Monday 26 November 2012

Puredistance - Opardu


Inspired by the vibrant Parisian nightlife of the turn of the last century, master perfumers Puredistance have recently launched their fourth perfume Opardu, which pays respect to a dynamic age of opulence and romance.

Bringing forth feelings of tenderness and seduction, Opardu is the brainchild of Puredistance Director Jan Edwoud Vos and the creation of New York perfumer, Anne Buzuntian. Inspired by a painting by Dutch Fauvist/painter Kees van Dongen of a bouquet of flowers, Buzuntian set out to create a scent that ushered in a sense of nostalgia and longing... a perfume that evoked memories of love.

Opardu is a bouquet of tranquilizing flowers - a rendering of  blossoms that captivate and inveigle within seconds of being applied to skin.
A bewitching tuberose absolute dances over gardenia, Bulgarian rose and purple lilac... the sum of which feels staunchly French and extremely enchanting. It's heart is a quickstep of carnation and jasmine - spiralling florals which are both heady and commanding, and yet somehow virginal and chaste at the same time. As far as feminine florals are concerned, this is how I would imagine all women should smell... graceful and self-restrained, but with a transfixing gaze of dissoluteness in her eyes.

Puredistance continue to produce exceptional perfume, making it one of my most appreciated independent perfume houses. Their scents are timeless and beautiful.

Opardu is now available in 17.5ml and 100ml sizes in the Puredistance webshop and at select retailers.


Friday 2 November 2012

Parfums Divine - L'Homme Infini


I don't know how Parfums Divine have managed to slip stealthily beneath my perfume radar until today, but I, for one, am thrilled that their brand new masculine L'Homme Infini created a blip on my monitor.

Their promotional literature reads:

"Simply by word of mouth, DIVINE perfumes have magically entered the lives of women and men all over the world".

And so it has, mine.

Parfums Divine have received much praise, it would seem, for both their masculines and feminines. L'Homme de Coeur and L'Homme Sage are the notable forefathers to L'Homme Infini - their latest offering, earmarked for a November 12th release. Parfums Divine Creator / Perfumer Yvon Mouchel appointed perfume maestro Yann Vasnier to bring to fruition his most recent innovation. Vasnier's impeccable resumé includes the creation of scents for Tom Ford, Comme des Garcons, Arquiste, and many, many more.

L'Homme Infini - conceptually - is a man who has the horizon of life stretching far before him - a man who can invent the future. And whilst this reads somewhat as simple marketing prose, L'Homme Infini the fragrance, does in fact, feel rather optimistic. It has a very engaging opening... lush aromatic greens of coriander leaf and elemi feel abundant and proffer a sense of open space. It is deeply aromatic, with warm oaky tones and a prickle of pepper that meets the nose from the get-go. Whilst not listed amongst the official olfactory notes, there is almost a hint of dried bay leaves present too... the opening synthesis of accords skipping alongside other arresting offerings like Monacle x Comme des Garcons Scent 2: Laurel.


A cozy cedar/vetiver heart lends some staunch masculinity, and a subtle huff of agarwood, a deeper complexity to the nucleus of this perfume. There are ambery, resinous nuances in the trail, furnished by fragrant benzoin.

On skin, and after a time, L'Homme Infini wears very much like a favourite piece of clothing. A comfortable woolen horse-riding jacket, perhaps... one imbued with the smell of the trees, rushing wind, dewy mornings and leafy dales. Somehow, it feels deeply individual... a perfume that essentially becomes bonded with the wearer. A wearer who has the horizon of life stretching far before them - a wearer who can invent the future.



L'Homme Infini launches in Parfums Divine boutiques and in their e-shop  on November 12.
It will be made available in 50ml, 100ml and 150ml sizes.