Etat Libre D’Orange The Ghost In The Shell Review – Julie Masse; 2021

What’s not to like? A brand with a reputation for being edgy and unpredictable. A name inspired by a classic of Japanese manga and anime. A backstory that takes in one of the most revered sci-fi novels of the late 20th century. A perfume composition house that prides itself on high-quality, innovative materials. And finally, a list of notes that unashamedly cites intriguing synthetics. The stakes were high when I recently reviewed the new Etat Libre D’Orange The Ghost In The Shell, composed by Mane’s Julie Masse. Here’s a link to the video: Etat Libre D’Orange The Ghost In The Shell review.

Excitement aside, I think the jury’s still out on this one. Quite often, when the background factors behind a perfume release are in themselves extremely evocative, they form such a strong idea in one’s mind of what the scent will smell like, that the expectation is almost certainly bound to be inaccurate. It’s a situation not unlike watching a film adaptation of a beloved book: you’re disappointed that the movie isn’t exactly like the version of the book you had in your own head, and you fail to notice any new ideas or angles the film-makers might have brought to the tale.

So, putting expectations aside, what we have with The Ghost In The Shell is an interesting, thoughtful contrast between natural-like materials and out-and-out synthetics: a vision of a small, hydroponic garden somewhere on the dark side of a distant asteroid. It’s a quiet piece of work (no Cyper Punk excesses here) that seems more concerned with the idea of the haunting presence cited in the name, rather than a sense of gleaming, velocity-chasing futurism. I absolutely intend to wear it several more times before making up my mind about it. But perhaps I won’t do so while thinking about the hordes responding to the green light at the Shibuya crossing.

Persolaise

[Etat Libre D’Orange The Ghost In The Shell review based on a sample provided by the brand in 2021.]

—
If you’ve enjoyed this post, please consider supporting my work
by ‘buying me a coffee’ using the panel below.
Thanks very much indeed.

—