Following Kevin's review of Arquiste Él, I'm here to report on its feminine counterpart, Ella. Like Él, Ella was inspired by Acapulco in the 1970s and was developed by perfumer Rodrigo Flores-Roux. It was designed to evoke "a sultry night of disco, plunging necklines and champagne-soaked skin" followed by a rendezvous on a "golden beach, under a silvery moon," with notes of cannonball tree flower (curupita), angelica root, carrot seed, rose, jasmine, cardamom, buckwheat honey, amber, patchouli, civet, vetiver, cigarette smoke accord and "chypre accord."
I've never been anywhere near Acapulco, and I don't think I've ever worn a "plunging neckline," but I do have some very early memories of the 1970s (in New Jersey and New York, anyway). And Ella brought me right back to those days: it reminds me of the fragrances that women — glamorous grown-ups! — were wearing before the mid-80s arrived and everyone began dousing themselves in Poison and Giorgio.
Ella is actually difficult for me to describe, partly because of that "flashback" feeling and partly because it's so seamlessly composed. It starts with a cool, aromatic layer of something like juniper and a wisp of cigarette smoke. These notes seem to hover just above the others — a jasmine heart with a spicy aspect that's enhanced by the cardamom, and a chypre base with a sultry amber glow. It's a smooth transition from airy sophistication to something warmer and a little naughtier.
Ella is less "big" and flashy than I expected; applied with a light hand, it could easily be worn in the daytime in cooler weather. I suspect that it would also bloom beautifully when worn on a warm, humid evening. It gives off noticeable sillage during its first hour or two, and it has excellent endurance on skin.
If I could travel back in time and experience the disco era as an adult, I'd take Ella with me and wear it with a slinky Halston dress and an Elsa Peretti necklace, and it would fit right in. (I'm streaming a online radio station called "Disco Inferno" as I write this review, incidentally, just to set the mood.) Ella doesn't fit me as naturally as Arquiste's Aleksandr or No. 31, but I enjoy it for a change of pace. I definitely recommend it to anyone who wants an olfactory throwback to that glittery heyday of the 70s, whether or not you were there to live it the first time around.
Arquiste Ella is available in 100 ml Eau de Parfum for $190. For buying information, see the listing for Arquiste under Perfume Houses.
You’ve mad this sound very gorgeous. It seems like I need at least a sample.
It’s really worth sampling! It reminds me so much of various 70s and early 80s fragrances — not any one in particular, but it just has that certain style. And it’s so much more of a chypre than most of the “chypres” being made today. I mean, you won’t mistake it for vintage Mitsouko, but it really does have that spicy-mossy-woody thing going on, with a drop of honey added.
Would you say it’s more femiine or unisex? It sounds interesting, but then Aleksandr just coughed politely and died on my skin so I’m not sure I’d get as much out of this one as you did. :^)
More feminine!
Azuree was the first perfume I fell in love with when it was introduced in 1969, so I’m really curious about this one. So few fragrances of that type are introduced today.
1969 was a good year — Guerlain Chamade was released then, too!!
Ella sounds intriguing, but HOW did I miss Aleksandr? I’m a Slavist, Petersburg is one of my two favorite cities on the planet, and I go wobbly-kneed for both violet and leather. Off in pursuit of a sample (since I will never own a Breguet).
Oh, then you need to try it! It’s one of the rare cases where the story-telling enhances and contextualizes the fragrance but the fragrance is still great as a stand-alone.
I have to five Ella and El a sniff the next time I’m at Twisted Lily or Barneys!
Yes!! I hope that will be soon!
Ahhh, I’m dying to try this now! I did get to check out the Acapulco disco scene in the early 80’s while on spring break. Thank goodness it’s a very distant memory, lol…????
Well, lucky you! I hope you remember *some* of that adventure…
Jessica, I got the same feel for Ella and think it’s probably one of my favorite releases of 2016. The more I wear it, the more I love it and if it wasn’t so spendy, I’d snap up a bottle right away. But it is so wonderful in so many ways with sexy florals, a little sweetness, some moss and smoke… It’s right up there with Salome as one of my favorite recent evening perfume discoveries, and Kevin’s review of El has me really intrigued.
There should be a pair of 15ml travel sprays. I imagine they could have a lot of fun with the packaging.
We are in agreement!! and yes, that’s a GREAT idea, the pair of travel sprays. A natural. I hope someone from Arquiste is reading this!