Banana Republic will launch Modern, a new “sophisticated yet easy-going” fragrance duo, this month…
Atelier Cologne Blanche Immortelle ~ fragrance review
The East Coast has remained relatively (and uncharacteristically) cool and fresh this summer; out west, we’ve simmered and sweated (even in Seattle). Though I’ve done plenty of complaining about the heat, it’s been fun to experience a real summer for the first time in a … decade? I’ve been dousing myself with sunscreens, Eaux de Cologne, and perfumes with lots of jasmine, coconut and tropical flowers in them (beach-y things). Into this hot-weather perfume extravaganza, came a sample of Atelier Cologne Blanche Immortelle1 — an autumn scent.
Blanche Immortelle is part of Atelier Cologne’s Collection Métal which also includes Gold Leather, Silver Iris and Santal Carmin. When I first received my sample and dabbed an arm with Blanche Immortelle, I was not impressed; and I even told Robin here at NST that it was a nonentity and I would not be reviewing it. Weeeeeeell, I realized yesterday I got my samples mixed up; the nonentity is By Kilian Vodka on the Rocks. When I put a real application of Blanche Immortelle on my skin, I was much happier…
Oribe Cote d’Azur & Silver Pearl ~ new fragrances
Hair-care line Oribe will launch two unisex perfumes, Côte d’Azur and Silver Pearl, in September. Both scents were developed by perfumers Jérome Epinette and Pierre Wulff…
Anna Sui La Nuit de Boheme ~ new fragrance
Anna Sui has launched La Nuit De Bohème, a new flanker to 2013’s La Vie De Bohème fragrance for women…
Byredo Flowerhead ~ perfume review & quick poll
..this project was sparked six years ago when I gave away my cousin at her Indian wedding, which was my first traditional Indian wedding. This fragrance was about capturing the idea of an Indian bride, rather than just the wedding and I called it Flowerhead, because it was really the fictional memory that I can imagine from my own Indian wedding. The idea of marrying someone you don’t know was very interesting. There’s anxiety and excitement, and I described this person as a ‘flowerhead’, because the bride is completely covered in floral hair arrangements. — Ben Gorham of Byredo1
Flowerhead is the latest from niche line Byredo, not a brand known, I don’t think, for their florals, although they’ve done a few, including La Tulipe and the newer Inflorescence. Flowerhead got my attention in particular because it’s centered on rose, jasmine and tuberose, three floral notes I adore. Plus, the Flowerhead visuals are lovely, and the idea of a fragrance inspired by flower garlands at an Indian wedding, what’s not to like? So I tried not to be dissuaded by Gorham’s statement that it was “done in a modern way” in contrast to most floral fragrances which are “old-fashioned and not modern and smell like grandma”2 — not exactly words to warm a perfumista’s heart.3
Fear not, Flowerhead is modern, but it’s not too modern…