Some people might not understand why you’d want to wear a soliflore. After all, why smell like one flower — a flower you’re probably already familiar with — when you could smell like an original blend of notes? Following that logic, there would be no reason to look at paintings of the ocean once you've seen the real thing, even though seascapes vary in styles — think of those by Turner, Homer and Hokusai. If I had to pin a style to the Oriza L. Legrand soliflores Violettes du Czar and Heliotrope Blanc, I’d call them Victorian.
Oriza L. Legrand is a relatively new niche brand with an old history. According to the perfume house’s website, the house was founded in France in 1720 and originally famed for its creams and powders based on rice. Over the years, the brand grew, winning awards and furnishing products for royalty. During World War II, Oriza L. Legrand closed. In 2012, the house was bought and launched again with the mission of reviving the old fragrances.
Violettes du Czar’s notes include violet leaves, violet, iris, heliotrope, tolu balm, leather, amber and gaïac wood. If you imagine a czar as having mutton chops and a velvet jacket with gold ropes fastened over its front, this fragrance matches that vision. Violettes du Czar kicks off with funky, animalic leather that the violets give an earthy, rain-like scent. The leather dies pretty quickly, and the violets turn slightly medicinal and stemmy. The heliotrope is nearly as present as the violet at this point.
As Violettes du Czar reaches cruising altitude, the leather returns, but only to make the violets smell as if they were stored in a musty boot, and the fragrance is never as distinctly leather-violet as Balmain Jolie Madame, for example. The heliotrope vanishes. Before a few hours are up, I can barely smell the fragrance at all except as a bare violet leaf on skin.
Overall, Violettes du Czar is dense and telescoped, which is probably why it feels so Victorian to me. It doesn't have the airy, soprano-to-bass feel of a modern fragrance. Violettes du Czar is definitely unisex and might even skew masculine. It never turns overly sweet or face-powdery, like some violet fragrances can. (If you’re in the market for a unisex violet fragrance, be sure to sample Mona di Orio Violette Fumée, too.)
Heliotrope Blanc’s notes include orange blossom, heliotrope, violet leaves, almond, mimosa, iris, musk, rice powder, benzoin and tonka bean. With heliotrope, people seem to either love it or hate it, some calling it “doll’s head” or too powdery. I happen to love it. Heliotrope Blanc’s orange blossom is subdued, and both the almond and mimosa really punch up heliotrope’s powdery gourmand qualities. (Now I’m curious about a heliotrope sorbet.)
Heliotrope Blanc shares Violettes du Czar’s velvet-tight density, but Heliotrope Blanc lasts a lot longer on my skin — nearly all day with quiet sillage. All in all, it’s a classic take on heliotrope, but if you already own and love the lighter and more sparkly Piver Heliotrope Blanc, you might be set with heliotrope. Otherwise, heliotrope lovers still searching for their go-to heliotrope might want to try this one.
Oriza L. Legrand Violettes du Czar is $165 for 100 ml, and Heliotrope Blanc is $125 for 100 ml. Both come in gorgeous, throwback packaging, and Violettes du Czar even gets a tassel. For information on where to buy them, see Oriza L. Legrand under Perfume Houses.
I happen to be in the camp of liking heliotrope (and I am not opposed to wearing solifleurs…lavender, violet, orange blossom……fine by me!) and the bottles are beautiful!
They really are! I saw some photos online of the boutique, and it has a real romance about it, too.
I just love those old perfume labels!
And put a tassel on anything, and I’m there!
I definitely want to ck out more from this line. I love Oeillet XV. I am not big into violets but I do seem to like violets+leather some, as in the Mona. Many said that they didn’t like the Mona for whatever reason but I like it. These scents definitely sound worth trying.
Thanks for the reviews!
These are the only two of the line I’ve tried, so I can’t comment on the others, but I’m glad to have your recommendation not the Oeillet!
This line is very intriguing! I have tried and really liked both Relique d’ Amour and Reve D’Ossian. Both are old fashioned in feel. I can’t imagine anything dethroning my favorite violet SL Bois de Violette, but I’m open to a new heliotrope. I love Caron Farnesiana and PDN Kiss me tender, and Mona Di Orio Musc (which smells more like heliotrope than musc to me) so perhaps this will be a new love
Bois de Violette is a tough one to dethrone! Violet is such an interesting note, though. It can have so many personalities, from candy to Grande Dame (as in Patou 1000).
Relique d’Amours and Reve d’Ossian were the only two of the original seven Orizas that I liked. The others weren’t just meh, they were all scrubbers – I rarely have that poor a success rate with one house.
I have high hopes for Heliotrope Blanc, though.
I’ve only smelled these two, so I’m way behind you!
Violette Fumee is one of the most beautiful perfumes I’ve ever smelled. Does this mean there is a good chance Violettes du Czar would work for me?
Violette Fumee is a “masculine” violet like Violettes du Czar, but it’s definitely different with its slightly sweeter take, more modern feel, and hint of tobacco (just writing about it makes me want to put some on!). So, I don’t know how V du Czar would work for you. But it’s certainly worth sampling–I’m sure it’s less expensive that Violette Fumee, too, should you love it.
SOLD! I’ll definitely pick up a sample. Thank you!
I should be clear that I was talking about Violette Fumee with the modern feel, tobacco, etc. But I hope you’ll let me know how you like Violettes du Czar if you try it!
This sounds gorgeous. Helotropine is one of my favorite crystals along with yara yara and veramoss. I’m going to check this out.
I hope you enjoy it!
I’m so glad I stumbled on this post. I’ve just been wishing I could find a heliotrope fragrance, because I’ve been missing one that I wore when I was in college. I used to buy it at Caswell Massey, but they no longer seem to have it. Thanks for this charming review.
I hope the heliotrope is just what you want. If not, I hope you find it eventually!