Burberry - My Burberry Black

Picture: My Burberry Black
Photo: PR Burberry (c)

In mainstream, during the years, I have discovered that I have a soft spot for fragrances from Burberry, both Burberry Body and My Burberry caught my interest and Burberry London for Men is already classic in my book. When a nice colleauge supported me with a sample of the new My Burberry Black I was intrigued at once, wearing the fragrance two days in a row which is unusual when it comes to me. Just as My Burberry, My Burberry Black is created by Francis Kurkdjian.

My Burberry Black starts almost repellent with a thick, flowery, fruity accord, a sort of a syrupy version of a nightblooming slight animalic jasmine. The fragrance then lightens, the thickness disappears but some of the syrupy texture remains and in this stage My Burberry Black reminds me of Chanel Allure Edp. Then a peachy, candided, ambery rose accord appears, balanced by a dark, clean patchouli in the contemporary minimalistic style. There is something in the feeling/texture of sweet candided flowers which reminds me of By Kilian Voulez-vous coucher avec Moi? not the similar smell but the style and feeling even if the Kilian is more polite and discrete. The Burberry in comparison, is big, almost in your face, as contemporary version of a 1980s fragrance, for example Lancome Trèsor, a fragrance which My Burberry Black has similarities to when it comes to the ambery treatment of the rose.

Wearing My Burberry Black is like walking home late through the city a dark, rainy and cold night in the autumn. A wet asphalt note mingled by exhaust fumes from the cars is opposing the gourmand candided sweet flowers and reduces the sweetness and creates an intriguing backdrop to the fragrance. The asphalt/fume accord is also present in the daytime urban floral My Burberry but in My Burberry black it's heavier, darker and moistier.

Picture: My Burberry Black
Photo: PR Burberry (c)

My Burberry Black is the perfect fragrance for evenings but also for daytime when it's grey, cold and rainy outside. It's very feminine, strong (be careful to not overdose) the sillage is big and longevity on skin excellent, over 24h. An intresting and well made representative of contemporary mainstrem with retro (1980s) vibes.

Rating: 5

Notes: Jasmine, candided roses, peach, amber, patchouli

Best of 2014

Picture: Grape hyacinths in spring 2014
Photo: Mr Parfumista (c)

Best of 2014 is not an easy post to write (and should not be as long as the perfume industry has not collapsed compleatly :-) as I have tried a bunch of good fragrances released in the market this year. And as usual, I've just tested a fraction of the thousend+ releases on the international market.

Best Feminine:
Vero Profumo Rozy Voile d'Extrait, an retro styled but still contemporary deep, balsamic, oriental rose.
Close contenders: My Burberry and Maison Francis Kurkdjian Féminin Pluriel both contemporary, beutiful floral interpretations by Francis Kurkdjian, the former a  though, urban flower, the latter a contemporary but in the same time timeless flower creation. Le Galion Iris a magnificent, iris-lily dominated floral bouquet, review will follow in January 2015.

Best Masculine:
Le Galion Special for Gentleman, an elegant, retrostyled, very masculine aromatic/chypre.
Close contenders: Oriza L.Legrand Vétiver Royal Bourbon  unisex but leaning IMO to the masculine side. Chalky, brisk, light green vetiver, nautral smelling with some traces of Terre d'Hermes, the chalky tone. By Kilian Smoke for the soul doesn't suit me personally but the fragrance is very original and innovative to be a member of the Kilian line. Therefore it's the stand out in the "The addicted state of mind" trio.

For both:
Serge Lutens L'Orpheline is totally unisex to me, fits equally fits equally well for me as for Mr Parfumista. It's a fragrance that is a growing liking for me. I like it much better worn in colder tempratures than when tested it last summer for the review. A new and appealing interpretation of incense. Frapin Nevermore, this decades interpretation of the iconic dark rose of the 1990s; L'Artisan Voleur de Roses. Nevermore is leaning to the masculine side but I admit I notice a growing appreciation to wear it myself.

Disappointments of the year:
Both are very good fragrances but apparently in practice the don't fit me even if they should, in theory.
Editions Parfums Frederic Malle Eau de Magnolia: Even if a well constructed fragance and probably a hit commercial, it's just too shrill to me, and honestly, to me this fine fragrance is boring in the long run.
Cartier La Panthere: Probably I havn't tested it enough, but even if well constructed etc it doesn't leave a lasting impression, I can't remember at all how it smells.

Wishing you a great New Years Eve and a Happy New 2015!

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