AGONIST (Parfum Nordique): The Infidel

So few successful perfume houses have emerged out of Scandinavia, which to me - someone living in Denmark - is something of a mystery. One might reason that Scandinavia is perhaps best recognised for its simple, clean, unembellished style and one might further suggest that perfume (a rather complex creation), somehow contradicts the widespread notion that function is perhaps more esteemed than excess here in the Great North. Fortunately, Agonist Parfums, based in Stockholm Sweden, is the second major Nordic brand to enter the international fragrance market in recent years, and is one that represents a marriage between modern Swedish handcrafts and perfumes that are exceptional in nature.

In close collaboration with professional perfumers in Grasse, Agonist is a new Scandinavian fragrance brand launched in November 2008 that creates gender-neutral eau de parfums that embody a sense of Nordic climates and cultures: full of dramatic contrasts and artistic exactness. Agonist Parfums' bond with with glass artist Åsa Jungnelius who works with Sweden's most prestigious, oldest glassworks Kosta Boda has resulted in stunning artistic interpretations of each fragrance in glass. Her unique flacon designs are individually fashioned for Agonist in Kosta Boda's raging furnaces.

To date, Agonist have released 2 perfumes. The first, Kallocain (2008), was presented in a stunning black glass flacon with tapering neck - a design that was exhibited worldwide and is now a part of the permanent collections at the Röhsska Design Museum in Sweden. The second, named The Infidel (2009) was originally presented as a limited edition figural pair of artglass flacons, and recently re-realised in stunning vermillion red.

If the truth be told, prior to my sampling, I could not have imagined the elixir that any of these remarkable vessels held. Perhaps I had expected something typically Scandinavian: understated, architectural, sanitary; but I most certainly was not prepared for my experience with The Infidel. This perfume reveals a dignified citrus opening with flourishes of semi-transparent black currant, but almost immediately steps off the abyss and plunges towards a fathomlessly deep heart of aromatic cumin. Under normal circumstances, I might have winced at such a heavy-handed use of cumin, but here it resides amongst a narcotising scattering of aromatic florals, which do well to transform the sweaty skank into something camouflaged and hypnotising. As the cumin continues to establish itself, a blossoming magnolia accord reaches out with its powdery pink tendrils over a creamy tonka core. Some time later, there is a sensation of growing heat that presses up from below... an insolent ember of amber and rockrose that provide a residual background warmth. The Infidel as it's name suggests, is a non-conformer. This perfume represents all that I had not imagined I might experience when applying it to my wrists. It is rich, spectacular and imposing.

The Infidel continues to evolve over many hours, and at some point, doubles back on itself. Where most perfumes work through their olfactory pyramid from top, to middle, to base; I felt as though after a time, it worked its way back again. Nine hours after application, the amber and cumin have dissipated and I am left with the faintest huff of floral greens on my skin.

Whilst many perfumistas might argue that the Kosta Boda presentations are inessential (and many glass collectors feel the same about the perfume), I feel Agonist have succeeded in unifying two spectacular works of art.

Visit the Agonist Parfums website for more information on the brand, and how to order Agonist products.

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.

Nez à Nez: Atelier d'Artiste

At the age of nine my mother offered to send me to private Art classes, held by a local artist whose name I have since forgotten, but whose smiling eyes I will never forget. My recollection of the days spent in his atelier with 3 or 4 other students are blurry at best, but one thing I do recall, was the smell of his studio. Every time I stepped through the door (twice a week for 6 months) I would savour the sweet scent of the coloured gouaches set out for us on pristine white painting palettes; the chalky aroma of conté sticks; the woodyness of freshly sharpened graphite pencils, and bittersweet aroma of gesso and turpentine. The atelier was an environment I loved to be a part of as we spent a wet New Zealand winter staining large sheets of watercolour paper with vivid, lively hues.

As a company whose perfumes are said to be imagined pictorially before construction begins, and later evaluated according to the visuals they inspire; Parisian perfumers Nez à Nez clearly demonstrate a consciousness of the avant garde.

In this - one of my preferred scents from their range - they have paid hommage to the artist's creative space with their eau de parfum aptly named Atelier d'Artiste.

Rather than representing a literal interpretation of an artist's workspace in which one might expect to detect the odour of paint and plaster, this perfume blossoms with overlapping pockets of colour and tone: much like swollen drops of indian ink released onto dampened watercolour paper with an eyedropper.

Florets of rich grape, ambery cognac and dark rum fan out in the opening spritz, and is over-painted with a crimson ripple of raspberry. There is a hint of dusty juniper blue and pockets of dark patchouli brown. (The complex aroma is like that of dried fruits marinading in an alcoholic bath before being baked into a spicy christmas pudding). These components slowly spread to the edges of this olfactory canvas; one which was first primed with shades of tobacco, coffee and vanilla. If Atelier d'Artiste were to be viewed as art, it would be an abstract still life... a depiction of fruit and wine spread across a wooden table, but one whose colours and contours have shifted.

As with many works of art, they are often appreciated long after their creator has gone. I can easily imagine our children's children coming across a dusty box of this perfume 50 years from now, and discovering it is an accurate depiction of this very moment in time.
Much like the canvas of an artist.

Nez à Nez Atelier d'Artiste is available in 100ml size from www.essenza-nobile.de for €98.

Washington Tremlett: Hampstead Water

There may still be snow on the ground where I live, but I grow increasingly excited as the days grow longer and the sun pushes through the gloom of the long Danish winter. For months on end, we here are caught up in perpetual twilight, longing for the perfume of spring in the air.

Well by Danish standards Spring may still be a month or two away, but celebrated British shirt-makers Washington Tremlett have predicted the seasonal change with their late 2009 release Hampstead Water. Keeping in line with their olfactory tradition of sophistication and impeccable grooming, Hampstead Water is a cologne that brings with it, all the aromas of the vernal equinox. It is an aromatic fougere which is both transparent and complex: one that exemplifies the flourishing greenness of Hampstead Heath in England after the rain. Just as the spring sun climbs in the sky, drawing dampness from the earth and promoting new growth; Hampstead Water is abuzz with crisp bergamot, dewy watermint and sparkling orange that collectively evoke a sense of blossoming green leaves and radiant warmth. An underlying aromatic lavender accord lends a sense of tranquility that calls to mind the green oasis that is found at Hampstead.

What I find whimsical and intriguing about this cologne is a fragrant atmospheric impression of "saltiness", furnished by its cultured base of leather and musk. One can easily imagine damp rolling meadows and emerald green ponds, upon which blue-green damselflies skip and dance. Hampstead Water represents a private moment in time spent at the lake's edge as you observe the symphony of springtime play out in front of you.

Clearly hoping to appeal to a younger market, Washington Tremlett have regrettably packaged Hampstead Water in a garish cyan blue box brandished with the Union Jack, but one shouldn't let this deceive you into thinking that the perfumed contents follows suit. Whilst it may be distinctly British in style, it is possibly one of the most well-executed gender neutral diaphanous fougeres released in recent times.

Washington Tremlett's Hampstead Water can be purchased at www.ausliebezumduft.de in 100ml size for €140.

Helga Tiemann: German Perfume advertising art of the '50s & '60s

It is funny where perfume might lead you. Late last week, I suddenly found myself tumbling down a rabbit-hole full of fascinating information, nostalgia and whimsy.

All this began when I chanced upon a small bottle of Parfum at a Danish fleamarket, that I knew absolutely nothing about. When I got back home and spent some time on Google, I found that the scent "Anonym" was an oriental-style perfume released by German company Patrizier Haus, in Köln in the early 1960's. It was one of a number of scents produced under the company umbrella of Jünger & Gebhardt - a firm with its roots planted firmly in the late 19th century. A little more digging online, and I discovered a sister-scent named Torero Spanisch Juchten. What struck me about the photograph that Google's image search had yielded, was the cheerful illustration pictured on Torero's packaging. I am, after all a graphic artist by profession, and I lingered for a moment, admiring its undemanding frankness. I found the muted colour palette and typographical solution very typical of print advertising in the 1960's.

I dug a little deeper. I googled the name of the perfume again and cast my net wider. This time a listing from ebay emerged, though it was not what I had expected. What I found instead, was an auction for one of the original hand-painted drafts of the final Torero Spanisch Juchten packaging artwork. The paper corners were dog-eared and discoloured with age, but the watercolours as vivid and lively as ever. And there were more. Many more... at least twenty additional listings of beautiful renderings that had been stored and preserved over the years; an absolute visual feast for this graphic artist and perfume enthusiast.

I clicked through delightful depictions of Hepburn-esque women cradling smokey-green flacons of Mouson Lavendel in their gloved hands; romantic portraits of couples dancing around glinting bottles of Tosca, and taking snowy horse-drawn carriage rides beyond packshots of Muehlens 4711.

These exuberant images still speak of an age in Europe full of optimism, glamour and elegance. The "cultural logic" of the 60's had been preserved perfectly on pieces of card and snippets of paper, and they could be yours... if you would just click "Buy it Now".

I fed the German 'terms of sale' through an online translator and as anticipated, it spat out a rather poor English translation. I was able to deduce however, that these pieces were offered for sale as samples from the former artist's estate. The artist's name was Helga Tiemann, and I googled it. I was left looking at the photographic portrait of the artist, pictured above - her black and white image, seen seated amongst her canvases. My eyes passed over her kind face and frail frame, and I felt a pang of sadness. I soon learned that Helga Tiemann was in fact one of Germany's most revered portrait painters and educators for commercial art. Born in Remscheid Germany in 1917, Tiemann grew up to study at the College of Fine Arts in Berlin between 1937 and 1945. Her first caricatures were of her teachers, and after the war, she painted a series of Russian soldiers and officers. National success came after she completed portraits of German statesmen Konrad Adenauer and Theodor Heuss and she went on to exhibit her work in both Germany and abroad. All the while as a part of her commercial career, she worked with Jünger & Gebhardt on promotional posters and packaging for toiletries and other perfumed products. Whilst you (much like myself) may never have heard of Helga Tiemann until today, in all likelihood you are familiar with her distinct illustrative style which epitomized the era spanning four decades from the 40's, through to the 70's. Right up until her death at the age of 91 in 2008, Tiemann's contribution to the arts has been colossal.

Unfortunately for me however, I am not presently in a position to buy these winsome renderings. Perhaps if I had the expendable income, I would not think twice about using that "Buy it Now" button. A little part of me feels sad to think that these treasured pieces of Ms Tiemann's estate are being sold off via such an impersonal platform. I would much rather see a book of her commercial work produced, and perhaps see the originals housed in a gallery or museum. My biggest hope is that some astute ebayer with an admiration of the woman and her work that is somewhat akin to mine, will buy big and treasure them always.

Photo credits:

Helga Tiemann portrait: © Wolf-Dieter Tabbert

Torero perfume bottle: Angela Woschek

Acqua di Parma Room Spray: SPEZIE

Acqua di Parma - perhaps best known for their luxury leather goods, fine fragrances and scented candles - have expanded their perfume portfolio to accommodate a trio of irresistible room fragrances: Colonia, Ambra (Amber), and Spezie (Spices). Whilst each scent has been created using only a few essential components, the end products feel generous and somewhat complex.

I am enchanted by Spezie - an exotic perfumed water brimming with allspice and dramatic florals. If one has ever allowed themselves to be swept away in daydreams of the souks of Marakesch where the midday sun filters through shuttered windows, and the perfume of the spice and flower markets cartwheel in on the air; then you might know what to expect from Spezie. Acqua di Parma have captured the aroma of miniature rosebuds sitting in baskets alongside hard kernels of cardamom and fragrant clove. An uplifting swirl of ylang-ylang creates a luminous opening that stirs the senses. The lasting impression however, is of a very rich jasmine - one peppered with allspice; resolute, heady and narcotising.

As a room spray, Spezie furnishes your domicile with an engaging sense of lavishness. Furthermore, if any of these scented molecules should happen to land on your skin, the splendid drydown of spice and jasmine will take you on a magic carpet ride to a remote, seductive landscape.

Samples and full bottles of the Acqua di Parma Room Spray range can be purchased in 180ml sizes for a very reasonable €55 at www.ausliebezumduft.de.

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. 

Mona di Orio & Nuit Noire

If I were asked to predict a current French perfume house which is waiting patiently in the wings to one day ascend to the throne currently occupied by perfume royalty Guerlain, I would likely say Mona di Orio.

Guerlain, - though most unlikely to abdicate - are revered and celebrated (amongst others) as pioneers of modern perfumery, particularly at the hands of perfume godfather Jacques Guerlain (1874 - 1963). Their contribution to the art is colossal, and Jacques Guerlain's abstract perfume narratives such as L'Heure Bleue, Shalimar and Vol de Nuit have left their permanent perfumed fingerprint in history. The same could be said for the efforts of French master perfumer Edmond Roudnitska whose creative masterpieces Diorissimo, Eau Savage and Rochas Femme, olfactorily helped reshape the 20th century.

Mona di Orio, born in 1969 in Annecy France, became Roudnitska's teenage protégée; studying the art from the grand master himself before his death in 1996. As a result, Mona di Orio developed a fundamental sensitivity towards observing traditional values and garnered an appreciation for raw materials of only the finest quality. Now the creative partner alongside Dutch designer Jeroen Oude Sogtoen at the helm of her eponymous perfume house, this has become very apparent in her work.

Seven Mona di Orio perfumes exist to date, and all are intended to transform the wearer with their own unique alchemy on the skin. Nuit Noire is one eau de parfum creation that I feel may best illustrate Mona di Orio's tutelage under her mentor Roudnitska, and the vast, timeless heritage behind him. Nuit Noire opens with a delightful orange blossom note which is astutely and instantaneously counterbalanced by a dark, animalic (almost civety) accord of dense cardamom. Immediately, one experiences a sense of wistful recollection; much in the same way as if, perhaps one were turning the foxed pages of an antique family photo album, studying the sepia faces of well-dressed ancestors you have never really known. A complex heart of resins, woods and spices lend infinite depth, whilst a narcotising tuberose accord evokes a feeling of vintage sumptuousness. Hours later, Nuit Noire shifts more toward a creamy leather base. It is whilst familiarising oneself with the wonderful transitory layers of this perfume, that one can truly come to terms with its beauty and complexity. Here, the cherished works of early 20th century perfume virtuosos still resound, albeit now spoken with a contemporary vernacular.

I would encourage everyone to try at least one or two scents from the Mona di Orio line. The 2009 release Chamarré is also a favourite, and embraces this concept of tipping its hat, respectfully, to the greats.

Washington Tremlett: Clove Absolute

One can't even begin to fathom what possessed British shirt-making institution Washington Tremlett to add a scattering of coloured swarovski crystals to the bottles of their recent perfume releases, but if one can look past their evident tackiness, Clove Absolute is a launch worthy of some examination.

Whilst I adore the smell of fragrant clove buds and relish what they bring to cuisine, Clove Absolute represents more of an abstract of clove.

The woody buds (that most would recall pushing into ripe oranges or corned beef at some time or another) are bittersweet, peppery and earthy - something that Washington Tremlett has surprisingly opted to overlook. Instead, I'd imagine a generous dose of eugenol takes pride of place in this composition, along with some shimmering citruses and soft floral accords that adeptly transform this fragrance into something perhaps a little less organic. There is a lovely rose at its heart, and an appealing robust "gruffness" achieved by a dark patchouli base.

This being said, what I perhaps enjoy the most about this perfume as it dries on my skin - is the magnificent musk... a musk that echoes the friable glowing presence of Serge Luten's Muscs Koublai Kahn. Between warm wisps of frankincense and resinous labdanum, this musk is truly something to be treasured.

Clove Absolute ought to be explored by those who don't shy away from clove, and those who wear musks well. It is available in 100ml size at www.ausliebezumduft.de for €140.

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.