Latest news from the fragrance world and other interesting reading
Another new launch from Thierry Mugler is the Eau de Toilette version of Angel. It is composed by Robertet’s perfumer Amandine Marie. The press release describes it as “Oriental—Gourmand—Powdery.”
Thierry Mugler is unveiling a new collection called a “Taste of Fragrance.” The existing fragrances, Angel, Alien, Womanity and A*Men, were reorchestrated to include a taste enhancer. Thierry Mugler Parfums also worked with Hélène Darroze, one of the leading Michelin-starred French Chefs, to create four recipes inspired by the new interpretations of these four fragrances. The olfactory description of a Taste of Fragrance collection and the corresponding recipes appear below.
Angel
“For the ‘Taste of Fragrance’ the red berries, jam and caramelized almonds in the praline are combined with pure cocoa powder preserving its natural bitterness, making Angel infinitely succulent.”
The latest fragrance from Hermès and its Hermessence collection is Santal Massoïa. The 10th addition to Hermessence will be launched in November in Hermès boutiques. It is created by the in-house perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena, who is responsible for all other Hermessence fragrances. As the Financial Times magazine notes, “here Ellena is transported to the Indonesian forests, to pungent odours emanating from exotic trees. Massoïa, a rare species whose bark smells of coconut, turns Santal Massoïa into something esoteric, mysterious, unknown.”
Adding on 10/28: The Wall Street Journal quotes Ellena in an article A French Perfumer’s Seductive Sense about his inspiration for the newest fragrance, “Fifteen years ago, I came across this marvelous massoia wood, not well known in perfumery and used in Indonesian cuisine. The odor is startling, unforgettable, mysterious, a sensual riot of exotic spices, fruit and milky coconut. It’s what I call a horizontal scent,” he says. “It’s round, supple, almost carnal, lascivious—in a word, feminine.”
Other recent sandalwood rich fragrances include Tom Ford Santal Blush, Le Labo Santal 33 and Serge Lutens Jeux de Peau.
American niche brands Joya and D.S. Durga are about to launch Staghorn Sumac Eau de Parfum, a fragrance created in collaboration between two houses. Created by David Seth Moltz, it is built around bison grass, lily and musk. Moltz describes the scent as part of “a botanical and historical survey of the Great Plains, its people and its wild plants. With this scent, I wanted to shed light on America’s rich botanical history.”
Guerlain’s Holiday 2011 make-up collection Belle de Nuit takes inspiration from Vol de Nuit, a fragrance created in 1933 in homage to the brave aviators of the 1920s. Given my love of scented body powders, I am particularly anticipating Vol de Nuit Perfumed Shimmer Powder for Face & Body. The press release describes it as the light and luminous powder that “wraps the skin with a veil of iridescent shimmer while being deliciously fragranced by the notes that comprise Vol de Nuit: a green and woody composition, softened by vanilla and iris. The universal pale pink shade is accentuated with blue-green and silvery hues to leave the face, body and hair sparkling. The bottle [pictured above] reinterprets that of the original Vol de Nuit, which was revolutionary at the time by being the first to combine glass and metal. The green-blue lacquered glass is adorned with graphics reminiscent of a propeller, conjuring up the image of a plane traveling across the starry depths. $87.
Recording of a seminar.
Luca and Victoria speak for 1.5h on topics included, but not limited to: vintage perfumes, our favorite fragrances, trends we hate, industry gossip. No one will be spared. All will be entertained. Funds will be used to support charity projects in Ukraine.
Recording of our session on the future of perfumery.
Price: €50
Class location: Brussels
Date: contact for availability
Class duration: 2.5 hours
200€/per person
Students of all levels of interest in perfumery will find much to learn in this series of lectures. The lecture is designed to sharpen your sense smell and improve your enjoyment and appreciation of scents. You will learn professional smelling techniques and receive personalized tips. You will learn how to smell complex aromas and about the main criteria of a well-made fragrance–and how to look for them.
Online and in-person classes are available.
