After discussing the elusive scent of figs yesterday, I was surprised to open my issue of Cosmetic World and discover a mention of an interesting new launch from Guerlain.  Figue-Iris was created by Jean-Paul Guerlain in collaboration with Sylvaine Delacourte, Guerlain’s creative director. As Ms. Delacourte described in the article, “Today, fig is very well known and popular… I wanted to contrast it with something very chic.” Figue-Iris combines the green freshness of fig with warm, powdery iris.

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Please see Part I of Romantic Notes.

The Ukrainian winters of my childhood were frigid enough to require a heavy fur coat. I still remember the warm scent of fur and its contrast with the crisp mineral winter air. Although I no longer wear fur, the memories are strong enough to make this aroma special. For me, the notes evoking the warmth of fur in fragrance tend to fall into the amber category: the rich resinous ambers like the amber gold standard Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan, the spicy sweet ambers like Armani Privé Ambre Soie , the baroque ambers like Guerlain Attrape-Coeur / Guet-Apens or Hermèssence Ambre Narguilé. While the ambery notes of Hermès Eau des Merveilles are of a salty ambergris variety, wearing this fragrance, especially in the parfum concentration, is not unlike being wrapped in a fur stole.

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What fragrance should I wear/buy for Valentine’s Day? This question remains one of the top reader queries I get around this time of the year (although nothing beats the good old “what turns wo(men) on?”) The fact is that there is no perfect fragrance that would suit all moods and all personality types. At the same time, some notes have distinct romantic connotations because of their sensual quality. Rose is the first one that comes to mind; however, since this topic has been covered extensively by me and others in the past (for instance, please see my article “From White to Red, From Chaste to Seductive: Many Faces of Rose”), I decided to look for a fresh approach. I chose seven notes which are undeniable sensual and aphrodisiac and which provide an endless source of fascination. Of course, while the list below strongly reflects my own preferences, I am eager to hear your thoughts.

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Reflecting on 2007 in terms of fragrance is quite fitting for me, as it has been an exciting year in this respect. After almost a year of working in the industry I am glad to note that my love and passion for perfume has only grown stronger, even if I began to realize what roadblocks to creativity a fragrance can encounter as it reaches the market. For this reason, every exciting launch is doubly so for me now.  Therefore, below is my list of what I found to be most interesting in 2007—and I have to say that for all of the  pessimistic thoughts I had at the start of the year, 2007 turned out to be a good year for fragrance.

Best Niche Launch

I love the sense of humor present in the offerings by Crazylibellule & The Poppies, a new line that was one of my best niche discoveries of 2007. A tube of Encens Mystic is something you might find in my purse, next to my wallet, Blackberry and lipstick. The new collections Les Batons and Les Olfactives are likewise interesting. I loved the gentle texture of Ensemble ce Soir Baton as well as its opalescent sheen.

Another line that deserves a special mention is Parfums MDCI. Enlevement au Serail, Rose de Siwa and Promesse de l’Aube are simply breathtaking, while Invasion Barbare is an elegant masculine that avoids all of the clichés of a typical masculine scent. Bravo to Claude Marchal, the founder and the artistic director!

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Having seen the Parisian designer Clare Viola’s jewelry before, I feel compelled to quote the English novelist George Eliot, “These gems have life in them: their colors speak, say what words fail of.” L’Artisan Parfumeur shall explore the intrinsic and emotional link between being adorned by jewel and by perfume during their event “Jewelry for Scents.”

“Each piece plays with textures, light, colors and shapes to create a unique emotion. Many pieces in the collection were inspired by such L’Artisan classics as La Chasse Aux Papillons, Mure et Musc, Timbuktu , Dzing! and Voleur de Roses. Claire Viola herself will be present to talk about her inspirations and designs. Join us this Friday, November 28, at the flagship L’Artisan boutique in New York , 1110 Madison Ave , from 10am to 7pm” (from L’Artisan newsletter.)

Clare Viola website offers a glimpse of her gorgeous pieces, such as Kings Valley from Precious Wood collection, which is my coveted gem. Pictured above is Opera Garnier, from Neck Poetry collection.