First of all I have to say that I really love the violet flacon of Jeanne Couture with its beautiful dark purple ribbon. I adore Alber Elbaz’ work for the house of Lanvin in general. Jeanne Couture is an amazingly individual scent for a sophisticated, sensual, young woman. It smells like Fashion Week. Stylish people from all over the world get together. By the way I love accents. Italians who speak English, Americans who speak French, Frenchmen who speak German – a mélange of cultures which you get a lot in the fashion scene. But I am wandering from the subject, back to Jeanne Couture.

The dominant impression I get is blackcurrant even though it is not listed. Blackcurrant with bergamot, sparkling like a glass of champagne backstage, when the models are prepared for the show. Beauty surrounds you and the atmosphere is pure magic. Jeanne Couture picks up some fruits from the buffet, okay she adds some raspberries, and tries to relax before the spots go on. Coulorful dresses, different textures, ribbons – ‘couture couture’. Gowns like brilliant flowers. I love the peonies in Jeanne Couture as much as I love them in Stella by Stella McCartney.

I have worked long enough in fashion to know how stressful it can be backstage if the models don’t find their shoes and everything just seems to be lost. But there is no better feeling than watching the show, you stop breathing. What about Jeanne Couture? She walks down the catwalk, fully present in the spotlight, highly concentrated to find the perfect pose for the photographers at the end of the stage. Her scented trail is musky and slightly woody and when you smell it, I am sure you will find it distinctive. I love to wear it, it’s special. Very feminine.

Last week I fell in love with Neela Vermeire’s Bombay Bling, this week it’s Jeanne Couture. Funny thing, both are fruity and sensual. What I want to tell you is, that normally I don’t like fruity perfumes – fruity in form of citrus notes in the headnote okay, but not so dominantly. And now two weeks in a row! Must be the weather.

What are you longing for in spring?

Category: women

Year: 2012

Perfumer: Domitille Bertier

Notes: raspberry, violet leaves, dew peony, magnolia, cedar, musk

I am a purist, this flacon is not my taste. With choosing the Danish model Freja Beha Erichsen, who seems to be a muse for everyone nowadays, Valentino surely has thought of a very young target group. The strawberry note reminds me of rather girly scents with a sweet and playful structure, like the former Miss Dior Chérie.

When I first tested Valentina I thought “Why do they all create this 90′s stuff now?“ You know trends – it always takes some time and then you get used to them. Same story with the 90′s comeback in perfumery. Suddenly you are very into it.

Today I have taken some time to give Valentina a second chance. A friend of mine told me that she has bought it, because it makes her feel ‘well dressed’. I tried to forget the bottle, thought “it’s not that bad“ and there are two glorious perfumers behind the creation. But: it is, what it is, a well done mainstream scent – a white floral fruitchouly. If you like it sweet, go for it. Okay, it’s not the next Flowerbomb, but it smells too familiar, strawberry and tuberose are way too dominant. The scent becomes sweeter and sweeter as time goes by – like a 90′s model wearing too much makeup. I don’t even get a hint of cedar. Elegant, well, maybe in the opening.

Have a look at the spot, I really love the black Valentino dress. And of course Freja is wonderful! Click here.

Category: women

Perfumers: Alberto Morillas & Olivier Cresp

Year: 2011

Notes: bergamot, white truffles, strawberry, jasmine, orange blossom, tuberose, amber, vanilla, cedar wood

How did they get the horse into the bottle? No joke, sometimes I can smell this horse barn note also in Kelly Calèche by Hermès. It is something about the leather that produces this effect I think. Highly subjective, of course.

Santal 33 was inspired by the American myth of the Marlboro Man, sitting by the fireside, leaning on a worn leather saddle, lighting a cigarette, “an icon so powerful that every man wanted to be him and every woman wanted to have him“. Sounds good so far. I would add “a horse in the background“.

Santal 33 opens up clean and woody with sandalwood, cedar, cardamom and ambrox. It smells rather fresh, a little bit like camphor, masculine.

At the next step the scent is getting warmer, softer, you get iris, which smells like having been extended with carrot seeds and this aspect reminds me of Iris de Nuit by Heeley. A soft and in a way feminine combination sweetened with violet. The base is dominated by leather, rather suede, soft and brown. But in combination with the musk it turns into something animalic and that’s what evokes this association of a warm horse. This is not too crazy, because I have asked a friend of mine who horse rides regularly and she just said “absolutely!“ So, just to be safe.

But in the end Santal 33 turns out to be an intense leather scent with loads of sweet musk and sandalwood. I find it too strong and the next morning after I had used it, it even annoyed me. Due to a high concentration of essential oils the scent has a huge longevity.

I would recommend this perfume to men, or did you ever hear about a Marlboro Woman? Howdy?

Category: unisex

Perfumer: Frank Voelkl

Year: 2011

Notes: cardamom, iris, violet, ambrox, sandalwood, cedar, papyrus, leather, musk, amber

www.lelabofragrances.com

Gaïac 10, Le Labo’s Tokyo city exclusive perfume, will exceptionally be available in their NY, L.A., London, and internet stores until May 15, 2011. All profits will be donated to the Japanese Red Cross Society to support their earthquake disaster efforts.

Gaïac is a very hard greenish wood that isn’t as dry as cedar and that is subtle, profound, and stable. Le Labo’s Gaïac 10, a perfume extract that has been developed in partnership with perfumer Annick Ménardo, is a tense formula built on gaïac wood and surrounded by muscs (4 different types in all), with hints of cedar and olibanum (incense).

50ml cost 260 US $

Category: unisex

Perfumer: Annick Ménardo

Year: 2008

Notes: gaïac wood, cedar wood, olibanum, musk

www.lelabofragrances.com

Cologne Noire from the ‘Collection Extraordinaire’ by Van Cleef & Arpels is a composition created around the idea of the color black – an interesting dialogue between light and darkness, ease and depth. This scent definitely carries the seal of Mark Buxton, who has created Cologne Noire by using only the most precious ingredients.

Cologne Noire is a Casanova, who twists the women around his finger starting very innocent and fresh with a bergamot, neroli and tangerine opening. But suddenly – and this moment comes very quickly – the noble man pulls down the mask from his face and openly shows his passion. An herbal crescendo from ginger, black pepper and cardamom makes him irresistible. This man doesn’t need flowers, he directly gets the woman into bed. You can really smell the wood and the white sheets in the drydown.

I think there is frankincense too, which is perfect in combination with the woody smell of cedar. I just wanted to write this down for the Mark Buxton devotees and frankincense lovers, because it is not mentioned in the olfactory pyramid. My boyfriend, who is mad about frankincense scents has snitched my bottle immediately.

Category: men

Perfumer: Mark Buxton

Year: 2009

Notes: bergamot, neroli, tangerine, black pepper, ginger, cardamom, cedar, frankincense

www.vancleef-arpels.com