Ormonde Jayne Tolu: two golden incarnations

 perfume photography by Elena Vosnaki

Bond Night at Ormonde Jayne with Gifts & Discounts

For one day, tomorrow Thursday 28th November, Ormonde Jayne offers 20% discount for orders in person at the boutique and by phone at +44 (0)207 499 1100 and +44 (0) 207 730 1381 as well as a complimentary Bathil Oil which retails for 56GBP for the first 15 clients to purchase in store from 6pm.

This offer is eligible for the Royal Arcade boutique on 28 Old Bond Street, London, UK.
The party involving champagne and mince pies starts from 6pm-8pm.
Merry shopping!

Ormonde Jayne Qi: fragrance review

The beauty of Qi by British niche perfume brand Ormonde Jayne lies in its tenacious subtlety; its low hum is heard and felt caressing the senses and enlivening any waking moment. Essentially a tea fragrance with a beautiful apricot-laced nuance of osmanthus blossom, it transports us to a serene scene featuring Lu Yu scribing what has become the cornerstone of the Chinese tea culture and ceremony.

The name, Qi, an ancient term evocative of the sacred breath of life, suggests the luminous and at the same time natural-feeling hues of a tableau vivant drenched in sunshine. The discreet character of Qi, with a bright green and delicately citrusy opening—reminiscent of the more chypre Tiare in the regular Ormonde Jayne collection—is simpatico to the sensibilities of the Far East where pleasure and joy is imparted through the most refined, the most subtle and sensitive evocations, like a softly scented breeze or an amazing dawn; but that doesn't stop a Westerner like myself from appreciating its grace.

Notes for Ormonde Jayne Qi:
top : green lemon blossom, neroli, freesia.
heart : tea notes, Osmanthus, violet, hedione, rose.
base : mate, benzoin, musk, moss, myrrh.

Available exclusively at the Ormonde Jayne boutiques in London.

Ormonde Jayne Montabaco: fragrance review

Possibly the most "masculine" leaning of the otherwise aimed at both sexes new collection The Four Corners of the Earth, it being a fougere, Montabaco by Ormonde Jayne is a perfume to capture the essence of Latin America: leather, suede, wood and tobacco leaf repeated over and over again creating a suggestive sensuality and Latino temperament. Basically what the typical westerner dreams of smelling at Havana or any such exotic port of call. Does it deliver a poker hand worthy of a gambler the repute of Jack Weil? I say it does, though in a cleaned up fashion, just like Redford is a cleaned up version of a seedy gambler in the first place.

via pinterest

The floral presence of magnolia, jasmine and rose are meant to soften the toughness of those unashamedly seductive, classic masculine codes for "macho." You can almost see the beautiful face of a Latin analogue of Tyrone Power behind the smoky rings of the tobacco. In our day and age, this is the only acceptable way to get your tobacco fix (mon tabac, get it?), but what a great way it is, eh?
The aromatics in Montabaco are fusing into the woody-fern ambience, giving it an odd freshness. Last but not least, thanks to the unerring fondness of perfumer Geza Schoen for Iso E Super, a woody-hazy-musky component in the base of many of his compositions, Montabaco (an Iso-E Super beast if there's one) radiates friendly vibes in a radius of building blocks and lasts extremely well, even it is noticed more by those coming into contact with you than yourself on you at all times.

Notes for Ormonde Jayne Montabaco:
top : air note, orange absolute, bergamot, juniper, clary sage,cardamom.
heart : magnolia, hedione, rose, violet, tea notes.
base : tobacco leaf, iso e, suede, sandalwood, moss, tonka, ambergris.

Available exclusively at the Ormonde Jayne London boutiques.

Ormonde Jayne Tsarina: fragrance review

Tsarina, part of the London exclusive "Four Corners of the Earth" line by niche perfumery Ormonde Jayne, is advertised as "baroque" as would be expected from a fragrance evoking the furs and jewels of imperial Russia. Much as the sensibilities of democracy and social struggle have imprinted themselves into our collective consciousness, understandably making us abhor the practices of that long-gone era, the opulence of the winter palaces and the decorations on the regal vesture make the eye rest on them in awe and admiration (but lest we forget, people suffered so that the few had those privileges!). The contemporary reality of the scent by Ormonde Jayne, co-created by perfumer Geza Schoen and art director Linda Pilkington, is beyond the dense and thick, breathing with a beautiful luminosity and genuine distinction beyond the class systems.

Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia (pinned on Pinterest from coeurdelhistoire.tumblr.com)

The inspiration for the new perfume collection 'The Four Corners of the Earth' came from the indigenous flora of different parts of the world Linda Pilkington have visited on her travels. Globetrotting can serve many things and when it's for the benefit of us all, who can blame Linda for wanting to package these olfactory impressions into elixirs to be put onto skin?

Tsarina captures opulence and passion. It demands furs, leather, brocade, heavy silks in sweeping dresses and fabulous jewels to go with her haughty heritage. If you like the opulent feeling that some great florientals of the past exude in spades, such as Caron Narcisse Noir, or Boucheron Femme (the original), my gut feeling tells me that you'd probably love Tsarina, just like I have, and suffer through its exclusive status as a London-only ware. (The rest of the exclusive line includes the India-inspired Nawab of Oudh, the cedar-austere Montabaco inspired by Latin American and the featherweight charm of Chinese-inflected Qi)

*sigh* I had to post this despite my will, since the costumes are so magnificent...

Decadent luxury is transliterated into scent with Tsarina, a powerhouse floral oriental perfume reverberating with heaps of natural jasmine sambac (quite the non-Russia-referencing blossom!), unfurling its petals from the bottle like tentacles of glamour. The bright fruity touches give a saturated texture. The soft, vanillic and close to the skin intimacy of leathery  labdanum, fusing into an amber-smellingblend (more soft suede than balsam or butch leather one would associate in reference to the usual Cuir de Russie scent themes), underscores this composition—and do I detect a drop of civet, too?
Like the vitraux at the Saint Isaac's Cathedral in Russia, Tsarina is beautifully radiant, powerfully evocative of imperial splendor.

Notes for Ormonde Jayne Tsarina:
top : mandarin, bergamot, coriander, cassis
heart : hedione, freesia, jasmine, sambac, iris, suede
base : sandalwood, cedar, vanilla bean base, labdanum, musk

Tsarina is available exclusively at the Ormonde Jayne boutiques in London, UK.

Related reading on Perfume Shrine: Nawab of Oudh by Ormonde Jayne fragrance review (4 Corners of the Earth line), Ormonde Jayne news and fragrance reviews.

Ormonde Jayne Nawab of Oudh: fragrance review

I remember walking around an exhibition on Moghul India at the British Museum, resplendent in the opulence we associate with this particular region and time. The curlicued rupees bearing intricate names alongside triangular flags, ears of wheat and fishes were not strictly limited to Moghul rule, the curator explained; the Nawabs had seized control of their own regions by that time, issuing their own coins, but continuing to cajole the Mughal emperor by keeping his name on the currency. Similarly the latest India-inspired Ormonde Jayne fragrance, Nawab of Oudh, draws upon two different wells: the silk Banarasi saris of India, with their Moghul motifs and their heavy gold work, on one hand and the mystic Muslim tradition of roses and oud resin rising in the air from a censer at the mosques of Persia on the other.

Source: Uploaded by user via Melissa on Pinterest

Understandably, given those references, the perfume smells the way a metallic brocade looks: lush, rich, opulent, draped for elegance. But the artistry of perfumer Geza Schoen makes it modern and wearable too. Despite the by now tired trope of "oudh",  the note so often smelling more like a pack of Band-Aids than the exotic resin obtained by the pathological secretion of the Aquilaria tree when attacked by a fungus, there is none of that contemporary nonsense in Nawab of Oudh. There is a powdery, soft like cat's paws, ambery trail in the drydown, reminding me of Private Collection Amber Ylang (E.Lauder), which envelops the higher notes of green-citrusy brilliance into a cradle of plush. The distinction between phases (drawing upon the classical pyramid structure of perfumes) is here apparent, at least in a binary pattern: the introduction is distinctly separate from the prolonged (really impressively prolonged) phase of the drydown. In essence we have the interplay of raspiness and velvety softness, aided by the texture of the rose. Oud-laced roses have become a dime a dozen lately in niche perfumery, but I will withhold a place in my heart of Nawab of Oudh because it's so extraordinarily beautiful indeed.

And the name? How did it evolve and how does it unite those two worlds, India and the Middle East? Awadh or Oudh was a prosperous and thickly populated province of northern India (modern Uttar Pradesh), its very name meaning "capital of Lord Rama", the hero of the Ramayana epic. Its turmoiled history began with becoming an important province of the Mughal empire, soon establishing a hereditary polity under Mughal sovereignty; but as the power of the Mughals diminished, the province gained its independence. The opulence in the courts of the Nawabs (ruler kings of the Awadh, originating from a Persian adventurer called Sa'adat Khan) and their prosperity were noticed by the British East India Company, resulting in their direct interference in internal political matters, which reached its zenith in the eventual total loss of power by the Nawabs in 1856.

The official info on the scent by Ormonde Jayne runs thus: "Nawab (Ruler) of Oudh is a province of central India. Our perfume is inspired by the Nawabs who once ruled over it. It is a potent blend of amber and rose with a soft oudh edge. Yet surprisingly not one ingredient stands out from the others. It achieves a perfume synergy that defies traditional analysis, releasing a pulsating pungency, brooding and hauntingly beautiful, a rich tapestry of fascinating depths, a jewelled veil to conceal its emotional complexity and extravagance."

Notes for Nawab of Oudh:
Top: green notes, bergamot, orange absolute, cardamom, aldehyde.
Heart: rose, magnolia, orchid, pimento, bay, cinnamon, hedione.
Base: ambergris, musk, vetiver, labdanum, oudh.

Nawab of Oudh along with the rest of the "Four Corners of the Earth" collection by Ormonde Jayne, inspired by Linda Pilkington's travels, is exclusive to the London Ormonde Jayne boutiques at 12 The Royal Arcade and 192 Pavillion Road and at the Black Hall perfumery at Harrods.

Ormonde Jayne Montabaco: Perfume Bottle Giveaway

Ormonde Jayne likes to surprise us with new releases in a sporadic fashion, instead of globering us down the head with continuous output that would have nothing new to say. Her latest exclusive to Harrods and her own London boutiques line, the Four Corners of the World, comprises four scents (Tsarina, Montabaco, Qi and Nawab of Oudh) inspired by her travels around the world. With the help of trusted perfumer Geza Schon the vision becomes beautiful reality. I'm so very excited to share the new scents with you, which we presented to the press in an ultra-glamorous journey aboard the Orient Express (making everyone feel like an Agatha Christie character!) and I promise that reviews are coming up shortly.

In the meantime I am in the happy position to be able to giveaway a traveler atomiser bottle of the exclusive Montabaco for our readers. You can enter the draw wherever you are in the globe (fittingly to the theme!) by entering a comment answering the following question: what would be the place you'd most like captured in a fragrance? Draw is open till Friday midnight and the winner will be announced in the weekend. 

Twin Peaks: Ormonde Jayne Champaca & Calvin Klein Truth

Usually the purpose of a Twin Peaks smell-alikes article is to highlight affinities between a higher end fragrance and one which is offered at a comparative price. However it's not solely that. A discontinued or catastrophically reformulated perfume that could be "relived" through experiencing a decent substitute, no matter its provenience, is also worth mentioning. To the latter case I present a comparison between Champaca by British niche brand Ormonde Jayne, which is currently in production, and Truth by Calvin Klein, which has been discontinued a few years already.

via lucacambiaso.deviantart.com

The reason CK Truth for women was discontinued is lost on me. It had everything going for it when it launched back in 2000; from the subtle yet lingering aroma of green bamboo shoots and comforting woody-musky notes to the sensuous advertising and the aesthetically pleasing contours of the packaging, it looked like a much better bet for the Calvin Klein brand than many others in the overpopulated line. The evocation of a woman's skin was sensuous and done with an interesting twist to eschew too obvious a musk note by Alberto Morillas, Jacques Cavallier and Thierry Wasser. It even had its own "blending kit" of 6 key essences (one of which I distinctly recall was a lilac "accord", to my confirmation of the intimacy of this innocent looking flower) to custom mix so as to produce your individual scent combination, a Truth Lush flanker in 2002 and a "sensual bedtime fragrance" flanker -smelling exactly as it name suggests- launched in 2003.

With that in mind it's safe to say CK Truth could be classified under "undeserved commercial flops" as a marketing case study that includes other honorary mentions such as Feu d'Issey and Kenzo L'Elephant. Perhaps the fault was one of timing: By 2003 the advent of "gourmands", i.e. a subcategory of oriental fragrances heavy on the vanilla which mimicked popular desserts smells, was inescapable and the clean, serene, aromatic woody bouquet of Truth was hors categorie.

Champaca by Ormonde Jayne on the other hand, coming from a niche firm, had a clear advantage. It is also "foody", but in the most unusual sense. In fact coming out in 2002 places it at that crossroads mentioned above. And yet, being "savory" rather than "sweet" (in the vanillic or ripe fruity sense), Champaca also pre-empts a trend that took wings by the end of the 2000s; the slightly salty, savory scents which do recall some dish or other, but less overtly than "cupcake" and "cake batter". The cult success of the perfume within the de iuoro limited perimeter of the niche fragrance market was due to its super comforting odor profile. The sweetly creamy, floral note of champaca, a yellow magnolia common in India, was married to the note of steamed basmati rice, itself a nurturing image, Earth Goddess and all.

The inspiration came from a couple who were neighbours to Linda Pilkington when at her first London appartment; whenever they steamed rice, the building smelled cozy and like home. I only found that info later, from Linda herself, but it justified my own impression that Champaca would work great as a room fragrance, one for a cozy restaurant in off-white colors with big sofas around to immerse oneself in like giant cocoons. As the scent progresses the floral element of Champaca is diminished and it turns somewhat "greener" and a tiny bit sour, while still very very soft and non-obtrusive with the low hum that perfumer Geza Schoen is known for.

The Ormonde Jayne seems less "skin scent" than the Klein one overall, the latter being a little tarter and with less of a foody element, but they're remarkably close. Some people notice a third simile with Fraicheur Vegetale Bamboo by Yves Rocher, but I haven't tried that one. If you have please discuss.

Notes for Calvin Klein Truth:
bamboo, wet woods, white peony, vanilla, white amber and sandalwood
Notes for Ormone Jayne Champaca:
Neroli, pink pepper, bamboo, Champaca, Basmati rice, green tea, myrrh, musk.

Related reading on Perfume Shrine: More smell-alikes fragrances on this link.

Ormonde Jayne goodies for the season

Ormonde Jayne celebrates November, Thanksgiving and the holidays approaching with a vengenace.
First there is Bond Night Celebration: Meet Linda Pilkington, the founder of Ormonde Jayne, at the Old Bond Street boutique, help yourself to a glass of champagne and mince pies and earn a 10% discount with your purchases.

Thursday 17th November
5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Place:The Royal Arcade, 28 Old Bond Street, London.
T: 0207 499 1100
Print this invitation above and bring it along with you to receive a 10% discount on the night or by telephone.
The first ten customers to purchase receive a full size scented candle worth £42.

There is also complimentary worldwide shipping for all orders from Nov.15th till Nov.24th; just type promotion code THANKS at the OJ online boutique checkout.

Additionally there is an event organised and co-hosted with Charbonnel et Walker. An exclusive evening of chocolates, truffles and fragrances on Thursday 1st December at Charbonnel et Walker on the Royal Arcade, 28 Old Bond Street, London. Tickets are 25£ per person, all purchases benefit from a 20% discount and all guests take home a good bag worth of 40£. Reserve your place: victoria.leadbitter@charbonnel.co.uk

Ormonde Jayne perfumes: And now for some complimentary shipping

Ormonde Jayne does ship internationally her high-quality perfume, but the steep international shipping prices have been the obstacle for many people across the pond from the UK where the British brand resides. Just for October Ormonde Jayne is offering free shipping on all orders though, so if you have had something in mind, now's a good opportunity.
Enter the promotional code 'yippee' on the official Ormonde Jayne site for complimentary international shipping on every order from 14th October to November 1st.
NB. Their sample set is on complimentary shipping throughout the world all year long.

Ormonde Jayne Perfumery opens at Fortnum & Mason

We're delighted to be the ones introducing the good news:

Ormonde Jayne Perfumery is delighted to launch its fourth point of sale in London at Fortnum & Mason in Piccadilly from this Monday 12 September. Fortnum & Mason will stock Ormonde Jayne’s Bathing range (including Osmanthus Soap Bar & Dish), Scented Candles and a new exclusive Trilogy of Extrait de Parfum (pure parfum) (the set includes Tiare, Tolu & Ta’if) on the second floor.
Fans of the Ormond Jayne perfumes include perfumistas from all over the world and celebrities such as Elton John, Bryan Ferry, Emma Thompson, Sophie Dahl and Yasmin le Bon.
There are already two Ormonde Jayne boutiques in London in Mayfair and Sloane Square and points of sale at Harrods in Knightsbridge and Osswald in Zurich and Senteurs d’Ailleurs in Brussels.

Ormonde Jayne on the Continent: European Shopping Destinations in Zurich & Brussels

Osswald Parfümerie in Zurich was chosen for the Ormonde Jayne’s first continental concession on the prestigious Bahnhofstrasse. Osswald is an exclusive third generation perfumery that Ormonde Jayne’ owner Linda Pilkington first visited as a customer thirty years ago. Osswald has created a special area for Ormonde Jayne’s full range of 12 exclusive Parfums and Eau de Parfums within their boutique and the Osswald staff are delighted with the new range.

Ormonde Jayne’s second European concession is due to open in ten days on July 17 in Brussels on Place Stephanie at Senteurs d’Ailleurs. This will be the largest haute parfumerie store of its kind in Benelux.

In an impressive expansion from the existing store on Avenue Louise, Senteurs d’Ailleurs will be opening their doors in the stunning new Art Deco building opposite The Conrad Hotel next week.

 Ormonde Jayne’s exclusive Perfume Portraits service that Linda Pilkington recently launched with also be available in Brussels. This is the complimentary service that helps customers find their signature scent by smelling the raw ingredients of the perfumes.

The two new European concessions follow on from Ormonde Jayne’s launch of the new flagship boutique in Sloane Square that opened in November 2010 and the staffed concession in Harrods Perfumery Hall in February 2010.

news via press release

Evenings with Linda Pilkington

Ormonde Jayne is delighted to host the first of a series of Evenings with Linda Pilkington at the new flagship boutique on Sloane Square’s Pavillion Road. The first evening event will be on Wednesday 30 March at 6pm will be to celebrate Mother’s Day and Linda will be talking about the making and inspiration of Osmanthus and the fruity white flower from China behind this perfect spring fragrance. Linda will be delighted to answer any perfume questions after the talk. The cost of the £15 ticket will be redeemable against purchases made on 30 March and includes a gorgeous Osmanthus goody bag & refreshments.

The newly launched Osmanthus Soap Set which includes two bars of hard milled soap and a bone china dish will also be on display.

To reserve a place, please email boutique2@ormondejayne.com or call Monica on 0207 730 1381

info via press release

Ormonde Jayne Osmanthus Soap, Discount & New Stores

Ormonde Jayne is launching what many modern day perfume enthusiasts have been lusting over: a stunning new soap scented with Osmanthus. Two bars of triple-milled soap will be presented with a handmade soap dish made from bone china in the gold Ormonde Jayne gift box. The Osmanthus Soap Boxes will be available mid-March in good time for Mother’s Day.
£52 – includes 2 x 125g soap (paraben free) and bone china soap dish



Additionally Ormonde Jayne will be soon be opening two new points of sale on Avenue Louis in Brussels & on the prestigious Bahnhofstrasse in Zurich. The staffed concessions will stock the full range of products and the Perfume Portraits complimentary service will be available in both.The new points of sale will be opening in Brussels in late June & in Zurich on May 26th.

Plus a new Osmanthus promotion is under way on Ormonde Jayne e-store and boutiques: This month’s perfume promotion is Osmanthus and thus clients will receive a complimentary Purse Spray (10mls of Eau de Parfum) with every bottle of Eau de Parfum or Pure Parfum purchased in March. Keep your eyes peeled for more such promotions of the line each consecutive month!

Holiday Gift Guide 2010 part2

Continuing on the theme of fragrant gift giving, more ideas on things that will delight those who receive them.

• For the hostess:

Ormonde Jayne Navidad Candle: A limited edition candle for the holidays, fragranced with warm notes of clementine, cardamom, amber and tonka, the candle has an embossed gold lid and is housed in an antique gold box. Every Ormonde Jayne candle is hand poured in their London laboratory and follows the high standards of the niche brand.
Weight 290 grams Burning Time: over 60 hours. Retails for £60.00 and you can purchase on the official Ormonde Jayne site.
Now is your chance to buy as the company is offering complimentary worldwide shipping with every order £60 or over* Enter promotional code 'SANTA' at the checkout.
(*Offer open until 20th December 2010)

• For the gourmet-loving friend:

Perfume & Chocolate: Canadian chocolatiere Rachel Sawatzky of CocoaNymph, collaborated with artisanal Canadian niche perfumer Ayala Moriel to make fine Belgian dark chocolate bars beautifully designed to match three perfumes from the latter's collection: Espionage (64% cocoa with smoked salt, jasmine & juniper), Guilt (64% cocoa with orange blossom, blood orange & wild oranges) and Roses et Chocolat (72% cocoa with rose, saffron & chilli). You can find the marching scents on Ayala Moriel's official page. And for cuddly evenings around the fire I highly recommend her Sahleb, while for the mysterious, bewitching femme fatale you hide inside, Film Noir seems tailor-made!

• For yourself!

A Perfume Organic hosts free shipping through January 2011, making all your holiday last-minute gifts easy to cram into your schedule. Their Mejica is the latest fragrance, a blend of three vanilla types, spices and rare resins for a warm wintery experience! Available online for 65$for 12ml roll-on bottle.

I must say I'm intrigued by their wine-inspired scent, though: Sommelier Katherine Marlowe collaborated with the brand for The Perfumed Wine Trio, in which the first release - Rosé - combines fresh berry, crisp apple, dark oaks, and rich spices with hints of clove and nutmeg, warming into a peppery finish: like a good full-bodied wine sipped during a holidays feast!

• For those who want to be spoilt for choice

Dawn Spencer Hurwitz holidays coffret: For many years now, DSH has created a unique fragrance each year to capture the magic of the Holidays. This year a collection gift box of favorites from the series as well as a Sampler Set are available so that you can enjoy them all! Included in the Holiday Collection box are (6) EdP mini flacons ~which are super cute, let me add~ of Winter White, Twelfth Night, Hanukah Cannelle, Lumiere, Nourouz and this year's December. Plus, the Sampler Set contains an EdP vial of all (11) scents since DSH started in year 2000: Festive, Twelfth Night, Cathedral, Winter White, Marzipan, Ma Folie de Noel, Lumiere, Silver Fir, Nourouz, Hanukah Cannelle, Silver Fir and December. Available on the DSH site.


If you missed our Holiday Gift Guide part 1, you can access it by clicking on the link.

Ormonde Jayne Opens on Sloane Street

Ormonde Jayne celebrates its tenth and most exciting year with today’s launch of the new flagship boutique in world famous Sloane Square, London. The third and newest address of Ormonde Jayne in London is 192 Pavillion Road (site of the old General Trading Company) and like the first boutique in Old Bond Street, it neighbours with Tiffany’s, Cartier & Links of London. Designed by Caulder Moore, the smoked glass & antique gold shagreen walls give the store Ormonde Jayne’s trademark sophisticated decadent look. According to the founder Linda Pilkington, it was waiting to happen because it was so fitting the concept of the firm anyway: “When I first saw the “to lease” sign on Pavillion Road, I knew it would be the perfect location for Ormonde Jayne and I have always loved Sloane Square. Our original business plan was to start looking by the end of 2011, but I operate on instinct! As we are an independent company without outside investors, we have the luxury of making quick decisions. Following the success of our debut in Harrods earlier this year, it felt like the next logical move. Sloane Square is an international address in the heart and soul of London & we are thrilled to be opening today”.

Don't forget to check our other Ormonde Jayne articles and news.

Ormonde Jayne Gold Rush: new products

Ormonde Jayne is spoiling us rotten again with a slew of new products:

Gold Crème, an opulent scented crème for the décolleté and shoulders is available in two of Ormonde Jayne’s award winning fragrances, Orris Noir and Ta’if. Gold Crème leaves skin delicately fragranced with a beautiful golden shimmer.

Price: £56 for 15ml
Stockist: 12 The Royal Arcade, 28 Old Bond Street, London W1S 4SL, 020 7499 1100
Ormonde Jayne, Harrods, Black Hall, London SW1X 7XL, 020 7730 1234
http://www.ormondejayne.com/

Gold Dust on the other hand is decadent, recalling retro films with dangerous heroines who wrecked havoc with their enchanted entourage and used big puffs of powder in front of their mirror. Gold Dust will be the ultimate luxury this Christmas and is exclusive to Harrods. 24-carat gold dusting powder, housed in a black lacquered handmade gold box crafted by British carpenters. The lavish puff is hand sewn in the Ormonde Jayne London studio in French satin with a beautiful champagne coloured marabou feather trim. Gold Dust is perfumed with the rare and exotic Ta’if Rose. Ta’if Roses are harvested only during April and are handpicked early each morning, five thousand feet above the shores of the Red Sea and overlooking the Arabian Desert. For the ultimate evening glamour, apply over Ormonde Jayne Ta’if Eau de Parfum or Parfum to leave you with an enthralling fragrance which will last the length of any party. Linda Pilkington, creator and owner says: “The ultimate in decadence and glamour for that bit of vampish femme fatale in all of us.”

Price: £400 for 15ml gold dusting power and handmade puff
Stockist: Ormonde Jayne, Harrods, Black Hall, London SW1X 7XL, 020 7730 1234

Finally, there is the Navidad Scented Candle for Christmas 2010. Fragranced with warm, festive notes of Mandarin, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Bay, Amber and Tonka, this limited edition candle creates the perfect Christmas atmosphere. Each of the three hundred limited edition Navidad candles is housed in an beautiful antique gold box with an embossed gold lid. Every candle is hand poured and finished in the Ormonde Jayne London studio.

Price: £60 for 290g Limited Edition Candle in luxury Christmas presentation box.
Stockist: as above for the Gold cream

some info & pic via press release

Giant Ormonde Jayne bottle of Ta'if

“Having admired for years & years the huge bottles of perfume that Chanel & Dior have used in their adverts,
I felt the time was right for Ormonde Jayne to have one of our own & celebrate Ta’if.”
This is how Linda Pilkington explains the giant bottle of Ta'if which was designed and photographed at Harrods to celebrate the 5th anniversary of the scent. Feast your eyes on it!

Ta'if the fragrance is made with the pink ta’if roses that are grown on a dusty hilltop in the Arabian mountains & picked at dawn. This "sophisticated gourmand" Ormonde Jayne scent includes pink pepper, dates, saffron, freesia, broom & amber.

Linda Pilkington of Ormonde Jayne: "I'll never reformulate or discontinue" (the 2nd part)

Continuing on our chat with Linda Pilkington of Ormonde Jayne (if you missed Part 1 you can read it here), I am again reminded of how the fragrance industry is in many ways both shaped and detached from the complaints of consumers. It's all very well when we (the blogosphere, the perfume aficionados, the forum participants, the fragrance writers among us) say that companies should pay attention to what we say because we're the ones who buy a LOT of product and we're repeat customers, but what happens in the specific and intricate interaction between manufacturer and consumer on a practical level? For this second part of our interview with the founder of niche British brand Ormonde Jayne, this was our objective.

Elena Vosnaki: Linda, we talked a lot about the new service you provide in your stores, the Perfume Portraits profiling, but what happens with your "market", so to speak? I know you're a small company and was wondering if the profiling has given you more insights into the kind of customers you attract, about their statistical data which might be used in your marketing schedules further on.

Linda Pilkington: Actually this is more difficult to answer than it seems. It's true that tastes and patterns emerge during the profiling service, yet I notice big differences in the segmentation of our own market depending on where the customers come to. Let me explain: We have both our boutique at the Royal Arcade and a space at Harrod's. It's fascinating to me that the clientele that shops at those two spots is completely different.

EV: Different, in what regard?

LP: Different in that they have different shopping habits and go for different scents out of our catalogue. To give an example, Sampaquita is our lowest seller in our boutique (ranking at #12), while it's the 2nd best-selling Ormonde Jayne fragrance at Harrods! A similar phenomenon is witnessed with our masculine Isfarkand.

EV: Very interesting from a luxury business point of view! What accounts for that chasm in your opinion?

LP: Let's see...I think the clients who know us from the Royal Arcade boutique have been with us for years and we have created a bond, so they trust our guidance. The area [Ed. note: It's in Mayfair, W1] is well to do, quite old-fashioned and therefore there's a good service tradition. The customers are treated with the utmost respect, we listen and we gently guide. For instance, I would never allow my staff to say "oh but you're wrong" to a customer like it's sometimes heard at department stores. It's not the same thing as "mistaken", not at all! Some sales people elsewhere don't get it, but it's downright rude! At Harrods on the other hand, although I insist on customer service, it's a different demographic. The crowd hanging there are often tourists and less "dedicated" perfume shoppers, therefore there is a wider margin for more easily acceptable compositions.

EV: Speaking of Harrods, how was that market move conceived and planned? Let us into your market scheduling a bit. Upon first being told you'd be carried at Harrods I had a light-bulb popping in my head "hey, they're going to be at the Haute Parfumerie at the Urban Retreat!" [ed.note: That's the Roja Dove parfumery hall full of classics and niche]. But it turns out you're in the heavy-duty perfume department of Harrods instead.

LP: It's not an either or situation. It evolved through a need on the part of Harrods themselves. I love Roja Dove's perfume hall, he's got an amazing collection there, but the offer was made by Harrods because they wanted to inject a couple of niche lines into their perfume sector on the ground floor. So there we are!

EV: Fab, should make perfume shopping at Harrods all the more fun! Now how about expanding into other markets. Is there any plan for the US? Our American readers are on pins and needles about this!

LP: I can certainly sympathise. You know, 60% of our sales are from American clients. That's a huge part, taking into account we're not located anywhere in the US. I attribute it to our standards and the word-of-mouth, along with our mailing system that allows customers from all over the world to order online. Even though we have a Dubai spot, an America-soil boutique is just not in the cards. But to give you an exclusive, I'm revealing we're looking into forging some bond ~if all goes well~ with US distributors at the end of 2010 or in 2011. We'll see...

EV: So what is Ormonde Jayne planning, apart from this new sitribution, for the future? Launching a new perfume next year? Tiare has been received with enthusiasm and almost inebriated panygerics (that's from me) so you're on a roll obviously! *laughing*

LP: Oh, no, no, I don't really plan to issue any new stuff for the next couple of years! I want to focus on how to smell, how to aid people to smell better, more productively and this is what we're doing with the Perfume Portraits right now.

EV: Which brings me to another issue I had been meaning to address: Do you believe that people have the necessary means to convey their scent impressions in tangible terms? I often sense during consulting and interviewing folks for projects that they seem a bit lost for words...

LP: "Lost for words". Indeed! Some people just have a natural talent in describing perfumes. But it's also a cultivated ability and this is what we're aiming at. Because there is no specific vocabulary conceived on smell, we often borrow from other senses or from other subjects, for instance from the sense of touch (a soft or rough fragrance), from vision (shiny, dark, light), from music (the notes, the high or low pitch of the perfume, whether it's deep or not) etc. It's difficult but worth it. In that regard there has been an amazing boom after 2000 thanks to the Internet, there have also been much more talk about scent and smell in the press (particularly in the English-speaking press); it's all been very positive about our business. \

EV: Is it only positive though? I am thinking that this new medium is also opening up Aeolus's flask! Can an internet writer or forum participant cause harm too?

LP: Oh, definitely! In fact the Internet can become a rather scary place too sometimes. The power of the quickly transmitted word is huge, especially now that Facebook and Twitter and social services platforms have become so popular, not to mention blogging. Let me illustrate with a peripheral example: There was an episode that was reported by India Knight, the Sunday Times columnist, about a woman who went to watch a live stand-up comedy performance by a Scottish comedian [ed.note: Frankie Boyle] . A mother [Sharon Smith] watched the show where he made jokes pertaining to people with Down's Syndrome and her being a mother of one, she became increasingly uncofortable, exchanging some hushed comments with her husband. But the comedian was annoyed by the talking and he approached her and asked why they were talking during his show, upon which she blurted out it wasn't a funny matter. He joked it was the most excruciating moment of his career, but then said they had paid to come and see him, they knew his harsh style so what should they expect? The mother clarified it was her own upset and she was discussing it privately with her husband, not him. The comedian quipped it was the last tour ever and that he didn’t give a f*ck! But that's not the end of it: The woman came home and actually blogged about it, she tweeted addressing India Knight and then it was all over the news and people were talking about it for days! It was scary in a way, how it spread so fast, all off a comment off the stage!
So, to revert to our fragrance world, companies are scared of the uncensored word online, of bloggers especially because they're so quick and opinionated and thus they're trying to exert or gain some sort of control back again.

EV: Upset because of what is being written: We'd come to that, wouldn't we. I'm grabbing the chance to correlate it to something that's being bothering me. There is a lot of talk about how IFRA and regulatory bodies are acting for the protection of the consumer, but in fact it's more out of fear of endless litigation resulting in time and money-costing law suits. Another restraining of one's free choice & free speech in the name of something else.

LP: There are LOTS of law suits apparently of people accusing products of causing allergies, triggering asthma attacks etc. I think there isn't much sense in regulating essences such as lime unless there is some fear of the law suits. Big companies have actually more to lose, as these law suits go on for years.

EV: Right! And I'm asking you, even though I shouldn't perhaps, out of tact, but since there is this scare going on and all major companies are reformulating right and left, how do you react to this? Have you had anything reformulated? Are you discontinuing something because of the new regulations? Or low sales, even?

LP: No, we haven't reformulated anything. I never will. Nor discontinue any in our fragrance rotation. We have 12 fragrances now and I absolutely love each and every one of them. I don't want to make any changes!

EV: So what happens if someone comes and asks about risk of allergies etc?

LP: I say "If you think madame that it might be give you any risk of an allergic reaction, it would be best if you didn't buy this perfume". We talk over some of the ingredients (if the customer knows about any specific trigger or if we think there might be some) and I say "just don't buy it". In the end, I don't give a f*ck if they buy or not, as long as we're stand our ground and do not mislead. *laughing*

EV: I'm sure there are lots of perfume enthusiasts who appreciate your stance a lot! Linda, it's been an utter pleasure talking to you once again and I thank you on behalf of myself and the readers of the Perfume Shrine.

LP: Thanks a lot as well, Elena.

Related reading on Perfume Shrine: Ormonde Jayne news & reviews

Paintings by Joël Rougié, Les Filles d'Automne, Le grenier aux souvenirs et Une Fille aux fleurs jaunes.

Linda Pilkington of Ormonde Jayne: "People Should Stop Making More Perfumes!"

There are perfume lines which have a level of quality that is consistent, the hallmark of attentive planning and meticulous care to the last detail. In the case of Ormonde Jayne, it's a case of cherchez la femme, or in other words Linda Pilkington, its founder and soul. Personally I consider Linda a friend by now: Not only have we over the years gone over our children's respective routines, laughing at the little things, as well as our womanly preoccupation with meeting the many roles modern women are expected to fulfill, but there is also a special pleasure in exchanging news and chatting on developments in the fragrant industry which rises beyond the "saving face" methods of most perfumery owners. Linda, despite her ladylike manner and her pretty petite physique, doesn't mince her words and that's a refreshing quality to find amidst a world that is immersed into producing and selling a sanitized fantasy.
The stepping stone for our conversation I'm transcribing for you here has been a new service that is offered at her own brick & mortar boutique and the new corner at Harrods, called "Perfume Portraits", but it evolved into so much more... so I am breaking it up in two parts (Part 2 will be up next week).
I hope you will enjoy it as much as we both did!

Elena Vosnaki: Linda, it's with much interest that I learned you're offering a new service to your clients. How does Perfume Portraits work and why is it different than other consultations?

Linda Pilkington: Perfume Portraits is a quick profiling process offered at our stores by specially trained staff, aiming to guide the clients through not only the portfolio of Ormonde Jayne fragrances, but through the building blocks of the scents, the raw materials composing them. This is a lot different than asking the client their formed preferences, because it allows them to converse with the materials themselves rather than the finished products and encourages a gut response that aims at the subconscious rather than an intellectualised "fabricated" reaction. I have too often seen people coming into the shop thinking they'd go for some genre, only to discover they completely went against type. The most surprising case involved a gentleman (we have lots of male customers) who was very butch, the biker type with the helmet, the Perfecto jacket and the boots and all, he looked very masculine, very virile and acted the part and when we actually sat down to do his Perfume Portrait I found out he loved white flowers! Feminine, lush, delicious flowers, like orange blossom, jasmine, freesia, things like that. He caught me by complete surprise! In the end he went his merry way having bought Champaca, our rice-steam & flowers perfume, which to him was utter bliss.

EV: Haha!! Love this! More anecdotes to share?

LP: Another gentleman was very hard to "crack": He was so silent, the quiet type; not easy to pigeonhole at all. But you see, Perfume Portraits just requires to respond with a "yes", a "no" or "maybe" to the essences presented for sniffing so it's non dependent on a specific vocabulary, which can be intimidating to the non initiated. Not every one of our clients is a perfumista, but they're discerning and they do want to find something they will really love.
The most baffling case was a lady who came into the shop, sniffed all the seperate essences and didn't like any of them! Exasperated, we had to ask "what do you like to wear then?" She explained she used to get vanilla extract for cooking and put that behind her ears! But she wanted to find something more sophisticated. So we tried to introduce her to a sweet scent, with an element of what she liked, but considerably notched up; we offered Ta'if, our saffron and roses combination which includes sweet dates that would appeal. She liked it a lot and got a bottle, but the most extraordinary thing is how much her husband enjoyed it! He mailed us a while later to let us know he loved the smell and welcomed the change! That's a case of a successful turn-around we're proud of.

EV: It definitely is! Any "naughty" stories while doing the consultations?

LP: Ah Elena, I could tell you hundreds! Are your readers up to them?

EV: I think so!

LP: Well, then, there's one: There was someone who was going through the essences and the oils we offer; there's a cluster of 21 raw materials, three from each of 7 families (hesperidic, light floral, intense floral, balsamic, oriental, woody and atmospheric). So stumbling upon one, I was surprised to hear "it smells like when you touch yourself". But you know what, it was the right impression. It did smell like that! And I didn't perceive any aversion on their part in saying so, so I felt comfortable to proceed. So you see, there's a lot to the process of finding out preferred smells, it's not always just going for the pretty smells.

EV: So, do you think that there is some correlation between how attuned someone is to smells in general (pretty and non pretty, in perfumes or in everyday life) and how much they're into perfumes?

LP: Definitely! I'd go further and say that people who are into smells are more sensuous on the whole. They embrace the sensations brought on to their senses by stimuli from other activities, such as cooking, gardening, pampering themselves with beautiful frabrics or even sex, and they're therefore more receptive to perfumes.

EV: This is what we have been empirically commenting on, online on the perfume fora, comparing notes, so to speak, on how many of us are into cooking, appreciating fashions on a tactile level, the arts etc. Now, please let us know about the procedure itself. And please define what constitutes the "atmospheric" family of essences you mentioned!

LP: I made up the term "atmospheric" for oils that have an effervescence to them, an unusual sparkle, such as those entering Isfarkand and Zizan. It's a fantasy term!
Seated at a bespoke testing table, trained staff take notes about the client’s likes and dislikes, favourite perfumes and other aromas. The customer is then invited to smell three raw ingredients from 7 different families. At this stage the client is only asked to say if they like the aroma or not, and not to try to relate the scent to a perfume they might wear. This segment takes all but 6 minutes, because we don't want to overload the client, but to bring out gut responses, letting personal taste be guided by the mind’s limitless scope to decipher the aromas around. When that's done, two or three Ormonde Jayne perfumes that may suit by summarizing the favoured oils are recommended. Again, the favoured perfumes are presented on a second collection of black and gold ceramic stones. The client will then choose the perfume they like best. Sometimes this could be two or three perfumes and the chosen perfume is finally sprayed onto the wrists.
We also take notes on other preferences, if they prefer to take baths or showers, if they like oil of cream consistency best, their habits, who served them at the shop, what they bought if they bought anything, alongside a telephone number. This is all filed in a personalised card so that it's always available to the client for reference. You'd be surprised at how many husbands walk through the door meaning to get their wife a gift and don't know what her favourite fragrance is! But also how many clients bought something, they need to replenish, but in the interim have forgotten the name!

EV: I assume they throw out the bottles? But tell me, why are ingredients presented on ceramic and not on blotters or sprayed in the air (under some form of tincture or dilution, naturally, when technically feasible)?

LP: Well, another reason behind the Perfume Portraits consultation was that we wanted to eliminate the congested atmosphere in our shops. We have 12 fragrances in our line now. For a client to go through them all it would be asphyxiating, not to mention very confusing, to spray each and every one of them in rapid succession. Have you noticed how when you enter a perfume hall you're greeted by the scented air hanging over from previous customers testing? Even in the first hours after opening. There are just too many perfumes around! I think people should just stop making more perfumes. Give it a rest for a while!

EV: "People should stop making more perfumes": Now, there's a quote! Especially coming from someone in the business who has a lucrative brand. Linda, explain yourself, darling!

LP: There are just too many perfumes overall. Pressure to issue new things all the time, at least in the mainstream sector. At Ormonde Jayne, which is a thoughourly niche brand, we're free to operate at the beat of our own drum. Why rush to bring out a new one? There's no reason to!

EV: But aren't you interested in taking advantage of the new techniques and materials which as they emerge dictate trends? I'm thinking about the many magnolia-focused fragrances we've seen, or the resurgence of tuberose recently in so many niche releases, accountable to new supplies and methods of rendering.

LP: I'm not bound by trends! I'm simply not interested in trends! Of course it's natural that "trends" are formed through the options of new suppliers or new techniques of extraction of oils which de facto interests perfumers. But that doesn't mean one has to have a new fragrance out because of that. Magnolia, which incidentally is a favorite flower and note of mine, is already highlighted in our fragrances. I just don't see the need...

To be continued...
In Part 2 Linda Pilkington talks about the market and some intriguing little-known facts about luxury clients vs. mainstream clients, her plans for Ormonde Jayne for the future both in the UK and in the US, and the surprising & scary power of the Internet.


Paintings by Joël Rougié "Les Demoiselles aux Fleurs Jaunes" and "Les Ballerines"