Isabelle Doyen: 23 posts

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

For the past week I have been wearing and enjoying the three fragrances from Les Nez, a niche line established by designer René Schifferle: L’Antimatière, The Unicorn Spell and Let Me Play the Lion…   The bold interpretations and unusual harmonies of the compositions lend the line the cerebral and avant-garde quality, which does not come at the expense of wearability. Moreover, there are additional reasons to anticipate an interesting outcome from Les Nez. The perfumer behind the line, Isabelle Doyen has created such gems as Annick Goutal Sables, Grand Amour and Songes. Her work for Les Nez further explores the neo-classical elegance of her orchestrations, yet with a more assertive touch. The contrasts are made more pronounced, the dissonances explored further and the impact heightened. …

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

What is the scent of love? Is it radiant and smiling like Jean Patou Amour Amour, smoldering and seductive like Calvin Klein Obsession, or intoxicating and ravishing like Guerlain Chamade? For Annick Goutal, the answer is clearly the latter, and Grand Amour serves as a beautiful example. From the tender kiss of hyacinth and honeysuckle to the warm embrace of vanilla and amber, Grand Amour maintains the breathless, exhilarating sensation of surrendering oneself to an emotion that can no longer be contained. …

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

My initial reaction to Annick Goutal Mandragore was puzzlement over a strange disconnect between the name evoking dark, twisted roots and love potions and the ethereal fragrance more appropriate for elves than witches. Created by Isabelle Doyen in 2005, this composition is beautiful vignette of lightness, showcasing the ability of spices to be woven into a sheer and weightless composition. Mandragore has the same luminous, slightly nostalgic quality that pervades the paintings by Isaac Levitan, a Russian 19th century impressionist. If I close my eyes, I imagine walking through the lush forest groves he portrayed in his tender, wistful manner. …

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

Although Annick Goutal fragrances are sometimes considered either frilly and pretty like Petite Cherie or subtle and wispy like Duel, Sables and Eau du Fier present another side of the house—scorched earth and leather in the midst of chiffon and silk. Sables displays an orchestration of the bittersweet immortelle flowers, which smell of hot rocks, curry spices and salty ocean breeze—a note that does not often take a center stage, especially not in its full glory.

Eau du Fier (2000) is a story of tar and smoke, accented by the delicate fruity sweetness. The watercolor quality of Annick Goutal fragrances sometimes renders them almost ethereal, however Eau du Fier proves that the light hand of Isabelle Doyen, the Annick Goutal in-house perfumer, can work magic. What might have been a base heavy and opaque composition instead has the quality of Persian calligraphy—an exquisite pairing of precision and grace. …

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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 first time I smelled Vétiver by Annick Goutal (1981), I was taken by the affinity between vetiver and marine notes. The earthy richness of the former, marked by the grapefruit bitterness complements the iodine smell of the seashore resulting in the aroma of driftwood covered with the wet shreds of seaweed.

The vetiver focused fragrances have a devout following among both men and women, with Guerlain Vétiver (1961) setting the gold standard with its elegant rendition of the balsamic root suspended between the transparent citrusy top accord and the spiced tobacco base. It maintains the Guerlinesque refinement with a glimpse of its seductive smile. …

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