The soundbites
If Baptême Du Feu were a piece of music it would be Metamorphosis One by Philip Glass.
If it were an image, it would be a bright sari seen in the distance against the backdrop of the Rajasthani desert.
If it were a colour, it would be a rusty red, tinged with ochre.
The review
Serge Lutens has kept the register of his ‘mainstream’ line very quiet in the last few years (see L’Orpheline or La Religieuse). And sure enough, his latest, Baptême Du Feu, put together by Christopher Sheldrake, is in a similar vein. However, as the perfume’s bombastic name suggests, a new element has entered proceedings: danger. Although its impact never reaches a level that one could call ‘loud’, somewhere within the deceptively simple construction of Baptême lies a hotbed of emotion, keeping itself in check beneath the inscrutable facade. This contrast manifests itself as a jammy, rosy and very convincingly gingery exterior placed over a layer of dry spices (mainly fenugreek, to my nose) and leather. The drydown may be a touch too creamy and faint, but that’s a price I’m willing to pay for what comes before: a compelling statement on white-knuckled restraint, a la Phillip Glass on piano, full of intriguing shifts and subtleties. Thumbs up.
Serge Lutens has kept the register of his ‘mainstream’ line very quiet in the last few years (see L’Orpheline or La Religieuse). And sure enough, his latest, Baptême Du Feu, put together by Christopher Sheldrake, is in a similar vein. However, as the perfume’s bombastic name suggests, a new element has entered proceedings: danger. Although its impact never reaches a level that one could call ‘loud’, somewhere within the deceptively simple construction of Baptême lies a hotbed of emotion, keeping itself in check beneath the inscrutable facade. This contrast manifests itself as a jammy, rosy and very convincingly gingery exterior placed over a layer of dry spices (mainly fenugreek, to my nose) and leather. The drydown may be a touch too creamy and faint, but that’s a price I’m willing to pay for what comes before: a compelling statement on white-knuckled restraint, a la Phillip Glass on piano, full of intriguing shifts and subtleties. Thumbs up.
[Review based on a sample of eau de parfum provided by Serge Lutens in 2016.]
Persolaise
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This is one of the only new releases I am eagerly anticipating. I've ordered a sample and hope to love it. L'Orpheline has such an extreme effect on my mood…I'm curious to see what this will do. "White knuckle restraint" is enough to make me swoon.
Susie, thanks for stopping by. I was quite taken with this one. Do let me know what you make of it when your sample arrives.
Hello,
I ordered this recently in anticipation of the the Thanksgiving & Christmas season. I enjoy reading your fragrance reviews and have many perfumes from the Serge Lutens line. I am a bit of a collector. 😉 I started reading about perfume in 2012.
I think this scent is a beauty…An instant love for me! It is the most recent one I’ve tried too. What I am enjoying so much is that it is unlike anything that I already have.
Another scent I always reach for at the end the year is Fille en Aiguilles. 🎄😊 Have a wonderful day!
Julie, thank you so much for writing, and for your kind words.
I think Bapteme was a bit underrated when it first came out, so I’m pleased to learn that it has its fans. And I love Aiguilles too!