September 2008 Archives

AMOUAGE LYRIC FOR MEN: Amouage takes its Middle Eastern attar origins seriously and comes out with yet another Westernized, woodsy, spicy rose that could just as easily be worn by women.

Listed notes include bergamot, lime, rose, angelica, orange blossom, galbanum, ginger, nutmeg, saffron, pine, sandalwood, vanilla, musk and frankincense. As with all Amouage fragrances, the blending is excellent, resulting in a rounded, smooth concoction that plays itself out with subtle variations on the overriding theme -- in other words, it's fairly linear, which means that consumers who look for distinct top, middle and bottom notes might find it a slightly dull wearing experience.

Lyric for Men is not a light fragrance, nor is it overly heavy, though it does tilt far enough to the smoky musk side to justify its "For Men" moniker; however, I still much prefer Clive Christian No. 1 for Men as far as masculine florals are concerned.

ANNICK GOUTAL AMBRE FETICHE: Despite my oft-repeated distaste for amber fragrances, Annick Goutal's Ambre Fetiche (part of her Les Orientalistes series -- I reviewed Encens Flamboyant yesterday) is an amber I can respect, and perhaps even enjoy.

Ambre Fetiche is not overly heavy on the vanilla syrup; instead, there's a liberal dose of incense resins which lend it a Middle Eastern, spicy quality. A leathery (styrax?) note enters the picture an hour or so into the thing, darkening the pitch and smoking up the joint while an earthy, powdered iris root blows kisses from off-stage.

Risa at Perfumista Dot Org writes: "It is a sweet amber without syrup on me, indulgent without being decadent, comforting without being cozy." I think she's saying that Ambre Fetiche is an amber with balance, which is a rare find these days.

It also lasts a good long time on the skin, easily outlasting the other three scents I'm reviewing today.

I had personally greeted the announcement of Annick Goutal's Les Orientalistes series with indifference, but after testing out the readily wearable Encens Flamboyant and now the smoky Ambre Fetiche, I think I might have to revise my attitude.

ARMANI PRIVE ORANGE ALLAMBRA: Bright orange peel, soft woods, then poof! it's gone. A pleasant citrus based fragrance, but so understated and short-lived as to be nearly useless.

STRANGE INVISIBLE PERFUMES MOON GARDEN: This is my first encounter with the Strange Invisible Perfumes line, and I'm thinking that Moon Garden was a decent choice as an introductory foot in the door.

Because of its jasmine and tuberose mix, I braced myself for the unusual and that's exactly what I got. Others have criticized Moon Garden for smelling acidic and gasoline-like, but I get a more vegetal opening layered with a fleshy jasmine scent that slowly (over the course of several hours) morphs into a soft, sweet floral with a halo of bitter greens. This is then followed by a cool, earthy, skin-musk phase that wraps up the production before taking its final bow.

Strange, indeed, as well as intriguing, but if it had ended on that green, vanillac, floral note, I might have offered an unequivocal thumbs up. The sudden veer into musk land at the finish, however, was a little too dramatic for my taste, and I think it might ultimately disappoint wearers who are looking for something more along the lines of overtly shimmering moonlight and shadowy beauty . . . though gosh darn it, it does exhibit flashes of that, too!

A hesitant thumbs up, then . . .

Okay, sure, the House of Representatives voted down the Wall Street Bailout Rescue Bill, the DOW is plunging and financial analysts are tearing their hair out on live television (most likely because they weren't given that extra time to quit their jobs, seize their portfolios and sell sell sell!), but the world is still turning and there's perfume to be reviewed, goshdarnit!

But it's not like they cancelled Paris Fashion Week, either, so rest assured that this focus on the trivial is greatly exceeded by those with a much larger stake in the frivolity circus than any of us. Besides, when the economy is crumbling around you and the future is mired in uncertainties, don't you at least want to know that you can hold your head high, confident that you're the best smelling vagrant in the soup line?

A man must have his priorities.

ANNICK GOUTAL ENCENS FLAMBOYANT: part of Annick Goutal's Les Orientalistes collection, Encens Flamboyant starts off as really more of a spice scent than a flamboyant incense. Heavy on the black pepper and cardamom, it takes a little bit of time before the frankincense kicks into gear and takes over, but once it does, Encens Flamboyant becomes a mild, smoky scent without the usual churchy overtones.

I think Olivier Durbano's Black Tourmaline is winning my heart in the incense sweepstakes for the moment, but Black Tourmaline is dark and cold and strange, whereas Annick Goutal's Encens Flamboyant is just the opposite -- casual, approachable and comforting (and anything but flamboyant).

March at Perfume Posse writes: "It's not cold and aloof. It's ... well, it's very Annick. Peppery and spicy, with that fir note, I think it's incense as a walk in the cold, clean outdoor air. It's got excellent sillage - strong but transparent", Tom at Perfume Smellin' Things states: "It's not terribly heavy incense; there's no real weight to it, and I mean that in a good way. I can see getting a lot of mileage out of this one" and Lucy at Indie Perfumes notes: "Encense Flamboyant is dry herbal coolness above an incense that has burned away already, and the most trans-seasonal of the three (Les Orientalist fragrances)."

None of the above makes me want to rush out and buy a bottle (though it doesn't necessarily hold me back, either), but for the incense fanatic, Encens Flamboyant is an attractive and easy to wear option that can suit most any occasion, with the added benefit of wearing close enough to the skin to keep from gassing the entire room when you make your grand entrance.

It actually reminds me a little bit of Armani Prive Bois d'Encens at its finish, which is a quiet study in minimalist incense. Nice, but like I said, not very flamboyant.

PARFUMERIE GENERALE AOMASSAI: if there's one thing that Parfumerie Generale does well, it's the lobbing of curve balls. I've given up approaching a PG fragrance with any preconceptions, and I can say that my experience with the line has benefited greatly once I accepted that understanding the purpose of a PG fragrance is simply not my role in the grand scheme of things. My job is simply to accept and wear.

Aomassai only reinforces this line of thought.

It starts off as a gourmand, heavy with maple sugar and caramel but tinged with a bitter green note, almost as if some chopped celery were thrown into the bowl of caramel corn. This green note then transforms into a sappy, woody pine scent as the sugary notes burn off the skin.

Gina at The Non-Blonde writes: "The first thing I smell is Frangelico. A mix of booze and hazelnuts. It's rich and caramely, tempting with sweetness, yet the weirdness is there, somewhat medicinal, and can't be ignored. Later come spice and wenge wood, a note I adore. It keeps the liqueur feel and sweetness, though less foody by the end of it."

And she's right -- there is a definite oddness to the fragrance. It's off-putting yet fascinating, then off-putting again, then fascinating again, but amid all the off-putting and fascination, what it most definitely is NOT is easy to wear.

Aomassai does manage to smooth out as time goes on, adjusting its sharper edges and buffing down the prickly, sticking points so that what was overly sugared and simultaneously vegetal-bitter manages to straddle the line between sweet gourmand and woodsy. By the time it hits its stride several hours in, it's completely tossed out the bitter notes to result in a very high-end, sweet woods scent. It's not going to be everyone's cup of tea, but a true gourmand fan might very well cherish its every moment.

It is strange, though, how a fragrance that starts off so oddly could end up so feminine and delightful. If you can manage to stick with Aomassai through its roller-coaster of weird, you'll definitely find your reward at the end, but for me, personally, I find its caramel-vegetal beginning too distasteful to contemplate purchasing an entire bottle of the stuff.

The Non-Blonde is proof positive, however, that Aomassai has its fans.

Some photos of the packaging and bottle for Tann Rokka Aki.

The package includes the option of an atomizer top or a more simple and contemporary spray top. I opted for the spray top myself, but the atomizer looks more dramatic for photos:

Sweet Diva blog describes Aki: "After about thirty minutes, Aki begins to lose some of its sweetness, and it feels like night coming on, the patchouli moving across the amber twilight like a darkening sky, the vetiver lighting it up softly here and there like stars."

I didn't get around to any fragrance sampling today, but I did spray on Comme des Garcons Luxe Patchouli, just because I like it -- sometimes it's nice to take a break from sampling the unknown and wear something I already like, without hesitation or equivocation.

I did, however, manage to score a sweet pair of Ann Demeulemeester boots, so the day is not a total loss:

This is the first Demeulemeester anything I've owned, and it's certainly not going to be the last. Fantastic construction and terrific design. She manages to make a military stye boot look and wear like a high-fashion item.

P.S. -- We're having a discussion about the Ready to Wear (RTW) Spring/Summer 2009 collections over here.

I had originally tested out Olivier Durbano's Black Tourmaline (one of three Jewel perfumes -- the other two are Rock Crystal and Amethyst) about six months back and had always intended to review it, but somehow never get around to it. Then it popped up in the comments a few weeks ago and I remembered how much I liked it: a dark, charred, incense fragrance that is significant for its lack of vanilla to sweeten the pot.

The scent notes are dominant -- a tough patchouli, a pungent oak moss, a musky cumin, an ashy frankincense -- and Black Tourmaline makes Durbano's Rock Crystal seem like a choirboy in comparison.

About an hour after spraying some on, I had to take the elevator downstairs to drop off some packages. Another guy got on the elevator shortly after I did, and as we were riding it down to the lobby level, I could sense that Black Tourmaline was starting to fill up the enclosed space. Usually, I have a problem with that, even when it's me that's doing the enclosed-space filling, but this time I didn't mind -- the fragrance is cool and smoky rather than cloying or suffocating; in fact, it was so striking and unusual to smell this charred, burned wood scent in an elevator that I almost started laughing.

Black Tourmaline is like an anti-perfume -- it's surprising and exceptionally well-crafted (Olivier Durbano is a notable jeweler first and foremost) and doesn't follow in any of the usual designer-perfume footsteps, and I like it all the better for its defiant singularity.

Below are some photos I took of the bottle after it arrived yesterday. The liquid is actually a shade of grey smoke, but when I placed the bottle by a window where light could stream through it, the juice took on a jewel-toned hue.

***Note: the three small spheres in the bottom of the bottle are tiny globes of actual black tourmaline stone.

"The only false step was with the shoes. Teeteringly high, balanced on giant platforms, they caused at least two girls to trip and the rest managed to hobble and wobble their way around the wooden bleachers where the audience was perched."

Seriously, watch the video clip below and look at the expressions on the girls' faces -- some of them seem genuinely nervous and near frightened as they mince about the room, desperately struggling to maintain their balance. The Cut at NY Mag called it "carnage" and quoted a report from The Telegraph: "'I was having a panic attack, my hands were shaking. The heels were so high,' one of the models said. 'Some of the girls were crying backstage they were so scared.'

"Miuccia confessed that the shoes were probably too high . . . the heels would be lower, she promised, when the shoes go into the stores."

All in all, not a good PR plug for a line of shoes, and by extension, not a good PR plug for the ready to wear line, either. If the design is user-unfriendly on the shoes, who's to say it's not unrealistic and user-unfriendly for the entire rest of the Spring/Summer collection, as well?

I think Prada just kissed their IPO plans goodbye. Forever.

ODORI TABACCO: the sweetness of pipe tobacco rather than the dry, bitter glory of the unadorned tobacco leaf. If you've ever visited a high-end tobacco store and spent time in one of their walk-in, temperature and humidity controlled display rooms, this is kind of what Odori Tabacco smells like, albeit on a much smaller scale.

Odori Cuoio was a bone dry leather, almost stark in its appeal, and I half expected (half hoped) the same thing from their Tabacco, yet Odori added some gentle curves and rounded edges this time around -- vanilla, eucalyptus, jasmine. There's still dust in the corners and a hint of single-malt scotch (perhaps that's the oak moss?), but the sweetness of the vanilla makes Odori Tabacco, first and foremost, a fragrance for the consumer who craves the smell of refined pipe tobacco.

The vanilla does tone itself down quite a bit near the end, though it never fully excuses itself from the premises. If you're looking for something that smells more like a dusty tobacco leaf minus the drawing room folderol, Social Creatures Rebel Ambush might be more up your alley.

GINESTET LE BOISE: Ginestet is a French wine distribution company that has recently entered the perfume realm with the release of three wine-inspired fragrances. Le Boise is one of them. Intended to be their homage to red wine, Le Boise evokes the smell of oak barrels and the balsamic undertones to a good Bourdeaux while tossing in a slightly smoky sandalwood base for good measure.

I would say that Le Boise pitches its tent in the unisex camp, even though it's listed as a masculine -- it's medium-bodied rather than heavy, and there's little about the dry, balsamic woods and warm smoke character that would be off-putting on a female. That said, there's nothing particularly feminine about it, either, as it lacks the ambers and florals that many feminine and/or unisex fragrances employ (though vanilla does rear its head in the drydown).

An attractive option for people who like unsweetened woodsy perfumes, and the wine-country packaging is a clever conceit.

ISOTTA FRASCHINI UOMO: Uomo has a split personality -- it starts off like your average tangy, men's sport cologne, but does a complete 180 about thirty minutes in and spends the rest of its time barreling down the incense highway to a warm and woodsy finish. It's a bit like starting a conversation with "that frat boy" sitting in the bar stool next to yours only to discover that he's actually a PhD candidate in aeronautical engineering.

If you can't judge a book by its cover, then you shouldn't judge a fragrance by its opening.

Listed notes read like a manual for how to make your favorite incense (once you get past the lemon and vermouth, that is): Lemon, bergamot, tarragon, vermouth, cypress, Patchouly, Tonka bean, Galbanum, cedar, Storax, Benzoin, sandalwood, musk, vanilla.

Definitely nice, but certainly not groundbreaking and nothing that makes me scramble for my charge card -- though mostly because I already own several woodsy, smoky fragrances and I don't need another. I do admit, however, that it would work as an excellent introductory scent into the world of niche incense fragrances for men who are more accustomed to the likes of Armani Code. Its fresh cologne opening will put them at ease right before it hits them over the head with a big cedar log.

VOLUSPA PAGODA: Pagoda smells like an Asian mountain temple surrounded by fir trees and still ponds, boasting a light, airy presence with a definite watery-floral subtext. It's pretty, feminine and fresh, and it doesn't smell at all synthetic or cheap, even though it's both (a 3.5 ounce bottle runs only $60.00, which is chump change in the world of niche perfumes).

There's a touch of that Jean Claude Ellena minimalism about it, and it would be a terrific choice for consumers in a hemisphere that's heading into warmer weather, not to mention the year 'round tropical climates. I'm a little surprised by it, as I'd expected much less and it wound up, instead, being a well-constructed piece of aquatic floral femininity on a limited budget.

If you've got the bucks to break out on a non-stop Jean Claude Ellena spree, then by all means do so, but if you're looking for a bottle of fragrance that approaches Ellena-nice but at only half the price, Voluspa Pagoda is worth checking out.

So while the stock market is melting like a cake left out in the rain (my apologies to Jimmy Webb), the march of niche fragrances still goes on -- though one wonders just for how long.

Between the market meltdown, financial crisis, the mortgage debacle and the one hundred gazillion dollar taxpayer funded bailout of Henry Paulson's friends the entire banking industry, will I still have enough cash left for that bottle of The Party in Manhattan? And would you guess that every single independently run niche perfume company is feeling a little nervous about such questions right now?

Wait! Am I discussing a stumbling economy just when I should be reviewing new fragrances and whetting your charge card's appetite? Fortunately for your bank account, none of the stuff below is very charge card inspirational, but I should probably leave that for you to decide.

Sensitivity is one of my strongest character traits, you know.

FRESH PATCHOULI PURE: living up to both its name and reputation, Fresh Patchouli Pure is about the freshest patchouli scent on the market. I'm not exactly certain where the "pure" aspect rears its head, since this is nothing remotely resembling a pure patchouli scent (I nominate Profumum Patchouli in that respect), but Patchouli Pure does live up to its Fresh label by being as far from an unwashed hippie as one can get without completely stepping off the face of the planet.

Patchouli Pure opts for the company of white musks instead of the dark and dirty, a light and clean feel over the usual dark vetiver and sharp cedar suspects, and while I disliked this approach intensely in Etro Patchouli, there's a subtlety to the way that Fresh accomplishes the task that keeps it from landing on its head in laundry detergent territory.

What we get, instead, is a green and leafy patchouli that gilds itself in a slight edge of sweetness. A spritz of citrus, a dash of cinnamon, a jigger of vanilla and voila! -- you have a patchouli fragrance that's both office safe and family friendly. The vanilla becomes more pronounced in the drydown phase.

LIGNE ST. BARTH PATCHOULI ARAWAK: a more traditional approach to patchouli, though still not fully committed to the sharp, earthy edicts of its patchouli overlords. Patchouli Arawak adds a spicy amber to its base for a rounded but still pungent (and lightly camphorous) patchouli experience.

Definitely not office safe, and probably not as family friendly as Fresh Patchouli Pure, but the drydown moves in a quite similar direction, just minus the vanilla.

TOKYOMILK: PAPER AND COTTON & EX LIBRIS: TokyoMilk Parfumarie Curiosite is a low-cost line of light scents that appears geared toward the teen to twenty-something consumer with its faux vintage labels, nail polish bottles and cute as a button titles -- I Want Candy, Honey & The Moon, French Kiss, Song In D Minor, etc.

Or maybe it's just geared to the trendy Japanese market?

TokyoMilk reminds me of the Demeter line in its lack of complexity and singular focus -- these are not perfumes so much as party favors. Paper and Cotton is light and a bit grassy, while Ex Libris is billed as a floral mixed with the now ubiquitous fig, but both smell simply cheap and synthetic and not like any genuine cotton, floral or fig found in nature.

Definitely not fragrances I would recommend to anyone over 16 years old, and if you have a job where you make more than minimum wage, you can afford a whole lot better.

Though, if the economy completely collapses into oblivion, maybe this kind of cheap crap is the only option we'll all have . . . god help us.

ALEXANDER MCQUEEN KINGDOM: Alexander McQueen enjoys somewhat of a "punk" reputation in the fashion world, though just how "punk" one can be while employed as one of the top name-brand designers for the second largest luxury conglomerate in the world (PPR) is debatable: "Gah! I'm a punk with a baaaaaad attitude! A bad boy designer who breaks all the rules! Please buy my latest handbag, and thank you."

McQueen's fragrance, Kingdom, comes across in much the same way -- faking at controversy while actually playing by all the rules. The juice is front-loaded with cumin in order to give off a powerful salt and musk odor when first applied, almost literally jumping up and down, waving its arms in the air and yelling, "See? I'm sooooo different!" Not twenty minutes later, however, and it's another creature entirely -- curled up on the sofa like a Hallmark card, all warm, purring and rose-colored fluffy.

Punk is obviously dead.

I could sit here all day and attempt to figure out how Kingdom morphs so quickly from such a sour opening into your average amber & incense rose without suffering a lethal case of whiplash, but I'll just admit it's beyond my pay grade and move on.

HERMES ROSE IKEBANA: for the married woman who wants a rose fragrance that's discrete, unobtrusive, soft, absolutely void of erotic connotations and with a high-grade luxury brand name stamped on the bottle.

Much like the perfect butler, Rose Ikebana is charming, subtle and near invisible in the accomplishment of its task -- existing to serve and promote you and your needs, rather than the other way around. It unfortunately veers too far into the realm of scented hand soap as time ticks away, though this doesn't necessarily detract from its intention to make you smell elegant, fresh and lovely for a good three hours, just long enough for cocktails in the drawing room before dinner is served.

Rose Ikebana is a creation of Hermes master perfumer Jean Claude Ellena, and as such, is so minimalist that reapplication throughout the day/evening is a necessity.

LE LABO ROSE 31: this is more like a stack of dry rosewood than a rose perfume, and as it ages, it stakes its claim in the salty, musky territory that Alexander McQueen's Kingdom vacated almost immediately upon moving in.

The rose is a bit player in this production, despite its name in lights on the marquee. Cedar, cumin, clove and oudh wood are quite noticeable participants, and there's a dry, dusty path (nutmeg?) that cuts right through to the finish. A very masculine floral, and it appears to have more in common with Middle Eastern attars than with your usual Western style rose fragrance.

Which brings us to:

MONTALE ATTAR: Montale Attar is close in spirit to Le Labo Rose 31, just minus the dry cedar and dusty nutmeg. They both exhibit a spicy character that incorporates the scent of roses without featuring the scent of roses, and the salty odor of cumin appears to play a key role in Attar much as it did in Rose 31. Mysore sandalwood also provides a smooth backdrop, combining to lend a musky, masculine tone to the proceedings.

Montale Attar is alleged to pay homage to the perfume of maharajas with its masculine, woodsy take on the rose flower, and it does us all the good favor of avoiding the amber pitfall that threatens Le Labo Rose 31 at the drydown (though it's mercifully staved off by tooth and nail), and whose overdone presence deals a fatal blow to Alexander McQueen's Kingdom.

While Montale Attar is not a fragrance I would purchase for myself (Tann Rokka Aki, Montale Greyland and Comme des Garcons Luxe Patchouli are fragrances I would purchase for myself), I certainly wouldn't object to encountering it on others.

***Note: due to what appear to be higher than average concentrations of natural essences in Hermes Rose Ikebana, Le Labo Rose 31 and Montale Attar, these three fragrances have a shorter skin life than your average mainstream perfume -- though the heavier woodsy essences in Rose 31 and Attar provide for a longer drydown than Rose Ikebana. Just an FYI.

UPDATE:

As per the comments below, Alexander McQueen's Kingdom is a loud, pointlessly odd Gilbert Gottfried in a bottle:

If you're wondering why the sniffers come in fours, it's because four scents is about the most I can concentrate on properly at one time while having enough body space to prevent scent bleed. I guess I could start spraying my knees and ankles, too, but I think that just might qualify as going overboard -- and besides, it would be awkward to compare different drydowns while twisting like a pretzel.

I mean, I guess I could do it, but then I'd have to start taking yoga lessons and I simply don't have the sacrifice gene in my DNA. Cheesy historical novels. Yogo Lessons. Cheesy historical novels. Yogo Lessons. Do you see my conumdrum?

LE LABO ALDEHYDE 44: Le Labo is a perfume house that's near and dear to my heart for not much more reason than their iconoclastic image -- well, that and their Labdanum 18 and Patchouli 24. They have a limited line of high-end perfumes designed by quietly famous perfumers (famous to perfume industry fanatics, that is) and available online, in their Paris and New York showrooms, and in Barneys boutiques across the country; but much to the consternation of their fan club, they also produce fragrances that can be purchased only in specific cities, such as Vanilla 44 (Paris), Tuberose 40 (New York) and more recently, Aldehyde 44 for Dallas.

Aldehydes are a synthetic ingredient most famously used in Chanel's classic No. 5, and they help to create a bright, sparkling abstract of a floral scent, which is also what we get with Aldehyde 44, but (dare I say it?) I find that Aldehyde 44 is a much more pleasing composition on the whole than Chanel No. 5. I mean, No. 5 has been around since the 1920's, so it shouldn't be that surprising when, 80 years later, someone comes up with a way to 1.) reference it, and 2.) top it, and I believe that Le Labo accomplishes both quite nicely.

Where No. 5 smells dated and a bit screechy to my post-millennial nose, Aldehyde 44 is sparkling and warm -- the difference between a cubic zirconia and a polished quartz crystal. Le Labo made the sensible decision to dirty things up a bit with a fleshy jasmine note and some very light incense smoke, which creates a masterfully balanced tension between sparkling highs and subdued lows.

21st century Little Black Dress, meet Aldehyde 44. It's a match made in heaven.

Again, Le Labo Aldehyde 44 can only be purchased at the Le Labo counter in the Dallas, Texas Barneys (though I'm sure you can call and order over the phone). Every stylish girl should have a bottle, and no, I don't particularly recommend it as a fragrance for men.

INDULT TIHOTA: despite my not being a big vanilla fan, Tihota has its moments where it's a mouth-watering, soul-quenching burnt-vanilla-sugar perfume. It's as if a kitchen full of pastry chefs torched their full menu of crème brûlée and then bottled the smoke.

For the true Vanilla freak. Wear this and you'll smell good enough to eat. Literally. Don't say I didn't warn you. Indult also brought this smoky, incense attitude to bear on the plum note in their dusky, patchouli laden Isvaraya.

BTW: There's a point several hours in where it smells just like a freshly snuffed out candle, wax and all, before retiring in a hallelujah chorus of pure, though less interesting, vanilla. If I could, I would isolate that specific snuffed out candle section and make it its own individual fragrance.

HEELEY CUIR PLEINE FLEUR: A floral leather scent. Not really my bag (baby). But if you're the type who finds most leather fragrances too masculine and dark, then you'll probably be a fan of Cuir Pleine Fleur. The florals (violet, mimosa) are not pronounced, but they do lighten up the mix and bring a soft, feminine touch to what might otherwise have been a straight-ahead grassy leather fragrance.

I guess you could say this makes Cuir Pleine Fleur balanced and subtle, and you would be absolutely correct. I smell the mimosa and vetiver more than the birch and leather, and I keep wishing it were the other way around.

My heart aches for what could have been.

The PR copy on Lucky Scent states: "We picture this on the soft-spoken young schoolmaster who seems bashful at first, then goes on to steal the hearts of all the village lasses with his fiercely romantic poetry." And since there's nothing more useless to the continued spin of the globe than a fiercely romantic poet, it's no wonder I'm not impressed.

A fiercely romantic perfumer, however . . .

OLIVIER DURBANO ROCK CRYSTAL: a salty, musky incense fragrance that wraps itself around your skin like a wreath of cold smoke.

Cumin, cardamom and coriander mix with frankincense, benzoin and myrrhe to create the impression of a worshipful chamber full of human bodies, yet there's something aloof and slightly removed about Rock Crystal -- the incense is lit, the believers are prostrate, but the dark void isn't listening.

Ava Luxe Opoponax Intense is an incense fragrance that will draw you closer to your god, but the moss, musk and smoke of Durbano's Rock Crystal serves as a reminder of the vast gulf that exists between humanity and divinity, much like the cool and impersonal (not to mention exceptional) Armani Privé Bois d'Encens.

Other listed notes (beyond the ones I've already mentioned): orange, pepper, cistus, sandalwood, cedar, vetiver, everlasting flower and galbanum.

1. Prada Debuts New Infusion for Men:
"The Puig group has created a new masculine fragrance from the house of Prada, called Infusion d'Homme . . . Inspired by Prada's second flagship feminine fragrance, Infusion d'Iris, which was launched worldwide last autumn, Infusion d'Homme is described as an idiosyncratic and subtle scent for the contemporary man . . .Tonally the scent is similar to its predecessor, but with more accentuated masculine notes, such as neroli, cedar, vetiver, incense and benzoin."

Below is a video that combines 9 short experimental films commissioned to coincide with the release of Prada Infusions d'Homme:

2. Oscar de la Renta is Pissed Off at the Metropolitan Opera:
"(Oscar de la Renta), a certain longtime fan of the Met, who's also a proud naturalized U.S. citizen with a New York-based business, will not be in attendance at the (Met opening gala) event for the first time in 20 years or so . . . de la Renta was none too happy to learn that Renée Fleming's onstage frocks for the affair were designed by Karl Lagerfeld, John Galliano and Christian Lacroix. 'If this were the French opera, would they be asking three American designers?' de la Renta fumed. 'This is not a personal thing that I should have been one of the designers, not at all. But I think that American fashion should have been represented . . . what [Met Director Gelb] is telling me is that the American industry and American talent is not as good as the one he can get from Europe.'"

Gelb insists he was simply choosing the designers he felt were best for the event rather than allowing nationality to influence his decision. De la Renta counters that there are numerous talented American designers (for example, himself, Marc Jacobs, Peter Som, Doo.ri Chung, Narciso Rodriguez, Erin Fetherston, Thakoon Panichgul, Zac Posen, Vera Wang, etc.) who would have been thrilled to have been selected for such a job, and that in a period of economic slowdown, it is grossly negligent on the part of Gelb and the Met to accept U.S. Government art grants and ask for financial support from U.S. patrons while ignoring the U.S. fashion industry when it wants its costumes designed.

De la Renta canceled his financial contribution to the Met for this year: "I thought the check had been sent out," de la Renta said. "When I talked to the office yesterday, they said yes, the check is still here. So I said, 'Don't send it.' It sounds petty," de la Renta continued. "But this is the place where I work. I think that there is a tremendous amount of talent in this country. I have to defend the talent in this country."

3. Gucci CEO Steps Down Amid Signs of Slowing Growth:
"In major surprise for the fashion industry, Mark Lee has announced that he will quit his position as CEO of Gucci on Dec. 31, 2008, in a remarkable example of a brilliant manager taking time off. The news was doubly startling, seeing the results Lee had achieved at Gucci, which has enjoyed a remarkable 46 percent surge in global sales collectively in the past three years under his management. . . . Nonetheless, Gucci has not been spared the recent downturn in the luxury business, posting flat operating income of 285 million euros, or $413 million, in the most recent quarter."

Some reports claim that he stepped down freely, while there are also rumors that he was forced out by PPR management disappointed in Gucci's downward trending sales results for the first two quarters of 2008. Either way, Mr. Lee is stepping down right before the worst of the sh*t hits the economic fan, and I'm certain he leaves with a nice severance package tucked under his arm, too. Smart man.

The more I read and hear about the shrinking global economy, the more irrelevant and almost Plug Your Ears La La La! bizarre a collection like the one below appears (Gucci Menswear Spring/Summer 2009):

4. Pucci Names Norwegian Designer as New Creative Director:
"Peter Dundas, the Norwegian designer of colorful, hippie de luxe glamour, will be the new creative director at Emilio Pucci . . . In the game of designer musical chairs, Dundas was tapped as the creative director at Ungaro in Paris, after serving as the right hand of the Italian designer Roberto Cavalli. He was ousted from Ungaro and joined Revillon, where he has found critical and commercial success."

Below is a video clip of a collection Dundas designed for Ungaro for Fall 2006:

5. Designer Fashion Phones Continue to Ring Up Sales:
"(ABI Research) has forecasted that the luxury phone segment's annual, global revenue will exceed $11 billion next year and surpass $43 billion by 2013 . . . the traditional players -- carriers, vendors and retailers -- all benefit, as do the luxury brands themselves, according to ABI Research analyst Kevin Burden. The LG Prada phone, for example, allows Prada -- with its traditionally female customer base -- to extend its appeal to men as well . . . Dolce & Gabbana's customer base for its line of clothing, footwear and handbags may well throw a handset into their gilded shopping cart."

Amusing video clip below of a youtube user lovingly displaying her blinged-out Gucci phone with diamonds, complete with Celine Dion power ballad in the background:

UPDATE:

Chanel is the No. 1 Knock-Off Brand in South Korea:
"French luxury brand Chanel most frequently falls victim to widespread trademark breaches in South Korea, which continues to grapple with rampant circulation of fake designer products, a government report showed Sunday . . . South Korea is famous for its 'super fake,' or class A, designer goods, which are said to be perfect imitations of the originals . . . Seoul's failure to effectively crack down on piracy of luxury brands has been a major stumbling block in bilateral trade with the European Union and the United States, with over 3,000 counterfeit sales being detected annually since 2004."

Hmmm, not exactly the kind of Top Spot I'd be shooting for if I were a major luxury brand. Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but it's also the costliest when it comes in the shape of pirated logos and counterfeit designs.

ROTE FARINA MARKE KOLNISCH JUCHTEN: Ok, like -- OMG! Translation: If you're in the market for a dry woods and cracked leather fragrance, you should definitely kick the tires on this one.

"Juchten" is the German word for Russian Leather, and this is dark, charred, leather for the hard to please leather-scent fan. Alleged to have been created by European monks in the 16th century (or so says one Internet story, though the much more reliable Marina at Perfume Smellin' Things writes that "it was first produced a couple of hundred years ago by Johann Maria Farina (or "Johann Maria Farina gegenüber dem Jülichs-platz"), the world's oldest Eau de Cologne manufacturer in Cologne, established in 1709"), Russian leather is said to have acquired its dark, smoky odor due to the application of birch tar in the treatment process.

Kolnisch Juchten is crammed with birch tar, which lends it a deep, campfire smoke tone. This is fattened up with some nice tobacco leaf, a cracklin' dry wood and a healthy dollop of patchouli. My one complaint is that, while I love everything about its smoky, charred wood opening and leathery mid-phase, it finishes up on a thin, weak amber note that undercuts everything that came before it.

I was all prepared to give it a hugely enthusiastic thumbs-up, but I feel the amber lacks the necessary depth and strength to support the structure.

MONTALE ORIENT EXTREME: Montale can make a great fragrance, but they often stumble when it comes to the volume level. Orient Extreme is supposed to be a mix of roses, sandalwood, spices, musk and benzoin, but what sounds great on paper comes across as muddled and brash, trying hard to attract notice by talking ever louder rather than displaying an intelligent grasp of the subject matter.

The perfume field is a crowded one, and while shouting "Fire!" in a packed theater will definitely get everyone's attention, it won't win you any accolades -- even if you apologize and start talking softly later on (and Orient Extreme does both). But people remember, you know.

I'll give it points, however, for an exceptional musky drydown. It's a damn shame the stuff shouts so loudly at the beginning.

DOMENICO CARACENI 1913: A fully unexpected and entirely pleasant surprise. Everything that's wrong with Montale Orient Extreme is right with Domenico Caraceni 1913.

The volume is subtle, the list of notes reads like a Who's Who of your favorite incense-chypre ingredients (petit grain, styrax, geranium bourbon, neroli bigarade, rose, tobacco, cypress, frankincense) and the blending is pitch perfect. The rose isn't too rosy, the incense isn't too smoky, the citrus is subdued and the woods are tweaked just so.

Domenico Caraceni 1913 stays close to the skin and wears like a tailor made suit, yet for all its elegance, it's entirely casual and easy. It's not going to win any converts from those hoping for the experimental and daring, but DC 1913 is a good example of a well-made, well-done, goes with everything fragrance.

If you're tired of the usual Office-Friendly suspects and would like a change of pace, I nominate DC 1913.

IL PROFUMO VETIVER DE JAVA: There's not much to say about Vetiver de Java. It's decent enough -- the vetiver is blended with some light florals and woods to result in an everyday wearable, earthy fragrance, but it by no means distinguishes itself, in any way.

It's mild and mossy, with a lavender overbite (full disclosure: lavender could disappear from the face of the earth and I wouldn't shed a tear) and a soft rose layered throughout, but it's difficult to imagine anyone getting excited about wearing it. It's like Clark Kent in a bottle when you're actually staring out the window and pining for Superman.

If Clark Kent is your thing, however, have at it! Guys who wear glasses and all that.

But again, the perfume field is ever more crowded, and if Il Profumo wants someone to fork over his/her hard-earned cash for a bottle, they'll have to try a little harder than Vetiver de Java.

PARFUMERIE GENERALE PSYCHOTROPE: Psychotrope is described as a leather-jasmine scent, inspired "from a vision of a flower with leather petals" -- which does sound intriguing when you get right down to it, yet while Psychotrope fulfills the flower end of the bargain, the leather aspect is left a bit wanting.

Psychotrope opens with a green-floral flourish, though rounded rather than piercing thanks to the prominent placement of jasmine, one of the earthier florals in a perfumers palette. I get a good dose of violets and lilac, as well, plus a bit of salt water, but the black leather that's supposed to found in the base of the composition eludes me (especially due to the watery element -- whoever heard of a watery leather?) and appears included in the list of notes as a suggestion of how the company wishes you to perceive the product rather than how it actually comes across.

Which is not to say that this isn't a perfectly good fragrance in and of itself -- Psychotrope should definitely appeal to those who are looking for a floral perfume that's not powdery, sweet or naive, the equivalent of a brunette in a bottle, or a floral fragrance for the girls who wear glasses.

It smells like how I would assume this scene would smell were I to be standing there in real life (with the addition of some treemoss):

Not too shabby. But don't buy the hype about the leather -- there's hardly any there there.

PROFUMUM CONFETTO: starts off on a high and sweetly bright note, then lowers altitude, smooths itself out and pretty much stays course on the medium-body highway from then on.

I keep thinking of candy when I smell this on my skin -- it's sweet and a little sticky. Nothing minty or chocolate, but more like a warm gumdrop kind of scent. The anise pushes it even further in this direction once it makes its presence known.

Probably more of a fun, party fragrance than anything you'd wear seriously. Gourmand fans might be thrilled with its almond and anise composition, but it lacks the deeper, bitter spices necessary to give it oomph and drama. There's a bit of musk at the base, but this only sours up the mixture rather than adding depth. A sour licorice gumdrop? No thanks.

TANN ROKKA AKI: an opening burst of citrus (or something -- maybe it's the camphorous note of the patchouli?) that's quickly overtaken by a terrific blend of ambers and woods. I was certain I would find that Aki did not live up to its hype in the slightest, but I'm more than happy to admit that I was wrong wrong wrong.

This is a beautiful example of a woody-oriental, with the vetiver, patchouli (and the patchouli is excellent) and cedar balancing out the amber sweetness so that the fragrance as a whole glides expertly across the tightrope, performing a balancing act so effortless and full of grace that you forget the countless others that have plunged clumsily to the nets below.

I'm ordinarily not the biggest fan of cedar frags, but Aki is so well-blended, its wood note full and dry, that I'm impressed in spite of myself. If Tann Rokka Aki had a Chanel or Gucci label slapped on it, I'm guessing it would be a big hit. As it is, this is a best kept secret you should be willing to explore, especially if you like woody-orientals to begin with.

THIERRY MUGLER A TRAVERS LE MIROIR: I have no idea what to make of A Travers le Miroir. There's a definite vinegar type quality that's not particularly my idea of what I want to wear on my skin, or smell all day wafting in my wake.

It's not downright awful, though it's close, and it's certainly nothing I would ever choose for myself, or for anyone else -- and if I ever did smell it on someone else, I would wonder what they were thinking; how, with so many other good to amazing perfumes out on the market, they would settle on the thin, vinegary A Travers le Miroir as the scent that best represents the image they wish to project to the public.

If you're looking for a zingy, non-citrus fragrance, I would take a pass on A Travers le Miroir and go for L'Artisan's Dzing! instead. In all fairness, however, peredepierre gives it high marks, stating: "Opening with a tangy, metallic floral note, a woody backdrop soon joins the picture and creates a very unique pairing. There's also a hint of licorice that marries surprisingly well with the floral tones. The whole "masculine/feminine" angle is hardly new, and doesn't always work as intended, but Dadier hit a homerun with his interpretation."

So I say take a pass, while peredepierre claims it's a home-run. Proceed with caution.

I recently ran across an article about Frederic Malle in the Weekend Magazine edition of the Financial Times -- it was gushingly complimentary and focused on the concept of Frederic Malle hiring the top perfume creators of our time to design the fragrances that they most wanted to make, regardless of cost or market trends.

It sounds like a good PR story, and if completely true, a fascinating way to position a perfume brand -- more as works of perfume art than mere scents for daily wear. An acquaintance of mine actually described the Malle line in just that way, as more intellectually interesting than easily wearable, so I figured it would be good to test that assertion for myself with the two Frederic Malle spray vials in my To Do drawer: Musc Ravageur and Bigarade Concentree.

MUSC RAVAGEUR: I've had a variety of experiences with musk scents -- the light, barely there veil of LesNez L'Antimatiere; the weirdly attractive S-eX from S-Perfume; the pleasant though overhyped Serge Lutens Muscs Kublai Khan; the oh too-flowery Bruno Acampora Musc -- so I was definitely interested in what a master of perfumery (Maurice Roucel, creator of Hermes 24 Faubourg, Rochas Tocade, Gucci Envy, Shalini and more) would concoct as his must-have take on Musc.

What's most striking about Musc Ravageur is that it is immediately attractive, straight out of the nozzle. A number of high-quality potions require the patience of Job as you wait for them to unfurl, but Musc Ravageur isn't the least bit shy and you get the goods right from the start. It's not flowery, either, which is a good thing, as I felt all the florals in the Bruno Acampora Musc pretty much knee-capped the composition, crippling its ability to function as a real musc fragrance should (IMO).

But Musc Ravageur does have its faults. For all its outright charm, the cinnamon gets a little thick and the vanilla rather overdone. The musc is there, and it's high quality, but it keeps itself too much in the background as the cinnamon and vanilla do their tag-team tap dance -- there have been complaints that MR is cloying, and I can fully understand where that sentiment comes from. Even the slightest over-application and you might feel like you've been soaked with a vanilla/sandalwood hose.

Actually, MR resembles more a classic Guerlain fragrance with that sweet vanilla base than a contemporary, 21st century musc, but if that's what Maurice Roucel wanted, then that's what he got. I wouldn't buy this for myself, but someone who really appreciates the scent of vanilla, as well as the House of Guerlain, might go truly mad for a bottle of it.

BIGARADE CONCENTREE: Jean Claude Ellena was the master perfumer tapped for this assignment, and he delivers in his usual, understated style.

I'm probably not the best person to review this fragrance, as citrus perfumes leave me entirely unmoved and Bigarade Concentree is like one long, drawn-out hallway strewn with orange rinds.

There's a hint of bitter earthiness to the mix, but it's mostly a day trip down the orange grove highway, and if that's your thing, then you'll love Bigarade Concentree. If a full-on orange peel perfume doesn't sound appealing, then it would be best to skip BC altogether, even despite the presence of Jean Claude Ellena's name on the label.

***Note: Frederic Malle is the only perfume line that recognizes the perfume creator's work by listing his/her name prominently on the brand label. Most contemporary perfume brands, including the mainstream lines such as Armani, Dior, Calvin Klein, YSL, etc, all hire outside perfumers to create their fragrances, yet they never put their names on the bottle or give them credit in their ads and PR materials.

No, I'm not talking about the rash of festivities celebrating the closure of New York Fashion Week, silly. I'm referring, instead, to the release of the impossible to find (in the U.S.) Italian designer fragrance The Party in Manhattan -- an homage to a perfume originally launched in the 1930's at a star-studded party in Manhattan (natch).

Everything old is new again, and the reintroduction of The Party is one more notch in the belt of the retro game now being played across the entire luxury goods industry. March from Perfume Posse states: "(The Party in Manhattan is) incredibly elegant, and in an unmarked vial I'd have guessed vintage Guerlain or Caron . . . it's very sexy, but only if you find Jicky and Mitsouko sexy." And while I don't necessarily find fragrances "sexy" period, I will say that The Party in Manhattan is extremely well formulated, exhibits a base that's structured like a classic French fragrance and it smells terrifically layered and warm -- not at all synthetic, cheap, screechy or strident.

The vetiver and patchouli rein in the sweetness of the amber to a good extent, the musks melt into the skin and the florals exist to bring balance to the composition rather than acting as a main focus. There's a good argument that can be made regarding the perfume's "sweaty" party vibe, as the Party in Manhattan does not function as a distraction from the smells of everyday life, but rather, it works to enrich your own natural scent by adding a dollop of brown sugar to your body-heat and a sense of depth to your personal space.

Definitely a perfume that's meant for the "I love a good, deep, musky oriental" crowd, and it's a perfect example of something I'd purchase immediately if I could get a hold of it. It's similar to Bal a Versailles, but with the florals and amber toned down in favor of highlighting the earthier elements.

It seems to be for sale everywhere in Italy, but I have yet to stumble across anyone selling it in the United States. The Scented Salamander provides a phone number in Italy should you wish to make a long-distance call and inquire about having some shipped to the U.S. Now Smell This notes that it's also offered for sale at Harrods in London. I've sent out some emails asking about export policies and what it takes to get it shipped to the United States, so I'll update this post with any answers I receive (should I receive any answers at all).

OFF TOPIC:

Racy new Guerlain Shalimar commercial:

"If you looked like me, you'd roll around naked on your sofa, too."

What does it smell like? Who cares!

UPDATE:

This is the email reply I received from Harrods: "Thank you for your e-mail regarding "The Party", yes we do stock it in our Parfumerie. Unfortunately, we cannot send perfume to the United States due to their new security regulations. I have spoken to the Harrods dispatch department and they informed me that the US customs department is not accepting parcels containing any chemical/fluid from abroad."

So, no ordering from Harrods. Plus, in the comments below, March from Perfume Posse stopped by to note that the Italian telephone number listed in the Scented Salamander post doesn't appear to yield any results. It looks like this is one of those "You must apply in person to purchase this perfume" kind of fragrances.

UPDATE 2:

And Lucky Scent now has it available on their site -- The Party in Manhattan

Click here to see some photos I snapped of the bottle and packaging.

I was feeling very Back In Black today, hence the Noire and the Nero, though I've usually found that any fragrances indulging in the "black" label are most likely not as deserving of the goth mantle as they pretend. I'm happy to report, however, that Mona di Orio Nuit Noire and i Profumi di Firenze Muschio Nero both have their heads in a black hole and their hearts in an appropriately inky blot of psycho-space.

Let the rorschachs begin!

MONA Di ORIO NUIT NOIRE: Lee at Perfume Posse had this to say about Mona di Orio fragrances in general: "All of di Orio's scents . . . have struck me as startling - not necessarily difficult to wear, but tricky, opulent numbers which take you in unusual and unexpected directions. You either enjoy the nasal hairpin bends or feel nausea at the journey."

Nuit Noire is (fortunately for me) the enjoyable type of opulent hairpin bend. It's challenging while still supplying a jolt of that olfactory thrill, and thank god because I've just about had it up to my eyeballs in narcolepsy induction sessions: "Oh, great, another flowery citrusy soapy zzzzzzzzzzz . . . huh? Wha?"

Nuit Noire mercifully spares us the boredom and heads straight for the funhouse, instead, with a confidence in its own craftsmanship that inspires an equal and emotional reaction -- like cliff-diving for the very first time. Are you being foolish? Maybe. Are you having a great time? Hell yeah!

Orange blossom, cardamom, tuberose, clove, sandalwood, amber, leather . . . the list of notes reads like an old-world piece of French perfume art (with a musk that's bold and dark rather than white and soapy, thank you very much), but Nuit Noire has been tweaked for the 21st century (i.e. it's more straight-forward and efficient) and the longer it sits on your skin, the more intriguing and attractive it becomes. Or you become. Or you both become. Or maybe it's just the world whizzing and rearranging its pieces and parts around you while you sit, contemplating your own now marvelously fragrant, fuzzy navel . . . or something.

If you appreciate a modern take on old-world French perfumery, then Nuit Noire comes highly recommended. A photo of the Nuit Noire bottle below:

You can find more photos of Nuit Noire at the following link -- Photos: Mona di Orio Nuit Noire

I PROFUMI DI FIRENZE MUSCHIO NERO: allegedly handmade, all-natural and based on recipes translated from an original manuscript discovered after the big flood in Florence in 1966, Muschio Nero means "black musk" and it's a heady, potent brew.

Where Nuit Noire is warm, with a rich tuberose at its heart and a golden tonka/amber in its base, Muschio Nero is a slice of dry, pitchy darkness on a plate with just the barest drizzle of honey over the top. It doesn't have any of the flowers of Nuit Noire, so it stays firmly entrenched in its bitter woods, opium spices and black musks, and if you've ever wanted someone to lean in close to you and then, startled, find themselves unable to pull back away, Muschio Nero will be your gravity in a bottle.

Muschio Nero is my favorite of the two, but as with any high-quality all-natural scent, its sweet sweet life is shorter than I'd prefer. It does manage to hang around for a solid several hours before its many charms begin to fade, but Nuit Noire will undoubtedly be the one to claim its rightful place on my trophy shelf, as a result.

The Firenze line is sold only in their boutique in Florence, Italy, but you can purchase samples from The Perfumed Court -- which is where I found mine. Mona di Orio can be purchased through Aedes New York.

Marc Jacobs Steals the Show in New York:
"Retail sales are in a slump, we're in a historic mortgage and credit crisis, and the eyes of the world are riveted on our heated presidential race, not our runways . . . Which is why Marc Jacobs' show was so brilliant. He didn't just show us clothes, he showed us a way to dress, acknowledging that in hard times, style comes before fashion . . . Jacobs' collection was a melting pot of influences, combining classical draping with the rhythms of the street; the finest foiled florals with the plaids of a work shirt; a sculpted, couture-like jacket with a shiny scrap of fabric that could have been picked up at a flea market . . . In the midst of an election that is shining a light on what it means to be a woman in America, Jacobs embraced the experience, then put it in a blender."

The response of the fashion press to the Jacobs show was one of near unanimous approval, mostly for his ability to embrace the economic downturn by showcasing a collection of separates and accessories that can be worn anywhere and with anything. A video clip of the Jacobs show is below:

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin Sparks a Fashion Frenzy:
"Since John McCain chose her last month as his running mate, Gov. Palin's personal style has sparked a buying frenzy. Many women are snapping up her choices of shoes and eyeglasses and blogging about which brand of lipstick she wears . . . This year, the sight of Michelle Obama in a $148 black-and-white tank dress on ABC's "The View" in June helped popularize Chico's FAS Inc.'s White House|Black Market brand. But the prospect of having a national candidate who is a former beauty queen and in the news every day is even better for business, many fashion companies say."

Video clip below of an ABC news report that talks about how sales of rimless glasses have skyrocketed ever since Palin appeared on the national stage:

Million Dollar Counterfeit Goods Bust in Canada:
"This week, RCMP officers swooped down on a retail store in Langley, snapped up armloads of phony Prada and Gucci bags and arrested two women for selling counterfeit goods. The seizure was notable for its size - police estimate that goods involved had a retail value of up to $1-million - and for taking place in Langley, known more for horses than high fashion . . . The exact value of counterfeit goods entering Canada is not known, but it easily amounts to "several billion" dollars a year, Cpl. Massie said, adding that an estimated 80 per cent of such goods are from China."

A $1 million dollar bust is a drop in the bucket where counterfeit goods are concerned, but it looks like police are changing tactics and busting the retailers who sell the goods rather than chase the counterfeiters themselves. This kind of tactic will make the retailers of counterfeit products nervous and hopefully diminish wholesale demand for the fake bags, watches and other goods.

Could McDreamy Already Be McDumped:
"Versace has . . . reportedly replaced their old spokesperson Patrick Dempsey with Chace Crawford. Versace put out a statement that Chace been outfitted by the label for his past three events he's attended . . . When the label was approached about the rumors of signing Chace, a spokesperson said: 'We have been working hard to develop our relationship with Chace - and that is all we can say on the subject. Patrick Dempsey is contracted with us through to Spring/Summer 2009. It is undetermined who will replace him at this time.'"

Chace Crawford is significantly younger than Dempsey, just as Gossip Girl (Crawford's TV vehicle) targets a significantly younger demographic than Dempsey's Gray's Anatomy. I did think that Dempsey, no matter his popularity at the time, was an odd fit as a Versace spokesmodel, and it seems that Versace agrees. It certainly didn't take long . . .

Teenagers are Now Buying Into the Luxury Lifestyle:
"An increasing number of teens aren't buying $40 Gap sweaters anymore. They're buying $400 Armani cashmere sweaters with seemingly recession-proof allowances. Designer labels make up about 15.3 percent of 13- 17-year-olds' purchases, compared with 9.6 percent five years ago, according to the NPD Group, a market research firm based in Port Washington, N.Y . . . Since 2003, Armani climbed 29 points in the "Brand Love index," a list of teens' favorite brands compiled by the Harrison Group, a marketing consulting company out of Waterbury, Conn. Compared with a year ago, girls now spend 11 percent more on luxury items, even though their overall spending on clothes, shoes and accessories fell three percent, according to the NPD Group."

I remember when Levis were the coolest jeans you could own. I'm sure parents look back with great fondness on those days . . . this also might help explain Versace's contemplation of the young Chace Crawford as their new face for menswear.

Chris Benz Spring 2009:

"A kind of All-American rebel but with still a bit of innocence . . . "

Awesome.

It's raining cats and dogs outside thanks to Hurrican Ike off the Texas coast, so what better way to spend a grey, rain-soaked day than spraying my arms from various sample vials?

Right, I didn't think you could come up with an answer, either. So let's get down to business!

L'ARTISAN PARFUMEUR PIMENT BRULANT: Alleged to be based on an ancient Aztec love potion consumed by Emperor Moctezuma, my first mistake in approaching Piment Brulant was in assuming that the "red pepper" listed as an olfactory note meant that I was hopping on the spicy-hot car of the chocolate train (chocolate is also listed as an olfactory note). I couldn't have been more wrong.

You know the smell you get when you're chopping fresh hot peppers to use in a sauce, soup or stew? The smell that's more like a green bell pepper than a black spicy pepper? Well, that's the essence of Piment Brulant -- a very prominent vegetal pepper that leaves you smelling more like a produce aisle than a wham-bam love potion. I don't know about you, but the desire to reek of vegetables is not why I fork over my hard-earned sheckels for a bottle of scent.

The chocolate/vanilla/clove triumvirate eventually battles its way to the front of the line (though it never fully shakes the veggie curse), but by that time I've paid the cashier, bagged my own groceries and headed out the door. Thanks, but no thanks.

S-PERFUME 100% LOVE: I'm not exactly certain what to make of 100% Love. It has foody elements (dark chocolate, fruit pulp), but it's not a gourmand; it contains a dark rose scent, but it's not a floral; and there are some smoky notes, but it's not an incense fragrance.

Is it muddled or balanced? A mess or perfectly blended? Honestly, I don't know. I lean towards the idea that it's a bit of a muddled mess, with too many stars competing for the spotlight and not enough supporting players to help any one of them shine. It has its moments where I think it's going to pull it off, a brief flash now and then of "A-ha! So THAT'S what this is all about!" and then the narrative is lost and I'm back to square one.

It's entirely possible that 100% Love was created as a sort of rich, velvet-curtain backdrop against which your own winning personality is meant to sparkle, but there's a difference between standing in front of a velvet curtain and wearing the velvet curtain -- the former enhances your presence while the latter smothers your wattage. Guess which one 100% Love is?

"Thank you. I saw it in the window and I just couldn't resist . . . "

About two hours in, 100% Love finally gets all quietly smoky and pleasant, but two hours is too long to make me wait for the good stuff, and besides, am I wrong for wanting to love (rather than merely like) something that dares call itself 100% Love?

STEPHANIE DE SAINT-AIGNAN TOBACCO MUCHO: starts off like green tobacco leaves soaked in sugar water, then eventually finds its way to a dusty-sweet pipe tobacco finish. Not great, but not particularly awful, either. I realize I've just damned the thing with faint praise, but when faint praise is the shoe that fits, there's no point in asking for a different size.

BALMAIN AMBRE GRIS: a stick thin concoction with a slightly acrid chemical wake. No heft, no weight, no rich honied layers, nothing like what you'd expect from an amber perfume. Escentric Molecules Escentric 02 does this zero-calorie amber concept to much better effect.

Damn, that was zero for four in the enjoyment stakes! Perhaps there actually were better ways for me to spend a rainy afternoon. Now excuse me while I go scrub the skin off my arms . . .

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I was wary of crossing another Opoponax bridge after my near-fatal run-in with Les Nereides Imperial Opoponax (which, by the way, I sent off to my sixteen year old niece, who squealed with delight upon receiving it and is most likely, as I type this, cruising down the halls of her high-school trailing an odiferous wake of Nilla Wafer splendipitude), and I haven't had the best of luck so far with the Ava Luxe brand, but I woke up this morning in a determined mood (after having battled an army of zombies all night in my dreams -- zombies that, curiously, smelled like Dior Miss Cherie!) and when I opened my sample box and saw a vial of Ava Luxe Opoponax Intense, I knew I'd found my calling for the day.

I had steeled myself for a blast of jaw-clenching sweetness, but that's not what happened; instead, I was met by a richly layered incense that starts off with a dusting of a la orange (hesperides) but ends up smoky, dusky, a little amberish and pretty much exactly what I'd always assumed an incense fragrance should smell like.

While not as blatantly arty as a Montale or a Serge Lutens, Ava Luxe's Opoponax Intense still manages to hit the right creative balance without going over the top -- and for a fragrance with an ingredients list that reads like a Who's Who of nose-walloping resins (opoponax, amber, benzoin, myrrhe, balsam and frankincense), that's no small feat.

BTW: the BF just walked through the door, looked around and said, "Did you get some incense? What smells like incense?" So . . . yeah, there you go.

***Note: Ava Luxe also has a fragrance called, simply, Opoponax. Opoponax Intense is said to be a darker, richer version of the original Opoponax.

UPDATE: 09/23/08

I ordered a small bottle of the Opoponax Intense to see if repeated exposure would match up to the sample experience. As fate would have it, not one hour after receiving the package today, I dropped the bottle and it broke on my bathroom floor, spilling its contents across the tiles.

Needless to say, I'm suffering a rather fragrant bathroom area at the moment, despite my best mopping up efforts. Thank god the BF is gone on a business trip -- he'd be raising holy hell.

I did manage one generous spray on my arm before I dropped the bottle, and it smells similar to what I remember the sample smelling like, though a bit more harsh and high-pitched at the opening (variance in fragrance batches is more likely to happen with smaller fragrance companies, especially should they be using a larger percentage of natural essences in the formula).

It's a very potent incense scent -- not quite as pleasant at the front-end as I remembered, but the drydown is still decent. I'm not so into it that I'll be ordering another bottle, however.

Some video clips below of the New York Spring/Summer 2009 runway shows from several of my favorite rising stars of the fashion world. Enjoy!

Anna Sui:

Doo.Ri (Chung):

Brian Reyes:

Matthew Williamson:

Peter Som:

Created in 1962, Bal a Versailles sports a defiantly retro-French image: rounded little jewel of a bottle, gleaming metallic gold packaging, a pastel label adorned with a pretty young girl in a flouncy dress holding a bouquet of flowers -- it exists almost like a snapshot of the establishment's disconnect from the social and sexual upheavals headed its way.

To the credit of Jean Desprez, it's 2008 and they haven't changed the packaging one bit to suit the changing times, though I can't fully decide if that's courageous or foolhardy -- maybe a bit of both? But what comes around usually comes around again (and again), and now the packaging for Bal a Versailles (not to mention the actual contents of the bottle) seems charmingly in vogue, almost tongue-in-cheek ironic if you're unaware that it's approaching its fifth decade of production.

What makes it even more ironic is that such a dainty little package contains a product that a good portion of contemporary women find much too dark and "dirty" to even contemplate wearing. Bal a Versailles is a classic oriental in its structure, with just enough florals in its intro to fool you into wearing it to your next tea party, but once it settles down into dry, earthy woods and ambered musks, the china will be rattling, the silver spoons clanking and you'll be excusing yourself for a quick trip to wherever the air isn't punctuated with the sharp knives of social disapproval.

But how were you to know? The bottle is so pretty!

Bal a Versailles is a throw-back to old-school French perfumery, civet musk and all. The florals last for about the first thirty minutes, then the whole thing drops all attempts at feminine sensibility and plunges five registers down into a deep woods and amber mix (the sandalwood is very nicely done, if you like that kind of thing). The result is a fragrance that's more masculine than about 75% of the so-called masculines now on the market, pastel labels be damned.

If I didn't know any better, I'd swear Tom Ford was somehow involved . . .

***Note: this review is for the parfum version, which, though potent, wears fairly close to the skin; I've read that the EDT is much more dry and loud.

Photos of the bottle and packaging below:

After downloading the newsletter update to Perfumes: The Guide and reading through the new reviews, I found it a little strange that several perfumes were derided as "too loud" when Luca Turin is nothing if not a fan of big, loud, bullhorns disguised as fragrances. For example: Bond No. 9 Chinatown -- five stars; Thierry Mugler Angel -- five stars; Gucci Envy -- five stars; YSL Kouros -- five stars; Dior Poison -- five stars; Guerlain Mistouko -- five stars; the list goes on and on.

I'm reaching the point where I regard the perfume reviews of Luca Turin the way one might regard the rantings of a crazy uncle -- entertaining, but ultimately useless in any real-world sense. While the reviews collected for the actual book displayed a certain consistency in outlook, the new reviews available for visitors to the website appear rushed and weirdly contradictory.

Boucheron Boucheron is described as a "massive floral" and receives five stars for its "oversized heavy beauty"; Serge Lutens El Attarine is rated four stars and the accompanying text is chock full of words like "louder", "heavier", "supercharged" and "enormous"; the huge Giorgio from Giorgio Beverly Hills is feted with four stars while also complimented as containing a "monstrously powerful tuberose"; and Guerlain's Insolence is rewarded with five stars and crowned as a "Godzilla floral" -- so it's with more than a little confusion that I read his two-star review for the very wearable Nasomatto Narcotic Venus: "Tuberose foghorn -- blaring, unsubtle, a kind of scrambled Insolence without the skill and the fun. If you meet someone who wears this, run."

Uhm, okay, sure. I'll stand my ground for the girl in a flame-breathing Godzilla Floral, but run at the approach of a mere Foghorn Tuberose? Correct me if I'm wrong, but criticizing Narcotic Venus for not being subtle enough while praising other fragrances for their massive, heavy, outsized, monstrous and Godzilla-like qualities makes for a classic example of cognitive dissonance.

I've laughed before with a friend of mine about Turin's salivating penchant for perfumes that are the olfactory equivalents of large-breasted Rubenesque females cinched into whalebone corsets, and it's precisely this enslavement to old-fashioned notions of beauty that threatens to undercut the detached scientist-critic image Turin worked to project in Perfumes: The Guide and Chandler Burr's The Emperor of Scent.

Narcotic Venus is a flat-out high-heels and take no prisoners floral (with a radiant, woody-floral drydown), yet its femininity is informed more by contemporary ideals of strength as beauty rather than the Rubens, corsets and beauty-as-strength femininity of the 1700's, and this is where I diverge wildly from Luca Turin in my opinion of what makes for a successful feminine fragrance.

Intellectual curiosity, emotional independence and casual confidence? I'm right there with you (thanks Le Labo and Comme des Garcons!). But the sweet, sticky and furtively traditional notions of womanhood that peer from behind the curtains of the Shalimars, Mitsoukos and Tocades? I'll take a pass.

For what it's worth, Turin gave Serge Lutens Tuberose Criminelle, a true foghorn of a mentholated tuberose if there ever was one (and a fragrance that I find near screechingly unbearable), a four-star review in his book, so his prim, "it's blaring and unsubtle!" take on the far more languid Narcotic Venus just doesn't ring true for me. He must have run out of coffee that day, or he got in a fight with Tania, or something.

BTW, another example of the Turin cognitive dissonance: in Perfumes: The Guide, Turin objected with vehemence to the trend of Sport fragrances -- "This stuff is for the generic guy wishing to meet a generic girl to have generic offspring. It has nothing to do with any other pleasure than that of merging with the crowd. My fondest hope is everyone will stop buying them and the genre will perish. Just say no." But his latest review for Dior Homme Sport? Four stars (out of five) -- "riveting compared to the competition. As such, it deserves to be very successful."

So you'll understand when I say that I'm removing my copy of Perfumes: The Guide from the reference pile and filing it under "comedy" . . .

THE DIFFERENT COMPANY SUBLIME BALKISS: this is my first run-in with The Different Company, a niche Parisian fragrance company founded in 2000 by Thierry de Baschmakoff and Jean Claude Ellena (before he was tapped to be in-house perfumer for Hermes -- his daughter, Céline Ellena, now fills his shoes as head perfumer for the brand).

Sublime Balkiss, the latest offering from TDC, is said to have been inspired by Balkiss (aka Bilqis), the Queen of Sheba -- a powerful figure noted in both Judaic and Islamic historical/religious texts. In Hebrew lore, Balkiss "heard of the great wisdom of King Solomon of Israel and journeyed there with gifts of spices, gold, precious stones, and beautiful wood and to test him with questions", so I assume that the fragrance named after her is an attempt at referencing the woods, precious metals and spices mentioned above. In that respect, it fails miserably, and seems a poorly matched subject for a minimalist perfumer like Celine Ellena.

Sublime Balkiss is presented as a modern chypre, yet without including any of those pesky chypre ingredients. I mean, if a chypre is a fragrance formula comprised of oakmoss, ambergris/labdanum and citrus/bergamot, how can a perfume that doesn't include oakmoss or ambergris/labdanum call itself a chypre? It sounds like a cynical marketing ploy to get people to talk about an otherwise unremarkable aquatic floral: "I know! We'll say it's a modern chypre, except for, you know, not being anything remotely resembling an actual chypre! They'll eat it up!"

Listed notes for Sublime Balkiss include: bergamot, violet, black and purple berries, blueberry, blackberry, blackcurrant, lily of the valley, rose, lilac and two kinds of patchouli, but it mostly smells like rose and violet water with a seriously weak patchouli bringing up the rear. The iconic stature of an ancient and powerful ruling figure is ill-served with such a wispy, boneless scent.

DIVINE L'HOMME DE COEUR: I'm not a big fan of iris fragrances, but L'Homme de Coeur manages to sneak past my iris-resistant radar and impress me anyway.

What starts off as a rather uninspired green floral warms up to a richer, earthier second act due to the vetiver, ambergris and deer tongue (deer tongue?! -- oh, okay, it's a type of grass!) mixed into the forumula. The iris keeps things a bit light, cool and silvery, even when the ambergris decides to make its move, which creates a pleasurable tight-rope act through most of its life span.

Don't be fooled by the "L'Homme" in its name -- for a man, it's a polite enough fragrance without any missteps, but i think it would exhibit a more dramatic, gender-bending flair should it be found trailing in a woman's wake.

ARMANI PRIVE PIERRE DE LUNE: thank god for Armani Prive, as I had completely lost all interest in Armani fragrances until the Prive line was introduced.

I still can't shut-up about the minimalist stun-gun of Bois d'Encens, and though Cuir Amethyst is far too black-tie for my personal taste, it's yet an accomplished concoction. Now there's Pierre de Lune, a woody iris-floral so well-balanced that you have to wonder just when the plates are going to fall crashing to the ground. Fortunately, they never do.

Arguably the most subtly attractive and even-keeled fragrance of the Prive line, but it speaks so softly you might be left wishing for a dinner date you didn't have to strain so hard to hear. You can get around its shy reticence by applying more than you would ordinarily, though at $185.00 for 50ml, the necessity of extra application might induce cardiac arrest in a good swathe of the consumer population. If you're purchasing Armani Prive in the first place, however, you're most likely not the sort to be bothered by a higher cost per usage ratio.

Exceptional and warm, it's suggested that Pierre de Lune is an olfactory homage to Arnold Schönberg's 1912 atonal musical composition Pierrot Lunaire, an examination of the paradox inherent in human existence (love and crime, sex and death, hero and fool); as such, it can be worn with confidence by both men and women (is that a paradox or just an opinion?). I prefer it to Divine L'Homme de Coeur, though that's not in any way a diss on the attractively dusty finish of L'Homme de Coeur.

GUERLAIN SOUS LE VENT: there's something about the rather staid image of Guerlain that makes me want to rebel -- spray paint its iron gates, throw rocks through its stained glass windows, toilet paper the ancient hardwood trees that line its stately drive. I confess this doesn't help me when I approach any of its fragrances for a sniff, but I was resolute in quieting my inner 14 year old this time around so that I could give Souls le Vent the dispassionate attention any fragrance testing requires. I'm glad I did.

What starts off as sharply green and herbal mellows out into a sweet and laid-back chypre that, unlike The Different Company's Sublime Balkiss, is an honest to god chypre with no tricks or PR ploys up its sleeve. With an opening of citrus and herbs, then a quick transition into dry florals such as carnation and iris (hey! iris again!), the base of the fragrance is the real kicker -- woodsy, and with some light, amberish vanilla (it is Guerlain, after all). It's like stumbling across a sugar-cookie house in the middle of a green, leafy forest and the witch answers the door in a cloud of patchouli.

I'll admit to a knee-jerk (and not very positive) reaction to vanilla in fragrances, but Sous le Vent doesn't yank my annoyance chain in the least. In fact, it smells welcoming and casual, and I can only imagine that anyone within nose-shot is going to turn your way and smile without really knowing why.

How do they rate? -- #1) Armani Prive Pierre de Lune for its technical brilliance; #2) Guerlain Sous le Vent, because it's just so gosh-darn pleasant to smell. Ask me on another day and I'd probably place this one in first; #3) Divine L'Homme de Coeur, though I'd rather Pierre de Lune or Sous le Vent; and #4) The Different Company Sublime Balkiss, which I didn't like at all and would chuck into the nearest trash bin if given half a chance.

33 percent Of Men's Perfumes are worn by Women

"Aramis, one of the best-selling men's fragrances, was, in its original incarnation, a fragrance for women. Launched in 1965, it was largely inspired by Cabochard, a women's fragrance created by the same perfumer in 1958. According to fragrance expert Roja Dove, 'There is nothing inherently masculine or feminine about a fragrance - it's all marketing.' More than half of all men's colognes are bought by women, which is why the best-selling men's fragrances are those best liked by women (something the industry's 'noses' are very conscious of). An estimated one-third of men's fragrances sold are bought by women to wear themselves."

I never thought about it from that angle before -- how a bestselling men's cologne is actually bestselling because it's being purchased by a lot of women.

It's a brilliant strategy on the part of the fragrance industry: create an ever so slightly masculinized feminine fragrance and toss it into the market for both genders to buy. While most men won't purchase a perfume with a feminine label (and most men don't purchase a whole lot of fragrance to begin with, $6.00 cans of Axe and Tag not included), a lot of females are fine with wearing "masculine" scents.

D&G Light Blue for Men is a good example. It's fruity and fresh and the only acquaintances I've known who buy into its green apple, bluebell and white roses sparkle are female, product labeling be damned.

Besides, if this Romance Novel fantasy cleverly disguised as a men's fragrance commercial isn't aimed squarely at a lady's credit card, then I don't know what is:

Seriously, if the fragrance industry were genuinely trying to create a male product and market it to actual men, there'd need to be explosions, bone-crushing body slams, major boobage, etc. I've linked previously to the video clip below, but I'm doing so again as it's pretty much the perfect example of what a fragrance commercial aimed exclusively at men would look like:

Brilliant. I'd buy it in a second . . . as long as it didn't smell like flowers and green apples.

On further reflection, Axe has the marketing for men down pat:

With advertising like that, it's not hard to figure out why sales for traditional men's colognes are falling flat while sales of body sprays are sky rocketing: "Teen boys are cutting back on their use of traditional colognes as inexpensive body sprays sold through mass retailers grab hold of their attention . . . the number of teens (13-17) wearing cologne dropped 18 percentage points in just one year. In 2006, 59 percent of teens ages 13-15 told NPD they wear cologne, down from 81 percent in 2005. For older teens, ages 16 and 17, 68 percent said they wear cologne, a drop from 80 percent in 2005."

The Spring 2009 shows have begun spilling down the catwalks in New York, yet because of the slowing US economy and the falling value of the US dollar, many designers are courting overseas retailers in an effort to make up for expected cutbacks in orders from U.S. department stores.

Designers Seek Foreign Sales:
"Stores typically place orders at showroom appointments after shows in Manhattan's Bryant Park -- roughly four to six months before the styles show up in stores. But with August sales continuing to sag, some U.S. retailers have been signaling that they won't be buying as much as in years past."

Here's an introduction to some of the looks you might not see in US Department stores come Spring:

Erin Fetherston

Rag and Bone

Nicole Miller

Yigal Azrouel

"Oscar de la Renta Ltd. expects buyers from 25 foreign stores at its runway show Wednesday, compared with three or four who have made the trip in the past, says Alex Bolen, chief executive officer of the New York fashion house . . . Designers Thakoon Panichgul and Derek Lam, meanwhile, have added longer hemlines and, in the case of Mr. Lam, long sleeves, to appeal to buyers from the Middle East. Mr. Lam plans to unveil the styles in his showroom rather than on the runway."

DIPTYQUE TAM DAO: Tania Sanchez says of Tam Dao "My new oak kitchen table arrived smelling like this: dried cut wood, the lime brightness of turpentine . . . not really a perfume, more of a lovely smell," while The Non-Blonde states that it's "mysterious, inviting and very zen . . . it starts dry and clean and evolves into a creamy almost-sweetness."

I guess they could both be right, but I lean more toward the Sanchez camp in thinking Tam Dao makes a better spray for freshening up your closet or living room than something you want to put on your skin. Diptyque is known primarily for its line of scented candles, so the room freshener moniker kind of fits.

IL PROFUMO CHOCOLAT AMERE: the success of Thierry Mugler's chocolate-fruit-&-patchouli Angel kick-started the recent gourmand trend, and Il Profumo enters the field with Chocolat Amere, a dusty, bittersweet cocoa scent that smells like a fresh delicacy from a five star French bakery. The green, herbaceous Galbanum makes an appearance in the notes list, but is employed with a light touch to counterbalance the deep cocoa. Wraps up with an unusual yet highly enjoyable ground nutmeg element that I stumble across only rarely in fine fragrance.

A Minx by Any Other Name states that "Hours into the drydown, the scent is mostly chocolate with a little woods, warm and comforting" while 1000 Fragrances calls it "a very interesting original note, not edible but dry and animalic with a dirty note that fits well."

If you're in the market for a dark chocolate gourmand that's easy on the sugar, you might consider giving Chocolat Amere a try -- not to mention that it lasts for well over five hours. It's labeled as a masculine scent, but I don't see anything about it that wouldn't work just fine for both genders, provided the genders in mention appreciate the aroma of dark, dusty spices.

MICHAEL STORER MONK FOR MEN: As a fan of incense orientals, I had high hopes for Michael Storer's Monk, and I'm sad to say that my hopes were misplaced. I'd been led to believe that Monk would be deep and intense, yet despite the presence of frankincense, sandalwood, civet, tonka and ambergris, Monk is more green and soapy than rich and smoky.

Though the ambergris makes a pleasant appearance once the bergamot has burned off, the galbanum and soapy-musk are turned up too loud to properly hear the rest of the composition. With so many really good incense perfumes now available, it would be somewhat of a disservice to yourself to settle for this one.

PEOPLE OF THE LABYRINTHS (POTL) A.MAZE: POTL went from cultishly sweet and fruity with their Luctor et Emergo, released in 1998, to a bit dull and blase with their nine-years-later follow-up A.maze. The opening is unpleasantly sour (is that saffron? If so, it's the most medicinal saffron I've yet encountered), and when it settles down and moves into the rose portion of the game, it's nice enough, but just not all that original or striking.

If you really have your heart set on a rose scent pitched with green, spicy overtones, I'd recommend Fresh Cannabis Rose instead. It costs far less than A.Maze and smells equally as good, if not better, with the added bonus of a more accessible opening act.

Rich Hippie gets a lot of blowback on the blogs for the sky-high pricing of their fragrances, which is understandable, as it does seem more than cheeky to ask for what amounts to $450.00 an ounce for something with the word "hippie" in its name (even when it's preceded by the word "rich").

But there's a lot to like about the Rich Hippie line: its commitment to natural ingredients; its use of organic grape alcohol in its base rather than alcohol derived from petroleum; its support for organic farming methods; its small-batch approach to production -- and its high prices could very well be a reflection of the cost of its ingredients. When you're using natural essences and grape alcohol rather than synthetic aromachemicals and petroleum-based alcohol, this is bound to affect the bottom line dramatically.

In other words, yes, it totally sucks that Rich Hippie perfumes are crazy expensive, but there's a certain justification for the price point (no matter whether or not you agree with it), and if you're the kind of consumer who's fully on board with supporting 100% natural products, then you might just swallow your disbelief and shell out the cash. If you're fine with your latest purchase of Dior Miss Cherie, however, the price tags for the Rich Hippie line might make your head hurt. A lot.

But with all of the above out of the way, how good are the fragrances themselves? I ordered four samples so that I could find out for myself: Woodstock, Krishna, Nirvana and Groovy.

First, let me say that for 100% natural perfumes, they pack some oomph. My biggest complaint with the likes of Social Creatures and Ayala Moriel (for example, and this is not to diss on either because they both do excellent work within the field of natural perfumery), is that no matter how striking and excellent, they come across with so much less potency and power than their synthetic counterparts that I'm left almost mystified as to where they ran off to only twenty minutes after application. While Rich Hippie costs about 4 to 5 times more than fragrances from either Social Creatures or Ayala Moriel, it could very well be that the price for Rich Hippie reflects a much higher concentration and/or quality of ingredients used.

Second, and to be fair, part of the oomph may be that these are hippie juices, and as such, they're stuffed with heavy, resinous ingredients. Woodstock is a big, bold mix of frankincense, myrrhe and sandalwood with some light florals sprinkled over the top, and while the florals are actually very nice (they remind me of the quality florals used in Clive Christian No. 1 for Men), what you're mostly smelling is a snout-full of frankincense, myrrhe and sandalwood. So yeah, it lasts a little longer than most natural perfumes, but slather yourself in this juice and you are definitely walking out the door in a cloud of post-60's bohemian chic (fringed shawl and maxi dress not included).

Krishna packs a punch, as well, with a bright smack upside the head of bay leaf, juniper berry and eucalyptus leaf. The description states that lavender, champaca and chamomile are also present, but hoo-doggy, that eucalyptus is a chatterbox and you'll have to put up with its nonstop noise for a while before the flowers get a chance to roll on in. Unfortunately for me, eucalyptus has an association with bathroom fresheners -- I think it was in the 1980's where nearly every house I visited had a great big vase full of eucalyptus branches by the bathroom sink. I think even Glade came out with some eucalyptus smelling aerosol freshener. This doesn't predispose me to hand over $225.00 for a half ounce bottle.

Next, we head into Nirvana, and it's becoming quite clear that Rich Hippie is a potent stinkbomb of a brand. Bay leaf makes another appearance, along with a bergamot peel that smells like it was freshly scored off the fruit. Sandalwood brings up the rear, and it's a pleasantly simple brew. In fact, the Rich Hippie perfumes don't really get all that complex or engage in any radical evolutions -- the appeal of Rich Hippie is the decision to favor natural simplicity over chemical trickery, so when the ingredient list involves bergamot, bay leaf and sandalwood, then that's what you'll be smelling, and honestly, I think Nirvana offers just about the nicest smelling bergamot I've yet experienced. It's very well done, though I can think of about thirty five other fragrances I'd rather be wearing right now than what amounts to a bottle of expensive citrus oil.

Groovy is just okay. It's got some decent pine and fir resins, juniper berry crops up again, and the lavender is much more noticeable here than it was in Krishna, but I'm not crazy about it. All the notes smell fully present, balanced and rounded, and out of the four samples I've tested, not a one of them screeched or sliced at their opening, and the woody drydowns are excellent, but I do have to admit that these just aren't my thing. At all.

The Hippie moniker is very apt for this line, as there's a bit of a wild child quality out of the bottle, like a head of big frizzy hair and a loud personality that won't be tamed. I can easily see this line as a choice for rock stars, trustafarians and dopey celebrities, but I think there would be a riot if you tried to wear it to the office. The ingredients are great and the execution is simple, but they're too sixties, too bohemian love child and too much.

And then there's the natural essences longevity problem, which, when combined with the line's high prices, really doesn't make a lot of sense. Luca Turin said it best in Perfumes: The Guide -- "Most perfumers believe a judicious mixture of natural and synthetic is best; very few perfumers we've met believe in 100 percent synthetic fragrance. But even assuming you find fragrances that are 100 percent natural, there is no guarantee that they will be healthier for you (many natural compounds are toxic), nonallergenic (the list of plant allergens is long), or even good for the environment (natural Mysore sandalwood is heavily endangered due to its use in fragrance)."

Natural Perfumer Ayala Sender also has a bit of a problem with what she considers the misinformation at the base of many of Rich Hippie's claims: "There are plenty of things that deeply irritate me when I read the website that have nothing to do with my personal taste (or with my lack of fondness of the brand's paradoxical name): the perfume-history inaccuracies, the scare tactics, and last but not least - the inconsistency in regards to the quality or grade of the materials used (i.e. what is organic)."

But if you're the kind of flower-power child that can travel the world by private jet while delivering irony-free lectures about the dangers of global warming, then the price/longevity issue is obviously no obstacle and Rich Hippie might just be perfect for you. Have at it.

If I'm going to spend a wad of cash on a perfume, though, it's gonna have Bolt of Lightning in its name . . .

Did Geopolitics Make Chanel Blink?:
"This year Chanel had planned to take the line of luxury fashion items to Moscow but today it announced that due to problems securing a venue in the Russian capital it would now take place in Paris . . . Chanel have disputed that the change is related to recent political events in Georgia claiming that the decision had been made previous to that."

Since when has a major luxury house ever had problems in securing a venue? If Fendi could talk the Chinese into allowing them to use the Great Wall as a catwalk, then Chanel's protestations ring a little hollow. If Russia resumes its Cold War era posturing, what does that mean for the expansion plans of Western designers? A video clip of the Fendi in China show below:

Former Chloe Designer Takes Charge at Celine:
"LVMH today confirmed to Women's Wear Daily that Phoebe Philo will be heading to Celine as the label's new Creative Director . . . Philo was Stella McCartney's number two at Chloe before taking over in 2001, when Stella left to set up her own label with the Gucci group."

Philo left Chloe two years ago, and the label has floundered since her departure, which says a lot about how instrumental Philo was in the success of Chloe (there's been speculation that Philo was the greater creative drive behind Chloe than Stella McCartney ever was, with the tepid response to Stella's eponymous label serving to support this line of chatter).

Jil Sander Label Trades Hands, Gets a Cash Injection:
"Japanese apparel maker Onward Holdings Co. yesterday agreed to buy Jil Sander from Change Capital for 167 million euros ($244 million). That's more than triple the 50 million euros the London-based buyout firm paid Prada Holding NV for the company in 2006 . . . Onward (Holdings) will support Asian expansion and capitalize on Japanese affinity for the brand's accessories . . . Jil Sander's X-Large Patent Tote retails for $1,445 on the Web site of U.S. luxury department store Barneys." Jil Sander's Fall/Winter 2008/2009 collection below:

Not Everyone Thinks Tom Ford is the Greatest Thing Since Reruns:
"Yves Saint Laurent head designer Stefano Pilati said Ford was nothing compared to the late great Yves Saint Laurent himself . . . 'Tom had a very precise vision of the company that didn't challenge women. Tom is talented but not gifted.'" Reowr! Gay designer claws are the meanest . . . expect Ford to hit back soon.

UPDATE: to illustrate the absurdist lens through which fashion designers view the world, Stefano Pilati dropped this little howler of a gem when asked why tantrum-throwing, rage-queen Naomi Campbell was selected as the face for the YSL Fall 2008 campaign: "Everything is symbolism," said Pilati. "Naomi represents the new world--in my mind, she is a mix of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton." Uh, come again? An arrogant, spoiled supermodel who spits on policemen and hurls cellphones at her assistants is like Obama and Clinton? Call me crazy, but I'm not certain that Obama or Clinton would feel the least bit flattered at the comparison.

My Clothes Can Wash Themselves:
"Germany-based lifestyle brand Daniel Hechter has launched a 'lotus flower' coat that causes water and dirt to drip off from a specially structured fabric surface. The dirt repellent coating uses the 'lotus effect,' whereby water beads and runs off the surface of lotus leaves as a result of wax pyramids which coat them . . . The key ingredient is a product marketed by Nano-Tex as 'Nano-Tex Resists Spills' - a treatment that repels liquids ranging from coffee and red wine to chocolate syrup and salad dressings while allowing the fabric to breathe."

There's also a new Shower Clean suit made from wool and polyester fibers. You can wash it in the shower, hang it to dry and it's ready to go, with no need for dry-cleaning or ironing -- "the final finish applied to the suits contains L-cysteine, an amino acid that occurs naturally in hair, nails and skin." That sounds pretty awesome, no?

I knew the trend for slapping the "noir" label on fragrances had officially jumped the shark when Tom Ford released his Noir de Noir ("Why use it once when twice is twice as nice!"), and I'm just waiting for the same thing to happen with the "bois" descriptor.

Don't get me wrong, I'm loving the resurgence of deep, woodsy scents, but it's starting to get a little difficult to keep them separate in my head with all the "here a bois, there a bois, everywhere a bois bois" routine. Just cuz you're a niche company doesn't mean you can't put a little effort into the christening ceremony, you know what I mean? 'Nuff said.

In that vein of thought, I have several bois la la fragrances to talk about today, instigated by the mention of Parfumerie Generale Bois Blond in the comments to yesterday's post.

Dior Bois d'Argent: created by Annick Menardo, the mind behind Bulgari Black and Le Labo Patchouli 24, Bois d'Argent is one of a trio of masculine scents released in 2004 by Dior under the artistic guidance of then menswear designer Hedi Slimane (he's since been given the boot as only starving anorexics or severe bulimics were capable of fitting into his cutting edge silhouettes, which meant that while Dior Homme was awash in critical acclaim, the division hemorrhaged cash by the bucketload).

Bois d'Argent is described as a woody fragrance, with incense, myrrh, honey and leather aromas. Strangely enough, the somewhat spicy brew smells a lot like sweet ginger beer in its initial phase, which is pleasant enough and undoubtedly drives sales within a young demographic, but the honey-and-sugar sweetened character never fully recedes.

There are some nice wood and incense qualities to Bois d'Argent, yet its overall effect seems geared more toward priming the credit-card pump for the high-school/college crowd than satisfying a serious fan of woodsy scents. That said, it does get points for bringing a sense of youth to the table.

Odori Cuoio: yeah I know, Cuoio means leather, but this stuff is dryer than dry and reminds me of the smell of a cord of chopped hardwood stacked in the garage and covered in an ancient tarp. Yes, there are flowers, and yes, there is citrus, but the presence of both is fleeting and minimal, added to provide just enough softness to prevent you from getting splinters when you grab the bottle.

Patchouli, vetiver, birch tar and dusty spices make this a leather and dry woods scent that should appeal to consumers who are very strict about their boundaries. Nice and warm, too, with a touch of amber in its base. A solid piece of work.

Odori is an offshoot of Italian niche perfume line Bois 1920.

L'Artisan Bois Farine: Bois Farine was released in 2003, created by Jean Claude Ellena, one of my favorite perfumers. Ellena is known for his willingness to experiment and take risks (he's now head perfumer for the house of Hermes), and Bois Farine lives up to his reputation in that regard.

Probably one of the nuttiest perfumes I've ever smelled (and I don't mean crazy, I mean "nutty" as in cashews), it has a rich, foody texture brightened by Iris flower and underscored by the green spice of fennel seed. With the addition of cedarwood, sandalwood and incense resins, Bois Farine is an iron pan of buttery nut-bread baking in a wood-fired oven.

Ellena insists that Bois Farine is the result of his encounter with the white tree in the Reunion Islands, a tree whose flowers smell like . . . flour. Absolutely weird, utterly unique and unexpectedly cool, but don't be surprised if people around you start questioning about where that peanut butter smell is coming from.

Parfumerie Generale Bois Blond: a woodsy perfume with a cheerful disposition. Odori Cuoio may take its wood and leather assignment very seriously, but Parfumerie Generale appers to be having a lot more fun with its haystack in the old barn routine.

Bois Blond smells to me like the space Vero Profumo's Onda tried to inhabit but didn't quite reach. Whereas Onda steers itself toward vetiver and soapy musk, Bois Blond takes its sunshine and grassy hay and gang-piles it with cedarwood, tobacco and amber to result in a much warmer appeal. Friendly and outdoorsy and very easy to wear -- another one of perfumer Pierre Guillaume's heady and generous scents.

If I had to rank the four, I'd say: #1) Odori Cuoio for its stern good looks and vintage motorcycle jacket; #2) Parfumerie Generale Bois Blond because it's just so darn gregarious and comfortable; #3) L'Artisan Bois Farine -- I wouldn't ordinarily leave the house smelling like roasted nuts and baked bread, but it's certainly not a bad proposition; and #4) Dior Bois d'Argent, whose root-beer and incense brew I might have liked better if I were, maybe, twenty years younger.

All this talk of nuts, bread and root-beer has made me hungry . . .

Now that we're leaving the hottest months of the year behind (at least in the Northern Hemisphere), I thought it might be a good idea to take a look at some of the richer, spicier offerings from the niche-isphere, since that's what most fragrance fans will be reaching for when the days get shorter and the temperature begins to drop.

I've previously noted a number of spicy and/or incense numbers that beg for cold rainy days, a good book and a comfortable chair (for example: Indult Isvaraya, Les Nereides Imperial Opoponax, Etat Libre d'Orange Charogne, LesNez Let Me Play the Lion, Chanel Sycamore), but the spicy oriental & incense fields are crowded with players, so let's get up close and personal with a few more selections:

Parfumerie Generale Haramens: probably one of the warmer, sweeter, spicier numbers I've had the pleasure to meet. One website describes it as "a night in the harem where Oriental pastries and incense fill the sanctuary while the women wait for the Sultan" and while the prose is overdone (oriental pastries? what does that even mean?), the vibe is pretty spot-on. This is a nearly edible vanilla confection with aoud wood frosting and incense sprinkles, finishing up on a dark, smoky note. If rich, warm and sweet is your thing, you should find much to like about Haramens.

Strangely enough, the gang over at Perfume Posse went on a rampage about Haramens in one of their comment sections, describing it as disgusting, worse than sewage, shocking, and like hampster piddle on cedar shavings. Either we received samples from different batches, or I'm just way more vanilla sensitive than the average bear, because (to me) this stuff is like a cadre of vanilla cupcakes baking in the oven as your hippie roommate burns sticks of frankincense in the next room.

Haramens is part of the Parfumerie Generale Private Collection, which means it's difficult to find for sale from anyone other than Parfumerie Generale itself. Click on this link to read a brief interview with Pierre Guillaume, the perfumer for Parfumerie Generale. He mentions that he appreciates "heady and generous scents," and Haramens is nothing if not heady and generous.

UPDATE: I contacted the people at Parfumerie Generale to ask them how one goes about purchasing a bottle of Haramens, and this was the response: "Hello. Unfortunately, Haramens was something ephemeral (limited edition), which is no more available now... even in the Private Collection... Kind Regards" . . . so, I apologize if my description of Haramens made you think you might like some, because you won't be able to purchase any -- EVER!!! *punctuated by the sound of me throwing breakable objects against walls*

Il Profumo Encens Epice: Encens Epice is a spicy incense for consumers who like their smoky fragrances with a little less added sugar. Encens Epice includes greener elements like patchouli leaf and pine tree sap that keep this otherwise woodsy/incense mix from tilting overboard. The tobacco addition is nice, as well, pushing Encens Epice into dry woods territory by furthering its parched aim, but as far as incense perfumes go, Armani Prive Bois d'Encens does this kind of uber-dry, meditative composition far better.

Ormonde Jayne Ta'if: a mildly spicy rose with its green stem and leaves still attached. Ormonde Jayne can always be counted on to class up the joint, and Ta'if (meaning "oasis in a desert") is a soft oriental, a fresh and subdued take on the Middle East attar.

The rose is sweetened with a hint of dates, while saffron, jasmin and orange flower play a type of Greek Chorus in the background, commenting on what's happening while forecasting what's to come. The whole thing wraps up with a light amber that exhibits fine manners and good breeding. A respectable fragrance for polite company -- needless to say, I'd have absolutely zero occasion for wearing it.

M. Micallef Night Aoud: Night Aoud is Haramens' quieter, gentler sister -- a woody oriental rather than a flat-out oriental oriental (with all the different categories of oriental, I think "oriental oriental" might just be necessary to distinguish the original from its cousins).

The opening is high and bright, but the incense smoke and aoud wood quickly take center stage and don't relinquish the spotlight for the rest of the performance. It smells like it's got some patchouli thrown into the mix, as well, because, you know, what's a post 1990's oriental without a dose of patchouli?

If a fragrance like Haramens is too loud, too sweet and just too much for your taste, but you're still looking for something that has a bit of that sweet and smoky touch, M. Micallef Night Aoud would be a viable choice.

Anyone else got any rich, spicy stuff they'd like to reccomend? I'm all ears!

Speaking of all ears, The Brand New Heavies with "Midnight at the Oasis" -- it serves to underscore our theme for the day. I was going to link to an original Maria Muldaur version, but then I thought, "Why torture everyone so?":

UPDATE:

Regarding the natural perfumes posting from the other day, I tested out another of Ayala Moriel's scents, Epice Suavage, and it's genuinely terrific but lasts about a nano-second before it vanishes from the skin.

Okay, a nano-second is an exaggeration, but not by much.

Seriously, that is the one thing I do. not. like. about natural perfumery. Fine, yes, use as much natural materials as possible, I'm all for it, especially since natural essences have a complexity that's often missing in synthetic bases, but at least consider the benefits of compromise -- adding a synthetic fixative would provide some longevity for your customers without harming the formula, IMHO.

The extreme lack of longevity is a deal breaker for me, no matter how much I love the fragrance itself, which is a pity, as Moriel's Schizm and Epice Sauvage are excellent pieces of work . . .