The days have been turning darker and rainier over the past week, and today the first thing I noticed when I stepped outside was a scattering of golden leaves on the ground. Although seasonality in perfume is a vaguely defined concept, it is enjoyable to switch one’s scented wardrobe in anticipation of a new season. For me, the soft florals (or aldehydic florals) and classical florals of the summer give way to the chypre and oriental compositions during the colder months. Both chypres and orientals are comprised of notes that can give a warm sensation, such as the dry heat of patchouli in the former or the sensual richness of spices and resins in the latter. In contrast to the delicate, dewy notes of soft florals like Robert Piguet Baghari and fresh florals like Marc Jacobs Blush, the flowers blooming in the hearts of oriental fragrances are opulent and sweet—rose, jasmine, carnation, narcissus. The iris that forms the link between the middle and base notes of many chypre perfumes is more of a wood than a flower—hefty, silky and rich. What might appear as too heavy and smothering in the heat instead works like a cashmere wrap in the cold. …

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Those who enjoyed the last year’s edition of Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb Extrême will be glad to know that it is going to be reintroduced for the holiday season of 2006. Saks5thAvenue is already taking pre-orders on it. The notes for the 2006 version include bergamot, tea, orange blossom, rose centifolia, jasmine sambac, cattleya orchid, osmanthus, patchouli, vanilla, benzoin.

Bergdorf Goodman in New York is having its Gift Card event on September 28th, 29th and 30th. For $100 spent, you can receive $25 off your purchase. Bergdorf Goodman’s Guerlain counter is anticipating to receive Bois d’Arménie, a beautiful new fragrance by Annick Ménardo from L’Art et la Matiere. Another new addition coming in October is Nuit d’Amour, a limited Baccarat flacon edition like last year’s Plus Que Jamais Guerlain (Plus Que Jamais has already joined the regular collection in a less extravagant packaging). Nuit d’Amour is a lush floral oriental. …

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

When Serge Lutens decides to explore the hesperidic theme, one can be certain that the result will be a tale with a variety of fascinating characters and intricate subplots. Mandarine Mandarin, the newest fragrance created by perfumer Christopher Sheldrake, fulfills this expectation, resulting in an opulent oriental composition dominated by spice and amber. In contrast to the Arabian Nights adventures of Lutens and Sheldrake’s previous collaborations, Mandarine Mandarin offers a glimpse into A Dream of the Red Chamber, the 18th century Chinese Qing Dynasty novel. …

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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 decisions of fragrance houses to reach into their archives tend to elicit mixed feelings in me. While getting a whiff of a 1920s boudoir or a 1950s cocktail party seems like an intriguing proposition, the past cannot be resurrected in all of its complex and intricate detail. The reissued fragrances would inevitably differ from their predecessors either due to commercial (change in tastes) or practical (disappearance of raw materials) considerations. At worst, the juice in the bottle would have little to do with the fragrance that supposedly inspired it. Thankfully, the recent reorchestration of Baghari respects the Robert Piguet tradition, resulting in a fragrance that combines modern radiance with neoclassical softness.

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