As I strolled in downtown Seattle at Christmastime, the cold, moist air was scented with pungent whiffs of "fragrance" — a fragrance I would buy if it came in a bottle. No, I wasn't smelling snickerdoodles baking in ovens, espresso, chocolate or evergreen trees; all around me floated the scents of thousands of sweet box flowers, horse sweat and...yes...horse merde. A mounted police officer's horse relieved herself right next to the blossoming plants and created a superb floral musk bomb. (Parfum d'Empire: get on the case!) While relishing this "street accord" I thought to myself: "How many people would enjoy this scent as much as I do?" Maybe you have to come from horse-loving, plant-loving Virginia? Or England? Or just notice the floral notes in horse manure and the fecal facets of certain flowers?
When I smelled this enlivening perfume I was headed to Nordstrom to get a whiff of Paris-Deauville by Chanel — a cologne in the new Les Eaux de Chanel line.
Chanel house perfumer Oliver Polge developed Paris-Deauville and it opens with a tart, basil-orange scent that's quickly joined by more greens (I'm imagining thick, juicy, young leaves). Surprisingly, Paris-Deauville's citrus note (listed as 'mandarin') is robust and it's joined by lots of "moss," liquor-y "pink"/feminine roses and sweet jasmine blossoms (no indoles here; this jasmine has been de-musked). The overall character of this perfume is more Paris-Séville than Paris-Deauville, but no matter the inspiration it's a charming and happy and summery fragrance; if a perfume could chuckle, Paris-Deauville would. While there's nothing wild or strange to smell on the Paris-Deauville voyage, it's a fun, relaxing trip...all 175 Kms.
I choose a new summer citrus, or two, or three, each year. Paris-Deauville almost made it onto the Summer 2019 citrus list, but many wearings made me rethink my initial reaction. I'm more of a Patti Smith traveler, and Paris-Deauville made me feel like Lee Radziwill instead. Not a good thing. Paris-Deauville feels ladylike on me (maybe it's the mossy element?)
Next!
Prada Infusion Mandarine is the newest member of Les Infusions de Prada collection. I tried it after Paris-Deauville and wondered if it could take down Chanel's mandarin fragrance.
Infusion Mandarine ignores mandarin's juice and oily peel in favor of the fruit's pith; the perfume smells opaque. Infusion Mandarine is an introverted, bitter take on mandarin (it smells, at first, like a mandarin-flavored aspirin would taste). Infusion Mandarine's orange blossoms, arranged on a tiny piece of honeycomb, are infantile and smell 'faded' from their arrival (they play peek-a-boo then disappear). In Infusion Mandarine's base, neroli appears; it's juicy and sweet and bolstered by white musk. Infusion Mandarine's base is its most assertive (and diffusive) phase. I've gotten many compliments as I've worn it.
Infusion Mandarine is downright shy next to Paris-Deauville (and remember: Paris-Deauville chuckles, it isn't lusty); though I drenched my right arm with Infusion Mandarine, a few sprays of Paris-Deauville on my left arm obliterated the Prada.
The winner of this small-scale Mandarin Smackdown, you may have guessed, is Paris-Deauville.
Infusion Mandarine: you didn't convince me I finally needed to buy my first Prada fragrance.
And please, someone create a Stable Flowers perfume!
Chanel Paris-Deauville is $130 for 125 ml Eau de Toilette and also comes in body lotion and hair and body shower gel. Prada Infusion Mandarine is $160 for 100 ml Eau de Parfum.
Hi Kevin,
Great commentary on the two fragrances! I, for one, would love a Stable Flowers fragrance! As Amazone by Hermes proves, fragrances need some depth and darkness (in this case the oakmoss) for the top notes to shine.
I tried Paris-Deauville before the Holiday, and while I enjoyed wearing it, there was something missing. It wasn’t compelling enough for me to pull the trigger on a bottle.
Perhaps it’s because I already have Chanel’s Cristalle edt (vintage) and Guerlain’s Mandarine Basilic? My ideal bitter citrus will always be Guerlain’s Philtre d’Amour – Guerlain be damned for discontinuing it!
I would love to give Prada’s Infusion Mandarine a try as I have yet to wear one that works on my skin. Unfortunately, it seems the entire Infusion series is the equivalent of turning on the stereo to Pantera when it’s already on at bull-blast? 😯
Smokey, ha! (And there are some great citruses out there for sure….) after this last week, of all mandarine, all the time, I think I’ll make some tangerine jelly over the long weekend.
Welp, neither sound earth shattering. Thanks for the smack down. I’m another one who would love a stable flower fragrance. I hope MAC is reading this and following your suggestions! ?
Deva, true! MAC has made some powerful perfumes.
I’m going to stand in defence of Prada Infusion de Mandarine – I love it and it joined my collecton last summer!
I liked Chanel Paris-Deauville as well but Venise one was my favorite among Les Eaux.
Agreed with Venise- that one is a stunner.
Lucasai, I’m sure Infusion Mandarine is purring with your attentions. I would have liked it more without the white musk…it got lots of appreciation from friends who smelled it on me.
I love anything that is a perfume smack down! More smack downs for 2019! My favorite mandarin centric fragrance is Mauboisson Histoire D’eau but it is a floral oriental and quite powerful. Hideous bottle also, but, by
Christine Nagel and still cheap as chips!
Sk, had never heard of it! I assume that’s a plastic sheath around the orange circle?
That’s the one!
Thanks for the smackdown, Kevin! My go-to for Stable Flowers is Tabac Tabou. I have to apply it with a very light hand (and be in the right frame of mind), but to me it’s pure overheated horse rolled in full-bloom narcissus.
Isabella: I really like that scent, too.
I’ve tried Deauville twice and I cannot remember what it smells like…not a good thing in my books.
gunmetal: no need for a third try then! I do want to try the Venise one.
Thanks for the review! I smelled the Chanel in the airport and none of them eaus left me hungering to own one.
But I always think that Chanel’s Cuir de Russie either smells like you sprayed perfume on a sweaty horse or like a dandy who just come back from hanging out in the stables and then put perfume on. So much so that it made me laugh when I first smelled it.
Eschmeling, true, especially in vintage.
Same as gunmetal24 I’ve tried the three of them and I can’t remember them.
I guess I’ll keep on searching for my perfect fresh scent…
And Prada is more expensive than the Chanel Eaux??? Crazy.
d3m0lici0n : that surprised me, too…Prada prices keep going up and up.