In memory of Notre-Dame....

Picture: Notre-Dame Paris
Photo: Tristan Nitot (cc) some rights reserved
Wikimedia commons

….as we know her.

This morning I wanted to honour the Grand Dame of Paris and therefore choose an appropriate fragrance to remember this fascinating spiritual and cultural heritage. The SOTD was obvious:
Opus 1144 from UNUM/Filippo Sorcinelli, a fragrance inspired from the gotic era which was started approximately 1144. The fragrance is inspired from the stone in the cathedrals and the grey skies of Normandy, a birthplace for the Gotic style and Culture.

Opus 1144 is a lovely oriental styled perfume, comforting and cherishing, a Shalimar wrapped in a fluffy, creamy lemony note. What I don't understand is; where is the connection to the gothic era and the chatedrals? When I'm wearing Opus 1144 I come to think of the art deco style of the 1920s. Instead I'm associate Rosa Nigra from the same brand to medieval style and  atmosphere. This is some of the allure with perfume, different people have different associations. Positive news in this disaster are that two of the dominating luxury conglomerates will donate huge amounts to rebuild Notre-Dame and as a consequence, indirectly, we as parfumistas are also contributing. 

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

UNUM - Opus 1144

Picture: Central tympanum, the Western (Royal) Portal at cathedral of Chartres (ca 1145). These architectural statues are the earliest Gothic sculptures and
were a revolution in style and the model for a generation of sculptors.
Photo: Cancre (cc) some rights reserved, Wikimedia commons

Opus 1144 is the second fragrance from the Italian nichhouse UNUM. Opus 1144 is inspired from the gotic era which was started approximately 1144. The fragrance is inspired from the stone in the cathedrals and the grey skies of Normandy, a birthplace for the Gotic style and culture.Just as with LAVS, Opus 1144 is created by Filippo Sorcinelli with help form the secret parfumer.

Starts like a natural lemony (not chemical lemon pledge) contemporary Shalimar without the animalic notes in the original one and less vanillic then the "Route" Shalimars-line. In the Opus 1144 middlenotes the powder intesifies and becomes deeper, a sort of wet, chalky, putty powder. Now the vanilla also intensifies, probably because a clear musky note, complementing the discrete, cold flowers which are also present. In this stage Opus 1144 reminds me of a more vanillic and less flowery Oriza L. Legrand  Jardins D'Armide .  Also the oriental vanilla Kèora from Jean Couturier comes to my mind. As Opus 1144 dries further down it becomes darker, deeper, balsamic, resin and ambery now with slight salty, animalic notes from the ambregris. Tanken as a whole Opus 1144 is quite linear even if the fragrance changes to deeper nuances as it dries down.

Picture: Unum Opus 1144
Photo: PR Unum (c)

Even if classified as unisex, Opus 1144 to my nose is very feminine, like a fluffy angorajumper. Unfortunately, Opus 1144 doesn't remind me of medival times at all, to me it's more of a fragrance for a very feminine and elegant lady. The concept is not new, this is a classical fragrance directly in the footsteps of Shalimar. Opus 1144 powdery elegance is combined with a certain cosy comfort. It's perfect for autumn and winter, could be worn during the day but most people would classify it as an evening perfume. Sillage is medium+ and longevity overnight, a cosy, lemony, powdery, vanillc accord remains after 24 h. This is strong stuff (perfume strength) and one has to apply sparingly.

Those who like powdery fragrances as Huitème Art Poudre de Riz which is less sweet than Opus 1144 as also deep, woody vanillas like Montale  Boisé Vanille will probably also like Opus 1144.

Rating: 4

Notes: Jasmin, mandarin, elemi, bergamot, iris, orchid, cashmere wood, musk, ambregris, vanilla, benzoin, leather, sandalwood