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

Parfums DelRae Début is a composition of wistful elegance, introspective and gentle. Like other fragrances in DelRae range, it is scent to wear during moments of reverie—when one allows oneself to be taken up by the stream of memories and dreams. It encompasses a wide range of sensations, from the vivacious verdancy of crushed leaves to the quiet warmth of musk. Created by Michel Roudnitska in 2004, Début is at once a springtime bouquet and an autumnal breeze.

Violet leaf with its exuberant green character conjures a vision of crushing young green leaves between fingers, their scent bursting in the air. Citrusy notes lend an additional effervescent layer, which contrasts beautifully with an indolic note that at first is only barely noticeable. Sparkling accent persists into a heart of the composition, where it softens and slowly fades. Scents of dewy flower buds, earth and cool morning mist unfold in a panoramic view. …

Continue reading →

Prix François Coty for 2005, which recognizes the perfumer’s achievements, both over the span of the career as well as the most recent ones, was awarded to Sophie Labbé, a senior perfumer with International Flavors & Fragrances. She is the first woman to receive the prize, which has been in effect since 2000. Her creations include Nina Ricci Premier Jour, Givenchy Organza, Hugo Boss Boss Woman, and Comme des Garçons Series 1: Tea.

Previous recipients of the prize were perfumers such as Alberto Morillas (the creator of Giorgio Armani Emporio White She, Bvlgari Omnia, Calvin Klein cK One), Maurice Roucel (the nose behind Helmut Lang Eau de Cologne and Parfum, Gucci Envy, Serge Lutens Iris Silver Mist) and Francis Kurkdjian (Jean-Paul Gaultier Le Male, Christian Dior Eau Noire and Cologne Blanche, Acqua di Parma Iris Nobile). From cosmeticnews.com.

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

If the mythical Garden of Hesperides had a scent, the voluptuous warmth of Parfums DelRae Bois de Paradis would be filling its air. Smooth and luminous woods provide a backdrop against which the crimson rose petals fall, touched by the sparkling quality of hesperidic notes. Their shimmer dims slowly, allowing the luscious blackberry to overtake the composition with its sweet darkness.

As its creator, Michel Roudnitska describes in his interview, Bois de Paradis took 2 years and about 300 trials to emerge in its present form. Musky, jammy fruit is a perfect pairing for the sensual sweetness of rose. The heart of Bois de Paradis is an abstract dessert of caramelized blackberries dusted with sweet spices and decorated with sugared hazelnuts. Yet, layered with violet tinged cedarwood, the composition is wonderfully balanced, without ending up as either too sweet or too gourmand…

Continue reading →

“Sweetly, albeit with a touch of throatiness, the redhead began to recite words which were baffling but seductive, judging by the women’s faces in the orchestra, ‘Guerlain, Chanel No. 5, Mitsouko, Narcisse Noir, evening gowns, cocktail dresses…'”

This passage from Mikhail Bulgakov’s The Master and Margarita caught my attention from the first time I read the novel, given my tendency to search out works of fiction where the topic of scent is given prominence. For someone who reread Fyodor Sologub’s Petty Demon (Melkii Bes) for the perfume parts, a discovery of an article on scent novels in Angewandte Chemie, a chemistry journal, comes as a pleasant surprise. If you or your institution have a subscription, the article can be accessed from interscience.wiley.com. Otherwise, please read on for reviews.

The article written by Philip Kraft, provides excellent reviews of nine novels, supplementing them with witty remarks. The reviews comprise books written in English, French and German. While Patrick Süskind’s Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, the ironic and haunting story of the olfactory genius-monster, is a novel familiar to many (and is about to become even more so with the upcoming film release in the fall of 2006), it was very interesting to discover several other works of fiction focusing on the subject of scent…

Continue reading →

From luminous dryness of Frédéric Malle Noir Epices to elegant sensuality of Parfums DelRae Amoureuse, creations of Michel Roudnitska are marked by sensitivity to form and originality of expression. Their sources of inspiration are diverse, based on their creator’s extensive travels and observations unfettered by traditional views. His ability to break through the crust of conventional is no doubt fostered by his other life-long passions in photography, sculpture, drawing, and video montage. …

Continue reading →