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

Idole de Lubin… “He embraced her nervously, not daring to ask the question that hovered upon his lips. She had placed a large package on the stand in the center of the room. Opening it she took out a tablet of soap, a bottle of Lubin’s extract, a sponge, a box of hairpins, a button- hook, and curling-tongs…” Guy de Maupassant, Bel Ami (1885).

The names like Lubin, L.T. Piver, Sauzé, Gelle Frères, Millot, Rigaud, Houbigant, and Roger & Gallet may not readily evoke the images of the grand perfume houses, yet until the 20th century, these firms were on par with houses like Guerlain and Coty in contributing to the “Golden Age of Perfumery.” Pierre-François Lubin established his firm under Napoleon in 1798 and eventually became Pauline Bonaparte Princess Borghèse’s appointed perfumer. Over the course of its history, the house created about 466 fragrances. However, its glory seemed to have vanished with the hats and gloves. In this light, it is fascinating to experience Idole de Lubin, created by Olivia Giacobetti. Inspired by the maritime spice routes and voyages to the far away lands, Idole takes the name of Lubin’s fragrance from the early 1960s. However, I should clarify that it is a completely different fragrance, rather than a remake of the vintage one. Could it be the sign of Lubin’s revival? …

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Olivia Giacobetti creates her second candle for Bottega Veneta under the label of L’Artisan Parfumeur. Called Intreccio no. 2, the candle evokes the scents of the Tuscan countryside with its mélange of basil and woods. The candle is also available in the room spray.

The first candle by Olivia Giacobetti for Artisan Parfumeur-Bottega Veneta, Intreccio no. 1 has been released as a room spray, and is priced at 40 euros for 50ml. The fragrance is suppose to conjure a library in an old Venetian house with its blend of leather, woods and freshly cut hay.

The candles are available at Bottega Veneta and L’Artisan Parfumeur boutiques. Intreccio no. 1 can be ordered from Bergdorf Goodman as well as directly from L’Artisan. Thank you to Mike for the information!

Happy Thanksgiving! In lieu of writing on a specific perfume today, I have decided to compile a list of my favorite fragrances. Needless to say, this is rather a snapshot of my current likes and a result of a painstaking task of trying to pick only ten fragrances. I left out probably ten times as many my most beloved fragrances as I ended up including. Nevertheless, here they are: my top five classical and top five modern favorites. Please share yours and do not feel constrained to make separate lists like I did!

Top Five Classical Favorites

Caron Nuit de Noël 

 If the mood of a quiet snowy day were captured in a bottle, it would be redolent of Nuit de Noël, a fragrance that represents the beauty of rose and incense intertwined over a dark mossy base.

Chanel Bois de Iles

Among Ernest Beaux’s compositions, Bois des Iles’s perfection stands out. It is a painting of gilded woods touched by the delicate spicy notes.

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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 exploration of synergy between art and scents is the main premise of S-Perfume project, which was founded by a sculptor Sacré Nobi. Fragrance composition is like a sculpture that fills the space. It is both an architectural construction, with the notes arranged in order to present a particular form and a dynamic vision, with the accords unfolding to spell out a concatenation of images. In this sense, fragrance transcends the simple, bounded space. Indeed, it transcends the temporal boundary as well, being able to move and transport to another reality, to evoke different experiences and to awaken forgotten memories.

Like Frédéric Malle of Editions de Parfums, Sacré Nobi works directly with the perfumers, allowing them to express their ideas without the limitations of the traditional marketing approaches. The fragrances produced by his collaboration with such famous perfumers as Sophia Grojsman, Thierry Wasser, Alberto Morillas, Christophe Laudamiel, Jacques Cavallier, and Annick Menardo are both daring and evocative. …

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

In the constellation of Caron Tabac Blond (1919), Chanel Cuir de Russie (1924) and Parfums Grès Cabochard (1959), united by the smoky leather, Robert Piguet Bandit is the most fearless and daring. It is neither coy and naughty nor aloof and chic. It does not hide its aggressive animalic side under the layers of vanilla like Tabac Blond, nor softens it with the rose and jasmine sweetness like Cuir de Russie. A classical chypre, Bandit is unmistakably alluring, even if it is not the easiest acquaintance to make, especially for someone unfamiliar with this genre.

Bandit was born out of the dreams about pirates and sea voyages. Robert Piguet, a former Poiret fashion designer, upon establishing his own house in 1940, decided to create a fragrance to accompany his new avant-garde couture collection that had models walk down the runway wearing black masks and brandishing knives. His encounter with the perfumer Germaine Cellier, a rebel herself, led to the creation of Bandit in 1944, an essence of rebellion. It shocked and enticed simultaneously, its dark leather notes hinting at dark desires. …

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