Gorilla Perfumes: ICON

My wife and I are hagiographers. Having both grown up immersed in Orthodoxy, we have come to appreciate the depiction of saints and angels in history through the ecclesiastic icons of the Byzantine age - and we are now painting them ourselves, using time-honoured materials and preserving ancient tools and techniques. Hagiography is an art form which has entire schools dedicated to its methodology and teachings. It is no surprise then, that our noses were twitching with anticipation when we learned of the fragrance named ICON launched by British firm LUSH under their Gorilla Perfumes guise. Co-founder of Lush Handmade Cosmetics, Mark Constantine is the perfumer behind this particular scent... just one of 21 creations in their current perfume portfolio.

Icon is a standout scent to me, because I am familiar with its inspiration. And I feel it does justice. Anyone who has ever stepped inside an orthodox church or monastery dating from the 15th century can't help but feel overwhelmed. Centuries-old wood carvings and ornamentation embellish every shadowy corner, where the air is thick with the perfume of old wood and precious resins smoking in concealed censers. The air shimmers with amber light as even the tiniest of flames from beeswax candles that have been lit in prayer, pick out the exquisite icons from the gloom. Icon (the perfume) seems to embrace much of this... there is a strong sense of chairoscuro in its composition, where dappled lights and deep shadows butt against one another. The perfume is relatively uncomplicated... and I might say "naive", but this is to it's merit - the Byzantine painting style is also often unsophisticated. Whilst an icon may be beautifully ornate and inspire awe, these were first painted in an age where perspective was still unheard of; and where natural biological proportions were as yet unexplored.

Icon deftly interprets the aroma of gold and old wood... its opening of sharp bergamot, mandarin and neroli create a glinting metallic accord. It is crisp, radiant and somewhat fragile... like the impossibly thin gold leaf that is used to glorify depictions of the saints... gold sheets that will turn to powder at the slightest touch, or be whisked away to cartwheel on the air with just a whisper of breath. Resinous myrrh lends a slightly bitter quality, but also summons images of smoke-filled churches where the valuable stones are burnt over coal discs. An aromatic base of sandalwood imbues the perfume with a sense of antiquity, representing wooden pews and ornately carved arches. Icon triumphs with its contradictory facets of golden radiance and dusky solemnity.

Mark Constantine has noted that he'd like to revisit Icon and tweak it some more, but I would prefer he leave it be. I celebrate its naivety as much as I celebrate its gloriousness.

If you would like to view some of our artwork, please visit this link.

Puredistance Antonia

Luxury perfume purveyors Puredistance remain at the top of their game with the imminent launch of their second perfume Antonia; a scent made tangible by nose Annie Buzantian. Following closely on the heels of their debut release Puredistance I, Antonia is the scent that redefines the word "sweetness" with its youthful exuberance and soft, gentle character.

Rather than furnish us with olfactive pyramids and dizzying marketing prose, Puredistance prefer that the wearer succumbs to the scent itself, and leaves the perfume's personality intact. I for one appreciate the idea, as Antonia has a compassionate spirit all of her of her own. Just as the name might suggest, Antonia is a European royal... an emerging Duchess with a pure heart and wish to do good. Her laughter cartwheels on the air, and her hair is lifted delicately by a light breeze. This is the perfume of the grounds of a castle during the summertime... green leaves, lily of the valley, and tumbling soft florals dominate over a warm honeyed heart and what seems to me to be a transparent musk base. It's composition is every bit as considered and deliberate as an immaculately maintained parterre garden.

Annie Buzantian has kept this creation much in line with Puredistance I in that both share a commonality that I expect might be a house accord... a soft, powdery aspect that is staunchly feminine. Antonia is ever-present, but worn close to the skin; giggling and speaking in whispers from behind a cupped hand. It contains a generous 25% perfume and will be available at select perfume retailers from December in a 17.5ml perfume spray. For more information, visit www.puredistance.com.

Vintage Guerlain Anomaly: Shalimar

Guerlain never cease to amaze and confuse. With a rich 185 year-old history and countless perfume releases, Guerlain still manage to surprise us well into the 21st century.

Those whom have been bitten by the Guerlain 'bug' will know of this fragrance house's tendency to recycle perfume names. The 1933 release Vol de Nuit loaned its name to the 2007 perfume Vol de Nuit Evasion, just as the name of the 1933 scent Sous le Vent was later borrowed in 2009 for Teracotta Sous le Vent, despite each of these fragrances being poles apart in style and character. What one seldom sees, however, is the borrowing of a bottle: a Guerlain perfume which has been presented in a flacon reserved for another. Such things are rare and unique anomalies.

When this vintage 80ml extrait turned up recently, I had to do a double-take. Presented in the "bouchon cœur" flacon usually reserved for L'Heure Bleue, Mitsouko and Fol Arôme, this scarce Shalimar edition at first made me a little dubious. Nowhere before had I seen nor read of Shalimar ever being presented in this iconic flacon. So I turned to the professionals. In my initial contact with Mrs Christie Mayer Lefkowith - renowned perfume historian and author of a number of perfume books - Mrs Lefkowith validated this bottle as authentic. Further to this, perfume historian and author Ms Geneviève Fontan also confirmed its scarcity and authenticity. But neither made mention as to its vintage. I began to wonder at which point along the sweeping Guerlain timeline, this rare aberration might have appeared.

The"bouchon cœur" flacon was first designed in 1911 by Raymond Guerlain for the perfumes L'Heure Bleue (1912) and Fol Arôme (1912), and then used later when Mitsouko was created in 1919. At this point in history, glass bottles were in short supply at the end of WWI. Many basic resources were scant, which might help explain why all three perfumes were presented in this particular flacon. Whilst the "bouchon cœur" flacon was the first produced by Guerlain that reflected Art Nouveau style, it was not necessary back then to design a new bottle for every new perfume. Philippe Guerlain once said "Guerlain has created more than three hundred perfumes, but we have not found three hundred different bottles"!

Shalimar was in fact created in 1921, but was held in reserve until the Decorative Arts Exhibition in 1925, where it was presented for the first time ever in the iconic blue-stoppered fan-shaped flacon. So I wonder what might have become of it over those four long years between its origination and its commercial debut. Perhaps Shalimar was housed for a time in the only flacons immediately accessible to Guerlain: the bouchon cœur?

Or, it is quite possible that perhaps this unique presentation preceded or followed the second world war. Economic changes and the bombing of factories at that time resulted in the restricted production of the Flacon de Guerre in 1938 - a much less decorative bottle used primarily for export to house a number of Guerlain scents, including Shalimar. Meanwhile, back on their home soil could Maison Guerlain have perhaps turned to their existing repository of 'bouchon coeur' flacons as a means to move forward with production post-WWII?

I have resigned myself to the idea that I may never know the true origin of this charming perfume peculiarity. This blog piece is full of supposition, and so it remains a mystery. But really, isn't that part of the allure of the magnificent Guerlain? That there always seems to be a little folklore woven into the tapestry of its history?

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.

New Fragrance: Olivier Durbano Pink Quartz

Last year, I was fortunate enough to travel to Paris where I met with Olivier Durbano at his home atelier in the Marais. It was an experience I will never forget; if not for Msr Durbanio's exceptional role as host, then for the opportunity to see his workspace first hand. There is no denying that Olivier is passionate about stones... his eye-popping baubles of polished gems and raw minerals have been fashioned with architectural precision, and are exceedingly beautiful. His home serves as a monument to his travels, decorated with impeccable taste and ornamented with treasures from the natural world. On this occasion, just a couple of months after the release of Turquoise (the fifth in a series of seven "perfume poems"); Olivier revealed to me that he was already planning the next: Pink Quartz.

Today, almost one full calendar year later, I find myself wearing it.

Durbano's olfactory stone interpretations have always delighted me... they've each managed to embody the physical and esoteric properties of the particular gem in question, and this release is no different. Pink quartz is a fundamental stone of universal love and infinite compassion. Therefore, just as one might imagine, Pink Quartz is built around a beautiful heart of rose: a powerful symbol at the crossroads of our human emotions.

Pink Quartz opens with uplifting topnotes of bergamot, pink grapefruit and a sharp flash of ginger. It feels less like green root ginger, and more like a biting 'pickled' ginger; much like the salmon-pink gari, used to garnish sushi dishes. One immediately recognises an underlying, complex core of rose, but a spicy saffron facet instantly adds a piquancy to the mix. This - coupled with Durbano's signature Somali oliban accord - shifts the fragrance into a gender-neutral province. I am a big fan of this resinous aspect common to many of Olivier's creations, and feel it contributes greatly to the 'mineralic' nature of his perfumes. Here, it also 'dirties' the lavish Palma and Damas rose heart; diminishing its sweetness adding an infinite sense of depth.

As the perfume develops on the skin, a beautiful Indian rosewood emerges over warm curls of myrrh and benzoin. It evokes a sense of connectedness and spirituality, and my mind travels... I find myself thinking of the Hindu gods Parvati and Shiva; always depicted in art as the Hindu nuclear family and harmonious lovers. These sympathetic pastel nuances reside over a lavish base of patchouli, ambergris and white musk; the sum of which makes for a perfume that is well worthy of worship.

Pink Quartz is a remarkable spicy chypre that continues to surprise well into the drydown. I find it lasts 6-7 hours on my skin. It takes up residence as the sixth of seven planned perfumes, and brings with it a tender new element to the collection. This is one eau de parfum that simply cannot be shied away from, and will be relished by men and women alike.

Pink Quartz will be rolling out to a very limited number of retail stores in the months to come.

For more information on each of Olivier Durbano's "stone poems", visit www.olivierdurbano.com

Guerlain Djedi: a brief history and review

Egyptology must have been to the 1920's that which features like Harry Potter and Twilight are to us today. Howard Carter's monumental discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb in 1923 directly influenced the global psyche; much in the same way as teenage vampires have penetrated our cultural consciousness in 2010. But whilst we in the here and now must suffer the commerce surrounding pasty-skinned blood-suckers and battling werewolves, our great-grandparents actually drew breath during an age of colossal cultural, anthropological and historical value. Oh, how I envy them!

The magic and mystique of ancient Egyptian dynasties certainly served as the inspiration behind Guerlain's Djedi: a captivating and rare chypre oriental perfume created in 1926, just three years after Carter's significant find. Djedi was presented in a flacon designed the sculptor Georges Chevalier and produced by Baccarat in 60ml, 125ml and 250ml sizes. The contours of the bottle (with its tall, ridged sides and gently tapering rectangular ground glass stopper) is distinctly Art Deco in style; but also suggests the form of a golden sarcophagus with its lid being raised.

Djedi was marketed in this flacon until the end of the 1950's, and also for a short time in an exceedingly rare quadrilobe presentation. It was re-issued in 1996 in celebration if its 70th year as a limited run of 1000 numbered Baccarat bottles created from the original 1920's 60ml mould.

Before I go on to review this scent, first a little background: the name Djedi is derived from references found in the ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead where the Djed is described as a pillar which was raised to maintain universal stability, balance and continuity. It is the invisible cosmic axis or "world tree" around which everything revolves... it separates the earth from the sky; and matter from spirit. The Djedi are the ancients attributed to spreading this awareness... often referred to or portrayed as formidable primeval magicians. Djedi are mentioned in historical tales of Egypt as possessing tremendous mystical powers; their shamanistic practices, still an enigma.

I feel this information important to mention as it translates directly to the perfume itself. Until Djedi's launch in 1926, Guerlain have perhaps never before nor ever since created a perfume which so precisely and faithfully depicts an age of esoteric antiquity.

Djedi the perfume is less luminous than other Guerlain offerings. It serves as a period piece honouring the ancient past... perhaps a past as archaic as the pyramids themselves. Whilst a very complex perfume, Djedi is somehow as basic and primordial as dirt and stone - the basic building blocks of man. It is earthy, elemental and possesses a certain olfactory temperature - a feeling of dwindling warmth like that thrown out by the dying embers of a bonfire. It darts back and forth across the invisible boundary of light where amber warmth meets the cold black of night. Djedi isn't 'pretty' like her sisters; instead, she perhaps represents the disfigured sibling who spends her life residing in the gloom. Something is "off". Sinister. Agonizing.

Djedi is composed using a very dry vetiver: one that furnishes the perfume with a parched, arid vibe. Combined with a measure of civet, patchouli, oakmoss and musk, this vetiver lends a dank, musty quality that evokes sensations of being deep underground; where narrow stone corridors trap the air that has not shifted over the millennia. There is a sense of being unable to catch ones breath. A commanding leather facet also brings with it a feeling of antiquity - I immediately imagine dusty animal skins stitched together to fashion a tattered ceremonial shroud. I feel as if I am witnessing the ghosts assemble at an ancient entombment; the atmosphere palpable with a sense of grief, sorrow and despair.

My nose struggles to reach for the rose and jasmine said to reside at the heart of Djedi, but Im sure they are there. Perhaps, as this olfactory requiem unfolds, my senses too have become impervious to the beauty that surrounds us all during a time of lamentation. Whilst I cannot pinpoint these individual notes, I do recognise what this resolute floral facet brings to the fabric of this perfume, and that is a contemplative moment to look back on an age of immeasurable glory and resplendence. I suspect it was Jacques Guerlain's wish to create Djedi so the world could recognise the rise and fall of one of the world's most powerful and beautiful ancient empires.

Djedi - being one of the rarest and most difficult to source of all Guerlain fragrances - threatens to be lost again to the sands of time. One might hope that the Djed is raised again, linking the material world with the esoteric one, and our prayers of resurrection are answered.

Shalimar Reincarnated

This September marks another milestone for Guerlain's cornerstone perfume Shalimar. To celebrate her 85th birthday, she will be revamped and presented in her third major incarnation since her nativity.

To my mind, the stunning urn-shaped baccarat bottle designed by Raymond Guerlain for the 1925 Art Déco exhibition in Paris is close to perfection, however the good folk at 68 Champs Elysées have thought otherwise. In 2010, Guerlain commissioned jewellery designer Jade Jagger to modernise the Shalimar eau de parfum flacon and her efforts have culminated in a sleeker, more streamlined design.

The new aesthetic, frankly, has not yet won me over. Whilst the beautiful new glass balloon is lovely to hold in ones hands, I can't help but feel the tiny pedestal a little disproportionate. And whilst the softer edges around the scalloped blue cap may indeed evoke the idea of a faceted gemstone, I can't help but feel we are looking at a "photoshopped" interpretation of Raymond Guerlain's masterpiece.

Still, my indulgent criticisms will certainly not stop me from savouring the decadent amber liquid inside!

182 limited edition 20ml extraits have also been created worldwide; each piece decorated with a genuine sapphire engraved with the Maison Guerlain "G" hanging from the bottle neck in honour of the house's 182nd anniversary. The cost is $1500.

Good news for those stateside: Jade Jagger will also make an appearance at Saks Fifth Avenue New York on September 10th 2010 at 7pm to personally autograph the new Shalimar bottles purchased on the night.

Histoires de Parfums: Olfactive Library

Histoires de Parfums is a unique collection of niche perfumes, each designed to be a volume in an olfactive library. Inside it, there are sixteen books... sixteen tales told of famous characters such as Casanova, Jules Vernes and Mata Hari; as interpreted in perfume by creator Gerald Ghislain. Recently, I borrowed generously from this fragrant biblioteque, and was immersed for days in Ghislain's perfumed narrative.

Reading like an encyclopaedia of dates and individuals, Histoires de Parfums explores the chronology of real and fictitious characters whom have served as the inspiration for each scent. Here is a short extract:

1876 reveals a spicy feminine rose perfume with exotic tendrils of jasmine and carnation to represent the dancing courtesan Mata Hari. It is both glamourous and carnal with its opulent rose, iris and cumin.

1840 is an invitation to pleasure thanks to the audacious writings of the Marquis de Sade... his at-times philosophical, at-times pornographic novels epitomized the libertine sexuality of that age. This perfume is a spiced woody scent with dark patchouli and curious rum-like accords which suggest debauchery and criminality.

These volumes make for fascinating reading and translate incredibly well on the skin.

More narratives reveal Ghislain's desire to translate into words the language of flowers... Vert Pivoine, Blanc Violette and Noir Patchouli each serve as fragrant metaphors where soliflores are examined and reconstructed with a measure of calculated artistic license. Also new to the library: the Tuberose Trilogy... three fascinating forays into this polarizing blossom where it stars as the heroine in a trio perfumed poems. Three tuberose facets are explored: Tubéreuse 1 the Capricious, Tubéreuse 2 the Virginal, and my personal favourite, Tubéreuse 3 the Animal.

If you think you know tuberose, then think again!

Any library would not be complete without the classics... those volumes that one returns to time and time again. Ambre 114 represents a complex 114-element composition that was created to embody the exoticism of the ancient raw material. Similarly, 1969 is a legendary year in history where carnal sensuality and eroticism is translated into perfume in the form of a spicy, voluptuous gourmand. 1889 Moulin Rouge also exemplifies its age and stands as an ode to the most known cabaret in the world. Here, powdery iris furnishes the scent with a 'face powder and lipstick" feel, whilst semi-sweet absynthe and rich damas rose accords Cancan over an enduring base of musk and patchouli. The scent is as enduring as the spectacular venue itself.

With so many volumes to explore, one cannot find fault with Histoires de Parfums' marriage between literature and olfaction. I find many of the perfumes completely engrossing, and masterfully crafted.

I am left here to wonder what might transpire in the years to come. One day could we possibly look back upon this age as we sample from a peculiar flacon of Google 2010?

Maybe Histoires de Parfums knows.

5 Rare Guerlains in 5 Days - Day V: Coque d'Or

Guerlain's Coque d'Or (Golden Shell) perfume was created in 1937 by Jacques Guerlain, and is easily recognisable for its beautiful gilded Baccarat blue bow-shaped flacon. It was created in the art deco age where lavishness and opulence was the norm, and its beautiful golden perfume presentation demonstrates this. Coque d'Or was additionally released in the quadrilobe flacon, as well as goutte and papillion bottles, and is a scent that typifies the glamour and mystique of this era.

Of all the rare Guerlain perfumes I've featured this week, this is the one I have been saving until last. Coque d'Or represents for me, some of Jacques Guerlain's most underappreciated work... it is a sensuous leathery fragrance that I feel might have been a pre-cursor to another much-loved men's Guerlain fragrance; but more on that later.

My vintage Coque d'Or eau de toilette reveals a citrus opening over an aromatic floral heart. I detect rose and something like soft iris or violets and a piquancy furnished by slightly peppery carnations and notes of nutmeg or mace. However, there is a beguiling buttery leather accord that features, and it is one that I've smelled before... it reminds me of paper-thin hand-made antique gloves of the most exceptional quality. As the perfume evolves further, curls of creamy sandalwood appear and an ambery facet (labdanum and vanilla?) brings with it a glowing sense of warmth. The whole composition rests on a glorious oakmoss base that rivals the best of other Guerlain greats. Coque d'Or is a sultry skinscent that gets better and better the longer it rests on the skin.

I would not be surprised if Jacques Guerlain's grandson Jean-Paul Guerlain perhaps drew upon the aromatic leather/oakmoss marriage of Coque d'Or as inspiration behind the mens aromatic leather fougère Derby. Whilst the two have topnotes that diverge in style and composition (florals in the former vs peppermint in the latter), their heart and basenotes run somewhat parallel. Derby is heralded as Guerlain's most revered male leather scent, and has qualities I find comparable to his Great Aunt.

I think many would welcome the return of Coque d'Or in the permanent perfume portfolio at 68 Champs Elysées. For my money, I find it a must-try for each and every Guerlainophile.

5 Rare Guerlains in 5 Days - Day IV: Rue de la Paix

Long before Guerlain shifted into the famous address at 68 Champs Elysées, they had already long established their business on Rue de la Paix in the voguish 2nd arronissement of Paris. Nowadays perhaps best known for its jewellers, couturiers and milliners, Rue de la Paix has always existed as superlative shopping promenade for the well-heeled.

In 1908 Jacques Guerlain created Rue de la Paix: a perfume that paid hommage to the district and the haut monde that converged there. It was first presented in the Baccarat quadrilobe bottle, and later in the cobalt lantern bottle and goutte flacon. I can only suspect Jacques Guerlain's motivations in creating this scent might have been to meet the needs of those who frequented the area, (or indeed to sell the 'high society' lifestyle to those perhaps less affluent). This might account for why so few examples of this fragrance have survived until this day.

Rue de la Paix in vintage EDT form unfurls with sharp bergamot/citrus topnotes and dewy florals. There appears to be a crisp green floral accord just below the surface (muguet, perhaps?) and a shimmering peach-like aldehyde (that is not too far removed from that used in Mitsouko) in the opening. It is a rousing opening, but one crafted with a very measured hand (it is not as imposing as, for example, her aldehyde-rich floral younger sister Liu. But then Rue de la Paix, like the gentry who visited there, is perhaps more stately and refined). A lush rose heart and scattering of white florals furnishes the perfume with an appreciable air of femininity before the drydown reveals a very enjoyable bitter leather and musky base.

This is a perfume that embodies the vibrance of a Parisian cobbled shopping street, awash with colour and vivacity; and indeed one worthy of resurrection.

Tomorrow: Guerlain's Coque d'Or.