hermes: 48 posts

The connection between eyes and nose can play funny tricks. The first time I smelled Hermès’s Le Jardin de Monsieur Li, the most recent release in its ethereal Le Jardin series, I thought that it was “dewy, refined and intriguingly minimalist.” When a couple of weeks later I revisited it during a blind smelling exercise, I was no longer thrilled. “Well, this thing is somewhat dull,” I thought to myself, and I was a little surprised to discover the name of the perfume I was sniffing. Surely, I couldn’t have come to such different conclusions about the same perfume?

Hermès is one of the renowned brands on the market, and its fragrances have quality, style and elegance. Simply holding the heavy glass bottle in my hand, I already expect that it will contain all of the above. Unfortunately, selecting perfume based on such preconceived notions will lead to a wardrobe full of expensive designer brands and little to thrill you. The only criterion that matters for finding the right fragrance is whether it gives you a jolt of pleasure. For all of its appealing traits, Le Jardin de Monsieur Li leaves me indifferent.

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Cuir d’Ange is the most recent addition to the Hermès Hermessence collection, a line of fragrances sold exclusively at the house’s boutiques. The idea is to capture the nuances of famous Hermès leather, which smells of flowers and musk. The perfumer behind it is Jean-Claude Ellena, a master of the most ethereal and delicate compositions, and as you would expect, Cuir d’Ange, Angel’s Leather, stays true to its name. It’s wispy and sheer, as if the leather that inspired it was polished to remove any traces of animal funk and made to smell like someone’s clean skin.

Cuir d’Ange is pure comfort. Although I like to think of myself as someone unafraid of the raunchiest animalic scents, my favorite leathers in perfume bottles are soft and cuddly. I’m more in the camp of Bottega Veneta than that of Robert Piguet Bandit on most days. So, here you go. For this reason, the first time I smelled Cuir d’Ange, I felt that I discovered my ideal leather–creamy, suave, and mild. On the other hand, if you want the odor of a beaver in heat and don’t wish to settle for anything less, Cuir d’Ange will strike you as wimpy and bland.

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The house of Hermès is presenting its new bath & body line this month, Le Bain. A collection of shower gels, shampoos, lotions, and soaps is based on the existing fragrances developed by the in-house perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena and is richly scented.

Collection Colognes

Shower gels for body and hair are available in Eau de Gentiane Blanche, Eau de Narcisse Bleu, Eau d’Orange Verte, and Eau de Mandarine Ambrée (200ml, 32€).

Liquid soap in Eau de Gentiane Blanche, Eau de Narcisse Bleu, Eau d’Orange Verte, and Eau de Mandarine Ambrée (300ml, 44€).

Moisturizing balm for face and body (200ml, 59€).
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Even for the accomplished perfumer, re-orchestrating a classic is a formidable task. Not only does the new version have to respect the original spirit, it needs to add a new, distinctive twist. In addition, it must also follow current regulatory stipulations on the use of ingredients, be on budget and make sense within the brand’s DNA. No wonder most remakes fall short of such high expectations.

Hermès is a more respectful brand than most others of its heritage, but I was nevertheless skeptical of the proposition to rework their classics, which include such legends as Caléche and modern gems such as Hiris. The consolation was that  the new versions redesigned by in-house perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena would live alongside the originals. The first in the series was Bel Ami Vétiver, which reinterpreted the leather chypre from 1986.

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Hermès is presenting Bel Ami Vétiver, a reorchestration of the bold leather chypre from 1986. It’s already available at the Hermès boutiques in Europe and will be launching in the US early next year.

Created by Jean-Louis Sieuzac, the original Bel Ami featured notes of cardamom, elemi, basil, carnation, iris, patchouli, Russian leather, vetiver, amber, civet, styrax and vanilla.

Bel Ami Vétiver, on the other hand, is transparent and radiant, with the emphasis on vetiver and soft leather. It was created by the current Hermès perfumer, Jean-Claude Ellena, who is also set to rework some other classics from Hermès’s archives.

The original Bel Ami will still be a part of the collection.

100 ml Eau de Toilette/€ 88. Via italy.hermes.com and press release.