L’Artisan Parfumeur is releasing a second fragrance in its vintage collection, Fleur de Narcisse. Just like the lovely Fleur d’Oranger was composed out of flowers from the Vergers de Nabeul, Fleur de Narcisse is using the narcissus from the Volcanoes of Lozère. The scent of Narcissus Poeticus is intoxicating and magical, combining the rich verdancy of hyacinth and the warm sweetness of hay.

The press release describes Fleur de Narcisse in the following manner, “The fragrance opens on a top note of grassy green freshness, with accents of the country and wildflowers, and nuances of blackcurrant bud and freshly cut hay. The sensuality is ambiguous, nearly as masculine as feminine, evoking the powdery scents of mimosa and iris, and finally losing itself in the honey-like sweetness of sublime blond tobacco and the bewitching notes of moss and leather.”

Fleur de Narcisse will be released as a limited edition (3000 flacons), $295 for 100ml. It will be available in November from L’Artisan Parfumeur Soho, Henri Bendel, and Madison Avenue boutiques, select retailers, and L’Artisan Parfumeur. (information via press release)

Sacré Nobi has published a short film made for a campaign for Lexus ES 350, called “The Science of Desire”. The film revolves around Jean-Michel Duriez, the in-house perfumer for Jean Patou. If you recall my article about Jean Patou cocktail bar, you would be able to see the bar and the famous Monclin glasses used by the perfumer.

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

Based on the concept of travel through Asia, the newest release from Kenzo, KenzoAmour, seems far too delicate and fragile to take one on a whirlwind ride. Instead, the comforting sensation it conjures makes me lose the desire to embark on a long journey. The fragrance was created by Daphné Bugey (Le Labo Bergamote 22, Rose 31, Neroli 36), who chose the notes and Olivier Cresp (Paco Rabanne Black XS), who formulated the perfume. While the resulting composition is not strikingly original, it has enough character to maintain interest. …

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Toronto fragrance expert Marian Bendeth shares her impressions of perfume tour through France commissioned by the French government. My favorite part revolved around visiting Coco Chanel’s apartments at Rue Cambon, “Sniffing the blotter, I conjure up Mlle. Coco standing before me. I envision her piercing black eyes under the brim of a straw hat. They stare right through me. One artistic hand is fingering her pearls, a long cigarette dangles between two fingers. The other bejewelled wrist sits on her jutted hip. Curls of cigarette smoke and No. 22 hang in the air. I imagine she is questioning my presence in her kingdom. I carry and sniff the scented blotter intermittently from room to room. I want to breathe her incarnation, smell out the source for her elegant tastes in furnishings and fragrances.”

Read the rest of the article on Basenotes. The photo depicts Marian at No.31 rue Cambon.

Tom Ford Black Orchid is about to make it debut this fall. The fragrance was created by the Givaudan team and it “has top notes of French jasmine, black gardenia, ylang ylang, bergamot, mandarin and effervescent citrus; a heart of Tom Ford black orchid, spicy floral orchid accords and lotus wood, and a drydown of patchouli, incense, amber, sandalwood and vanilla.” Tom Ford bought rights to a special black orchid, the scent of which was then extracted via headspace technology. “This [fragrance] is not about an ordinary orchid, it’s about something a little more strange and rare. I wanted the blackest orchid, and those aren’t easy to find,” shares Tom Ford in WWD.

Ford is also planning a launch of Tom Ford Private Blend, a collection of 12 unisex fragrances that will be released simultaneously on March 12, 2007. As Ford notes, “These are fragrances for fragrance connoisseurs.” The fragrances are going to be sold in special concept stores within larger venues. “[In those store-in-stores] you’ll be able to have a custom fragrance mixed up. We’ve designed the shop-in-shop concept, all the fixtures. The point is, we’re launching a beauty brand, not just a fragrance.” From WWD.