Making of Cannes - Quick reviews

Picture: A chic bottle of Rocher Princier
Photo: PR Making of Cannes (c)

Making of Cannes is a perfumebrand based in Grasse which creations are inspired of the Cannes Film Festival and the movie industry. Founder of the brand is Audrey Courbier who worked for Estee Lauder form many years, I havn't found who the perfumer is. Technically the fragrances are wellcrafted of a good quality and contains at least 20% perfumeoil, from a creative point of view even if beautiful nothing new or innovative. The fragrances are comforting, elegant and easy to wear.
Below some short thoughts of the five first releases from 2014:

Premier Role: This light oriental amber has a lovely vintage aura, especially in the start with something as unusual as a soft galbanum, this note often tend to appear as sharp. Taken as a whole Premier Role is a mix between two interesting perfumes from the past. Dior Dune and Balenciaga Prelude with an extra dose of smooth, restrained, moderate sweet white and yellow flowers. The first one-third is the most interesting then the fragrance get linear and smells almost the same for the rest of the dry down. Very feminine, warm, soft and comfortable to wear.

L'Amour la Monde: This is Frederic Malle Lipstick Rose crossed with a finetuned, realistic smelling leather like for example Acqua di Parma Colonia Leather. The leathernote vanishes after the topnotes and intergrates with the musky, powdery, creamy lipstick rose/violet accord. The more L'Amour la Monde dries down, the more of the powdery, musky, aldehydic character steps forward in a comfortable way. Just as with Permier Role the first one-third is the most interesting, than the fragrance stays almost the same, even if intensifying.

Invalouable: Starts very feminine as a flowery light powdery vanilla with fruity accents. The vanillic flower in its texture, not in the actual smell, is similar to the style of the angelic, powdery, flowery vanilla from Eau d'Italie Morn to Dusk. As Invalouable dries down to the middlenotes it settles in a light peppery, white flower accord  and the fragrance is close to the sparkling Ramon Monegal duo Kiss My Name and Lovely Day. As Invalouable reaches its warm and musky basenotes, the peppery sparkle steps back and the fragrance reminds of the beautiful summery white flower of Gianfranco Ferré which bears the same name as the designer.

Amazing Shooting: Listed as unisex but to my nose it's lending more to the feminine side. Starts fruity in a air of chypre. The fruits are fresh, not the spicy Mitsouko style, but combined with slight boozy notes, it becomes darker, almost creamy and much more sophisticated in apperance. Something which smells like a wellbalanced, not harsh teanote also glimpses, probably this is the metallicnote mentioned in the notelist. Amazing Shooting reminds me in style and expression of a more balanced EnJoy by Jean Patou made of much better ingredients.

Rocher Princier:  Listed as masculine or unisex the woody-spicy, to my nose dominantly incense-oudy Rocher Princier goes for both. Starts with a cold aldehydic chalky incensy which is close to Montale Full Incense. As Rocher Princier dries further down, a light smokey, confier, cold oudy aura appears and the fragrance in this stage has similaritues with Robert Piguet Oud Some light sweet spicy elements combined with balsamic notes deepens the fragrance in the basenotes. A rounded, well constructed incense-oud without any sharp edges or annoying pepper, very pleasent to wear. The smooth incense interpretation in texture is similar to the sweeter and gourmandy cosy incense Juozas Statkevicius (Josef Statkus). The favorite from the line both for me and Mr Parfumista.

UNUM - Rosa Nigra

Picture: From the medevial Källa church
on the island of Öland, Sweden
Photo: Mr Parfumista (c)

Rosa Nigra is the latest installation in the UNUM perfume line. Rosa Nigra is as the other UNUM fragrances LAVS and Opus 1144 created by Filippo Sorcinelli. Rosa Nigra is created as a variation of the retro powdery smelling Opus 1144.

Rosa Nigra starts with an very intriguing accord which reminds me of a windy, chilly, grey, cloudy day, cold stone, chalk, earth, tangy greenery, like the steem and leafs of a rose. There are some traces from the flower of the rose too, it's a rose from a wild rosebush, not tamed to perfection, I can imagine the rose growing outside an abandoned small medieval countryside church. The tangy, green, dark spirit note of absinth is clearly present, blended with the rose and the chillyness of freesia, balanced with a pleasant peach. This is a combination thet could also be found in Burberry Body but in that one the accord is in a higher octave of the scented notescale and also a bit sweeter. In the topnotes I also find a note that reminds me of honeyed incense and I suspect someincense is involved even if not mentioned in the notelist.

Picture: Rosa Nigra
Photo: PR Unum (c)

As Rosa Nigra dries further down the blend is clearing up after the initial storm and the flowers, peach, absinth are shining also as individual notes interacting in an intricate pattern. One can recognize Opus 1144 but without the thick powdery and dusty lemony smell. The peach is the mainplayer in the second part of Rosa Nigra, the peach has a vintage vibe which make me think of a brighter and cleaner version of the peach in Guerlain Mitsouko. Later on Rosa Nigras also reminds me of the contemporary fruity chypre EnJoy from Jean Patou.The floral-fruity accords are highlighted by the well balanced woody, muksy base. The longer Rosa Nigra dries down the more rosy it becomes, once again. This time there is much more of the rose petals and the perform in a pleasant, pink, creamy version but it's well contratsted with the tangy greenery but in a smaller dose than on the topnotes. Once again the similarity of something that could be a luxury variation of Burberry Body is obvious.

Just as the incensebomb  UNUM LAVS, Rosa Nigra goes from a dramatic, imaginative opening to a much more polished and orderly second part. In the case of Rosa Nigra the fragrance goes from a medivial feeling to a polished contemporary version of a 1920s/1930s fragrance and in its latest stages to a contemporary musky rose.

I find the opening most interesting but in the second part, Rosa Nigra transforms to a very wearable (around the year), really good smelling (at least in the rosy part) and elegant fragrance. Rosa Nigra is classified as an unisex scent but to my nose that applies to the first dramatic part of the fragrance. The elegant second part is more feminine. Sillage is medium and longevity good, for 24h at least.

Rating: 5

Notes: Anise, absinth, freesia, sandalwood, peach, vanilla, cashmere wood, musk, ambra

Annick Goutal - Rose Pompon

Picture: Rose Pompon
Photo: PR Annick Goutal (c)

Rose Pompon is the latest fragrance from Annick Goutal, created by Camille Goutal and a new perfumer to me, Philippine Courtiére. According to Annick Goutal buzz the rose pompon woman exudes joie de vivre which is reflected in the perfume. 

Rose Pompon also starts happy and cheerful as a big smile with a note that is similar to smooth grapefruit, the pink/red variety. The grapefruit is not mentioned as a note but what is there is ver similar but has no metallic vibes nor the catpee note that sometimes appears in grapefruit combinations. The opening make me think of Yves Saint Laurent Baby Doll Paris.The mediumpink rose appears mixed with a clear and natural note of raspberry and the a fresh, watery tinge of peony. The light woody, musky base has a gentle touch of patchouli which creates a modern light chypre-ish vibe. It's not the typical, modern oversweet chypre, Rose Pompon has a more classic vibe to the chypre accord, even if contemporary styled, and reminds me of the basenoteaccord of EnJoy by Jean Patou without the pineapplenote. Also the elegant Ramon Monegal L'Eau de Rose comes to my mind even if that one is without the berrynotes and a bit more formal.

Picture: Rose Pompon
Photo: PR Annick Goutal (c)

Rose Pompon really is a feminine, chic and happy fragrance, uncomplicated and easy to wear. I think the PR movie with Camille Goutal is spot on. Mr Parfumistas spontaneus comment when I tested Rose Pompon was "smells like a better mainstream". Rose Pompon will be the perfect companion for spring, but unfortunately my sample will running out long before that. The only drawback with the fragarnce is the longevity, even if heavy applied, it doesn't last for a whole day. Compared to the other rose centered fragrances from Annick Goutal, Rose Pompon is the most uncomplicated and will probably attract a wider audience then the green, thorny, tangy Rose Splendide or the classical, rubbery, pure roseoil blend Rose Absolue.

Rating: 4

Notes: Raspberry, black currant, pink pepper; rose and pink peony, musk, cedar, patchouli

Ramon Monegal - Mediterranean Memories

Picture: A favourite plant for Chinese New Year
Photo: Mokkie (CC),
Wikimedia Commons, some rights reserved

Mediterranean Memories by Ramon Monegal is created for and available exclusively at the famed hotel Mandarin Oriental Hotel Barcelona. 

Mediterranean Memories (MM) starts with a realistic, sharp tangerine note. Soon a smell of green leaves, which I can imagine as the leaves of the tangerine three, appears. As MM dries further down it becames sweeter, probably the light green yellow lindenblossom note achieves this and in this phase MM reminds me slightly of Carthusia The Essence of Centaral Park.  Some accords  later, the smell of MM suddenly reminds me of citrus/orange hard candies. More yellow flowers are to come, when the lovely, sunny, nectarious mimosa appears, golden and warm. The fruity vibes still lingers and even if MM not is smelling of pineapple, I find  similatities with another contemporary, fruity chypre Jean Patou EnJoy which has a dominating note similar to pineapple, is much bolder but has a resembling expression and aura. Later on an very light, almost peppery impression shows up, probably from the cedarwood in the basenotes. There is also additlional, varm spicy, woody notes combined with a light, white musk, a musk which has been present, highlighten the notes during the whole development of MM. The basenotes is the part I like the best with MM, probably as I'm no great fan of lindenblossom. The base notes retains the chypre-ish expression and MM is here darker than in the exuberant top- and middlenotes.

Picture: Mediterranean Memories by Ramon Monegal
Photo: PR Ramon Monegal (c)

Mediterranean Memories is an easy to wear, elegant, albeit a tad to sweet for my taste in the middlennotes, everyday fragrance suitable for work or daytime pleasure in spring and summer. Sillage is close and longevity good, for approximatly a day.

MM is in the same vein as another  Ramon Monegal exclusive Very Private, reviewed earlier. Both are flattering and easy to like by many as they are smelling very good and are versatile in style. But they are not as interesting as the basic Ramon Monegal line. For those who havn't tried Ramon Monegal yet, my recommendation is to start with the basics.showing the versatile but genuine Ramon Monagal style as expressed in the first fifteen fragrances released to the international market in 2012.

Rating: 3+

Notes: Tangerine, green leaves, lindenblossom, mimosa, cinnamon, cinnamonbark, cedarwood, musk (I think as I havn't seen any official notelist, only some mentions in an article)

Maison Francis Kurkdjian - Féminin Pluriel

Picture: Portrait of a young lady with a white veil,
oil on painting, unknown french painter ca 1800

Féminin Pluriel is the feminie part of the Pluriel compositions of Maison Francis Kurkdjian, with Francis himself as the nose. The masculine Pluriel will be reviewed in a coming post.

Féminin Pluriel starts with a bright, clean iris where the carrot is present but very well balanced, it never reaches the deep, rough, earthy territories like for example Serge Lutens Iris Silver Mist. Soon bright and almost sparkling violets and roses apperars, I imagine the roses as elegant creme colored ones and the violets in a pale violet nuance. Further in the dry down the flowers mingels in a beautiful, bright and uplifting boquet, subtle, trasparent and very elegant like a creme colored silk chiffon scarf flapping in the wind or the veil of a bride.There is something the overall impression that reminds me of two Jean Patou fragrances: EnJOy and Un Amour de Patou, mostly of the latter. From EnJoy there is something similar from the basic structure, a contemporary chypre with a patchouli-vetiver base. EnJoy is rougher, louder and have some frutiy  notes (which mixed together reminds) me of pineapple, these notes are not present in Le Pluriel. The flowery light rosy bouquet is in the same style as in Un Amour de Patou, even if not smelling the same, they mediates a similar impression. A note that is distinguishable when  I'm wearing Pluriel is the Lily-of-the-Valley, the spontaneus reaction from the kids are "Your smelling like grandma" and as Dior Diorissimo is my mothers it signaturefragrance there must be the LOTV. Even further in the dry down, a very light powdery impression with a glimpse of a soft lipstick note, apperars and when reaching the base, the vetiver steps forward making Pluriel a tad greener. The vetiver is dry and gentle and not of the rougher, masculine kind, the patchouli is in the clean, contemporary style, which is not dominating the base, just adding some slight earthy dept to it. There is also a balsamic quality in the texture, not the smell, of the base, despite all traces of balsams and resins are missing in the composition. This "balsamic"quality is also present but more pronounced, in another MFK favorite, APOM Pour Femme. There is also something common in style, not much in smell, with Jour d'Hermès but the latter is greener, harsher, sharper and more tangy in its scent.

Picture Féminin Pluriel
Photo: PR Maison Fracis Kurkdjian (c)

Féminin Pluriel is a very wearable fragance, both for business and for pleasure including occasions that deamnds an elegant outfit and fragrance. The sillage is medium and the longevity for a day, and when wearing Pluriel one could be sure it's attracting compliments. Pluriel is not as complicated as the earlier MFK fragrances so it will probably reach a greater audience than the more extreme ones.

I was very curious to compare Pluriel PF with an other great Francis Kurkdjian composition of 2014: My Burberry and thought there would be more similarities than it really is. Pluriel is very clean, innocent without any dirty notes, compared to My Burberrys urban garden and asphalt notes, Pluriel is an unspoiled country girl where My Burberry is the casual chic and though city girl. Taken as a whole My Burberry has more interesting twists with the contratsing flowery and urban notes but Pluriel is much more beautiful and elegant. Just as with My Burberry, I find Féminin Pluriel to be one of the best and most wearable fragrances of what I have smelled from the 2014 releases.

Rating: 5

Notes: Iris, violet, rose, jasmine, lily-of-the-valley, orange blossom, vetiver, patchouli leaf

Ineke - Gilded Lily

Ineke Rühlands senaste doft Gilded Lily är en fruktig chypre i en mer traditionell stil. Den är byggd runt en mycket sällsynt japansk lilja som Ineke i studiesyfte har planterat i sin trädgård. Gilded Lily påminner mig genast om en lite rundare och mjukare EnJoy (Jean Patou). Likheterna varar hela resan från toppnoternas äpplen (i båda dofterna) ananasnot och rabarber respektive banan och päron, genom ett blommigt hjärta en speciell japansk lilja i GL, jasmin och ros i E, till basen med patchoulli, ekmossa, och ambra i GL, detsamma  minus ekmossan men med tillägg av mysk och vanilj i E. Även om många ingredienser skiljer sig åt så är stilen och strukturen med blandad fruktighet i toppen, blomma i mitten och en chypre eller chypreliknande bas likartad.

Tyvärr kommer jag inte ifrån tankarna på EnJoy under hela provningen av Gilded Lily. Frågan är om Ineke inspirerats av EnJoy och föregångare från Patou som Colony, en fruktig trettiotalschypre med ananas i toppen. Gilded Lily känns helt enkelt väldigt Patou-ig. En robust och hållbar doft som kräver lätt applicering. Bärbar året om. Herr Parfumistas spontana rekation var: "Idag luktar du något maskulint, som Brut". Association kan verka konstig men troligen finns där några noter som överensstämmer och det är ju bland annant det som är så roligt med doftminnet. Olika näsor plockar ut olika fragment från minnet när de känner en doft.

Sammanfattningsvis är Gilded Lily en bra doft men den ger mig inget nytt eftersom den påminner så mycket om EnJoy. Ineke gör onekligen fina dofter, ofta baserade på inom parfymeriet ovanliga blommor. Exempelvis är hennes lätta syrendoft After My Own Heart outstanding. Men tyvärr är det inte bara den senaste doften Gilded Lily känns som en repetition av något annat. Även förra årets fina tobaksdoft Fieldnotes from Paris har lite för mycket gemensamt med Burberry London Man.

Tyvärr Ineke det blir inte mer än:

Betyg: 2

Mossigt värre

Nu i helgen ska det visst bli riktigt varmt men idag är det fortfarande lite kyligt (allt är ju relativt) så jag passar på att att njuta av en blommig chypre (med spår av lite läder) idag igen, nämligen Fendi från 1985.
Har använt en del åttiotalschypres den senste tiden som kontrast till det modernt, fruktigt, vitblommigt, sötsliskiga som jag också använt en del. När jag haft en sådan doft en dag tex Burberry London eller Miss Dior Cherie så känner jag att jag måste ha något elegant, stort, lite träigt, icke-sliskigt och då trillar jag obönhörligt in bland de klassiska blomchyprerna tex Knowing och Diva.
De senare årens chypres har en annan ton än de äldre tex EnJoy, Terre d´Hermes. De är inte lika tunga och kompakta i mossnoten som de äldre utan har en mer mineralig, kallare ton. Måtte nu bara inte den klassiska ekmossetonen försvinna. Den naturliga ekmossan (slånlaven) kan tydligen framkalla allergier så det låter ju lite hotfullt. Likaså så finns den inte i hur stora mängder som helst. Å andra sidan har jag svårt att tänka mig att det bara är naturlig "mossa" ens i åttiotalsdofterna. Kemin har säkert sedan länge funnit ett sätt att efterhärma den klassiska chyprebasnoten.