Fragrance News: Caron Sale and Frédéric Malle Appearance at Barney’s

21 Comments

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  Evan: Love sales! Especially at Caron!

  I never got my invitation to the Malle thing at Barney’s. Not that I would go, because I find such things insufferable.

  I’m interested to smell the new perfume however. I do have to say that I kind of hate the name. It’s like a coarse way of saying “Tubereuse Criminelle”. November 10, 2005 at 2:16am Reply
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  BoisdeJasmin: Evan, Caron sales are quite nice, and one can pre-order as well. I am trying to forget this piece of information, it is just too tempting.

  Carnal Flower does not sound particularly appealing to me either. Fleur Charnelle would probably ring too close to Tubereuse Criminelle, hence the English name. November 10, 2005 at 2:45am Reply
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  Evan: Yes, I thought about the problem with using the French version of the name. It doesn’t help that Carnal Flower is a tuberose fragrance either. November 10, 2005 at 5:23am Reply
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  Judith (lilybp): Another vote for “hate the name”–but looking forward to the scent. I can’t make FM’s appearance, although but I was told that I would be sent a sample; we shall see. I almost wish I didn’t know about the Caron sale. . . . November 10, 2005 at 10:28am Reply
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  Judith (lilybp): “although but”?? Sorry. November 10, 2005 at 10:29am Reply
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  Christina H.: Must purchase Or et Noir and Farnesiana. Excuse will be an early Christmas present to self. November 10, 2005 at 12:17pm Reply
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  Tania: I hate the name, too, I admit. It’s kind of gross. Because of the etymology of “carnal” it makes me think of a flower whose petals have been replaced by steaks.

  I don’t plan on attending the Malle appearance (Evan, the invitation was a xeroxed sheet and looked like a piece of junk mail, which I nearly tossed) but only because I have to write my novel. It would have been nice to walk up to Malle and shake his hand and tell him how fab he is. November 10, 2005 at 9:49am Reply
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  BoisdeJasmin: Evan, yes! That would be too close to Serge Lutens. Certainly, as far as carnal flowers go, tuberose is among them! Yet, I do wish they select some other name. November 10, 2005 at 2:25pm Reply
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  BoisdeJasmin: T, thanks for ruining it further for me. 🙂 November 10, 2005 at 2:26pm Reply
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  BoisdeJasmin: J, I am looking forward to sampling it too! Name notwithstanding.

  I will not be in town on Wednesday, therefore I cannot attend. It would have been interesting to meet Malle though. November 10, 2005 at 2:28pm Reply
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  BoisdeJasmin: Yes, like you, I am pretending that Caron sale does not exist. November 10, 2005 at 2:29pm Reply
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  BoisdeJasmin: Christina, that is as good excuse as any. 🙂 November 10, 2005 at 2:29pm Reply
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  Veronica: Hello. I’ve been following both your blog and nowsmellthis for several weeks now and I’m…hooked. It’s part of my morning ritual now. Thank you. I even stay up late going over the archives. I love scent but had become mostly bored with what I was smelling in department stores. I’d come with my wallet, eager to purchase; only to leave with nothing. In a week or so, I’m traveling to see my mom and one of the highlights of my trip is to attend a Nordstrom fragrance party. I’m hoping to come out with at least one fragrance that I like. My mother and I never shopped together until the last year or so and we have such a nice time. My only hope is to find an AG or Guerlain (I don’t have ::any::), maybe the Kenzo Flower Oriental, or maybe the Bvlgari Black. You have no idea how happy I am to finally have a source of information that is enabling me to discover new fragrance. I’m practically down to nothing in my collection. I’ve outgrown some of it, some were klunkers, and it seems that the rest conspired to spoil on me at the same time. Your blog was so right on time. Last week, I smelt Mitsouko, Chamade, Vetiver, and Fracas for the first time. I don’t know what to make of Mitsouko. Never smelled anything like it. I can tell it’s well made; I know that I’m attracted to it, but I don’t know if I like it. lol Tomorrow, I hope to smell Jicky and a few others. I might walk out with a Guerlain. There was an Imperiale or maybe it was the Eau de Guerlain that I liked. Not exactly autumn, but I like to reach for something sunny and green when I miss it. I suppose I’m gushing, but I can’t help it. I’ve been researching the Caron’s and I’m excited about the sale. Anyhow, I’m Veronica and it’s very nice to meet you. November 12, 2005 at 10:25pm Reply
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  BoisdeJasmin: Dear Veronica, it is very nice to meet you too, and welcome! Thank you for your compliments on Bois de Jasmin. I am glad that you find the information I have here interesting and useful.

  It is easy to get bored and overwhelmed by the new releases, because not only is there a large number of them, but also there is not enough diversity. Making up your mind on the spot is rather difficult. I am a very difficult customer, because I never buy until I am sure, and that certainty does not come immediately. So, do not hesitate to ask for samples and return as many times as needed to test and compare.

  If you like Mitsouko, but are not sure if you would wear it, it is probably best to look further. For myself, I always judge how something moves me, what it evokes, and whether I want to sniff my wrists obsessively–that is a sign that I will enjoy having it in my collection. It is different for everyone, of course, and I would love to hear what you end up selecting. November 13, 2005 at 11:40am Reply
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  Miriam: ‘Carnal Flower’ sounds like it ought to have Venus Flytrap notes! No wait, that’s ‘Carnivorous Flower.’ Why they didn’t just take something straight out of Baudelaire, instead of trying to dream up their own symbolist name, is beyond me. I’d love a perfume called ‘Hypocrite Lecteur’ or ‘Luxe Calme et Voluptee.’ Then again, ‘Spleen’ perfume wouldn’t do it for me (is Christopher Brosius reading? Perhaps this could be viewed as a challenge!) November 14, 2005 at 1:12pm Reply
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  Miriam: PS: Tania, yes ‘carnal’ comes from ‘carne,’ but the word means sexual, as in ‘carnal delights.’ Still, it’s a very unappealing, outdated Catholic word for sexual, I think. A steak-petaled flower sounds heinous indeed! November 14, 2005 at 1:15pm Reply
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  BoisdeJasmin: Miriam, yes, Fleurs du Mal would be fantastic, although the meaning is rather sinister. At the same time, Carnal Flower does not strike me as happy and sunny either.

  I also hear that Malle registered Mystic River as one of the trademarks. Now, what scent could accompany that name? November 15, 2005 at 2:15am Reply
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  Rachel: Hey Veronica,
  Have you tried any of the Creed Perfumes? They are quite expensive because, I am told, they are made with more ingredients than most perfumes. But they are also not common, very few people wear them, so they are quite distinctive. I love their unisex fragrance Millesime Imperiale (it is listed some places as a men’s fragrance, sometimes as unisex; personally I think it works well on both genders). Alas, I can’t wear it because it reminds me too much of someone I don’t like to think about–one of the many dangers of giving fragrances as gifts!

  Another unisex fragrance that I love–and is much less expensive but also not very commonly worn–is Cologne by Thierry Mugler. It is a very fresh, light, green scent. But you have to like green scents.

  I’m a total perfume junkie, I guess like most people who read these blogs! I was very interested when I read about Carnal Flower (I join the unanimous vote for “dumb name”) in WWD awhile ago; I wouldn’t buy it smell un-smelled, though, based on the ingredients list–I mean, camphor??? What’s that about? I loooove the smell of tuberose, but it’s one of those scents that seems impossible to capture in a perfume. I wore Michael by Michael Kors for awhile, which I think does a pretty good job, but I am anxious to see if Malle has improved on it. Does anyone know how I can get a sample?

  Thanks!
  Yours in perfume addiction,
  Rachel in NYC November 16, 2005 at 3:12pm Reply
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  BoisdeJasmin: Rachel, I am not sure if you can get a sample at this time, but you can certainly call Barney’s NYC to inquire. I am looking forward to trying the fragrance. Camphorous elements are naturally present in certain spices, patchouli, vetiver, and tuberose has a facet that could be called camphorous, therefore it would be interesting to see what Dominique Ropion would do with it. November 16, 2005 at 7:17pm Reply
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  Qwendy: Hi there,
  I’m very late to the conversation — I always think it’s Karnal Flower, like Krispy Kreme, because it seems like such an obviously attention grabbing marketing ploy. But it’s probably one of those funny French to English things, it works just fine in France, but translate it literally and you’ve got a something silly. My boyfriend’s native language is French, and he sometimes says something just off the mark and I know it’s not really English. I love the steak image though.

  Diane at Caron is a doll, she sent me samples of face powders over the summer before the sale started, as I’m all the way over her in LA. November 30, 2005 at 8:03pm Reply
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  BoisdeJasmin: Wendy, you made me smile with your comment. Karnal Flower would be funny, although I am not sure if the company is going for that kind of humour. The steak image is brilliant. It reminds me of the picture of Jerry Hall pressing a steak to her eye. Brilliant!

  Diane is really wonderful, and so is Donna. That store is such a lovely, charming place. Cannot think of a better way to experience Caron.

  BTW, your mules are stunning! Knowing my shoe addiction, I should not even be going on your site to browse. 🙂 November 30, 2005 at 9:58pm Reply