Ah, the exchange of ideas. Sitting in a darkened room, hearing the sounds of conversations bouncing off the walls. Watching with admiration as someone takes a sip of wine and launches into an impassioned argument about The State Of The World. And then, at dawn, bidding everyone farewell, filled with the giddy knowledge that the following week promises another night of intellectual encounters. According to their press release, this is what Diptyque have attempted to capture in their latest release, Orpheon, named after the cafe-salon at which the brand’s founders enjoyed hanging out in the 1960s. I featured the fragrance in a recent episode of Love At First Scent. Here’s a link: Diptyque Orpheon review.
Does Olivier Pescheux’s composition transport us to those pre-revolution years of discourse and debate? It’s hard to say. Certainly, Orpheon is one of the more unusual perfumes to have made its way into my nose in recent months. The opening blast of cloudy, gentle, bubble-bath soapiness is juxtaposed with the ambers and woods in the base in a manner that elicits more than a little surprise. But as the scent progresses, the emphasis lies too heavily on cleanliness. The press release tries to convince that we’re being treated to musks and tobacco, but if they’re present, it’s behind a veil of 21st century, PC politeness. Surely, this is a scent that should have been injected with at least a modicum of funkiness.
However, it scores high marks as a novel take on the gender-free idea. Not unlike Etat Libre D’Orange You Or Someone Like You, it achieves a commendable balance between gender codes without resorting to obvious strategies such as heavy citruses. It’s also deceptively light: a few sprays on a blotter are enough to scent a room for an entire evening, perhaps echoing that sense of wanting time spent with friends to last forever. It may not be as dark as some of us would have liked, but as an expression of a refusal to be pigeonholed, Orpheon is worth sampling.
Persolaise
[Diptyque Orpheon review based on a sample provided by the brand in 2021.]
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I love this perfume. It is very soft and powdery which I really like. I usually find unisex perfumes work better for me and have previously loved Serge Lutens L’eau. I think if you’re looking for a soft yet still interesting perfume it is perfect.
Thanks for reading and for writing.
I really like Orpheon especially as a solid. It’s a skin scent that’s the perfect transition from late summer to early fall. It reminds me of the time I visited an old church with the most beautiful wooden furnishings. The scent was heavenly, a soft mixture of wood and incense. The incense was so ingrained in the wood that it created its own accord. Warm, soft and lovely.
Good to know — thank you.