Diptyque Opsis Review – Fabrice Pellegrin; 2022

Shops around the world are desperate for our attention. And of course one of the ways they try to hold it is by offering something that nobody else can claim to provide. That’s why in recent years we’ve seen an increase in the number of exclusive creations stocked by high-profile retailers: fragrances that spend either a portion or, in some cases, the entirety of their existence within the walls of a single shop. Harrods are especially keen on this strategy and they’ve even managed to persuade Diptyque to play the game: the brand’s new Opsis, composed by Fabrice Pellegrin, marks the first occasion it has produced an exclusive scent for any retailer anywhere in the world. I reviewed it over on YouTube the other day. Here’s a link: Diptyque Opsis review.

For once, it’s actually interesting to assess this release within the context of its exclusivity to a particular institution. Most Harrods-only fragrances follow a predictable route: blatantly courting Middle Eastern cash with heavy overdoses of saffron, oud and leather. To their credit, Diptyque have chosen a different path, reaching to London’s past for inspiration, and giving us a piece of work that blends ghostly, old world opacity (the well-judged musks in the base) with a more energetic modernity (the pepper at the top). Bridging them is a gentle iris that’s as haunting as the drydown and as optimistic as the opening. Opsis may not be an instant showstopper, but it reveals layers of complexity with each subsequent wearing, and I hope it’s not too long before a larger audience is permitted to enjoy it.

Persolaise

[Diptyque Opsis review based on a sample provided by the brand in 2022.]

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