Two weeks ago my husband and I had a picnic at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, one of the most serene spots in New York. The pink confetti of cherry petals kept getting caught in my hair and the sky looked a perfect robin egg blue. I felt lightheaded and happy, both from our surreptitious sips of well-concealed champagne and the fragrance of peonies and wisteria. Two weeks later, the cherry blossoms were swept away, the rains robbed the lilacs of their perfume, and the weekly routine of meetings and household chores threatened to suffocate me. Since I live by my nose, scent invariably becomes my escape. That’s how I became determined to find a perfume that would put me in a springtime mood no matter what the calendar month.
The Financial Times “How to Spend It” Magazine has published my article called The Myriad Scents of Spring. In this piece, I search for spring in the bottle and discuss a few of my favorite fragrances. Since our East Coast spring has slowly segued into summer, I already miss the perfume of cherry blossoms and bluebells.
8 Comments
Suzanna: Congrats, V., on this article! I am eagerly anticipating the release of Seville l’Aube, something that is born to be purchased unsniffed. Sounds like the perfect summer scent! May 25, 2012 at 7:45am
Victoria: Thank you! Orange blossom is a note that hasn’t caught on as readily as did tuberose and jasmine, so I’m always glad to discover more orange flower perfumes. And Seville a l’Aube is beautiful; the combination between the fresh cologne like top and the warm oriental base is very memorable. May 25, 2012 at 9:43am
Erin: Lovely article, V. I’ve enjoyed all your FT Magazine articles, and though it does take a while to load for me, I do like the elegant, easy-to-read formatting that FT uses.
I’m also really looking forward to Denyse’s Seville l’Aube. I used to find orange blossom quite shrill and/or soapy, but perhaps I was always smelling the wrong scents. I’ve had quite a craving for them this spring and perhaps your article on OB last spring for “How To Spend it” was the start, as I’ve really been enjoying my 24 Faubourg lately! Lots of by Kilian Sweet Redemption and Rubj extrait, lately, too, and have apprecaited your review of both of these.
And, of course, love my No. 18, and remember your review of that one being one of the first I’d read. Funny, but I think of it more as a summer fragrance, though it fits spring quite well. May 25, 2012 at 2:07pm
Victoria: Thank you very much, Erin. Yes, that flash can take some time to load, but once it does, everything moves so smoothly and the interface is very elegant. It really feels like flipping through a magazine.
If you loved by Kilian Sweet Redemption and Rubj extrait (Sweet Redemption is what I keep wearing most often this spring), you will enjoy Seville a l’Aube. It’s almost a guarantee. 🙂 May 25, 2012 at 7:34pm
Elizabeth: I love your description of L’eau d’hiver! That was my first Frederic Malle, and it is still my favorite by far. I have just bought my second bottle. And my boyfriend loves it because he’s German, and all Germans seem to have a thing for almondy scents. 🙂 May 25, 2012 at 2:50pm
Victoria: I don’t know if L’Eau d’Hiver is my favorite FM perfume (Carnal Flower is,) but I’ve worn it more often than any other, Carnal Flower included. It’s just so easy to wear, and it feels cozy, warm and fresh at once. May 25, 2012 at 7:32pm
Sara: Nice article, V! I’ve read your FT column before and enjoyed it. By coincidence I’m wearing L’Eau d’Hiver today, and I smell of almonds and violets. 🙂 May 27, 2012 at 1:09pm
Victoria: Thank you, Sara. I like L’Eau d’Hiver very much, and I like your description that it leaves you smelling of almonds and violets (and on me, also a bit of caramel). May 27, 2012 at 5:07pm