Cheap thrills: ZARA 7.0

International "fast fashion" giants ZARA have a store pretty much in every major city nowadays, bringing affordable and trend-driven fashion and accessories to the mass market. Several times a year, Zara also create inexpensive perfumes to accompany each new seasonal release... its up to the individual to judge whether they're to one's own taste or not, but I, for one, do like to check them out from time to time. Back in 2009 I waxed lyrical about their fresh and chic 'Vetiver' cologne from their Perfumed Water series, suggesting that low pricing does not necessarily equate a compromise in quality. Six years on, and I've found another little nugget: Zara 7.0... a supremely aromatic woody fougere style fragrance that could happily grace any niche perfume lover's shelf.

Packaged in unassuming pale grey-marle coloured boxes, 7.0 is one of three new releases (including 8.0 and 9.0, respectively) which - for me at least - fills a hole where theres something lacking in my fine fragrance wardrobe. Fortunately, the key notes are listed clearly on the bottle and box, so there are no ambiguous interpretations of individual components. 7.0 is a blend of Violet leafs [sic], Mint, Lavender, Geranium, Sandalwood, Musk and Cedar. Straight from the bottle (which looks conspicuously Hugo Boss-inspired), 7.0 takes flight with a jet of sparkling citrus and crisp mint. Moments in, and the sharpness recedes to reveal a lovely marriage between soft lavender and geranium (a slight lemony facet suggests perhaps pelargonium - a plant of the same family but different genus). A rising cedar warmth presses up from below with a slight woody prickle in the nose, but a vein of sandalwood diminishes the sharpness and lends a curious creaminess to the mix. Fascinatingly, there is an unusual sharp green astringency that stays present well until the final molecules evaporate from skin.

The overall feel is one of a delicate dance between botanicals and synthetics. It feels both classic and yet surprisingly contemporary. For those who relish the botanical feel of Bottega Venetta Pour Homme, or who is wowed by the digital green rendering of Costume National's Cyber Garden, then you will find a pleasing commonality here. 7.0 feels fresh and modern, yet not entirely unexpected.

Zara continue to surprise with the occasional fragrance that could easily become a mainstay in any perfumista's collection. If you have the time and the nose for it (certainly there are some cheap shockers amongst them), then a stroll through both mens and womens perfume departments is time well spent.
At $25 AUD (approximately $18 US / €16) for a 100ml bottle, at least no-one will be crying if after a time, it is pushed to one side when new fragrance toys are added to your perfume pool.
Hop to it, then!

Terre d'Hermès Eau Trés Fraîche

The most successful masculine to emerge from the house of Hermès in recent times is irrefutably J.C Ellena's woody/spicy triumph Terre d'Hermès... a scent launched in 2006 that went on to win the FiFi (Fragrance Foundation's) Men's Fragrance of the Year accolade in 2007. Ellena's proficient nose produced an eau de toilette that simply won the world over. Now, some 7 years on, Hermès have revisited Terre and breathed new life into its lungs with the launch of Terre d'Hermès Eau Trés Fraîche... a woody aromatic comp with an engaging thalassic slant.

Just before I continue with my review, I would like to pause for a moment to address the Hermès house accord that seems to have become more conspicuous in Ellena's recent work. To my mind, Jean-Claude has looked to the house's past to unify the modern Hermès perfume stable; particularly with the masculines. If one looks back at Roudnitska's masterwork Eau d'Hermès (1951), a genderless spiced-citrus splash with leathery animalic undertones, one can distinctly hear an echo in the opening notes of Ellena's latest 'Pirate' Hermessence Épice Marine. Similarly, Bel Ami Vetiver  (a new addition to the perfume portfolio in 2013)  opens with a distinct Eau d'Hermès bergamot / cinnamon quickstep before veering off into classic Bel Ami territory. The house's unique fingerprint - or Hermès DNA - appears to be more prominent in contemporary releases, which I - for one - am excited to see. It may come as no surprise then, that it also makes an appearance in the arresting flight of Terre d'Hermès Eau Trés Fraîche.

Eau Trés Fraîche, out of the gates, feels a little like one of the Hermès Eau de Colognes... in fact, Eau de Pamplemousse Rose springs to mind in the cursory moments it dances on skin. Grapefruit and bergamot meet the nose with a zesty tang that is somewhat less sweet than the pulpy orange opening of Terre d'Hermès... it already feels more sheer and diaphanous than its older sibling. Moments later, the familiar Eau d'Hermes prickle of spice, pale woods and leather wash over the nose, infusing it with evocations of yesteryear. But it is in this next phase that Eau Trés Fraîche starts to shift trajectory... a pelagic, watery facet shifts forward, proffering an almost saline quality. (I wonder whether the ocean-like algenone accord Ellena used in Épice Marine might have been re-introduced here)? The heart is awash with geranium that is both citrusy and aromatic, but the whole composition remains translucent and somehow feels almost blanched.
Interestingly, the dirt, slate and ozonic aspects that made Terre d'Hermès a hit feel all but absent in the Fraîche version... my nose struggles to  draw parallels between the pair, save for the warm woody foundation that both have in common and that both have been built on. Base notes notwithstanding, this scent is noticeably more fleeting than its big brother.

Terre d'Hermès Eau Trés Fraîche is a surprising departure from the original Terre, but one cannot feel disappointed with this fragrance that promises to deliver a cooling aromatic respite from the heat over the coming European summer. Terre d'Hermès Eau Trés Fraîche comes as a 125ml eau de toilette which is already available in France, and will be soon rolling out to other European retailers.

Unfortunately for us Aussies, we can expect an August / September 2014 release to coincide with the start of our southern spring.

Norma Kamali Incense: A Star on the Brink of Collapse

American designer Norma Kamali flung open the doors of her first Manhattan boutique in the late 60's and has helped define the course of American fashion ever since. Known for producing that red bikini worn by Farrah Fawcett in her 1970's Charlie's Angels promos, and for popularising the use of shoulder pads in womenswear in the 80s, Norma Kamali has always done everything with an bold sweeping gesture.

Fearless and plenteous is how she approached her perfume creation of ca. 1982: Incense. Norma Kamali in essence, created the quintessential incense fragrance against which all others might be measured... hers is Yggdrasil; the World Tree around which all others revolve. I can't think of any other incense scent - be it old or new - that wouldn't be drawn into its orbit like a bug to a mosquito light, and dispatched with a satisfying little bzzzt! But to make intelligible why would take some explaining, as anyone who has ever lifted a blotter or wrist perfumed with Norma's creation to their nose, can attest. Simply stated, it is just big. 
Bigger than anything your mind can conjure.

Lets take a time out for a moment to define 'incense', as according to how it is represented in perfume. To my mind, there are two basic styles... those that are smoky and/or ashen, ie: incense being burned; and those that are resinous and 'sappy', ie: those redolent of both the raw tree sap and petrified 'tears'. Each of these two styles have been re-rendered time and again by perfumers the world over, but Norma Kamali's creation is perhaps the purest. All told, it feels closer to the latter. Composed of bountiful labdanum, frankincense, myrrh and copal, Incense is a perfumed cornucopia of rich, ambery resins. From the bottle, it is simply titanic... a profusion of odours rush to the back of the nose and not all of them read on the receptors as they do on paper. For beginners, my earliest perception is one of dark fruits steeped in alcohol... those dried wrinkly raisins and fragrant peels reconstituted with a dark rum or a dry woody whiskey. Fortified dessert wines from South-West Australia, crushed leaves of tarragon, and an almost dough-like facet that feels slightly creamy and glutinous... they are all in there and they register well before a mountainous wave of labdanum washes over you.

A few years ago I blogged about Labdanum - a sticky resin harvested from shrubs of the Cistus variety - and it is indeed a major protagonist here. It's deeply balsamic quality floods this perfume with a rich ambery facet... one that carries with it subtle nuances of sun-soaked pollen and leaves. It serves as the monolithic backbone to this scent, to which yellow-brown kernels of myrrh, copal and frankincense affix themselves... each one of them redolent not only of the hardened sap, but also the unique characteristics of the tree they've been plucked from; some pine-like and coniferous, and some slightly woody. This openhanded layering of dense resins has erected what feels much like an impenetrable wall of perfume. This is precisely what makes Incense such a prototype for the genre... it is ceaseless and inexhaustible!

True to form, it is to the disappointment of the author and a great number of faithful perfumisti to learn that Incense is no longer in production. Several years ago, it was announced that a packaging redesign would transpire before Incense and a selection of other Norma Kamali creations would be restocked. But this has since been rebuked in perfume circles as heresy.

Only recently, a scant handful of 500ml flacons from 1982 were unearthed at NK HQ and offered for sale for $1200 USD a piece. At the time of writing this article, there is reportedly one flacon left... just one. Sadly, it seems this once-brilliant shining star is now on the verge of collapse. And perhaps truer still to cosmic form, the light from this supernova will reach our eyes long after it has gone... alas, with that light may come the unsettling cognizance that we have lost one of the most important perfumes of our time.

Smell it while you can.

WENDY & JIM: Drop No. 01 Eau de Parfum

Austria has produced a number of artisanal houses that have brought exquisite perfumes to market in recent years... and it is safe to say that Viennese fashion legend Helmut Lang might have paved the way.
Lang's "universe" is comprised of fashion that is relaxed and formal in equal measures - it is not so much the idea of high fashion, but rather, a sensitivity towards correctness and detailing in garments that appeal as basic items. Few designers can take casual clothes to the precipice of being avant garde, without being "fussy", in the manner way Helmut Lang can. Lang's portfolio of perfumes followed suit... they were explorations in simplicity and refinement; understated, minimalist, and keenly edited.

One can feel Lang's DNA present in the Austrian fashion label Wendy&Jim - a new-fangled fashion house with creative minds Hermann Fankhauser and Helga Ruthner at the helm. This design duo met during their tutelage under Helmut Lang at the Viennese University of Applied Arts in 1999, and have been showing their Men's and Women's collections in Paris since. Their non-conventional designs remain high atop fashionista shopping lists in Hong Kong, London, Tokyo, Berlin, New York, Vienna and Stockholm.
In April 2013, the pair launched Drop No. 01 Eau de Parfum to accompany their fashions.

An overture to wanton sensuality, Drop No. 01 Eau de Parfum is described as:

 "...the result of an orgiastic night, a warm, dark and sparkling fragrance for sophisticated, modern and cosmopolitan women (and men)."

When first applied to skin, one is immediately awash with a zesty, bitter citrus accord, and a rush of Indian jasmine... star-shaped blooms heavy with indoles create a sultry, devoutly feminine aura around the wearer. There is nothing apologetic about this floral opening - it is every bit as 'present' as Robert Piguet's famed Fracas. Amongst the narcotising white florals I sense a ribbon of green - lily of the valley perhaps? - and a soft pink band of rose. Deeper below, a fragrant woody-resinous foundation of amyris / elemi amplifies the sexually-loaded context of the perfume, and brings with it a more masculine facet. There is a certain sexual alchemy at work as the womanly floral facets and vigorous masculine aspects unify. A warmer, ambery characteristic is furnished by fragrant myrrh in the trail.
This fragrance - in its style and approach, at least - shares a similarity with those of Fankhauser and Ruthner's mentor, Lang. It is straight-forward, linear, and uncompromising.

Drop No. 01 boasts 99% natural ingredients, 95% of which are of certified organic origin, making it one of the first (if not the first) natural designer perfumes in the world.

If the description of the scent itself doesn't completely enchant you, then perhaps the flacon will! With a tip of the hat to Austrian craftsmanship, Wendy&Jim have collaborated with the second-oldest porcelain manufacturers in Europe, Augarten of Vienna to produce the magnificent Vulpini "Fox's Head" flacon. The stunning skull receptacle is sold independently of the perfume, and can be refilled at will. It is available in "White" and "Wiener Rose". The fox's skull was chosen as a totem of strength and cleverness and serves as the perfect vessel for a perfume of such a bewitching nature.



Drop No. 01 is available in 30ml and 50ml sizes at a cost of €110 and €180 respectively.
The Vulpini fox skull flacons start from €370.

For further information, visit the Wendy& Jim website and facebook page.
www.wendyjim.com

Jacomo Art Collection: #08

After 40 years of perfume-making to modest international acclaim, US perfume house Jacomo enjoyed somewhat of a renaissance in 2010 with the launch of their colourful Art Collection series: a trio of perfumes launched to explore an olfactory dialogue between perfume and art. The fragrant threesome have each been assigned a number, and both individually and collectively offer something unique in the Jacomo gallery of scent.

#02 is described as a tactile Oriental Leather Gourmand, and includes notes of bergamot, tonka, vanilla, patchouli and suede. Graphic artist Cecilia Carlstedt drew inspiration for the packaging artwork from her time in New York.

#09 is a colourful Woody/Fruity/Spicy scent with notes of lemon zest, orange pulp, pink pepper, mango, cinnamon, praline and vanilla. Swedish watercolour painter Stina Persson is the artist commissioned for this release.

But of the three, I am particularly fond of #08 - a deeply aromatic eau de parfum that draws its inspiration from the vibrant and colourful cities of Bengal and Madras. Swedish illustrator/artist Daniel Egnéus created the artwork for the packaging which suggests strong links to the east.

#08 surprises with its asian-influenced opening of crisp ginger and black tea, through which a startling and enduring spicy cardamom accord emerges. It instantly speaks of the cuisine of northern India, and resolutely plays a preeminent role for the first 10 - 15 minutes. A milky accord in the heart of the perfume, coupled with warm notes of sweet cinnamon both furnish the perfume with a delicious 'iced chai latte' vibe. But there is abundant colour present too... luminous freesia, golden honey, and dewy fruit pulp all lend a vibrant lip-smacking quality to the scent.

To my nose, #08 is the olfactory equal to the religious Indian Holi Festival held each spring; a celebration in which brilliantly coloured powders and coloured water is hurled between worshippers. It is spirited, colourful, fun, and something in which both men and women can partake.

One would assume that more numerically-assigned fragrances might soon emerge from Jacomo in the Art Collection series. These offerings are rather exciting to explore, and seem to offer a 'niche' fragrance experience on a mainstream budget.

Revisiting D&G By Man

Five or six years have passed since Dolce and Gabbana By Man was withdrawn from sale, but, as is the case with many discontinued scents, it remains highly coveted now several years on. Fetching prices that border on the absurd, in recent years By Man has taken up residence next to Guerlain's Derby and Jean Patou Homme in the Obsolete Men's Fragrance Hall of Fame. Whilst one can only speculate as to why it vanished in the first place, I thought it necessary to revisit this eau de toilette and see for myself if it is indeed all that and a bag of chips.

Launched in 1998 whilst couturiers such as Dolce and Gabbana and Roberto Cavalli were on design safari, drawing their inspiration from animal prints from the natural world, By Man was packaged in a striking zebra print presentation and described as an aromatic woody fragrance. A swift departure from the stinging citrus/pepper composition of its slightly more mature predecessor Dolce & Gabbana Pour Homme, By Man proved a more narcotising bouquet of hushed lavender, warm nutmeg, creamy sandalwood, and soft leather imbued with sensual wisps of ambrox and amber. It was considered seductive and mysterious... qualities which endowed it with a certain sex appeal, and made it an instant favourite amongst men and women alike.

Whilst 'on trend' and rather modern in the late 1990's, By Man's very conspicuous zebra print wrap (now, in 2011) tends to summon thoughts of the Art Deco age - a time where travel to far-flung landscapes such as the Orient and Africa was the norm. Perhaps if there was ever a poster-boy for Dolce and Gabbana's By Man in the 1920's, it would be Rudy Valentino... a man who lived hard and died young, and whom was looked upon as an icon of style and virility. By Man is much like the actor himself; charismatic and appealing. Women want him, and men want to be him... it is an elixir that is both carnally desirable and desperately unattainable in equal measures.

As is the case with other perfume masterpieces such as Le Feu d'Issey, By Man seems to be one of those scents launched well ahead of its time, and sadly suffered for it. In hindsight, I feel By Man now seems to have come of age... it speaks of the past, but in a very fluid, modern vernacular.

Certainly one to add to your collection, if, of course, you can find it.

Christos Man & Christos Woman by Christopher Chronis

Three years ago I wrote this blog on the perfumes of renowned Greek-Australian fashion designer Christopher Chronis. Back then, I was waxing lyrical about the epic male and female fragrance release that stormed Australia bearing his name: Christos Man and Christos Woman, albeit my recollections were seen through the foggy smokescreen of time. Today however, I revisit these perfumes with a bottle of each scent in my hands.

I have been both shocked and surprised at the number of emails I have received over the last few years about this perfumed pair, and hence feel it time for an expanded review.

From his beginnings in 1984, Christopher Chronis sought to open doors to providing his customers with a total sensory experience. This he achieved with the quality of materials chosen for his fashion, and also by producing a men's and women's fragrance that stimulates the seductive, sexual and alluring quality in both sexes. When French fragrance house Dragoco accepted the challenge of producing both Christos perfumes and asked of him "what do you want from a fragrance?", Christopher gave one simple answer:

"When I smell Christos Woman on a woman I want it to make me want to eat her, and conversely, when a woman catches the scent of Christos Man on a man, I want her to eat him".

Following the philosophy that suggests humankind's primordial desires involve food and sex, Christopher and Dragoco set out to produce a product that would appeal to a niche market that craved a perfume that was exceptionally unique in all regards.

The Bottle

Perhaps one of the most striking flacons created in recent times, Christopher envisaged a bottle that captured his imagination and represented his name ("Christos", a diminutive of 'Christopher', also loosely translates to "Christ" in Greek), and thus his violet crucifix flacon was born! French glassmakers Pochet et du Corval baulked at the design initially, claiming that the technical difficulties of producing such a shape would require glass-blowing techniques that French had never encountered. Pochet et du Corval had never blown glass both horizontally and vertically to achieve even glass distribution. The French however, took on the challenge, knowing that the finished result would produce a bottle that was both exquisite and exceptional in form.

The Fragrances

Christos Woman: This scent is classed as a Woody Fruity Oriental and has a unique development from top to bottom. It opens with a lush, lip-smacking rush of green leaves, grapefruit, dewfruit and ripe, juicy blackcurrant... a bushel of moist fruits that are dripping with carnal allure. There is also a small sprinkling of cardamom which lends a slightly organic, musky edge. This juicy opening urges you to push deeper where a sensual, complex floral heart awaits. The scent evolves and suddenly it is though you step over the threshold into a boudoir of blossoms. Freesia, violet and rose permeate through the perfume over jasmine and neroli... there is even an unusual ozone accord which lends a sense of open space amongst the stirring florals. Then, for the second time in its development, Christos Woman takes another unexpected turn... one towards an oriental base of amber, cedar and sandalwood, tonka bean, musk and vanilla... the lasting trail being totally and utterly appetising, and devilishly arousing. Christos Woman certainly reflects Christopher's wishes that the fragrance should make the person wearing it edible. I'm in line for a second helping!

Christos Man: Christopher's approach to the men's perfume is equally as inspired. It uses a variety of components from the women's fragrance to act as a red thread that connect the two. Classed a Woody Oriental, Christos Man opens with a squirt of zesty tangerine... it is thick and pulpy, and one can imagine it spilling down ones chin... it shimmers over a scattering of green leaves and succulent dewfruit and is supported by a familiar mildly-musky foundation of cardamom. At its heart, Christos Man explores traditional facets of lavender and rose, though the transition between top and heart notes is perhaps more gradual than Christos Woman. The progressive evolution sees a familiar oriental base emerge of Sandalwood, cedar, tonka, amber and vanilla. There is a very "fleshy" feel to Christos Man... perhaps a nod to the pulpy forbidden fruits of Eden that beckon and cajole. Christopher is confident - as am I - that Christos Man fills the night with sensual, palatable promise.

A complementary body product line was produced in support of the Christos fragrances... ones that celebrate the private and sensual rituals of bathing and moisturising.

Now we've explored these perfumes in greater depth, I have some bad news... the Christos scents have not been in commercial distribution for over 10 years, and are next to impossible to source. Whilst a small amount of Christos Woman continues to be found here and there, Christos Man has sold out on a national and international scale.

Donna Karan Signature

The creative tendrils of American born fashion designer Donna Karan reached the shores of Australia in the mid 1990's following the launch of her DKNY Jeans fashion line and signature perfume 'Donna Karan' (1992) - an eau de parfum presented in an alienesque flacon designed by her late sculptor/painter husband Stephen Weiss. When the perfume launched in both hemispheres, it created a stir... its exotic and unfamiliar bottle was staunchly modern, but also vilified publicly for its provocative, phallic form. Weiss later commented:

"I didn't set out to create a bottle shaped like a penis . . . it wasn't like I said to myself, oh, how can I make this thing more penile? I did a book with 100 forms and I happened to pick the one that looked like a phallus."

Whilst initially the flacon was distinctly masculine in appearance, a print campaign in support of the launch presented the bottle in a resolutely feminine way... the media spotlight only drew more attention to this indignity, but alas it seemed the beauty of the perfume inside was not triumphing over the immodesty of the bottle. Donna Karan (the edp) was withdrawn from sale a few years later.

Over a decade on, in August 2008, Donna Karan relaunched her discontinued fragrance lines from the 1990s - this time in understated, columns of smokey brown glass; her signature scent amongst them. Now, without the obvious distraction of the bottle, Donna Karan Signature can finally reap the accolades it deserves as a wonderful dry, woody leather chypre for women.

I do not find a whole lot of evolution between the first spritz and dwindling drydown, but this suits me just fine... I adore Signature right out of the bottle. It opens with a narcotising blend of rich florals and spice accords. There is a rather luxurious lily / rose / neroli combination that tumbles over a sublime bed of patchouli, amber and creamy sandalwood. Interestingly, I find it is both embracing and warm, and yet in some ways rather solemn and unemotional. I can't help but feel I am experiencing a return to perfume stylings of the early 20th century with its hint of napped suede and a huff of pleasant soapiness. Donna Karan Signature is gratifyingly beautiful, but possesses a vacant emptiness... a pang of reflection, much like that which I celebrate in my beloved Vol de Nuit. Recommended for both women and men, Signature has definite presence and leaves a soft perfumed wake behind you.

At this point in time I feel Donna Karan has finally found her moment. It may have been almost 2 decades in the making, but her Donna Karan Fragrance Collection offers much to be explored.

Very Good Wood: Comme des Garcons - Wonderwood

Our inventive friends at Comme des Garçons have been busy whittling away the hours perfecting their most recent perfume offering Wonderwood - a thorough exploration of wood in all of its incarnations. This eau de parfum is a medley of woody accords both natural and synthetic that bewitch and bewlider... it is somehow sappy and damp, but also smokey and dry at the same time. Wonderwood is mysterious and unsettling... it fosters all the fear a child would face when finding himself lost in the woods at night, frightened and disoriented. It is black as ink, and yet still manages to evoke sensations of warmth and luxuriousness.

Supporting the Comme des Garcons avant-garde ideology, Wonderwood is unique in that the structure of the perfume is focused more on the heartnotes instead of the basenotes. It opens with bergamot, pepper, incense and nutmeg, and then shifts into a dense heart of cristalon (a rich, plummy, fruity accord), cashmeran, guaiacwood, cyprus, cedar and caraway. These aspects swell at the core of this scent and provide the framework for the perfume. Beneath, synthetic accords of javinol and pachminol (balsamic sandalwood/rose) are grafted onto true notes of sandalwood, vetiver and oud.

The result: an explosively good wood!

Wonderwood requires liberal application, otherwise if applied to sparingly, once the stunning heartnotes have diminished, you might not feel like you are actually wearing anything. But this is a small price to pay for this exceptionally good bombardment of wood. The 100ml is a wise investment.

Wonderwood can be purchased online from www.essenza-nobile.de in both 50ml and 100ml sizes.

Comme des Garcons: 2 Man

Resinous fragrances appeal to me in a manner like no other. Perhaps my inherent appreciation for frankincense and other tree stones has emerged from a childhood immersed in orthodoxy; where the perfume of frankincense was enjoyed at numerous ecclesiastical celebrations throughout the year. There is nothing I like more than to burn the stones over coal discs and enjoy the aroma, or to source scents in which resinous accords are executed masterfully.

Comme des Garcons 2 Man has been on the market for 5 or 6 years, but in my book, still remains a top contender for my "Best Frankincense" accolade. Whilst it reveals a sharp orange metallic accord when first applied, 2 Man swiftly evolves into a deliciously warm frankincense / incense scent, which surprisingly remains somewhat transparent throughout the course of its life. Often, I find incense fragrances have a husky or dry quality, but this eau de toilette remains crisp and unclouded; boasting a sense of stark purity that is very much in keeping with other Comme des Garcons releases.

Whilst many have been hasty to compare this to Gucci Pour Homme, I find the likeness rather superficial. Whilst both scents engage the nose with lovely resinous hearts, Gucci hones in more on pepper and woods, whilst Comme des Garcons explores sheer white smoke and spices. Much in the same way Andy Tauer's L'Air du Desért Marocain manages to masterfully evoke sensations from the shifting desert sands, so too does 2 Man.

Cumin and nutmeg suggest an interesting marriage between bitter and sweet accords, however the shining star of all spices used here is awarded to a slightly acerbic (almost plasticky) saffron. Saffron in itself is a difficult scent to describe, however 2 Man rather successfully interprets the aroma of these blazing red stamens. (Washington Tremlett's Black Tie is the only other perfume I have encountered in which the saffron notes used possibly best resemble the actual foodstuff). The sum of these individual components make for one of the more beautiful incense fragrances on the modern market.

2 Man lingers on my skin for a very generous 8-9 hours, and whilst marketed to men, has an equally strong female following.
Comme des Garcons 2 Man is available at www.essenza-nobile.de in 100ml flacons for €69.

YSL OPIUM: Death of a Classic

Created in 1977 by Yves Saint Laurent, Opium was a controversial release at that time; in part because of its evocative name and that which the perfume itself represented in popular culture, released on the heels of an era of psychedelic drug use. Yves Saint Laurent came under fire particularly from Chinese-American communities who felt the name and its associations insensitive... which in turn served to publicise the perfume even more. Opium embodied exotic enchantment with its narcotizing florals, deep spices, warm woods and spiralling resinous heart. To this day, it is revered as one of the classic orientals and a yardstick against which other oriental releases are still measured.

My exposure to Opium has been life-long. For as many years as I can recall, my mother has spritzed her decollitage with this mysterious elixir, and I have grown into an adult with its perfume profile imprinted clearly in my subconscious. Few oriental style perfumes even come close to the success of Opium, whose rich heritage has been beautifully documented in advertising media for almost 40 years. In that time the packaging and striking perfume formula has been largely unchanged. Until today.

Now, just two years since Yves Saint Laurent was bought from the Gucci Group by the cosmetics giant L'Oreal, the unthinkable has occurred. 2010 has seen a new Opium flacon and packaging presentation hit the shelves, and whilst I could never fault the original, the new bottle and media campaign both succeeded in catching my eye.

Sadly, the perfume itself did not appease my nose. Nor did it live up to the olfactory fingerprint that the original formula has left on my psyche.

Ô rage ! Ô désespoir!

Why have they messed with perfection?! I find the new formulation a travesty. The EDT has suffered the most, but the EDP has also been afflicted with a mess of accords that simply have no business being there. Somewhere between the plum, cloves and carnation; the rose, the myrrh, the sandalwood and the animalic castoreum, there now resides a ghastly synthetic mess that I can only begin to describe as powdery, bitter elastic bands. As far as the perfuming arts are concerned, I feel this is every bit as repugnant as the little black moustache French artist Marcel Duchamp added to a reproduction of Da Vinci's Mona Lisa during the Dada art movement in 1919. A cheeky bit of vandalism callously applied to a master creation. Only, here the justification of such a defacement is not at all clear.

I think if Yves were still alive today, he would be outraged. The perfume that personified his name and his brand - a scent that has been cherished the world over - has also met an untimely end.

As per the terms of L'Oreal's purchase, they have taken over the long term license for not only YSL, but also Boucheron, Stella McCartney, Ermenegildo Zegna and Oscar de la Renta.

Saying goodbye to a great: Alexander McQueen

This morning, I join the fashion world in lamenting the loss of another of their greats: Alexander McQueen. Few designers have changed the course of fashion in the same way McQueen did with his avante garde stylings and creations that embraced the alienesque. His vision was truly extraordinary, and his work revered by millions.

Lee Alexander McQueen stepped onto the world stage in 1996 after winning a "British Fashion Designer of the Year" award: an accolade he went on to claim 3 more times by 2003. In 2000, McQueen partnered with the Gucci Group and worked at the helm of his own brand as Creative Director. Since then, McQueen opened boutiques in London, New York, Los Angeles, Milan and Las Vegas, and his unconventional fashion has managed to penetrate the global psyche. In 2000, McQueen launched his first fragrance Kingdom: a scent that was met with polarizing opinions - much like his couture. Kingdom, - packaged in deep garnet-red Venetian glass and glinting rhodium - exhudes a sexual aura of potent spices, dark woods and exotic florals. To this day, it is still considered venturesome and daring. Those with a true appreciation for McQueen's universe can fathom its significance, and recognise its impact on how contemporary perfumes are perceived today.

As a visionary, McQueen led the charge and his ongoing contribution to fashion will be missed. 

Dior Exclusives: Ambre Nuit

The much anticipated inclusion to the Dior Exclusives lineup is Ambre Nuit (Night Amber) - a sensual unisex scent with a lot of promise. Released in the wake of the treasured "black tie" trio of Dior colognes, I felt this creation had much to live up to. As an unwavering devotee of the swamp-green splash Eau Noire, I was satisfied to learn first-hand that Ambre Nuit observes the Exclusives tradition of sophistication and excellence.

Dior's in-house nose Francois Demachy, (also responsible for other perfume greats such as Ungaro Homme and Acqua di Parma's Colonia Intensa) has fashioned a sultry cologne with a captivating Turkish rose accord at its nucleus. Traditionally reserved for women's perfumery, the rose has been transformed with a sprinkle of pink and black peppercorns into something more gender-neutral in style. On initial application, Calabrian bergamot stirs the senses before the spicy, somewhat masculine rose shifts forward. A wonderful ambery base gradually intensifies from beneath; comprised of resinous labdanum and a delicate, sweet, woody, creamy, slightly smoky guaiacwood accord that acts as both an anchor and fixative. Finally, Indonesian patchouli lends an earthy richness to the framework of the fragrance.

Ambre Nuit lives up to (and arguably surpasses) the stylings and exemplary character of the former scents in this lineup. As an eau de cologne applied liberally as intended, Ambre Nuit will last approximately 4-5 hours on my skin - money well spent, in my humble opinion.

Ambre Nuit and the other Dior Exclusives can be purchased online at www.essenza-nobile.de, starting from €96 for 125ml.

Costume National Homme

Few scents I have anticipated more in 2009 than the recent offering from Italian apostles of au courant, Costume National. Costume National Homme marks a departure from the house's unisex/androgynous fragrance portfolio by offering for the first time in their 21 year history, a scent aimed directly at the male market - and I, for one, am excited.

So few men's scents these days are created in an eau de parfum concentration, but here Ennio Capasa and team have responded to the pooled male petition for scents that are far from fleeting. What I notice first about the bottle and packaging is that all the signature CN aesthetic sensibilities are present and accounted for; a restrained neutral colour palette, architectural lines, and new innovation - all utilised with understated intent. Innovation comes in the form of an invisible tube to draw up the juice: something never seen before.

When applied, Costume National Homme surprises with a mouth-watering opening of citrus, patchouli and cinnamon/nutmeg, which is very addictive in nature. As the alcohol evaporates, I get a lovely warm "peach cobbler" vibe and enjoy for a time, the lip-smacking aroma of oven-baked comfort foods. Ten minutes in, and the saccharine edge tapers away to reveal the lovely bittersweet prickle of clove and husky woods. Here is where this scent hits its stride, evolving from something with rich gourmand nuances to a fragrance with a sophisticated spicy heart. Wisps of sweet-scented sandalwood materialise slowly from a resinous/ambery labdanum base (in fact, one that is not too far removed from Zara's Ambar). Over the course of the drydown I also observe curious tendrils of what I can only describe as 'geraniumint' reaching forward and then receding; fleeting moments akin to Frederic Malle's Geranium Pour Monsieur, perhaps. It may be no coincidence that Dominique Ropion is the author behind both perfumes.

Hours later and CN Homme is still going strong... Im pleased to say the promise of increased longevity that this eau de parfum can offer does not disappoint. My skin remains perfumed with earthy patchouli and a scattering of fragrant wood shavings: perhaps shavings struck from a knotty clump of overgrown herbs that have long since gone to seed.

I will be the first to admit that, on the whole, I enjoy much of what Costume National as a fashion, design and perfume house has to offer. Costume National Homme is not at all out of place in their current perfume portfolio, and might well attract a new unisex fanbase.

For now however, I cant think of a better scent to wear over the Holidays.

A Scent: Issey Miyake

I've always appreciated Issey Miyake's perfumes and unfussy advertising.

Sometimes however, I get the impression that his "minimalist" aesthetic is just a ruse... after all, I find the perfumed releases from his line really rather complex, despite their purported 'minimalist' approach. Take the groundbreaking Le Feu d'Issey for example - a perfume that lived a very short life for being way too avante garde... its vast array of notes and accords ran the gamut from sichuan peppers to Japanese lilies, to milk; the end result representing his take on the elemental force of fire. It was an extraordinary synthesis of accords that, when it appeared on department store shelves, was bottled and packaged in clean, simple, Miyake-esque geometric shapes... a sphere inside a cube. What else? Even the starring pair in his perfume portfolio L'eau d'Issey and L'eau d'Issey Pour Homme - which portray the purest and most basic of the elements: water - have compositions which are really very intricate.

Miyake's 2009 women's release: a scent, is no different.

At a glance, the transparent heavy glass flacon and the colourless liquid it holds both seem to epitomise the Miyake approach of understated, unembellished functionality. Even the name a scent is as uncomplicated a name as one can possibly assign to a perfume. This being said, it is when you actually come to experience the perfume itself, you learn that once again, the bottle's contents belie this perception. The introductory spritz furnishes the wearer with an extraordinary feeling of green... sharp, crisp, rich emerald hues, which are not at all unlike the herbaceous, sophisticated opening puff of Sisley's Eau de Campagne. It prickles with ripe citruses before meandering towards a wonderfully rich floral heart. Intoxicating jasmine and hyacinth smoulder and there are fleeting moments of the heady floral rubberiness one can experience whilst wearing Fredric Malle's En Passant. The overall impression is as if walking through a beautiful garden at the height of summer with the verbena and hyacinths in bloom - totally enchanting and also a little overwhelming. Fortunately, the crisp green and shimmering citruses manage to reign in the opulent florals. The tail end of this fragrance shifts towards a "freshly-washed" soapiness - something that renders a scent the perfect vivifying fragrance to be worn in (but not limited to) hot weather, or during long-haul travel. This eau de toilette lasts a satisfying 7 hours on my skin.

The very fact that Issey Miyake can cram an entire European summer garden into a modest glass bottle and market it in an unostentatious manner, really speaks to me of his extraordinary vision. Whilst many others would resort to smoke and mirrors, Miyake strips them back - so sure he is that a scent will be well received.

His aesthetic may be minimal, but his perfumes are sincerely profound.

Being Tom Ford: Grey Vetiver

It must be hard being Tom Ford. Despite the obvious glamour and celebrity associated with being one of the world's largest contemporary style icons, I can not begin to imagine how much pressure comes with that role. I have trawled the internet looking at photos of Ford, and in every one of them he looks immaculate. Can Ford have a bad hair day? Unlikely, I'd say. So, how difficult would it be to maintain that face both publicly and privately, 24/7? In business, everything the man touches turns to gold and he is often revered as the yardstick against which other designers are measured. His refined, chic, editing eye and fastidious work ethic has seen him reach dizzying heights. People aspire to be like him, taste his fame, and dream to achieve just a fraction of the success he has enjoyed. Ford must be under enormous scrutiny, whilst competitors and adversaries wait for him to stumble. Expectations are stratospheric every time this man opens a boutique, launches a line, or bestows the world with a new perfume creation. I do not envy this man.

Perhaps I too, have unrealistic expectations of Tom Ford - after all, in my opinion, the man has never failed to amaze and inspire me - his superb tailoring, à la mode accessories and stunning private blend perfumes have me pressing my nose at boutique glass windows the world over. Therefore, when I hear of an impending Ford fragrance release, I anticipate perfection and nothing less! Am I being unrealistic in doing so? Hell no... the man has a crack-team of professionals working around the clock under the Tom Ford Beauty umbrella, and cash and resources coming out the wazoo!

Imagine my crushing disappointment then, dear reader, when I sampled the upcoming Tom Ford men's release Grey Vetiver, set to hit shelves this September. Whilst I appreciate the continuity and cohesiveness of the colour-coded Tom Ford fragrance names (Black Orchid, White Patchouli, and now Grey Vetiver), what I find I don't love is the actual scent itself. The name Tom Ford is a brand synonymous with innovation, but here all I see is simulation... reproduction, replication, emulation. As much as it hurts me to say so, I can already identify a handful of scents that Grey Vetiver is a perfumed parody of.

The opening starts out with some promise... a rush of citrus (maybe bergamot and mandarin?) and winter green, veiled by a palpable smokiness; Bvlgari Pour Homme Extrême immediately springs to mind. I think of someone throwing wet leaves onto a fire in the corner of their garden under a solemn grey sky. (Not wishing to overly romanticise the idea, I'll leave the metaphors at that... think: grubby old gardener in overalls, as opposed to a muscle-flexing pool boy). Without any perfume pyramid available for this release, there is an earthiness present that one normally associates with vetiver scents, and I am picking up what I believe may be traces of black pepper and guaiacwood at its heart.  For those familiar with Andy Tauer's Vetiver Dance, there are parallels one can draw between the two, though the Ford release is less rambunctious than Tauer's. I also recognise hues of Narciso Rodriguez for Him... the thick, damp fougere vibe is common to them both, as is a sense of austerity and coldness. Grey Vetiver I feel will appeal to a more mature set - I can't imagine many twenty-year olds reaching for this before heading out for a night on the town... it is a little more corporate in style; more reserved and unapproachable.

Several hours later, and I am left with Versace Jeans Couture Man on my skin... quite possibly one of my least favourite scents - an odour I've always associated with washing dirty cat bowls under hot running water; with something fatty and jellied at its heart. Thankfully (for those who will like this), the scent's persistence is well above average. Not so great if you feel you smell like cat's breath.

After this experience, I have come to understand that, (at least in my eyes), Ford is fallible. Grey Vetiver is the first of his scents that I cannot and will not wear. Perhaps not the outcome I might have liked, but there are always his four new White Musk Private Blends to look forward to. The Sorcery of Scent will be reviewing White Suede in the week to come.

Kenzo Jungle L'Elephant

I usually don't shy away from wearing scents marketed to women, and am pleased if I can inspire men in particular, to try something they might not have ever contemplated. Kenzo's Jungle L'Elephant is one such scent that I feel masterfully bridges the gender divide.

Years before his perfume triumphs such as  Thierry Mugler's Alien and Frederic Malle's Vetiver Extraordinaire, in 1996 French nose Dominique Ropion lent his expertise in creating this avante garde spicy floral for the house of Kenzo. The eau de parfum itself represents a striking balance between nature and man... the unrelenting natural wilderness pitted against the ever-encroaching urban environment. There is a bold contrast between the territories, which is cleverly translated into perfume. L'Elephant is rich with exotic fruits, bewitching florals and dark, familiar spices, but presented in such a way that is almost an abstract "hyper-realistic" approach, much like something you might encounter in one of Mugler's far-flung spacescapes. The advertising video spot (below) embraces this idea in a surreal dream-like fashion.

I am a big fan of L'Elephant. Much like the beast itself, this perfume is bold, robust and commanding. The opening accords I liken to those opulent notes present in Tom Ford's Black Orchid... thick, rich and imposing. A blend of mango, heliotrope and ylang-ylang I find totally enchanting here, and the spices are rich and dark; somehow cumin, cardamom and clove lend a dramatic sense of depth and scale to the mix. A lavish combination of vanilla, liquorice, patchouli and amber imbues the perfume with a delicious gourmand appeal. This intense and dramatic composition creates a perfume that can be enjoyed by many, but, this untamed animal is not one for the faint-hearted. It is extremely tenacious and has titanic sillage. 

Applied sparingly, this innovative scent is sure to turn heads.

Summer Glam: Bronze Goddess

In May last year I bought a bottle of Estée Lauder's Bronze Goddess having been completely won over by its summery opulence and smouldering appeal. Despite the name, this is one skinscent that deserves to be enjoyed by women and men alike. Much like the swanky advertising graphic suggests, Lauder succeeded in capturing incandescent warmth and solar radience in this bottle... it is the epitome of summer glam, to me. 

Originally released as a summer limited edition as the followup to Tom Ford's collaborative effort with Lauder on their Azzure Oil in 2006 and Azzure Soleil fragrance in 2007; Bronze Goddess now appears to be a mainstay in the Lauder lineup. This finite release saw stocks all but gone by the end of summer '08, but today major retailers appear fully stocked again for summer 2009. And I can certainly understand the reason for resurrecting this amazing eau fraîche skinscent for a second year running. 

Bronze Goddess is shimmering with sun-kissed mandarin and bergamot, and brimming with exotic jasmine, magnolia and orange flower... notes typical of summer in the tropics. But there is a wonderful honeyed, "chewy" gourmand quality to the scent too... its opening burst reminding me of Ford's triumphant Black Orchid. There is a delicious toasted coconut accord and lactic milk vibe that renders this perfume absolutely addictive. One might easily visualise tanned bodies smattered with fragrant oils reaching for chilled pina coladas or jewel-encrusted cellphones offered to them by cabana boys on silver trays. Bronze Goddess is about pool-side glamour and summer evenings of decadence and excess on the French Riviera.

Unfortunately for me, whilst I don my swimming trunks and bare my white flesh to the skies for the first time this season (watching neighbours recoil in horror from their windows like hissing vampires burned by the sun), I am reminded again that I am a million miles away from the Côte d'Azur. The silver lining is that with a spritz of Goddess, I can close my eyes and feel -  at least for a time - like a Hollywood "A"-lister.

Armani Privé - Cuir Améthyste

On rare shopping excursions to Copenhagen, I am sure to pass through the magnificent Beauty & Cosmetics Hall at Illum, Copenhagen's equivalent to Saks Fifth Avenue. Not only have they the most opulent shopping environment in the capital, but they also offer many exclusives and niche perfume lines that cannot be found anywhere else in the country. The Armani Privé scents are amongst these rarities, and a trip to the big smoke just isn't the same without a stolen spritz of Cuir Améthyste on my wrist, or the end of my scarf. It is the smell I have come to associate with splendour and magnificence whilst on my satisfying retail junkets.

Beautifully presented in refillable bottles crafted from exotic African kotibe wood, and each crowned with a polished amethyst stone; Cuir Améthyste is a rich, dramatic eau de parfum that evokes an atmospheric aura of glamour and mystique.

There is very little minimalistic about this perfume - it is unashamedly excessive... a possessing blend of vegetal resins, woods, citrus, florals, ambergris, patchouli and composition leather.

The key notes of coriander, violet and rose are apparent from the get-go, but almost instantaneously, one will witness darker aromatic accords (patchouli, labdanum and benzoin) stepping forward. At the heart of this scent, a plum-coloured leather note resides which carries with it a lavish feeling of nobility and assertiveness. It is not at all timid, however it is delicate and refined - a synthetic leather executed with mastery. 

Much like Giorgio Armani's Privé couture collections, there is a sense of order, refinement and intuitive editing at work here. The individual accords drift past in successive order, one by one, much like his chic catwalk models. There is an astonishing harmony between the singular components whereby one is not diminished or overwhelmed by the next. In this regard, Cuir Améthyste is rather linear, ordered, calculated. But to my nose, it is calculated lavishness and extravagance. 

As a male, I am not fearful of wearing Cuir Améthyste even though its marketing is targeted more towards women. I find its depth, complexity and synthesis of accords rather masculine, despite the pretty florals in the mix. It also has impressive sillage and persistence (7+ hours) which is always a plus.

In Scandinavia the Privé line are profoundly expensive (the 50ml luxury presentation retails for $255 equivalent, and the refills for $149)... prohibitive prices that have rendered a purchase next to impossible for me. Up until now, that is. Somewhere along the line, it would seem Armani have lost a tight grip on their distribution, as the 50ml refills are currently selling in several discount retail chains in the US for under $30. When taking into consideration the quality and exclusivity of this outstanding elixir, this presents a staggering saving and big win for the consumer. As a result, I now own my "Posh Copenhagen Smell", and am seriously considering a second purchase.

Karl Lagerfeld Kapsule: Woody

If the truth be known, king of French fashion chic Karl Lagerfeld has always unsettled me with his appearance. There's something about that shock of white ponytailed hair, his caramel coloured perma-tan, and fingerless leather gloves that seemed somehow incongruous with a man in his 70's... not to speak of his mystifying black shades à la Michael Jackson - but despite the veneer, the man is a fashion genius. In his sensational career, Lagerfeld has worked with the greats: Chanel, Balmain, Cholé and Patou, but his present fame has been achieved with his freelance career and numerous couture and ready-to-wear collections that carry his own name. 

In 2008, Lagerfeld teamed up with several accomplished noses to create a new trio of unisex perfumes in his contemporary Kapsule range: Light, Floriental and Woody. A series of scents designed to carry you from daybreak to well after dark; I was particularly charmed by the intriguing Olivier Cresp creation: Woody... a fragrance that bestrides the line between genders and summons one to explore further. Woody is built around notes of dry cedar and dark mosses - each of which lend an earthy masculine charm, but tendrils of climbing green ivy and bushels of velvety violets disclose a softer, tender heart. When I close my eyes and inhale, I see with my mind's eye; dark cypress-green hues and rich purples. There is a semi-gourmand aspect to Woody that I attribute to a lush and narcotising plum accord - one that is not too saccharine, but lends an opulent nectar-like quality to the formulation.

As it evaporates from the skin over an impressive 8 or 9 hours, Woody shifts recurrently. The fragrance unfurls unhurriedly, and at times, reminds me of Armani Privé's Cuir Amethyste, or the wonderful dry black tea-like accords distinguishable in Burberry's London for men.

I am excited with this release as not only does it bring something new to the mainstream by way of a unisex woody scent; but also because it is unpretentious and surprising. 

One to sample generously.