The Buzz

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My 2009 Halloween Shopping List

Marilyn Miglin Fo-Ti-Tieng

The Body Shop Love Etc.

Fall Fragrances: Cornucopia of Dark Fruits

L'Occitane Labdanum de Séville, Mimosa de l'Estérel

Robert Piguet Futur

Kate Moss Vintage

Frapin L'Humaniste

Patriotic Bestseller Perfumes: Discuss

Faguenat, Faganat...Fug?

Sniffing Rich Orientals in Paris

L'Artisan Parfumeur Havana Vanille

Dolce & Gabbana Rose The One

Guerlain Idylle - Part 1

Guerlain Idylle - Part 2

Kat Von D Saint & Sinner

Calvin Klein CK Free for Men

Mariah Carey Forever

WienerBlut Klubwasser

Prada L'Eau Ambrée

Serge Lutens Fille en Aiguilles

Britney Spears Circus Fantasy

Yves Saint Laurent Parisienne

Idole d'Armani

Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Tiaré-Blossom, Cherry Blossom

Hermès Eau d'Orange Verte, Eau de Pamplemousse Rose, Eau de Gentiane Blanche

Parfums de Nicolaï Weekend à Deauville

Serge Lutens Fourreau Noir

Essential Faith

Penhaligon's Anthology: Eau de Verveine, Extract of Limes, Gardenia, Night Scented Stock

Mac Naked Honey & Africanimal

Chopard Cascade

Lancôme Hypnôse Senses

Juliette Has a Gun Midnight Oud

Narciso Rodriguez Essence

Queen Latifah Queen

Benefit Laugh With Me LeeLee, There's Something About Sofia, My Place Or Yours Gina

The Body Shop White Musk White Hot Summer

Rochas Eau Sensuelle

L'Artisan Parfumeur Côte d'Amour

Chloe Eau de Parfum

Guerlain Les Fleurs du Guildo: An Early 19th Century Precursor of Marine Scents

Lush Vanillary

Byredo Bal d'Afrique

Zadig & Voltaire Tome 1 La Pureté - Part 1

Zadig & Voltaire Tome 1 La Pureté - Part 2

Guerlain Muguet

Guerlain Muguet (en français)

Spring Notes: Lily of the Valley & Dior

Chanel Cristalle Eau Verte

Christian Dior Escale à Pondichéry

Frédéric Malle Géranium pour Monsieur

Gobin-Daudé Sous Le Buis

Roger et Gallet Bois d'Orange

Montale Patchouli Leaves

Stetson All American

Stephen Jones by Comme des Garçons

Givenchy Harvest 2008: Ange ou Démon Jasmin Sambac, Amarige Ylang Ylang, Very Irresistible Rose Damascena, Organza Fleur d'Oranger

Yves Saint Laurent La Nuit de l'Homme

Yves Saint Laurent l'Homme

The Sex Factor in Men's Fragrances

Nina Ricci Love by Nina

Hermès Kelly Calèche EDP

Annick Goutal Un Matin d'Orage

Guerlain La Petite Robe Noire

Serge Lutens Nuit de Cellophane

Parfums MDCI Péché Cardinal

Hermès Vanille Galante - Part 1

Hermès Vanille Galante - Part 2


February 2008 Archive

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February 1, 2008

Perfume News in Brief - 02/1/2008

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Eva Mendes will be the face of an upcoming Calvin Klein fragrance slated to be a global launch. She joins the celebrity perfumes portfolio managed by Coty Inc. (WWD)

Jean-Paul Guerlain has been promoted to the rank of officier de la Légion d'Honneur. So has been fashion designer Jean-Louis Sherrer. (AFP)

• The 9th and 10th of February 2008 will see the celebration of the Violette de Toulouse in its native pink city. (Web City)....

Continue reading "Perfume News in Brief - 02/1/2008" »

Questions & Réponses Avec Serge Lutens {Perfume Q & A}

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 Serge Lutens dans les jardins du Palais Royal - photo de Ling Fei
 
Dans ce questions et réponses avec Serge Lutens, la discussion se déroule autour de sa dernière création, Five O' Clock Au Gingembre, et de la notion de luxe, un des concepts clés ayant inspiré cette nouvelle fragrance. Nous avions auparavant voulu aussi lui poser des questions du style: sommes nous les héritiers de Baudelaire en matière de parfumerie? L'orientalisme nourrit-il toujours la création et l'imaginaire des parfums à l'heure actuelle? Puis nous avons décidé de faire plus court. Nul n'a été besoin de coucher ces questions sur le papier, Baudelaire et le colonialisme (mais non l'orientalisme) sont évoqués. Voici une invitation à effectuer une traversée de l'univers Lutensien.

 

Marie-Hélène Wagner: 

1-    Le goût redécouvert du gingembre semble avoir été ici votre source d’inspiration initiale. Vous êtes-vous dit quelque chose comme, on va tâcher de faire un parfum, beau, intéressant autour de la matière première gingembre? Si oui, quelles facettes olfactives ou impressions précises autour de ce rhizome parfumé avez-vous voulu faire ressortir? Y eut-il des surprises?

Serge Lutens:

Traiter le gingembre comme une simple racine revigorante ne m’intéressait pas du tout. Je souhaitais surtout faire ressortir de cet ingrédient le côté confit, l’idée de luxe, associé au rare.

Comme vous le savez, la première bouchée de gingembre est rarement appréciée. Il fait partie de ces choses demandant un « apprentissage » du goût. La première fois que j’y ai goûté, c’était dans un restaurant vietnamien, au début des années 70. J’ai d’abord trouvé ça détestable. Avec le temps, j’ai appris à l’apprécier. C’est un raffinement culturel......

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Continue reading "Questions & Réponses Avec Serge Lutens {Perfume Q & A}" »

Q & A With Serge Lutens {Perfume Q & A}

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In this Q & A with Serge Lutens, the discussion focuses on his latest creation, Five O 'Clock Au Gingembre (in the export range) and the notion of luxury, one of the key concepts that inspired the new scent. We had also wanted to ask him broader questions such as: are we still living with the legacy of Baudelaire where perfumery is concerned? Does Orientalism continue to nurture the creation and the imaginary world of perfumes? We decided to be more concise. But as it turns out, there was no need to put these words black on white. Baudelaire and colonialism (not Orientalism) are evoked. Here is an invitation to step into the Lutensian universe.

 

 

Marie-Helene Wagner:

1 - The rediscovered taste of ginger seems to have been your initial source of inspiration. Did you tell yourself something like, we are going to try to make a perfume, a beautiful, interesting one, around the ginger raw material? If yes, what olfactory facets or precise impressions around this fragrant rhizome did you want to bring out? Were there any surprises?


Serge Lutens:

 – Treating the ginger as a simple invigorating root did not interest me at all. I most of all wanted to bring out in this ingredient its candied aspect, the idea of luxury, associated with that of rarity.

As you know, the first time one takes a bite out of ginger, it is rarely appreciated. It is part of these things that require that our taste go through an “apprenticeship”. The first time I tasted it, it was in a Vietnamese restaurant in the early 1970s. I initially thought that it was foul. With time, I learned to appreciate it. It is a cultural refinement.......

 

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Continue reading "Q & A With Serge Lutens {Perfume Q & A}" »

February 2, 2008

Les Parfums de Rosine Rose Kashmirie - A Wintry Rose {Perfume Review} {Smell-The-Roses-Till-Valentine's Day Challenge - Day 17}

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Rose Kashmirie is the latest Les Parfums de Rosine and as its name indicates, it is inspired by an Oriental theme and the spices of India in particular. The composition is based on a discreetly spicy saffron and rose accord enhanced by green nuances and voluptuously folded into rich ambergris and vanilla. It is a warm oriental rose with fresh notes peeking through discreetly, evocative of both a rose garden in the spring, and wintry snow. The style can be characterized as that of a classical perfume with an updated feel.

The rose is the specialty of Les Parfums de Rosine; it is a flower fascinating to perfumers as it can reveal a number of facets for an aroma that is naturally composed of over 300 fragrant molecules; not all of them have been reproduced but more and more are.

Here the rose was made precious, coquettish, like the rouged cheeks of a belle marquise on her face made up with blanc de céruse. But also natural like the vision of a rose orchard. The freshness of the rose is enveloped by a cashmere-like impression as soft as a white shawl......

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Saffron flower in the fall with its three filaments of spice

Continue reading "Les Parfums de Rosine Rose Kashmirie - A Wintry Rose {Perfume Review} {Smell-The-Roses-Till-Valentine's Day Challenge - Day 17}" »

Duftstars 2008 Perfume Finalists {Fragrance News}

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The Duftstars 2008, the German equivalent of the Fifi awards in the US, have released the list of their finalists. The winners will be announced on April 26th, 2008 in Berlin.

The Duftstars have four categories for both men and women: Exclusive, Prestige, Lifestyle, and Classical. What many people call "niche" perfumes are to be found in the Exclusive category; Prestige regroups what is usually loosely described as "department-store" fragrances; Lifestyle includes mass-marketed and celebrity perfumes; Classical is a more historical category that offers the chance to put the spotlight on classical greats of the past that are still marketed.

This last category is particularly interesting because it seems that the competition is more wide open and it invites commentators to understand why a certain classic fragrance is remembered one particular year. This year it is nice to see that Knize Ten (1924) is a finalist; it is a confidential perfume that deserves to be better known for its beauty (see our review Part 1 & Part 2).

Kategorie Exklusiv

Damen Herren

JIL SANDER, Scent 79 Woman CREED, Virgin Island Water
JUICY COUTURE, Juicy Couture DSQUARED², He Wood
MARC JACOBS, Splash Collection JIL SANDER, Scent 79 Man
TOM FORD, Private Blend NARCISO RODRIGUEZ for him
VALENTINO, Rock`n Rose VIKTOR & ROLF, Antidote.....

Continue reading "Duftstars 2008 Perfume Finalists {Fragrance News}" »

New M.A.C. Chick-A-Boom Collection by Fafi {Beauty News}

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In Mars and April 2008, M.A.C. will release a new makeup collection called Chick-A-Boom. The graphic design for the line was entrusted to cartoonist Fafi who created three new Fafinette characters for the collection: Eriko, Monoka, and Ermine. As part of her MAC 2008 world tour, please note that she will be present at Bendel's in New York City on February 13.....

 

Continue reading "New M.A.C. Chick-A-Boom Collection by Fafi {Beauty News}" »

February 3, 2008

S-Perfume 100 % Love (2003, 05, & 07), 100 % Love (More) {Perfume Review} {Smell-The-Roses-Till-Valentine's Day Challenge - Day 18}

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If there is a rose perfume that embodies the spirit of Valentine's Day in a typical Hallmark-card way that screams "It's Love Day!", that would be 100 % Love by S-Perfume.The style of this rose perfume evokes the glaring obviousness of pop art after the fact; it is like a representation of love made accessible to all - almost cartoonish - and made iconic at the same time by selecting characteristic images of mass culture: the rose, the chocolate, and the good feelings....

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Continue reading "S-Perfume 100 % Love (2003, 05, & 07), 100 % Love (More) {Perfume Review} {Smell-The-Roses-Till-Valentine's Day Challenge - Day 18}" »

February 4, 2008

Questions & Réponses Avec Serge Lutens - 2ème Partie {Perfume Q & A}

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Photographie de Serge Lutens, reproduite avec la permission de Peter Gabor - © toute reproduction interdite, usage strictement pédagogique

Comme vous pourrez le constater en lisant cette deuxième partie de notre interview avec Serge Lutens (voir la première partie), il est un esprit qui pense toujours au-delà des limites prévisibles assignées par les questions.  Ici, il s'exprime sur l'héritage baudelairien, sa collection de fards, le parfum mythique Nombre Noir, la parfumerie dite de "niche", et sa contribution à la parfumerie contemporaine.

Marie-Hélène Wagner:

16 - Pensez-vous qu’en matière de parfumerie, nous soyons les héritiers de Baudelaire ?

Serge Lutens

- Le parfum n’est pas en soi qu’une senteur. Il est porteur d’imaginaire. Le parfum est épais, il est poison et désir pur. C’est Eros en prison ! Je pense que nous sommes avant tout héritiers de la frustration, mais aussi de la révolte qui fait que les non-soumis aspirent encore…

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Continue reading "Questions & Réponses Avec Serge Lutens - 2ème Partie {Perfume Q & A}" »

Q & A With Serge Lutens - Part 2 {Perfume Q & A}

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Photography by Serge Lutens, reproduced with the permission of  Peter Gabor - © Reproduction is forbidden, used for pedagogical purposes.

As people will see in the second part of our interview with Serge Lutens (see Part 1), he is a mind that always thinks beyond the predictable limits set by a question. Here he expresses himself regarding Baudelaire's legacy, his line of makeup, the mythical Nombre Noir fragrance, niche perfumery, and his contribution to contemporary perfumery.

Marie-Helene Wagner:

16 – Do you think that speaking of perfumery, we are the heirs to Baudelaire?

Serge Lutens:

- Perfume, in and of itself, is not just an aroma. It is potentially a carrier for the imagination. Perfume is thick; it is poison and pure desire. It is Eros in prison! I think that we are first and foremost the heirs to frustration, but also to revolt, with means that the ones who have not subjected themselves still have aspirations….

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"Coiffe façon Tatlin Tower"  by Serge Lutens, an interpretation of the unfinished Tatlin Tower built by architect Vladimir Tatlin.

Continue reading "Q & A With Serge Lutens - Part 2 {Perfume Q & A}" »

Torrente L'Or (2001): Coffee & Roses? {Perfume Review} {Smell-The-Roses-Till-Valentine's Day - Day 19}

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L'Or (Gold) by Torrente was released in 2001. It was created by perfumer Jean Jacques for Torrente, a French fashion house that was established in 1969 by Rose Met-Torrente, one of the few women that managed to be at the helm of a couture house. She is also known as Rose or Rosette Lapidus-Met (she is the sister of fashion designer Ted Lapidus). She retired in 2003 after selling her fashion house, and wrote a book of memoirs entitled Le Droit Fil (2005).

When L'Or came out in the US in 2002, it was described as being a "nontraditional floral" and a "unique scent" that was expected to "do very well in the U.S. market" (WWD, June 7, 2002). Six years later, one could legitimately wonder at the possibility of retrieving a hidden gem from the discounters. The bottle is conventionally gorgeous; it was created by Herve Van Der Straeten and was clearly seen as a selling point by the brand. The perfume boasts a coffee and rose accord, an intriguing combination that made it worth seeking out for the rose-challenge series. The rose note is either described as being " rose absolute", "rose essence", or "rosebuds"......

Continue reading "Torrente L'Or (2001): Coffee & Roses? {Perfume Review} {Smell-The-Roses-Till-Valentine's Day - Day 19}" »

February 2008 Archive

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