I "met" my first elephant in a zoo when I was little and a life-long fascination with elephants was ignited. My elephant-love led me from Babar children's stories and elephant picture books, to studies on elephant physiology and behavior, and the symbolism of elephants in art and religion, especially in Buddhism and Hinduism. My house is full of Ganesha statues and amulets, and I always go to Seattle's Asian Art Museum when a tiny statue of Kangiten is on (rare) view — two elephants stand face to face and tenderly embrace. I love the Indian paintings of Airavata, the white elephant god and mount of Indra, who emerged from the churning of the milk ocean, an event that made the nectar of immortality available for the Hindu gods to drink. (You may know him as Erawan; in Thailand, you'll see him depicted with three, or more, heads.)
I used to perk up with excitement when I'd see a photograph of elephants in a magazine or newspaper or hear their trumpeting on TV. Now? I approach such images and sounds warily; inevitably there's a story about African elephants killed for their ivory, or some body part that tiny men somewhere on this earth erroneously believe will empower their...erections. (Ever heard of Viagra, idiots?) Don't get me started on sportsmen (I lost my taste for Isak Dinesen the more I looked at photos of her, smiling broadly, amidst masses of dead wildlife on African safaris. Even in old age she dreamed of shooting animals, including elephants, for fun.)
Maria Candida Gentile recently launched Elephant & Roses1, inspired by a whimsical idea: elephants running through fields of roses in bloom. Though English colonists in India and Africa are mentioned in the PR materials, this didn't bother me, for Gentile imagined true natives, the elephants, stomping through the precious rose gardens created by the intruders. I enjoy Elephants & Roses; it's a fun musk perfume. If Serge Lutens Muscs Koublaï Khan had a daytime/summer version, this could be it.
Elephant & Roses begins with a brisk accord that smells of black tea and greens. Next up (and pretty quickly) is a light rose aroma, "roses on the air." The bright, almost-dry, rose scent is joined by the "elephant" (musk). At first, the musk is sweet and only slightly indolic; then it turns rough and fecal. This "animal accord" lasts for about 20 minutes on my skin before it changes character and becomes a more refined floral-modern musk. Elephant & Roses has musk from its beginning to its tail end of development, so beware. Though it's an Eau de Parfum, Elephant & Roses stays close to the body, so you need not fear frightening your neighbors; the scent lasts all day on my skin. And, no elephants were harmed in its making!
Maria Candida Gentile Elephant & Roses Eau de Parfum is available in 15 ml ($45) or 100 ml ($185). For buying information, see the listing for Maria Candida Gentile under Perfume Houses.
1. Listed fragrance notes of thyme, costus, osmanthus, rose, jasmine, ambergris, vetiver, sandalwood and animal accord.
Note: top left image of an Indian elephant, middle image of a rose [altered]), and right image of an African elephant all via Wikimedia Commons.
What a fun read! Thank you Kevin
Nebbe…you’re welcome!
1) We need to meet for hot tea and calorific baked goods. I am in PDX, you are in Seattle, there is no reason why we can’t do an hour or two at Macrina or London Plane?
2) Elephants. They are the largest land mammal, have impressive family units AND intelligence, show genuine love and affection-and they get no respect that is truly due to them.
3) Be a bit more forgiving of Dinesen; she was an aristocrat and having a love of the pastoralist way of life also meant hunting. What we should be shocked at are modern people who do this. We all know better and yet…
4) I need to give this perfume a try.
Ede: odds are not good…Angie here at NST lives in Portland and we’ve known each other for TEN YEARS and have never met! HAHA! Lots of so-called aristocrats of Dinesen’s generation didn’t like hunting…called it wasteful and cruel; I expected (unrealistically, of course) more of her. Hope you get a chance to sniff Elephant & Roses!
Lovely review and images, Kevin!
Musk roulette: one never knows whether the nose will detect a note the size of an elephant – or a hyrax. I like this line, so I’ll spin the wheel!
Noz: best of luck!!!!!
Elephants and roses . . . as a child I was fascinated by the SMELL of the elephants at the zoo. I could not stop sniffing. It was not like the horses and barns I was familiar with, but was huge and powerful, gentle and animal all at once.
Thanks for this review and for making me remember the elephants. I usually shy away from musk fragrances, but I’ll add this one to my must-try list.
tiffanie: since you’re ‘musk-shy’ this might be a good time of year to try this…it’s on the light side compared to wintry musks.
I’ll have an opportunity to sniff this at Twisted Lily later this week. The costus and animal accord is making me hesitate. If I’m not misaken, you have a high tolerance for animalic?
hajusuuri: I’m betting I do have a high tolerance for musks (except the above-mentioned ‘hyrax!” ha!) Indoles I really enjoy. But do give it a try.
I am on a Roses kick and a musk kick. I just ordered a bottle of Sonoma Scent Studios Rose Musc. How does Elephant and Roses compare to that, I wonder? I also just got a nice decant of Attrape Coeur, and I am noticing the Rose in it more this time around. Is Elephant and Roses in any way similsr to that?
Sorry…don’t know.
This sounds really nice – I wish this brand was available around here so I could check it out. I do like roses with a twist.
I met an elephant when I was small but all I can remember about it was that he smelled very stinky. Someone told me later they don’t usually smell like that, so he probably wasn’t being taken care of very well.
Elephants do enjoy a good ‘bath.’
Yes they do! I remember as a kid, my favorite part of the Baltimore Zoo was the Elephant House. It was always exciting when one of them emerged from there House and submerged themselves into the swimming pool adjacent to their House.
I must say “autocorrect” is incorrect many times. It changed my “their” to there.
I am very late to the comment party with this one (although I read it on October 22nd). I finally just ordered a 15ml bottle of it, along with Rose Selavy. I need to fully explore the Marie Candida Gentile (love her name).