New Fragrance Review: Hermes Jour d’Hermes- Jean-Claude Ellena To The Maximum + Minimalist or Luminist Draw

Jean-Claude-Ellena

Jean-Claude Ellena

I think I might look back at 2012 as the year I learned the most about olfactory art. For years I have described Jean-Claude Ellena’s creations as minimalist creations, perfumed haiku. M. Ellena seemed to coax unusual depth and complexity out of four to five listed notes. While there were times I would have bet a lot of money on there being a note present that was not listed, it still wasn’t five or six notes that were not listed. That still made the architecture minimal. When I attended The Art of Scent 1889-2012 exhibit I would also have laid a large bet that whichever of M. Ellena’s creations was featured would be an example of the school of Minimalism. As I strode to the Osmanthe Yunnan station and read the text I was shocked to see it described as an example of Luminism. Luminism? Light? Really? Then I stopped to think about much of M. Ellena’s creations over the last years, especially since becoming the in-house perfumer at Hermes, and realized I myself had probably used light to describe many of these perfumes as I wrote about them. I resolved to think about this upon the next new fragrance by M. Ellena to arrive in front of me. It was two weeks later when the new Jour d’Hermes was released exclusively in Hermes boutiques worldwide. Now I had a chance.

jourdhermes bottle

I am pretty sure M. Ellena and I have no long distance psychic connection but in my fevered imagination where he cares what a blogger thinks I hear him saying, “So he thinks I’m a minimalist and not a luminist. Hah! I’ll show him I’ll hit him over the head with so much sensory overload the only thing he’ll see is my blinding light.” Now I’m sure M. Ellena does not compose with anything or anybody as foil; Jour d’Hermes does exactly what my fanciful quote says. For the first time in recent memory a M. Ellena creation probably has close to a baker’s dozen of notes. I’m not sure because M. Ellena has also chosen not to release a note list. The only description is the one in the press materials; “From dawn until dusk, a luminous and sensual floral that flourishes.” Jour d’Hermes allows a full spectrum of the lighter florals to provide the luminosity and a collection of, perhaps, every white musk known to man to provide the sensual. The two halves are brought together in a sunburst of sheer floral muskiness that turns the maximum  floralcy into a prime example of Luminism.

jean-claude-ellena-2

The absolute fun of Jour d’hermes as I wore it for four different days over two and a half weeks is I think I identified almost every floral note on one day or another. Even so there are a number of floral notes that seemed to be there every time. There was a particularly green lily, violet, and freesia. There are probably others I am missing but the effect is a crisp green quality throughout the floral half of Jour d’Hermes. There is some orange blossom and maybe a tiny pinch of lemon. After that all bets are off as I convinced myself at different times I smelled ylang, rose, gardenia, or jasmine. Are they there? Maybe, but in the end does it matter. What the floral half is, is a group of the alto florals singing in unison. The other half is all white musk tenors in pitch perfect harmony.  First a warning, if you are one of those people who think white musk is the olfactory equivalent of nails across a chalkboard, step away from the bottle. This collection of white musks will make you run for the hills or at least a cosmetic wipe. If, like me, you’ve just tolerated them as a ubiquitous easy basenote to thousands of recent fragrances prepare to be surprised. M. Ellena takes a veritable host of white musk and keeps layering them one after the other on top of the one before. This goes on until there is a point where this overload of white musk unexpectedly turns soft. Yes the latter stages of Jour d’Hermes are a soft synthetic musk accord supporting the floral bouquet on top. It is all the sensuality of musk with none of the heavy quality; it is quite remarkable in texture. Jour d’Hermes reaches this balance fairly quickly but then it stays at this point for hours upon hours. It is a fantastic place to be.  

Jour d’Hermes has 24-hour longevity and above average sillage.

For those who love M. Ellena’s more intimate compositions please give this a try. When I was wearing this on my third or fourth day I realized this was really a very simple fragrance of two accords; one a fascinating floral and the other a supple white musk. Together they let the light shine in and kick the minimalism to the curb. Join me and bask in the glow of one of the best floral perfumes of 2012.

Disclosure: This review was based on a sample and bottle purchased at the Vienna, VA Hermes boutique.

Thanks to the Vienna, VA Hermes boutique I have one 2mL sample of Jour d’Hermes to giveaway. To be eligible leave a comment naming your favorite Hermes perfume by Jean-Claude Ellena and also just because I’d like to take an informal poll put down if you think of his fragrances as Minimalist or Luminist. The draw will close on December 23, 2012.

We announce the winners only on site and on our Facebook page, so Like Cafleurebon and use our RSS option…or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume.

-Mark Behnke, Managing Editor

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39 comments

  • Liz K says:

    Un Jardin sur le Nil is my favorite light fragrance for when I really just want to smell nice but not feel like I am wearing perfume. All of JCE’s fragrances I have experienced have a golden warmth and glow to them that I think is perfectly described as Luminism.

  • Scentsy says:

    This is the year I can say that if you want to read intelligent honest reviews go to Cafleurebon
    I love Jean Claude Ellena and if I had to choose my favorite it wouldn’t be one he did for Hermes
    It would be more of a maximal fragrance
    The amazing First for Van Cleef

  • Thomas says:

    Ambre Narguile is a masterpiece in my opinion, it is one of the best gourmands out there.

    When I think of fragrances made by Ellena, I think more minimalist than luminous.

  • Soren says:

    Thanks for putting Mr Burrs sometimes obtuse comparison to art in perspective

    I enjoy many of his fragrances voyage d Hermes is a standout as was his collaboration with Duchaufour Acqua di Palma colonia Assoulta but TDC
    Rose poivre may be the Ellena perfume I love the most

  • Karen says:

    Un Jardin de Mediteranee, although it’s a difficult choice. I also enjoyed his book, The Alchemy of Scent. Truly one of the greats. Thanks for the draw!

  • Carmen Y says:

    Currently on my second full bottle of Un Jardin Sur Le Toit. Luminous beutifully describes his scents for me.

    I can’t wait to get my nose on some Jour d’Hermès.

  • Christy C says:

    My favorite is Un Jardin sur le Nil. I think both terms apply, but I will vote for Luminist. Thank you for the draw!

  • Lorraine L says:

    My favorite Ellena scent is Ambre Narguille. Luminism doesen’t seem to describe such a dense , delicious scent so minimalism would be how I’d choose to describe his creations. Thanks for the draw!

  • Dana says:

    Sur le Nil is one of my favorites in the summer. Love the saltiness. I would love to smell this new scent and I would choose minimalism as a description.

  • TaffyJ says:

    I think my favorite Hermes is going to be this one. I have it on the top of my list to try. Un Jardin sur le Nil is one of my favorites.

    I do think of his fragrances as Luminist because they make me feel that way.

  • Lori says:

    I would also say Un Jardin Sur de Nil is my favorite and i think his fragrances are luminous! Thanks for the draw! 🙂

  • Monica H. says:

    If I had to pick just one from Hermes by JCE, it’d be Osmanthe Yunnan, I never get tired of it!

  • Subbie says:

    Ambre Narguile! Certainly not all his scents can be categorized in one style – I dare say he is both a minimalist and a luminist

  • anamari says:

    Un Jardin Sur de Nil is lovely, and a favorite of mine. Also, I´d say his fragrances are luminous, and thanks for the draw!

  • FearsMice says:

    I haven’t tried the Hermessences yet, so out of the ones I do know, I think I like Kelly Caleche the best. I’ll vote for minimalism.

  • ringthing says:

    Hard to choose but I’ll go with Un Jardin de Mediteranee, and I would say Luminist because there’s a deceptive sheerness to his scents that seem to be more complex underneath.

  • muza says:

    I do not actually have favorites from Hermes but Elixir des Marveilles is a special one for me. My favorites by Jean-Claude Ellena are Bois Farine L’Artisan and its younger sister Paul&Joe Blanc (I even love it more for it’s less on a gourmand side then BF). As to the Minimalist-Luminist scale I find Ellena’s style more on the Luminist side.

  • Millions says:

    While I wouldn’t name JCE as my favourite nose but I’ve just realised that it’s impossible for me to pick only one of his creations that I like most… I admire Les Jardins and Les Colognes he’s done for Hermes and all his fragrances for Frederic Malle. If I had to pick only one…it probably would be the only one I can’t wear – Kelly Caleche. My nose loves it but my skin hates it so badly.

  • SujaanNY says:

    I wish I could comment more eloquently about such an accomplished perfumer. I believe the only Jean-Claude Ellena creation I’ve tried is L’Ambre des Merveillies which I immediately fell in love with and bought. I can ony base my opinion on this one perfume, which I would regard as luminous. Reading the other comments I have added Ambre Narguile and Un Jardin sur le Nil as perfumes I want to try.

  • George Leon says:

    Ellena is not a minimalist (he himself has refuted that description) because his work is depictive, which minimalist works rarely are, although he seems to use the most minimal amount ingredients (and often lightest) to get his depictional effect. He is also not a luminist, because luminist painters emphasise the light their paintings over what what is otherwise depicted, and as such the features of their landscapes are usually shadowy and dark, which is not the case with Ellena’s work (there is no contrasted shadowy darkness in his perfumes). An example of a minimalist perfumer therefore would be someone who uses three contrasting ingredients to create a very apparent structure but with no reference to anything but that structure. A luminist perfumer would use a high degree of abstract high intensity (white smelling) materials and then use dark heavy materials underneath which would then form the realist content of the perfume. The best descriptions for Ellena’s perfumery style are probably that of watercolourist or impressionist, if you want to use traditional art terms from visual art criticism to describe his work, because of the of the absence of heavy or dark tones in this work, and the minimal use of ingredients used to give the impression of something usually naturalistic. Voyage is my favourite Ellena scent.

  • Maureen says:

    My favorite is Un Jardin sur le Nil. I think both terms apply, but I will vote for Luminist. Thank you for the draw!

  • sillage888 says:

    The mineralized fig of Un Jardin de Mediteranee is my favorite, and overall I’d say his style is more on the minimalist side of things.

  • Kathryn says:

    I do adore Kelly Caleche EDT, however it doesn’t suit my skin. I would describe JCE’s style as being Luminist. There is nothing basic about his compositions whatsoever.

    Thanks for the draw!

  • Barbara says:

    Ambre Narguile is the only Hermes by JCE I have sampled. I’m not enough of a perfumista yet to know if he is a minimalist or a luminist, but I do adore L’Eau d’Hiver!!

  • kastehelmi says:

    I am gaga over Osmanthe Yunnan (though I have a long list of loves created by Ellena, most under Hermes). I think Ellena is a luminist, because of the style of the Merveilles collection. Ellena seems to focus on a simple counterpoint, but creates some shimmering effect throughout each fragrance, which surely takes care and planning. Jour d’Hermes sounds like a must-test!

  • oliviaa says:

    I’d have to pick Un Jardin Sur le Toit and he’s a luminist, at least, that is what this scent evokes for me.

  • sunnlitt says:

    My favorite would be Osmanthe Yannan. I wished that it lasted longer on my skin, but it’s heaven while it’s there.
    I think that Luminist is a fair description.
    Thanks for the draw.

  • sherapop says:

    I’d say luminist for the Hermessences; minimalist for the Jardins. I prefer the Hermessences. Choosing the best, hmm… going against the grain, I’ll say Paprika Brasil. I seem to be the only person on the planet who finds it to be an iris fragrance–but hey, I guess that I’m just lucky! 😉

  • amy m. says:

    My favorite JCE creation is Elixir des Merveilles. I often hear his work described as minimalist, but from my experience with Elixir, as well as all the Hermessences, I would say Luminist!

  • Kafkaesque says:

    I think he is more a luminist under the way you have described it, but I would never have thought about it that way at all. Very interesting review and it gives one great food for thought. I think his Elixir de Merveilles is a great example of the “hit you on the head with notes until you see the shining light” but in the very best way possible! I think First by VC&A would fall under the same category too, though I’m not a fan of it. My absolute favorite JCE creation is probably the Elixir — it may be plebian to say that but it just makes me happy, even if it’s less nuanced, less minimalistic, hip or unusual as some of his niche scents can be.