mathilde laurent: 3 posts

Despite dire prognoses that perfumery is dying and that “there is nothing good anymore”, this year brought a number of fragrances I was happy to discover, namely, Azzedine Alaia, Galop d’Hermès and L‘Envol de Cartier. I point out these three perfumes in particular, because I not only liked them, I wore them so much that they now can be called staples. That all three are easily available from the department store is a bonus point. I’ve reviewed Alaia and Galop here, while my discussion of L’Envol de Cartier appears in my FT column, Fragrance Inspired by Flight.

“The idea of a fragrance inspired by flight has two iconic precedents, both from the 1930s. Caron’s marvellous orange chypre En Avion was dedicated to the first women pilots such as Hélène Boucher and Amelia Earhart, while Guerlain’s Vol de Nuit paid homage to the writer and pioneering aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. These are fitting associations because flight is key to understanding fragrance – perfume takes off in the air the moment the liquid touches the skin. Perfumers control the effects of their compositions by using materials of different volatilities – citrus and green notes soar in an instant; musks and woods are slower to become airborne.

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Cartier is introducing a new flanker to its Baiser Volé perfume called Baiser Volé Lys Rose. Created by perfumer Mathilde Laurent, it’s a fruity interpretation of the original Eau de Parfum released in 2011. It plays up the lily notes with rose and red berries.

“A perfume that leaves a lingering trail. Every aspect of the lily, a flower of pure femininity, is explored for the first time. A flower of passion for highly charged emotions.”

Baiser Volé is also available as Eau de Toilette, Essence de Parfum, and Extrait de Parfum. All variations build on the lily theme, but they have different accents and characters.

If you’ve tried it already, please comment. I’m very curious to hear what it’s like.

Baiser Volé Lys Rose is available in 50ml ($88) and 100ml ($128) ml Eau de Parfum. Via press release

As far as the French language goes “Pamplelune” is a portmanteau that combines the French word for grapefruit (pamplemousse) with the French word for moon (lune). In the perfumista’s lexicon, however, Pamplelune denotes the 1999 fragrance by Mathilde Laurent for Guerlain for its original Aqua Allegoria line.  As a grapefruit scent, it is both revered and feared; whether one can wear this take on sulfuric citrus depends on whether one associates grapefruit with fruit or with funk.

Although the Aqua Allegoria line is meant to showcase lighter, less complex fragrances, Pamplelune is anything but simple.  After the explosive opening it follows through with tart/sour bergamot and twiggy petitgrain notes before morphing into a cheerful black currant-accented floral that is tethered to a sweet and vanillic patchouli base.

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