jean claude ellena: 39 posts

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

Terre d’Hermès proves that the best non-niche releases over the past year are taking places in the masculine perfumery. Dior Homme, an iris wrapped into warm, sweet leather, Lanvin Arpege Pour Homme, a velvety violet-iris fougere are among some of the recent examples. Likewise, the new fragrance by Jean-Claude Ellena, Terre d’Hermès, has a number of qualities that make it exceptional—chiseled refinement of its elegant structure, unconventional, transparent take on the woody notes and remarkable quality of its ingredients. The composition conjures the intensity of sunlight reflected against the white stones of Roman ruins.

Jean-Claude Ellena’s theme of multifaceted transparency explored in his other creations, from Cartier Déclaration to Hermès Un Jardin sur le Nil, will be immediately recognizable in Terre d’Hermès. Nevertheless, it seems as if the theme has received further polish, luminosity and elegance. …

Continue reading →

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

What would one expect a fragrance named Rose Poivrée, peppered rose, to smell like? One is about to wax poetic about dewy crimson roses and warmth of crushed spices. Unwashed body parts probably do not figure in that image, however remarkably this is exactly where The Different Company Rose Poivrée ends up. Animalic and vegetal, the composition belies its floral promise, and yet it captures a facet of rose that is not often associated with it—the waxy and pungent quality.

I have once been told a story by a young perfumer about composing a rose soliflore using very expensive rose absolute during his perfumery training in Grasse. His teacher, Jean-Claude Ellena, looked at the formula and asked him about the purpose of the ingredients. …

Continue reading →

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

My first encounter with Cartier Déclaration (1998) left me with a vivid memory of its dry woody accord, which starts on a radiant herbaceous note, then assume spicy warmth of cardamom and cumin and sustain its dryness over a cedarwood base. In comparison to the virile fougère types like Yves Saint Laurent Kouros and Guy Laroche Drakkar Noir, the elegant simplicity of Déclaration held my attention like a sincere compliment made without ulterior motives.

Simplifying the perfume formula runs the risk of losing the substance, the story, and the depth. Yet, one has to admire the ability of Jean-Claude Ellena to achieve a balance between clarity and depth, and among his fragrances, Déclaration remains my favorite in terms of achieving this goal….

Continue reading →

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

The most compelling quality of Bois d’Iris, a fragrance created by the perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena for The Different Company is its ability to present the silvery and earthy iris root as layers of petals, transparent as if shot through with intense light and soft as if made from Varanasi silk. In contrast to the earthy and rooty irises, Bois d’Iris is marked by such as a lovely floral softness sustained over the dry woody base that I can forgive its lack of tenacity and make a room for it in my crowded collection of iris fragrances (and perfumes by Jean-Claude Ellena, for that matter.)

If creating a rose fragrance is a task of rendering a blossom out of oil extracted from its petals (or from various synthetic materials that range from photorealism to abstraction in terms of their link to the actual flower), constructing iris does not lead the perfumer to think of the sweet, honeyed scent of its flowers. Instead, it entails blending notes that conjure a scent of its roots, the intriguing blend of violets, earth, wood and metallic dust. The sheer complexity of the orris root is the reason for perfumers’ fascination with it, starting with the iconic Jacques Fath Iris Gris (1947). ….

Continue reading →

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

Contemplating a quintessential classical fragrance, Chanel No.5 and Lanvin Arpège immediately come to mind. The aldehydes add shimmer to the flowers in the opulent floral bouquets of these great classics, interspersing the petals with the diamond dust of aldehydic fizz. Creating a fragrance in the classical spirit is an exacting task, because composing something novel becomes more challenging. In this sense, Van Cleef & Arpels First encompasses both the classicism and the spirit of innovation. Intended as the first fragrance for the jewel house Van Cleef & Arpels, a fragrance that would sparkle like a jewel, First transforms luminescence into the form of scent. From its brilliant top note to the resplendent heart and radiant base, it shines like a perfectly cut diamond and feels like a smooth South Sea pearl.

First was the fragrance that marked the inception of Jean-Claude Elléna’s great career. Even though his Sisley Eau de Campagne came out in 1974, First’s debut in 1976 was an even bigger success. Experiencing the fragrance, it is not difficult to understand why, because the composition has a seamless and perfectly polished quality with the notes melding one into another, drawing one into the languid sensation of the composition. …

Continue reading →