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

Although the fashion for fig notes in perfumery has resulted in a diverse range of fragrances, from the green and dry Diptyque Philosykos to the sweet and candied Parfums Delrae Bois de Paradis, Premier Figuier (1994) is the composition that started the trend. Created by perfumer Olivia Giacobetti for L’Artisan Parfumeur, Premier Figuier folds the green pepperiness of galbanum around the ivy note in order to create its signature fig accord.

Giacobetti’s rendition of the green notes is quite impressive, because while conjuring the intoxicating smell of sticky green buds, her orchestration does not have a raspy, aggressive element that characterizes many verdant compositions. The milky note reminiscent of broken dandelion stems foils the arrangement, providing an interesting floral counterpoint that harmonizes the green and woody accords of Premier Figuier. …

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Dia is day in Spanish, and noche is night. Daisy Fuentes’s first fragrance duo, Dianoche, is intended as a layering combination, although each can be worn on its own. “I love scents and I love to layer perfumes,” says Fuentes. “I wanted something that you could wear alone, but layer together as the day goes by.” Fuentes worked with Estee Lauder’s Karyn Khoury and International Flavors and Fragrances perfumers to create a composition with a heart of three tuberose essences. “It’s not hard to find two fragrances that you like, but it is harder to find two that work together and go from day into night,” said Fuentes. “The hearts had to be the same.”

The day fragrance embellishes the tuberose heart with “hydroponic jasmine, mandarin citrus, coriander and basil as top notes and vanilla, moss and tonka bean as the drydown.” The night scent relies on “red rose, radiant lilies, orange blossom and purple freesia in the top accord, and amber and sandalwood as the drydown notes.” The fragrances will debut in July. from WWD.

The rock band KISS joins the world of celebrity fragrances, with a line of makeup and fragrance that is about to debut this year. “It isn’t a fragrance for fans of the band exclusively. It’s about being a free thinker who blazes their own path and lives life according to their own rules realizing that there is no rehearsal for life,” says KISS guitarist Paul Stanley.

KISS Her is described as a lush, “floriental” scent. “I find it a real turn-on — it’s very feminine without being frilly,” said Stanley. “When I smell more women wearing KISS Her, my head will be turning to a point I need a brace. It’s very sexy, flirtatious and very hot. It takes a certain kind of person — one with a little wildness waiting to come out.” The fragrance created by IFF perfumers includes “top notes of apple-tini, wet fig leaves, racy bull accord and red peppercorns; middle notes of red poppy, black orchid, sueded frangipani petals and calla lily, and base notes of amber crystals, musky bare skin accord, patent leather and mahogany.”

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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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Can a fragrance be civic-minded and politically savvy? The creators of Bond No. 9 The Scent of Peace are convinced that one can make a political message with perfume. The Scent of Peace is described as commemorating “our post-9/11 conviction that peace is a beautiful, beautiful thing. And that’s why we at Bond No. 9 decided to assist those neighborhoods of the world that are not at peace, by donating $2 for every bottle of The Scent of Peace that is purchased during the coming year to UNICEF. We call that Making Scents of Peace.” Notes include grapefruit, black currant, lily of the valley, hedione, cedarwood and musk.

The official launch date is May 1, 2006. The Scent of Peace will be available at all four Bond No. 9 stores as well as at selected branches of Saks Fifth Avenue, in Harvey Nichols, UK, Paris Gallery, U.A.E, and in Lane Crawford, Hong Kong.