The (Not Entirely) Unbearable Lightness Of Lightness – Perfumes For Summer 2013
Persolaise There was once a pot which called a kettle black. I try to remind myself of this each time I feel the urge to become snooty about so-called ‘summer scents’.…
perfume review
Persolaise Review: Autoportrait from Olfactive Studio (Nathalie Lorson; 2011)
Most of the scents in the photography-inspired Olfactive Studio range possess an ingenuous, translucent signature which failed to seize my interest, but Nathalie Lorson‘s Autoportrait is an exception. Even though…
Persolaise Review: Oud Mood from Maison Francis Kurkdjian (Francis Kurkdjian; 2013)
I guess it’s not surprising that Francis Kurkdjian decided (or was persuaded?) to release more agar wood perfumes. His Oud was easily one of the best scents of 2012 and…
Persolaise Review: Opus VII from Amouage (Pierre Negrin & Alberto Morillas; 2013)
When my sample of Opus VII was delivered, Madame Persolaise’s parents were chez nous for tea and cakes. Such cross-generational, bi-gender opportunities are not to be missed: I immediately extricated…
Persolaise Review: Noontide Petals from Tauer Perfumes (Andy Tauer; 2013)
Andy Tauer has been cleaning up his act. When he entered the world of scent creation, he set himself up as the purveyor of all things nocturnal, mysterious and more…
Persolaise Review: Golden Chypre from Grossmith (perfumer unknown; 2012)
Golden Chypre is an excellent name for this perfume, or at least for the first few stages of its development. A convincingly gilt-edged radiance accompanies the initial citrus notes as…
Persolaise Review: Caligna from L’Artisan Parfumeur (Dora Arnaud; 2013)
When Firmenich‘s Dora Arnaud told me that she’d put together a ‘jasmine marmalade’ accord for her first L’Artisan Parfumeur creation, I was determined to track down a real life example…
Persolaise Review: Sikkim Girls from Gorilla Perfume (Simon & Mark Constantine; 2012)
The Constantines’ love of using heady naturals comes to the fore in this highlight from last year’s mixed bag of scents under the collective name Volume 2. A compelling tale…
Persolaise Review: Pink Friday from Nicki Minaj (perfumer unknown; 2012)
An evening at Maison Persolaise. Two of our nieces (let’s call them Miranda, 16, and Tilly, 12) have come over for a meal with their favourite aunty and uncle. We’re…
Persolaise Review: Entre Naranjos from Ramon Monegal (Ramon Monegal; 2012)
I seem to be somewhat out of step with my colleagues in the critical community, as I’ve found myself unmoved by most of Ramon Monegal’s eponymous scents. However, I’d like…
Persolaise Review: Oxygen, Carbon & Hydrogen from nu_be (Antoine Lie, Françoise Caron; 2012)
Pick a concept for a new perfume brand. What hasn’t been done yet? Scents inspired by famous authors? That idea’s taken. Fragrances linked to blood groups? That one’s gone too.…
Persolaise Review: Hellstone + The Bug from Gorilla Perfume (Simon & Mark Constantine; 2012)
Hellstone neatly sums up both what’s right and wrong with Gorilla‘s Volume 2 scents. On the one hand, it features an excellent accord: vetivert, cumin and opoponax brought together by…
Persolaise Review: Dries Van Noten from Editions De Parfums Frederic Malle (Bruno Jovanovic; 2013)
After the phenomenal, double-whammy success of Géranium Pour Monsieur and Portrait Of A Lady, Frederic Malle had to consider his next move carefully. The latter scent in particular – a…
Persolaise Review: Euphoria + Devil’s Nightcap from Gorilla Perfume (Simon & Mark Constantine; 2012)
If you had to make a list of perfumery ingredients which convey intense excitement, what would be on it? Sparkling citrus oils? Fizzy aldehydes? Sensuous vanilla? How about clary sage?…
Persolaise Review: 1932 from Chanel (Jacques Polge; 2013)
I’ve finally understood my problem with 1932: its conclusion doesn’t live up to the promise shown by its opening. That’s hardly a profound insight – and I’m almost embarrassed to…
Persolaise Review: Cuir De Nacre + Perle De Mousse from Ann Gerard (Bertrand Duchaufour; 2012)
I should think the overlap between jewellery and fragrance is fascinating for perfumers to explore, and Bertrand Duchaufour certainly seems to have had a great deal of fun with the…
Persolaise Review: The Voice Of Reason, Flower’s Barrow + Lord Of Goathorn from Gorilla Perfume (Simon & Mark Constantine; 2012)
It’s one thing to start a perfume range with a large number of scents, but it’s quite another to add 10 fragrances overnight to an existing – and well-regarded –…
Persolaise Review: Cuir Velours from Naomi Goodsir (Julien Rasquinet; 2012)
It’s so wonderful to be able to approach a perfume with almost no prior knowledge of its construction, especially when it turns out to be as impressive as Cuir Velours.…
Persolaise Review: Beloved Man from Amouage (Alexandra Carlin; 2013)
It’s not often I’m relieved to discover that a perfume is less than spectacular. I’ve got so many ‘must buy’ Amouages on my list, that the prospect of yet another…
Persolaise Review: La Fille De Berlin from Serge Lutens (Christopher Sheldrake; 2013)
The latest from Lutens and Sheldrake is a delightful exercise in wrong-footing the wearer. At first, a potential buyer is likely to notice its colour: dense, purple and almost opaque,…