Recently I got samples of an interesting line from Iceland, the strange and, faraway home of Björk. Andrea Maack Parfums is a project by visual artist Andrea Maack, who links her work to fashion and scent. While fashion is something visual as well, I like the idea of combining a piece of art with the olfactory power of a perfume, adding a new dimension, bringing a second sensual experience into play. On the other hand to translate a drawing into a perfume. To translate a colour into a scent.
My favorite scent is SHARP. SHARP, which stands for ‘Shape Art’, is very sexy! The notes listed are: orange blossom, angel skin, sweet vanilla, white musk, soothing softness. SHARP is a musky skin scent with a very dominant orange blossom in the top note – which I love – and a hint of sweetness. But it is not another orange-blossom-white musk-vanilla-something. It’s special and it smells white! That’s something very interesting. Normally I don’t associate colors with perfumes, but this one really smells white! Not white in the meaning of innocent. More like white skin or warm morning sunlight in the snow – that kind of white. It is a very warm scent and I find the balance of orange blossom and musk really well blended. Better than L’Eau de Néroli by Diptyque.
For an exhibition, Andrea Maack blew up an original drawing and cut it into perfume testers, so that the visitors could take them and the artwork disappeared bit by bit. I really love this installation!
SMART, which stands for ‘Smell Art’ features violet leaf, jasmine, sandalwood, vanilla, white musk and buskin. Buskin? As a metaphor for leather? Strange description but anyway it smells of fragile violet leaves and indeed has a leathery touch. I would consider it unisex and after a while it reminds me of Black Sea by Micallef.
The only scent of the line I don’t like is CRAFT, which stands for ‘Couture Art’. It is very cold and reminds me of a shower gel with a cooling effect. It smells like algae and ethereal pine, very cold and for my nose much too artificial. We have a shower gel in Germany that is called algemarin, that’s exactly how CRAFT smells like.
SMART, CRAFT and SHARP were created in collaboration with apf arômes & parfums, a small French perfume house.
Andrea Maack will be at Les Senteurs during London Fashion Week. Obviously seats are in great demand so prior booking is essential!
February 17, 2011 | 18:30 – 20:30
Les Senteurs
71, Elizabeth Street
London SW1W 9PJÂ
T +44 020 7 730 2322
