Niche Fragrance Launch: Two New Scents from "Eau d'Italie"

Sienne l'Hiver and Bois d'Ombre
image source: wwd.com

The 3-year old niche fragrance line Eau d'Italie, has announced the creation of two new scents: Sienne l'Hiver (Siena in Winter) and Bois d'Ombre (Woods of Umbria). The fragrances were blended by French perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour (Créations Aromatiques) and were inspired by the Italian winter. The co-founders of Eau d'Italie, Marina Sersale and Sebastián Alvarez Murena, had originally planned on launching just one fragrance inspired by winter in Italy.

"We wanted to work on the idea of winter in Italy, so we sent the perfumer some ideas. He came back to us with two very unique and completely different proposals, both of which we loved and decided to work on, with the intention of later choosing between them," said Sersale. "In the end we decided to launch both of them. What we create depends very much on what inspires us, and this allows us a lot of creative freedom." (via wwd.com)

The unisex fragrances are described (by Eau d'Italie) as follows:

Sienne l'Hiver: an earthy fragrance composed of subtle nuances like coal roasted chestnuts, black olive, autumn leaves and truffles followed up by French straw, iris root and white musk.

Bois d'Ombre: a deep woodsy scent with hints of cognac, leather, iris root and vetiver.

The fragrances, both to be available in 3.4-oz. bottles eau de toilette, will retail for $120 each and will be available in the U.S. in June. Retailers will include Lafco in New York and Los Angeles and Takashimaya (tel. 212-350-0100) in New York.

To read more about Eau d'Italie, please visit wwd.com.

Guerlain Launches New L’Art et la Matière Fragrance: Iris Ganache

Iris Ganache by Guerlain
image source: OsMoz

The House of Guerlain has announced the launch of its fifth fragrance in the niche L’Art et la Matière collection: Iris Ganache. According to OsMoz, this fragrance

‘envelopes you like a pashmina shawl, and leaves a powdery trail of an extreme elegance’. Created by designer Thierry Wasser / Firmenich, in collaboration with Sylvaine Delacourte, Iris Ganache reveals an iris butter ‘worked like a pastry ganache’. A mouthwatering scent, like ‘white chocolate shaded with floral notes’ and enhanced with cinnamon, bergamot, patchouli, white musks, cedar and a slightly ambery vanilla note.

This sounds like a very warm, all-enveloping fragrance. Although I must admit to being a bit confused by the description. Is it more like a powdery pashmina shawl or a flowery, buttered pastry? Or a little of both? Like wrapping oneself in a gooey, sugary chocolate éclair?

Mixed metaphors aside, if it is anything like the first four fragrances in the collection, it is sure to be exquisite. Please click here to see my previous comments about this collection.

This fragrance will be available at the Paris House of Guerlain in June.

Molinard Perfume Launches New Series

La Collection parfumée de Molinard
image source: OsMoz

The House of Molinard has announced a new fragrance collection called La Collection parfumée de Molinard. The collection involves a restyling of the house bottles to have sleek lines, rounded shoulders and sharp corners.

The creations have been grouped into 6 families: ‘Les Fleurs’, ‘Au Féminin’, ‘Les Orientaux’, ‘La Fraîcheur’, ‘Les Fruits’ and ‘Au Masculin’. (The Collection includes) six new fragrances: Bois Fleuri (Wood in Bloom), Vents et Marées (Winds & Tides), Pêche de Vigne (Red Peach), Chypre d’Orient, Eau de Verveine and Eau de Citrus. (via OsMoz)

The collection is due to be released in April.

While I have not yet tried these new fragrances, just reading about them made me nostalgic for other Molinard scents. So today I wore Habinata, the floral-oriental fragrance created in 1921. It features (via Ayala writing on Basenotes):

Top notes: Mastic, Cedarwood, Lavender, Bergamot, a hint of Juniper berry, Leather notes

Heart notes: Jasmine, Rose, Peach, Heliotrope

Base notes: Vanilla, Tobacco, Tonka Bean, Amber, Oakmoss, Musk, Opoponax, Vetiver

It is a rich, smoky fragrance that evokes the energy of the flappers of the Roaring Twenties. I imagine wearing it while frenetically dancing the Charleston, faux pearl strands a-flyin'!

Flapper does the Charleston;
image source: wikipedia.org

For my previous post about Molinard, please click here.

Fragrance Launch: "Purplelight" by Dali

First there was Dali Purplelips, a floral/amber fragrance with notes of blueberry(!), purple granadilla, vanilla orchid, violet, amber and sandalwood. It was created by perfumers Antoine Lie and Guillaume Flavigny (Givaudan) and launched in September 2006.

In May of this year, Dali fragrances will be releasing Purplelight. This woody/floral/musky fragrance was created by perfumer Francis Kurkdjian (Takasago). It features notes of lilac, jasmine, cherry blossom, bamboo leaf and Tahitian tiaré blossom over a base of almond wood, vetiver and musk.

Eau de Toilette 1, 1.7 and 3.4 fl. oz.; Price €28 to 58.

What will be next? "Purple Rain"?

You go, Prince!

YouTube Video: "Prince 1987 LS Tour Live"
Perfume image and notes source: OsMoz.com.

Christian Lacroix Launches New Fragrance: "C'est la Fête!"

Designer Christian Lacroix has announced the launch of his newest fragrance, C'est la Fête! This translates into English as It's Party Time! and this joyous energy is captured in the bright tropical hues of the packaging and flacon. Created by perfumer Jean Jacques (Takasago), the fragrance contains:

Top notes:
Pear
Passion Fruit
Blackcurrant
Bergamot
Apricot

Heart Notes:
Mirabelle
Jasmine
Tagette
Rose
Orchid
Vanilla

Base Notes:
Sandalwood
Musk

Price: 30 ml - 28€; 50 ml - 42€; 100 ml - 55 €; 200ml - 70 € ($37-$93).

image and notes source: beaute-addict.com.

Chanel Announces New Fragrance for Men: "Allure Homme Sport"

Chanel has announced the launch of its newest fragrance for men, Chanel Allure Homme Sport. It was created by Chanel perfumer Jacques Polge (who, as you may recall, created the six new Chanel Les Exclusifs. Does this tireless man never rest?!?).
Described as "dazzling," "fresh," "sunny," "gentle," and "elegant," this eau contains notes of citrus (mandarin orange, lemon, grapefruit, bergamot), elemi resin, cedar and white musks.

Cost: 5 fl-oz. spray bottle: €72 ($94.40 at today's exchange rate), from March 16th.

image and notes source: OsMoz.

Cacharel's New "Liberté" Fragrance to Launch this Spring

Cacharel (owned by L'Oréal) has announced the upcoming launch of its newest fragrance, Liberté (French for "Freedom"). Described as a "chypre orange juice," it was created by International Flavors & Fragrances perfumers Olivier Polge and Domitille Bertier. It contains:

Top notes: bitter orange, plus zests of bergamot, citrus and mandarin;
Heart notes: white flowers;
Base notes: patchouli from Indonesia, vetiver and vanilla.

Liberté is scheduled to launch in Europe beginning this spring and in the U.S. probably in the second half of this year. It will be available in 3 sizes. In France, the 30-ml. eau de toilette spray will retail for 33 euros, or $43.60 at current exchange rates; the 50-ml. spray for 49 euros, or $64.75, and the 95-ml. edt spray for 62 euros, or $81.95.

Liberté's tall, multifaceted orange bottle was designed to look like an abstract flower. It was inspired by the works of artist Dan Flavin, known for his beautiful creations with fluorescent light tubes.


Dan Flavin, untitled (to Barnett Newman to commemorate his simple problem, red, yellow and blue), 1970

For more information about this 'thinking-outside-the-frame' artist, please see the Dia Art Foundation website.

perfume image and information source: wwd.com.
Dan Flavin's artwork: National Gallery of Art.

Sheer Stella

Designer Stella McCartney has announced the launch of her new limited-edition fragrance for summer: Sheer contains notes of Bulgarian rose, peony, sugared lemon zest and green apple on a soft amber base.

Sheer will be available April 2007.

image source: aufeminin.com.

Les Caprices de Lolita: Lolita Lempicka Launches 3 New Scents

It has been 10 years since the design house Lolita Lempicka launched its first fragrance, Lolita Lempicka, the highly successful blend of vanilla, liquorice, greens, florals and musk. To celebrate this tenth anniversary, Lolita Lempicka has created a trio of three new fragrances: "Les Caprices de Lolita" (the Whims of Lolita). The collection includes Violette, a subtle, modern violet fragrance; Réglisse, with notes of liquorice and patchouli; and Amarena, containing notes of sugary almond and white musks. The fragrances are designed to be worn alone or layered in combination.

"Les Caprices de Lolita" will be available in March 2007.

Price: 125 € for the box set, which includes a flacon of Lolita Limpicka 50-ml Eau de Parfum spray , and one 20-ml vaporizer bottle of each Caprice: Violet, Réglisse, and Amarena.

image and information source: aufeminin.com.

Fragrance Launch: Theo Fennell Scent

"It's a proper, old-fashioned heavy scent, redolent of evenings of gorgeousness, luxury, decadence and naughtiness," said Fennell. (from wwd.com)

These are the words used by jewelry designer Theo Fennell to describe his debut fragrance, Theo Fennell Scent, which launched in London this month.

Blended by Christophe Laudamiel of International Flavors & Fragrances, its chypre oriental juice comprises top notes of saffron, cardamom, lily, rose and orchid. At its heart are jasmine sambac, orange flower, cumin and cinnamon notes, while base notes include patchouli, tonka bean, labdanum, sandalwood and benzoin.

...For Scent's bottle, Fennell, who also designs silverware, plumbed for a heavy glass orb featuring a seal with the brand's logo. "It is designed to be very simple and very elegant on a woman's dressing table or wherever she performs her ablutions," said Fennell. "It's sophisticated, bold and sexy."

Scent initially will be available exclusively at Fennell's London flagship and Harrods department store for six months. It will then be released internationally.

Price: 75ml eau de parfum spray: £68 ($134 at current exchange rates).

image and information source: wwd.com.