Odalisque by Parfums de Nicolai

Odalisque by Parfums de Nicolai is a delicate, strictly feminine fragrance that stays true to its floral intentions. I kept waiting for it to betray its soft lily of the valley principles for a cup of baby powder and two tablespoons of musk, but it never did.

While Odalisque starts as a bright, backlit floral and glides right along on that track without apology, don't think for a second I'm dissing the juice for over simplicity -- there's some expertly blended iris root and oakmoss tossed in as useful, earthen counterpoints to the waves of white pollen suffusing the air, and they function much like a gilded, hardwood frame around a classy field of painted flowers.

Odalisque is masterfully crafted and doesn't make a misstep: it doesn't come on too strong, stay too long, or overwhelm the wearer with potency and sweetness (i.e. Black Orchid), and its woodsy, mossy undertow tugs back at any high notes that think about straining -- think Daedalus and Icarus.

For a soft floral perfume that was created almost twenty years ago, Odalisque still comes across as fresh and relevant, especially now that we're seeing nearly every major fashion house issue floral-infused collections for both Spring and Fall.