Thursday, May 14, 2009

Kenzo Les Eaux de Fleur Collection trio: Silk, Tea and Magnolia

Everyone is coming out with a "collection of scents", so why not Kenzo?
The new Kenzo Les Eaux De Fleurs Collection includes three floral fragrant waters inspired by Japan and created upon silk-tree flower, tea blooms and magnolia blossoms, called respectively Eau de Fleur de Soie (silk), Eau de Fleur de Thé (tea) and Eau de Fleur de Magnolia (magnolia). The plan is to add a new flower each year. What ties them? An ethereal floralcy, delicate transparence and subtlety. One might call them inoffensive. Also, they're by no means soliflores (ie. fragrances which focus on replicating the smell of a single flower). These limited editions are available in transparent bottles of a uniform design presented in different colours: pink for silk flower (as the flowers indeed resemble pink ventailles), green for tea flowers and whitish-yellow for magnolia blossom.
They all cost 52 euros for 50ml of Eau de Toilette at Sephora which is where I tested them myself.




Eau De Fleur de Soie (silk-tree blossom) is created in cooperation with perfumer Jean Jacques as a velvety, nonchalant floral-fruity of silk blossom with fruity accents in the heart of the fragrance. Very light and airy, it progressively becomes a little "thick" with an orientalised wink.

Eau De Fleur de Thé (tea blossom) is created by perfumer Aurélien Guichard and is the most unisex of the lot. The tea blossom is garlanding a heart of bitter notes of inky tea, finishing on a musky trail. It seem to be inspired by two of Bulgari's tea fragrances: Eau parfumée au thé vert (green tea) and Eau parfumée au thé blanc (white tea). The tea note eschews the green apple variety "green tea" accord which floods the market, but instead has a realistic tannic, a little inky green tea leaves tonality complimented with lime and white musk.

Eau De Fleur de Magnolia (magnolia blossom) is created in cooperation with perfumer Francis Kurkdjian and marries citrus, non-sweet accents to the complimentary radiant lemony facets of creamy magnolia blossoms, giving off a posh soapy feel. The lingering note is one of woodiness, when the floral notes have but vanished into thin air.

None of the above wowed me beyong the "perfectly nice, if rather unmemorable", which is a shame really, because I quite like the Kenzo portfolio on the whole: Kenzo Summer is a delicious and sensual creamy mimosa and milky musks concoction to dispell any dark thought with its bright yellow halo. Kenzo Jungle L'Elephant is a trusted spicy-fruity oriental that sets one apart. Kenzo Parfum d'été had been the green aqueous floral of one of several summers ago spent on Cyprus island. Kenzo Flower is a best-seller for a reason: it re-introduces the violet and powder note to an audience who is urban and quirky; not exactly the Victoriana envisioned by other traditional brands. Its spins (Flower le Parfum and Flower Oriental) are rather interesting as well! Kenzo Amour captures the comforting scent of a rice milky pudding tasted after reading bed-time stories. Even Kenzo Homme has something about its aromatic woodiness in the midst of vast spaces of water that keeps my interest for a little while.
The new collection Eaux de Fleurs should provide enjoyment to those who want a pretty spring or summer fragrance with a soft ambience about it without requiring further thinking on their part. If pressed I would choose Eau de Fleur de Magnolia for its creamy touch bearing a slight wink to Santa Maria Novela's individual Calycanthus refreshing élan, with Eau de Fleur de The as a second choice for its bitter accents although all three are quite pleasant.

They are all available at Amazon now: Eau de Fleur de Soie, Eau de Fleur de The, Eau de Fleur de Magnolia for 55$.

Pic via Kenzo

10 comments:

  1. stella p10:24

    Thank you for this presentaion, and by this also reminding us of the summer to come! :)
    This Kenzo Troika was too delicate & light to my taste; The "ethereal floralcy, delicate transparence and subtlety" you say unites them, is probably nice if one only wants a hint of scent, or is afraid of offending perfume-opponents.
    I adore very much, although, Kenzo's Summer, the Flower le Parfum (like it better than originnal Flower), and before a colleague of mine once said he smelled cat pee as I went by, l'Elephant..
    Have a nice weekend!

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  2. Whatever happened to the original Kenzo by Kenzo (that odd squat bulbous bottle, that blissful perfume with an odd basmati drydown)? I can't seem to find it anywhere. Please tell me they haven't "re-imagined" it...

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  3. Hmmm, I got a rather wonderful smoky quality from the magnolia one, and I do rather like that it actually smells like magnolia.

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  4. S,

    hi there! Hope it's quite warm there by now, I'm practically cooking today, it's so summery, so prematurely hot.
    Yup, these are all very light and airy. Like I said nice for when you don't want to be thinking of your fragrance too much. But pleasant nonetheless.
    I was almost certain you'd like the red Flower le Parfum! Have you tried the Oriental variation of it? I like it quite a bit!
    And lol on L'Elephant, it does have a challenging ingredient in there, very true.

    Hope you have a great weekend!

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  5. Hi Lucy!

    I know the one you're mentioning. I think it's still available, I know it certainly is here. They now call it Le Monde, was re-introduced in 1997 if I understand correctly.

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  6. Hi Jen!

    Hmm, you think? I found it quite airy, these are light fragrances, so not as creamy as the magnolias here, they have a more "animalic" quality about them, although i'm not sure this is the proper term to describe them, LOL. It's hard to articulate it. But I understand different varieties might have a difference in smell.

    Do you have a favourite Kenzo btw?

    Hope your day is going very well!

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  7. I found this trio rather bland when I tested them earlier in the year. I even wondered why they bothered. I agree with you in that they are pretty summer scents. Not memorable at all and I definitely will not be buying any.

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  8. Audit,

    as you say, a shame...they're nice but forgettable.
    I wouldn't shell out cash either. Maybe if someone gifted me with a bottle, I might use it in the height of summer for freshening up. (I think that would be the best use.)

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  9. I must say that however I'm all for all things Japanese (not really, it should be for some things Japanese but that would make a really broken figure of speech... yes I am superficial and shallow), Kenzo fragrances do not appeal to me in any way. By some strange error, I bought a bottle of Vintage Love, it's not bad but rather weakish and has some aftertaste that bugs me to no end. One day I'll find something to combat the hard candy sticky sweetness but meantime it'll sit on the shelf in the pretty purple bottle...
    But, I have to say that I adore the black poppy. And, a secret tip, the Luxe Noir line of Sephora house cosmetics goes perfectly well with it.

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  10. L,

    I wouldn't blame you you know! Kenzo is the most Parisian of the Japanese designers, I never found him anywhere as Japanese as the others, either in his fashions or his perfumes!
    I have not trued the Vintage Love one, although both the name and the bottle appeal to me but your description deters me from trying....
    I like the black poppy as well, it's the Kenzo Flower Oriental (as referenced above). Will have to see it side by side with the LN collection of Sephora, but thanks for the tip. I bet you know best!

    Hugs!

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