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Serge Lutens Talks About Feminite du Bois & Cedar: An Exclusive Video Interview on the Occasion of the 16th Anniversary of a Modern Classic {Passion for Perfume - Portrait}
Serge Lutens is nothing if not passionate about his conception of perfumery. Hear him talk about his first encounter with the fascinating raw material of cedar in Morocco and how it became a key note in the modern classic Féminité du Bois (Femininity of Wood). 2009 marks the 16th anniversary of a fragrance that set a new tone in the history of perfume (1993 is retained as the first full year of its worldwide launch), the overture to an oeuvre that has continued to weave its spell over the years from provocation to enchantment, sometimes rubbing people the wrong way, at other times appearing deceptively simple.
In this subtitled video interview commemorating Féminité du Bois' launch and re-launch in its "naked" and "simple" form (it was repackaged under the Serge Lutens label), the author and artist talks about his original vision (please watch video after the jump)...
Stay tuned for more Serge Lutens news this spring!
Our francophone readers can go to Anthropologie du Parfum to read a French version of this post (I am not keen on translating and avoid to do that, if I can help it, so it is a re-written version especially so since I tend to think differently in French and perceive my audience to be slightly different too.)
Previous Posts in Passion for Perfume - Portraits:
Interview with Serge Lutens Around El Attarine And Serge Noire
•• Interview de Serge Lutens •• Autour de El Attarine et de Serge Noire
Interview with Perfumer Egon Oelkers - Biehl Parfumkunstwerke
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Comments
What do you think, M-H? Have you tried the repackaged version? Is it the same juice unveiled, as Lutens may suggest, or is the comment about this being the "true" FdB a--pardon me--veiled reference to a shift in the formula? I don't know if my lack of French means I am missing subtext, or implying it where it isn't...
Posted by: ScentScelf | March 13, 2009
I think that the reference about the true FDB is to be taken in a philosophical and aesthetic sense rather than as a comment on a reformulation. Lutens contrasts a "mannered, precious" Féminité du Bois to a "naked" one and I think he means the way the scent's personality comes across through the bottle.
I have sampled the FdB in the repackaged version. I would really need to do a series of testings over several days to see if there are any persistent changes. As it is, I prefer not to answer either positively or negatively as I did not get an unambiguous feedback from the recent smelling session. What I can say is that the perfume, if slightly tweaked, was not compromised on the qualitative level. It smells particularly gorgeous on the drydown, a feeling that struck me more this time, it's true.
Posted by: Marie-Helene Wagner | March 16, 2009
Thanks for the thoughtful response, and clarification. I shall watch for a report of your conclusions when you feel ready.
Posted by: ScentScelf | March 16, 2009
i love the new version of FdB.The original FdB ignited my initial interest in serge luten line and conseqenty my bank balance is less than healthy. The new FdB is a little sharper and cleaner in my view, but still very beautiful.
Posted by: kim davis | March 28, 2009