Yves Saint Laurent will launch two limited edition variations of its iconic Opium fragrance: Opium Eau d'Orient Fleur Impériale for women, with mandarin, neroli, apricot flower, jasmine, carnation, amber, myrrh, vanilla, woods, patchouli and osmanthus; and Opium Eau d'Orient pour Homme (shown) with white pepper, bergamot, grapefruit, star anise, ginger, bamboo, vetiver, sandalwood and amber.
Both Opium Eau d'Orient fragrances are in Eau de Toilette 100 ml. (via cosmoty.de)
As previously reported, Serge Lutens will launch Gris Clair into the export line later this year:
This wandering pollen, like ashes dropped on a dead city, deploys its humble crowning with despair in the name of light from an adolescent sky.
This magic dust brought by wind, has come to this austere and arid landscape made of rocks, luminous and sublime.
Inaccessible, surrounded by stones, this flower – is it really a flower? – has made dew its watering hole. Insensitive to the burning of the sun, miracle in abandon, it survives.
Serge Lutens Gris Clair is an Eau de Parfum, and the fragrance includes notes of lavender, amber, tonka bean, iris and dried wood. (quote via senteursdailleurs, additional information via cosmoty.de)
A more detailed list of notes for the latest from Giorgio Armani's Armani Prive line, Cuir Amethyste: the perfume includes bergamot, coriander, crystalline rose, violet, birch, benzoin, labdanum, leather accord, patchouli and Bourbon vanilla. It seems to have launched in France last year, but as of this writing, still hasn't made it to the United States.
Eden Park, the French rugby-inspired fashion line, has released their first fragrance. Oval for men has notes of bergamot, mandarin, lavender, elemi, cardamom, spices, geranium, violet, clove, gin accord, juniper berry, heliotrope, tonka bean, benzoin, cedar, sandalwood, moss and musk. (both above via osmoz)
Jo Malone Nectarine Blossom & Honey is finally hitting the States. The notes: clementine, peach, nectarine, blackcurrant, plum, vetiver and honey. Update: see a review of Jo Malone Nectarine Blossom & Honey.
The Valentines Day edition of Jean Paul Gaultier's Gaultier2 includes two 20 ml bottles of Eau de Parfum (shown at right). Magnets with hearts and romantic sayings are included so you can decorate the bottles. (via absolufeminin)
Montale has launched two new fragrances: Blue Amber with Italian bergamot, bourbon geranium, coriander, patchouli, vetiver and base of amber and vanilla; and Chypré Vanillé with vanilla, rock rose, amber, and incense over a woody combination of sandalwood and vetiver and tonka bean. (thanks to Neela for the scoop!)
More new fragrances coming tomorrow!
Opium with orange — yesssss! I can't understand why Opium seems to be sort of a fragrance joke to some folks; maybe because it's so distinctive? Or so redolent of, what, 1977? I dunno. I still think it's a great fragrance. I missed it during its heyday (I was still wearing Love's Baby Soft.) 😛
Okay, I will be adding the new Opium to my list as well…. *sigh* 2006 is going to be an expensive year, I think.
The Fleur de Shanghai edition has Mandarin Orange as well (I think).
I just love the original Opium, my latest bottle is only about 3ml away from being empty. My mother used to wear it all the time, and if I don't have a bottle in my rotation, it just feels wrong.
I can't wait to try Gris Clair!!! And, Chypre Vanilla sounds amazing – the notes sound like everything I love in a fragrance. Yesterday I re-discovered my sample of Shaal Nur, and found a bottle of it on ebay for 20 bucks less than I've been able to find anywhere else. There's too many great fragrances, my collection is growing and growing…so happy to know I'm not the only one out there who's obsessed.
I've always kind of been neutral about Opium, but this new version sounds great!! My Mom has always liked Opium, I bet she would love this one too.
Gris Clair is hitting all the right buttons – so, how will M. Lutens manage to spoil it for me? I bet there's an unlisted cumin note somewhere in there! I thought Cedre sounded dreamy, and Borneo horrid, and they turned out exactly the opposite for me…
I think it is because a) it is strong and b) everyone was wearing it. Like Angel. I missed it durings its heyday too!
I am still seeing the Fleur de Shanghai edition in dept stores. Actually don't know when the new one is coming.
Congrats on the Shaal Nur buy, it is one of my favorites. I want to try Gris Clair too, although there is almost no chance I'll like it. I almost never like lavender.
The women's bottle has apricot blossoms on it — it's cute!
LOL! I'm sure he'll through something unexpected in there 😉
Hmm… lavender and iris… I don't think Gris Clair is for me.
What's wrong with cumin: it's very nice. I like it.
Gaultier is really missing the American market with little or no advertizing for Gaultier2. I'm very surprised.
LOL…many people do like cumin, but not me.
But has it even launched in the US yet? I haven't seen it in a single department store here.
R, by the time you go to NYC, they'll probably have some of the AP Amethyst—or so say SAs at Saks. The one at Barney's said there'd been a delay, whatever that means. SAs know absolutely NOTHING, though, so toss all of this in the trashcan. If, however, you can, try some and let us (ME) know what's what. Please.
With Gris Clair… , you better love the aromatic scent of lavender. It's very dry,smokey and manly lavender. There is some sort of amber in the basenotes to soften it somewhat, but the amber only appears very late in the evolving process.
I find it a more easy to wear version of Encens et Lavande.
Great, because I adore lavender…it sounds truly lovely. Today I'm wearing Borneo.
I take it that means it was *not* there this weekend. Of course will try it first chance I get!
And now I want to know how I can buy a bottle of Borneo 1834! Does anyone have any idea? I have a decant from ebay, but I wore this scent all day today, and feel like it's a “must own the full bottle” situation. Sorry, I know this is off the subject of new fragrances…
Borneo is an exclusive, so if you're in the States, your choices are: buy on ebay, or get a friend in Europe to buy it for you and ship it to you.
Thank you for the info. I've inquired about bottles on ebay with the people I buy decants from, and I'll have to look into some Euro buddies getting it for me. Is it ever supposed to be available in the States?
Just checked ebay, found a full bottle for 185! Plus 25.00 shipping, kind of steep…think I'll wait, not ready for a splurge. Sad.
With the current exchange rate, a bottle would be approx $120 or so, but $180 is about the going rate on ebay, I'm sorry to say.
Every year, they release one exclusive into the export line for a limited run. Last year it was Chergui, this year it is to be Fumerie Tuque. If SL keeps up the practice, Borneo might be in the States eventually, but it could be a long wait!
Ahhhh, sadly, I might have to wait, and keep buying decants. It's funny how I have a good sized decant, but am obsessed with buying a belll bottle…when it would take me ages to use all of the decant! Such an obsession, these perfumes. It's amazing.
Last night I wore Borneo 1834, and my friend told me I smelled like Play-Doh.
Really? I get play doh from lots of fragrances, but Borneo isn't one of them!
It's funny, isn't it? I would never get play-doh from Borneo. The thing is, I don't mind the smell of play-doh. Nostalgic.
I love the new Montale Chypre Vanille. The Blue Amber was a dry, masculine amber to my nose.
Thanks T, I'll have to look for the Chypre Vanilla. I didn't like the Chypre Fruite as much as I thought I would!
My first post on this wonderful blog, and it will be in praise of Gris Clair. “Clair” is the right word all right: clear, translucent, subtle, light–the ethereal joy of lavender without the spike, that all-too-frequent follow-up in lesser formulations.
I am thoroughly pleased with my purchase, and wouldn't hesitate to recommend the scent to a man or woman. So nice to see other fans of this one. Hope you tried it and loved it, Gina.
Hi Gina, and welcome!
I'm not a huge fan of lavender, but liked Gris Clair much better than I thought I would. Need to give it another try one of these days.
NowSmellThis, could you have meant the welcome for me? I think Gina has been here a while; I was just responding to her message.
It's a good time to say I've been enjoying the blog very much, have been a scent-hound for about 29 years and appreciate such a comprehensive site to turn to for information and speculation. About my fifth post now so we'll see how I do!
Uh, yes — but you mentioned Gina in your post, and I have a *very* limited memory span, LOL! So welcome again, Mick! Sounds like you've been a scent-hound a lot longer than I have — I've only been serious about perfume for about 4-5 years.
I hope the fact that the last comment on Gris Clair was 2 years ago means it’s available at discounters. Just tried a sample for the first time and fell hopelessly in love. I’m too new to this to tell a tonka bean from a Tonka truck but it smells wonderfully sweet yet not as sweet as the hardcore ambers or sandlewoods. If it’s cumin that saves it, then hello, cumin! But does not smell like curry. LOL.
Parfum1 has it, don’t know who else.