Niche line Arquiste will launch Misfit, a new fragrance.
The olfactive signature of counter-culture. What was once decadent made addictively desirable. A perfume ingredient that changed perfume culture: patchouli essences re-imagined from their 19th century elegance, through their downfall, to our reconstruction.
September 1877, Port of Marseille, France.
In a bedroom in the City of Flesh, a Kashmiri shawl drapes decadently over the bed. Once extremely coveted, the shawls are now out of fashion with the bourgeois, their distinctive patchouli scent a victim of their downfall. Adopted by bohemians and prostitutes, the fragrance mixes with French lavender, musky ambers and exotic balsams. With a new edge, and in the hands of misfits with style, the ‘undesirable’ becomes desired again.Misfit is centered on the idea of things to go in and out of fashion…of fads that go from the mainstream to the fringes of society, and from the outside back in. Of making the undesirable, desirable again. Instead of following a trend, being a misfit and reclaiming the elegance of patchouli in our own terms.
Misfit was developed by perfumer Rodrigo Flores-Roux. Additional notes include bergamot, carrot seed, angelica root, rose, ambrette, akigalawood, styrax, cistus, tonka bean and Tolu balsam.
Arquiste Misfit will debut in December, $190 for 100 ml Eau de Parfum.
(via arquiste, additional information via Arquiste at Facebook)
This sounds really good. One of my cousins reps for Arquiste. If I play my cards right and he shows up for Thanksgiving, I may be able to get samples but then again, since his largest client is going out of business, he may not get enough to give away 🤔
Good luck!
Etiket carries this line in Montréal, so I will be able to smell it in April. I love patchouli.
I can’t help but think that Parisian bohémes wouldn’t be spending the equivalent of $190 on perfume.
No kidding.
Arquiste needs to read the press release for SL Borneo….someone else told the same story first. And Borneo would be damn hard to beat. I really like many in the Arquiste line, this feels like a rare misfire .
I think this one is not trying to do “real” patchouli, but modern patchouli — they are using fractions. Hence the word “reconstruction” … Borneo is a great scent for someone who likes “real” patch though!
Poor Borneo is so defaced, I’d take a company saying, “We’re picking up where Lutens left off.”
Incidentally, I bought a bottle of the old Borneo recently, and it really was special.
Oh no, I’m very sad to hear that Coumarin. How has it changed? How fortunate that you were able to get an old bottle. I have a decant from soon after its release, but haven’t tried anything newer.
I do usually like Arquiste fragrances. I’ve been living in Infanta en Flor lately.
This sounds like something I’d love to try. I’d also love it if Arquiste would bring 30ml bottles for $80 back in style. That fad would surely catch on.