Oriza L.Legrand - Royal Oeillet

Picture: Study of Polly Bernard  1885 for
"Carnation, lily, lily, rose"
Painting by John Singer Sargent (1856-1925)

Royal Oeillet is a composition inspired of the rich heritage of the revived french powder and perfumehouse Oriza L.Legrand. The house of Oriza recreates some of the old formulas taken the restrictions of and opportunities in to account and the result is one of the very best nichelines of today. In Royal Oeillet he interpretes the it-note of 2014: Carnation.

Royal Oeillet starts with an traditional, dense carnation note, a full carnation as in Caron Bellodgia pre year 2000. After a while, a contrasting note appears, a glimpse of the, what I call "an old attic" note appears, but much lighter, cleaner and airier than in the "old attic" gold standard L'Ombre Fauve from Parfumerie Générale. The note soon steps back and integrates with the carnationnote. The carnation is dry and papery in structure, I imagine its color as brick red. The clove which is a part of the carnationnote is very balanced and doesn't overpower the composition. Compared to Royal Oeillet, for example M.O.U.S.S.E and M.O.U.S.S.E II from Oliver & Co, spicy clovefragrances and the impression of carantion is subordinated the spices. Royal Oeillet is, despite the light spieces, in a strange way refreshing when worn a warm summerday. It's linear and minimalistic in its apperance but not at all boring. Its a meditative and calming fragrance which triggers the imagination and transports the wearer to the late 19th century and the impressionists era. The atmosphere in John Singer Sargents wonderful painting Carnation, lily, lily rose is similar to the vibes of Royal Oeillet.

Picture: Carnation, lily, lily, rose -
 the finished painting 1885-1886
 John Singer Sargent (1856-1925)

Compared to the other Oriza L.Legrand carnation, Oeillet Louis XV Royal Oeillet gives the impression to be a soliflore carnation, the Louis is more of an aldehydic boquet with carnation as the leading flower. In the Mâitre Parfumer et Gantier carnation Soie Rouge, where fruit and rose are more predominat an its also less spicer. Haven't tried my sample of Aedes de Venustas Oeillet Bengale yet but I'll compare it with Royal Oeillet when I review it.

Royal Oeillet could be worn in many situations when one need a comforting, elegant and easy to wear fragrance. The fragrance is appropriate year around, but especially for late summer/fall, the sillage is medium and longevity for almost a day.

Rating: 5

Notes: Rose, black pepper, myrrh, geranium, cloves, pink pepper, cedar, bitter orange, violet leaf, sandalwood

Burberry - My Burberry

Picture: My Burberry
Photo: PR Burberry (c)

The latest Burberry release My Burberry, a creation by Francis Kurkdjian, is refering to the Burberry icon, the trenchcoat. The ribbon on the falcon is also in the same fabric as the trench.

My Burberry starts urban, flowery, like the smell of flowers struggeling in the asphalt jungle a rainy and chilly day ie the perfect condition to wear the Burberry, or when it comes to me, even better a John Partridge waxed coat. The metallic rose and freesia is skillfully contrasted with notes that reminds me of wet asphalt and fumes. The severe freshness of geranium is also glimpsing by. The blend is grounded in a clean patchouli in the high-tech contemporary  category and there is a pleasant, musky tartness dominating the base. I suppose musk is also in the basenote as the longevity is very good, up to 24 hours. The sillage is medium and is surrounding the wearer with a comforting but in the sametime interesting aura. Perfect for autumn but could be worn any season in any place.

My Burberry is not the typical Kurkdijan dense flower blend. This is sort of a powerful translucence, contemporary, artifical (in a good way) and high tech. Since all the IFRA restrictions many fragrances became transparant, fleeting and with inferior lastingpower. Now it seems as the transparent cathegory has received more strength and power. I guess (I'm no expert) it has do to with the technological development of fragrancecomponents due to restrictions.

Picture:  Cara Delevingne and Kate Moss
fronting My Burberry
Photo: PR Burberry (c)

There are notes/accords in My Burberry which reminds me about some other pleasant fragrances, both british by the way. The first one is another Burberry favorite Burberry Body (swe), with variations Body Edt and Body Tender Edt the metallic rose and the texture, from Penhaglions Vaara which is a spicy floral oriental blend, the special refreshing fruity-spicy quince-note. Compared to Burberry Body, My Burberry is easier to wear (but not less intresting), Body is sort of a more difficult character. I've to confess that I fell hard for My Burberry, the fragrance is very versatile and comforting, in tune with its time. My Burberry is ageless in style which is  consciously or unconsciously reflected  in the campaign featuring top models of two generations: Cara Delevingne and Kate Moss. One of the best releases of 2014 taken both mainstream and niche segments in consideration. This will be a contemporary classic.

Rating: 5

Notes: Sweet Pea, bergamot, mandarin, geranium, freesia, quince, rose, patchouli

Vero Profumo - Rozy Voile d'Extrait

Photo: Mr Parfumista (c)

Rozy Voile d'Extrait is another version of rosy Rozy theme created by swiss perfumer Vero Kern. Rozy EDP is reviwed in the previous entry. The Rozy fragrances are inspired from the passiontaed italian actress Anna Magnani.

Rozy Voile d'Extrait starts flowery sweet, with a blast of natural smelling, nectarious tubereuse, supported by rose. The tubereusenote reminds me much of the honeyed tubereuse in the beautiful Annick Goutal soliflore Tubéreuse. Even if emphasing another flower, also Maria Candida Gentile Hanbury comes to my mind in the first stage of Rozy Voile d'Extrait, probably the honeyed texture. After a while, Rozy Voile d'Extrait turns in an almost animalic accord when a pleasant dry, furry, horeslike note appears. There are also some slight earthy, dirty notes contrasting the sweetness. One should not be sacred of the melonnote mentioned among the ingredients. It's not the despised calone and I can't smell it as a separate note. Probably it's just supporting and sparkles the mix up with some fruity freshness. When Rozy Voile d'Extrait reaches the basenotes, it is still sweet but more vanillic/balsamic/resinlike and darker in its character than in the earlier stages. In the basenotes Rozy Voile d'Extrait reminds me of another sweet swiss beauty, Andy Tauers Le Maroc pour Elle. Mr Parfumistas spontaneus comment about Rozy Voile d'Extrait smelling it first after ca eight hours after application; "it smells very oriental, as you have rolled around in myrrh".

Compared to Rozy EDP, Rozy Voile d'Extrait feels more natural smelling, darker and more dense, less radianting but not shy, like the though, natural looking sister that stayed living in the countryside, hunting, riding and breeding horses. Rozy EDP on the other hand, with its rosy-cosmetic style, is the artisitc and adventurous sister who moved to the big city, working with fashion, always original styled and never without makeup. Rozy Voile d'Extract is more conventional in style and it smell more similar to several other fragrances on the market than Rozy EDP with its (to my nose) obvious reference to the original Schaparelli Shocking.

Picture: Rozy Voile d'Extrait
Photo: PR Vero Profumo (c)

Just as Rozy EDP, Rozy Voile d'Extrait has a good longevity, about 24h. The sillage is closer, just as an extrait is constructed vs an EDP, but it's no skinscent until after ca fifteen hours. Both Rozys are best for evening wear but lightly applied, they could be worn at daytime at least during the colder months. I like both Rozys very much and even if I think the EDP is more intriguing with its combination of notes and similarities to Shocking, the more conventional Voile d'Extrait smells just amazing on me.

Rating: 5

Notes: Rose, tubereuse, honey, blackcurrant, melon, coriander, nutmeg, labdanum, sandalwood, styrax, vanilla

Vero Profumo - Rozy EDP

Photo: Mr Parfumista (c)

The rose variations Rozy  from Vero Profumo are said to be inspired from the intensive (to say the least) italian actress Anna Magnani and espceially the movie The Rose Tatoo. As usual the fragrances from Vero Profumo is created by the founder of the house, Vero Kern. Today my impression of Rozy EDP and in the next entry, Rozy Voile d'Extrait.

Rozy EDP starts with an accord that reminds me of the honeyed flowery/rosy a bit lipsticky in texture start of the clasic  Shocking by Elsa Schiaparelli. But after a while Rozy EDP takes its own track, a delicious, fruity, golden nectar, honey and rose. The passionfruit, characteristic for the EDP:s of Vero Kern is deeper, denser and more gentle than in for example Rubj EDP or Kiki EDP. Something original with Rozy EDP is the mix peach, rose, honey and lilacflowers which gives the fragrance its own, original characteristic, its texture is almost inky and the smell has also some similarities (cold, wet metallic) with fluid ink. As a contrast, a soft, smoothing sandalwood is interacting. In the basenotes there is an animalic, dirty quality, powdery almost like putty in texture, a combination that I like very much, present also, but much more powdery, in fragrances as Etat Libre d'Orange Putain de Palaces and Huitéme Art Poudre du Riz. Overall, the resemblance with something that could be a contemporary and more sofisticated (at least compared with current EDT, haven't tried the vintage perfume) Shocking by Schiaparelli lingers during the whole drydown. In the basenotes something that  vaughely reminds me of a flowery version of Amouage Gold Extrait in the older formula is also present as also a resemblence with Antonio Visconti Rose Savuage.

Picture: Rozy EDP
Photo. PR Vero Profump (c)

Rozy EDP is a beautiful, retrostyled rose that distinguishes itself among other dark, dramatic roses. Longevity is very good, traces are left unfragemented almost 24h later. The sillage starts big but lingers to close and in the end to a skinscent. Rozy EDP could be worn year around even if I think it would be great for the colder season or for chilly summerevenings.

Rating: 5

Notes: Rose, peach, passionfruit, honey, lilac, hyacinth, tarragon, sandalwood, powdery notes

Favorite Orizas

Picture: The crest of Oriza L.Legrand
Photo: PR Oriza L.Legrand

As mentioned before, as I like retrostyled fragrances, the fragrances of Oriza L.Legrand are among my best findings during the latest years. The Oriza fragrances are all wellblended, of a good quality and which to prefer is not a matter of uneven quality among the fragrances, it's just ones personal preferences. My top three favorite Orizas (so far) are:

Oeillet Louis XV "The Oriza Carnation"; powdery, tart light caranation
Rêve d'Ossian "The Oriza Amber"; balsamic, tender, comforting
Horizon "The Oriza Patchouli"; very well rounded patch, one of the best patchoulis on the market

But I also would be pleased to wear:

Relique D'Amour "The incense Oriza"; incense in the colder, green pine-y, sub-family
Déjà le Printemps "The green Oriza"; crispy, springtime bulbflowers
Jardins D'Armide "The powdery Oriza"; an esteemed member of the elegant ladylike, aldehydic family

For Mr Parfumista

Chypre Mousse "The chypre/fourgé Oriza" The best Oriza so far, very original, no smell alikes (from what I have smelled) expect Kerosene Creature which has some similar notes, but not as balanced as in Chypre Mousse.
Vetiver Royal Bourbon "The vetiver Oriza" One of the very best vetivers on the market.

Chypre Mousse is the favorite of the very picky Mr Parfumista followed by Royal Vetiver Bourbon.
Looking forward to the coming recontructions/recreations from this quality house.

The Orizia L.Legrand fragrances are available at Fragrance & Art as also the Oriza L.Legrand  webshop.

Serge Lutens - L'orpheline

Picture: L'orpheline
Photo: PR Serge Lutens

L'orpheline is the latest fragrance from Serge Lutens and it's a part of the square (spary) bottles line, sometimes also called the exportline. As the black label indicates, its a stronger concentration, and more expensive than the whitelabeled bottles. Perfumer is Christopher Sheldrake, the former inhouseperfumer of Serge Lutens, now also with Chanel. As with most of Lutens latest creations, there is a backstory to L'orpheline which has it's background in Lutens childhood, the relation to his mother and his analyze of his feelings of the time.

L'orpheline starts with an almost refreshing combination of aldehydes, a cold, woody,almost green incensenote similar to pine. After a while it becomes warmer and light woody, herbaceous and as the fragrance further dries down, a peppery twist of the incensenote similar to the one in Parfumerie Gènèrale L'Eau Guerrière, appears but only with a fraction of the strength of the latter. As the drydown goes furhter on, a comforting, slight soapy note appers, soften the incense without any sweetness. There is also traces of the chilly, fresh pinelike incensenote from the initial blast of L'orpheline, a note which is also present, but stronger, in Robert Piguet Oud and in Oriza L.Legrand Relique D'Amour. The dominating accord in the middle of the fragrance is this simple but beautiful combination of fresh incense and soapy aldehydes.

Reaching the base the special pleasant slight wet, powdery, putty and musky note appears which I like in creations as Chanel 1932 and several other good contemporary fragrances, here is the link to a special post about this basenote. In L'orpheline that special note is combined with incense and creates an alternately chilly and tepid impression. Overall, L'orpheline in its latest stage reminds me very much of Chanel 1932, without jasmine and with more incense. And probably is that not a coincidence taken Sheldrakes role in both houses into account.

L'orpheline is a subtle, lowkey skinscent with low silage. Longevity for a day but a bit weak in the latest stage. Office-appropriate but also casual mostly for intellectual leisures as visiting an art exhibition or a classic concert. L'orpheline is a fragrance for contemplating and situations that require some sort of tranquility. First it not seems very original as there are traces of other fragrances, but  when worn and properly evaluated, this is in my opinion a new way to treat incense, in a low key, comforting way. Anyway L'orpheline is intriguing (triggering the imagination) and pleasant to wear.

Update December 2014: Cold weather makes the best of L'orpheline, it's a awesome fragrance, easy to wear, intriguing, which means that you get compliments. One of the best releases of 2014.

Rating: 4 5 (December 2014)

Notes: Aldehydes, coumarin (fougere accord), woods, ambergris, patchouli, incense, chasmerean
(notelist from Perfumeshrine as Serge Lutens doesn't reveal the notes on the site)

Carner Barcelona - El Born

Picture: Mercat del Born (Barcelona)
Photo: Maria Rosa Ferre (cc) ,
Wikipedia commons, some rights reserved

El Born is the latest addition in the Carner Barcelona line which is inspired  from different parts/aspects/moods and of course scents from Barcelona, both from the present and the past. El Born is inspired from the streetlife, scents and views of the old, touristcrowded El Born quarters, surrounding the market place.

El Born starts with slight citrusy and tart herbal notes contrasting to sweet, edible, pastry notes, the angelicanote is not as obvious as in Guarlain Angelique Noir it's a more of a light weight interpretation. After a while a delicious smell of a dry almondcake appears, it's not the liqueur-like amarettonote, this is the note of ground almonds for a cake. The fignote is not the lush fruity one of for example Diptyque Philosykos, the fig is more of the leaves and the tree, with something dry that reminds me of a smoother and lighter version of the fig-peppery combination of Neela Vermiere Creations Ashoka. In this stage, El Born as a whole, rests in a balsamic, light spicy comfort.

In the basenotes the balsamic-resin comfort still consists and a smooth, even if a bit peppery, sandalwood emerges. There is also an unexpected twist with an accord which smells slight liquirice/anice-like (even if not present as notes) and which add a contrasting chill in the warm balsamic base. This anicelike reminds me of a similar treatment of the note; it reminds me of the base of Atelier Cologne Mistral Patchouli but in the latter, the anice-like aspect is interacting with patchouli instead of balsam and soft woody/spicy notes. The longer El Born dries down, the more I smell the connection to Mistral Patchouli.

Picture: El Born
Photo: PR Carner Barcelona (c)

El Born is a very good representative of the comforting, contemporary, casual, chic style of  Carner Barcelona. To my nose El Born in style most resembles the light spicy, sort of café-atmospheric Rima XI. Just like these comforting scents, El Born is easy to like, smooth as cashmere, a true wrist sniffer with an almost calming influence on the wearer, at least if the wearer is me. The slilage is close, the longevity for over a day and its suitable both for casual (a perfect perfume for shopping, with a break at some fashionable café) and to comfort duirng a though day in the office. Even if the warm and comforting character makes it well suited for autumn and winter it also smelled great during the hot, humid summerdays when I tested El Born. To finsh the praise: The more I try El Born, the more I like it. It's not love at first sniff but this fragrance wins in the long run.

Other fragrances that reminds me od El Born in their style is The Different Company Oriental Lounge (swe) and Frederic Malle Dries van Noten but I percieve El Born as less sweet than the latter.

Rating: 5

Notes: Lemon, bergamot, angelica, honey; fig, heliotrope, benzoin, jasmine, vanilla, peru balsam, sandalwood, musk