“Now Everybody Is An Artist” – An Audience With Frederic Malle + Next Episode Of Love At First Scent On Sunday 28 April 2019
Persolaise Perfume brand founder, Frederic Malle, interviewed in London (scent, fragrance, 2018)
Jean-Claude Ellena
Persolaise Review: Papyrus Oud from Parle Moi De Parfum (Michel Almairac; 2018)
It’s not often in perfumery that you’re given an opportunity to witness a scent-maker revisiting and honing a particular idea. Two examples that come to mind are Edmond Roudnitska following…
Luxury Perfumes – Persolaise On Fashionbeans
image: Fashionbeans Male grooming expert and award-winning writer Lee Kynaston has just published a piece on Fashionbeans about ‘luxury’ perfumes for men. It features a few contributions from me, so…
Super Scent – The Very Best Of Hermès
Hermès founder, Thierry Hermès Guess what: I found this Super Scent list very difficult to compile. But for an unexpected reason. As I explained to Candy Perfume Boy when I…
Persolaise Review: Muguet Porcelaine from Hermès (Jean-Claude Ellena; 2016)
The soundbites If Muguet Porcelaine were a colour it would be: aqua green with a suggestion of pink If it were a piece of music, it would be: Alone In…
Persolaise Review: Eau De Rhubarbe Écarlate (Christine Nagel) & Eau De Néroli Doré (Jean-Claude Ellena) from Hermès (2016)
Today’s review takes the form of a conversation between the outgoing, in-house perfumer at Hermès, Jean-Claude Ellena, and his replacement, Christine Nagel. It is entirely fictional. Probably. — Christine Nagel…
“I Try To Take You By The Hand” – An Interview With Jean-Claude Ellena, Perfumer At Hermès
image: Hermès “My perfumes are sensual like the women of Hitchcock. I love Kim Novak. I can watch the same Kim Novak movie several times. And Grace Kelly too. There’s…
Persolaise Review: Le Jardin De Monsieur Li from Hermès (Jean-Claude Ellena; 2015)
At the Paris launch of his fifth ‘garden’ scent for Hermès – which he refused to concede would be his last – Jean-Claude Ellena stated that Le Jardin De Monsieur…
Persolaise Review: Icon from Dunhill (Carlos Benaïm; 2015)
Carlos Benaïm‘s recent collaboration with Frederic Malle – the scintillating Eau De Magnolia – was seen by many critics as a modern rendition of 70s-style chypres, chiefly Edmond Roudnitska‘s Diorella…
Persolaise Review: Cuir D’Ange from Hermès (Jean-Claude Ellena; 2014)
In David Almond’s book, Skellig, a young boy encounters a strange man in the ramshackle shed at his new house. He’s filthy, his clothes are in tatters and he reeks…
Persolaise Review: Jour D’Hermès Absolu from Hermès (Jean-Claude Ellena; 2014)
I still haven’t made up my mind about the original, 2012 edp of Jour D’Hermès. Those of you who saw my post on it may remember that several readers who’d…
Persolaise Quoted In The Chicago Tribune – Summer Break 2014
The Chicago Tribune’s Life & Style section recently published a piece by Bill Daley about wearing tomato-centred perfumes in warmer weather. The article contains a few insights from yours truly,…
Persolaise Review: Dior Homme Eau For Men from Christian Dior (François Demachy), Déclaration L’Eau from Cartier (Mathilde Laurent) & Terre D’Hermès Eau Très Fraîche from Hermès (Jean-Claude Ellena)
I still haven’t signed up to the policy which says that the arrival of warmer weather means we can wear only light scents. I always enjoy a spritz of sharp…
Taking The Highway – An Audience With Frederic Malle (part 1)
At the end of my interview with him at Liberty, Frederic Malle – the niche world’s foremost ‘scent editor’ – faced an audience of admirers who wanted to ask him…
You Have To Be Modest Sometimes – An Exclusive Interview With Frederic Malle (part 2)
The first instalment of this exclusive interview ended with Frederic Malle commenting on the pressure he places on his perfumers – and on himself – to aim for the highest…
The Achilles Heel In Our Business: An Exclusive Interview With Frederic Malle (part 1)
If there’s one figure in the niche world who needs no introduction, it’s Frederic Malle. This is more than a little ironic, as the Frenchman owes his status and reputation…
Persolaise Review: Épice Marine from Hermès (Jean-Claude Ellena; 2013)
If only all press packs were as helpful as the one for Épice Marine. Amongst the various bits and pieces of info provided by Hermès for this latest addition to…
Persolaise Review: Skin On Skin, Amour Nocturne and Déliria from L’Artisan Parfumeur (Bertrand Duchaufour; 2013)
I’m not sure why L’Artisan Parfumeur have given us the Explosions D’Émotions mini-range, but there we are: the logic of fragrance releases isn’t always easy to work out. As a…
Persolaise Review: Eau De Narcisse Bleu from Hermès (Jean-Claude Ellena; 2013)
Jean-Claude Ellena followed a somewhat more traditional path with Eau De Mandarine Ambrée, one of two ‘light’ scents released by Hermès this year. But he clearly wanted Eau De Narcisse…
Persolaise Review: Eau De Mandarine Ambrée from Hermès (Jean-Claude Ellena; 2013)
You can’t blame me for getting excited by the prospect of two new colognes from Jean-Claude Ellena. If there’s one thing the man knows how to do well, it’s producing…