September 2006: 15 posts

In a rather refreshing insight on the celebrity fragrance trend, Victoria Beckham, the celebrity behind Intimately Beckham for Her, “is worried her new perfume won’t sell – because she doesn’t think people want to smell like her.” Victoria, a former Posh Spice of Spice Girls and a wife of footballer David Beckham, told Now magazine: “I always knew David’s would sell because it’s him. But I wasn’t sure if anyone would want to smell like me.”

Star rating: 5 stars–outstanding/potential classic, 4 stars–very good, 3 stars–adequate, 2 stars–disappointing, 1 star–poor.

Parfum d’Empire seeks its inspirations in the annals of history, from the glory of Alexander the Great to the glittering decadence of the Russian monarchy. Cuir Ottoman tells a tale from the days of the Ottoman Empire, romantically painting the teeming bazaars of Istanbul, the supple leather of delicate gold embroidered slippers, and the rose gardens of harems. Even if the allure of Ottoman yore will not find resonance with everyone, an exploration of Cuir Ottoman’s leather impressions makes for an interesting experience. …

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“It’s such a thrill. A lot of perfumes disappeared because they were no good or were of the moment and ceased to be relevant. But these ones – all the ones in my parfumerie – are more than relevant today; they were probably just ahead of their time. When you take scents like Miss Dior or Vol de Nuit by Guerlain, you have formulas which are still avant-garde and totally wearable. Commercial perfumery is nowhere near as creative,”

says Roja Dove, the fragrance expert and the mastermind behind Roja Dove Haute Parfumerie in Harrod’s, in an interview to Alison Kerr. See the rest of the article in The Scotsman. Thank you to Tara for the link.

Star rating: 5 stars–outstanding/potential classic, 4 stars–very good, 3 stars–adequate, 2 stars–disappointing, 1 star–poor.

It is almost ironic that a fragrance described by its creators as “something Barbie might wear” turns out to be the most sophisticated release among the recent array of sweet and cute perfumes. The white floral bouquet of Juicy Couture fragrance is more along the lines of Christian Dior J’Adore and Marc Jacobs Blush, rather than Britney Spears Fantasy and Vera Wang Princess. While it does not attempt to break new ground in perfumery, Juicy Couture is an enjoyable scent. It is pretty without resorting to many clichés and girly without being puerile. …

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Star rating: 5 stars–outstanding/potential classic, 4 stars–very good, 3 stars–adequate, 2 stars–disappointing, 1 star–poor.

The clear soup, suimono (literally meaning “something to drink”) can serve as the measure of a Japanese chef’s talent, proving that the simplest ideas are often the most challenging ones to execute. The classical combination of lavender and amber seems straightforward, yet smelling Caron Pour Un Homme which was created in 1934 by Ernest Daltroff, one realizes the genius of this pairing. …

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