French niche line Pierre Guillaume has launched 9.1 Komorebi, a new addition to Parfumerie Générale's "Collection Rework" series. Komorebi is a variation on 9.0 Yuzu Ab Irato.
An untranslatable Japanese noun, Komorebi eloquently describes the light of the sun filtered through tree leaves. Its etymology reveals the sophistication and poetry of the concept distilled into it by the Japanese spirit : the three kanji that express it mean “tree”, “escape” and “light”.
Komorebi is the light that links sky and earth, guided by the most potent symbol of nature: the tree. The vegetal world, air and light are the three leading principles that inspired Pierre Guillaume for this rework of the House’s theme 09, the “aromatic floral”, explored for the first time in 2006 with Yuzu Ab Irato. This time, the perfumer offers the vegetal poetry of an armful of fresh leaves and plump berries. Its scent draws us into a romantic forest, the light of the sun filtering through the leaves of oak and hazel trees on a beautiful summer day.
Komorebi owes its striking naturality to its airy, green structure. An armful of crisp mint leaves and a sap-scented breeze open the composition with fresh, bracing top notes. Its heart beats to the rhythm of the delicate yet powerful fragrance of reseda, whose balsamic facets are enhanced by powdery green mimosa. Juicy blackcurrant adds a sensuous, fruity dimension. The base notes are dominated by fine-grained hazel and potent oak, wrapped in tonka bean absolute.
Pierre Guillaume Komorebi is available in 50 and 100 ml Eau de Parfum.
(via press release)
Love the name and the poetry behind it. Not always a mimosa fan, but I’ll certainly sample this one if I can find it. I’ve been a long time PG fan.
I just remembered that Ayala Moriel had one also!
https://nstperfume.com/2015/12/30/ayala-moriel-komorebi-new-fragrance/
::sighs::
I wish ad copy writers would stop using “untranslatable” as a synonym for “a word with no direct counterpart in English.” It seems they’ve made the meaning of “komorebi” quite understandable. Just because there’s no single word equivalent doesn’t mean the idea can’t be expressed effectively.
Please carry on. Pay no mind to my grumbling …
Excellent point, love this comment. I’m often judging grammar, word usage etc. in these descriptions (not that I’m perfect, of course), I just like to think about it as in how would I have written this? I liked their descriptors: “the light of the sun filtered through tree leaves” and especially “the light that links sky and earth.” I think they translated it very well, so not untranslatable after all, as you said.
Although bear in mind that this in itself is probably a translation! So you’d have to look at the original French, I think, and see what word they used there.
I am also a sometimes grumbling reader….but, this didn’t bother me because the word “untranslatable” referred to the single “noun” specifically, not the word or concept. So, fine, we don’t have a single noun for “komorebi”, that’s true.
I even (nerd alert) went to the Pierre Guillaume website, chose French, and read, “Nom masculin, japonais, intraduisible dans notre langue…”, which I would also translate to “An untranslatable Japanese noun”. I did think it was interesting that instead of “French” it read “our language”.
anyway, this sounds like a very intriguing scent to me too!
I love PG in general, one of my top three being Indochine, so texted a former colleague who is from Japan.
Many times he too has told me there is not quite a translation, but he always explain the meaning or feeling.
He directed me to this poem that was published in the NY Times in 2015.
Komorebi
Between the world and the word
are three small shapes,
the signs for ‘‘tree,’’ ‘‘escape,’’ and ‘‘sun.’’
I watch how the light leaks through them,
casting a shade in both directions
in the late year, on the russet path
barred with the shadows of trees.
I love how it exults, like any escapee,
on the lake in slow reflective waves,
in radiant bands ascending the birch trunks
according to some unknown frequency,
and in the cormorant extending his wet wings to it
in a messianic gesture,
as if dazzled to absolute
by the word and the world’s beauty.
Lovely, thank you.
Now I really want to smell the perfume.
Gosh. This was a surprise.
I’m the author of this poem, and by coincidence, I happen to be a long-term reader of NST! (10 years and counting).
I’m tickled that you’ve reproduced it here, and also that PG have produced a perfume with that name. I think I might have to acquire a bottle…
Wow, Kately…serendipity strikes. Lovely poem too.
How fantastic Kately, and what a lovely poem! It seems to me like a bottle ought to come to you one way or another.
Thanks Robin and galbanumgal. I think perhaps poetry and perfume are quite close in some ways. And certainly, a bottle seems on the cards. Although I was telling myself to show some restraint this year..!
wow – Kately, I am sorry for not including your name.
Just to share with all, her poem was selected by Poet Laureate Natasha Trethewey to be published in the NY Times.
Oh that’s absolutely fine (even preferable, considering). I’m just very tickled by the coincidence!
The haiku challenge is coming up soon!
How wonderful and what a treat that you’re one of “us” (NST readers). Thanks for the beautiful poem and congratulations on it being selected for publishing in the NYT.
🙂 NST led me down the rabbit hole.
Good gosh! What a coincidence!
Kately, now I am so sorry that I didn’t post my impression BEFORE your post— it’s a GREAT poem! What a talent you have!
Oh how exciting! It’s truly a lovely poem 🙂 and the world is so very small!