it as is, tincture it in perfumer's alcohol for use in your mixes or just for reference, or cook with it and see what all the fuss is about.

In order to participate in the draw you need to answer to these questions in the Comments:
1) Do you find the PerfumeShrine  aroma-materials articles useful as they are or do you have suggestions for them to get better? How?
2) Do you want more materials or terms defined for you? Which ones?

Draw is open to everyone (Anonymous users will be counted by the time-stamp of their post), wherever you are, and will remain open till  Monday 7th Nov. midnight. Good luck to all!

Edit to add: the photo shows genuine ambergris, a HUGE "Yeti" piece provided by natural perfumer AnyaMcCoy 

Eva Mendes Talks on the new Thierry Mugler Angel Eau de Toilette

Sexy Latina actress Eva Mendes is fronting a soaring best-seller in the perfume world, which now comes in an updated concentration, Angel Eau de Toilette, and she reveals to us what she thinks about being the face of Thierry Mugler's Angel fragrance as well as her memories & musings on the actual scent. Enjoy!

How did it feel to be offered to be the muse for Thierry Mugler's Angel?

Eva Mendes: “I was so excited to collaborate with Thierry Mugler, because it’s a scent that I grew up loving. It came out while I was still in school, and both of my sisters and my mother liked to wear the fragrance. It’s really nostalgic for me! Mugler was definitely a big name in our household when I was a kid.”

You know that women who wear Angel don't change perfumes.

EM: "Yes, it's because it's so special! I recall my mother advising that I should choose a perfume that trails, that stays in the room after I have left to make my absence felt. That perfume can only be Angel".

Which do you prefer? The new eau de toilette or the older eau de parfum?

EM: "Both, so I can wear Angel all day long. The lighter concentration in the mornings, the more intense in the evenings".

How do you like to apply fragrance?

EM: "I love to spray it on my wrists, but also on the back of my neck and in my hair, I find it very feminine...".

 Past modeling by Eva Mendes includes fronting the Calvin Klein brand, both in print ads and commercials. The billboards for Calvin Klein were deemed overly sexy at times, while her TV-commercial Secret Obsession was banned in the USA for being too sexually provocative. By contrast, her collaboration with the Clarins Group ~who handle the Thierry Mugler portfolio~ has not had any of the same problems.

And just for the heck of it, here's the original music sung by Noel Harrison from the 1968 classic film The Thomas Crown Affair starring (the ultra cool) Steve McQueen and (the divine) Faye Dunaway.



certain info via Vimadonna & Instyle