Introspection Study V by Parish Kohanim

The complexity of an Amouage fragrance extends beyond its physical structure. Each has an emotional and intellectual depth, an analytical and philosophical exploration of the heart, mind and body. An EdP with a PhD. Creative Director Christopher Chong, the Sigmund Freud of perfumery, liquifies the human condition.

Amouage has recently introduced two new fragrances, the new special edition Beloved Man (following closely behind the breathtaking release of Beloved Woman), and the latest installment to the Library Collection, the soul-stirring Opus VII.

Beloved Man

Opulent without ostentation, Beloved Man is an introspective exploration of life, love and longing. Whereas some of Amouage's previous creations were red-carpet stunners designed to make a grand entrance, Beloved Man takes a different approach. While Jubilation, Epic, and Interlude pose for the paparazzi, Beloved Man discreetly enters through a side door.

Inspired by the 1980 film, Somewhere in Time, Beloved Man reinterprets the themes of time and timelessness. In the classic movie, Christopher Reeve plays Richard Collier, a handsome playwright who falls in love with a young woman he sees in an aged photograph.  Through self-hypnosis, he travels back in time to the year 1912 to find the object of his affection, Elise McKenna (portrayed by Jane Seymour). Despite the transcendence of time and space, Elise herself feels an unbound connection to something, someone…

Christopher Chong

Christopher Chong recently spoke with CaFleureBon and shared his cinematic vision for the fragrance: "I want to give the mood of traveling back in time a kind of nostalgia with an added tone of Death in Venice drama. It's the timelessness and the spatial distance that the two characters share. I wanted to explore this spatial dimension of love. I could have gone avant-garde with the formulation, but I chose to stay with something that represents remembrance and nostalgia." The fragrance was co-created with perfumer Bernard Ellena.

Jane Seymour as Elise in "Somewhere in Time"

At this point in a perfume review, one might expect the requisite breakdown of notes or scent profile. In an attempt to describe the result of Mr. Chong's vision, I might reach for words such as aromatic, spicy, floral, etc., but with a fragrance such as this, words are insufficient beacons. Nevertheless, until you can experience Beloved Man for yourself, words must do. So, what does it smell like? Elise herself feels the futility of words as she attempts to describe the indescribable:

"The man of my dreams has almost faded now. The one I have created in my mind. The sort of man each woman dreams of, in the deepest and most secret reaches of her heart. I can almost see him now before me. What would I say to him if he were really here? 'Forgive me. I have never known this feeling. I have lived without it all my life. Is it any wonder, then, I failed to recognize you? You, who brought it to me for the first time. Is there any way that I can tell you how my life has changed? Any way at all to let you know what sweetness you have given me? There is so much to say. I cannot find the words. Except for these: I love you.' Such would I say to him if he were really here."

…and that's what Beloved Man smells like.

Opus VII

Amouage has never balked at examining the darkest corners of our minds. Good and evil are recurring characters throughout many of their compositions, leaping from one to the next, each a new stage on which to continue their endless dance. I used to think of Memoir Man (one of my all-time favorite fragrances) as a midnight stroll through a dark (and slightly haunted) forest. Opus VII grabs us by the hand and takes us deeper through the forest. Alberto Morillas and Pierre Negrin, the perfumers who actualized Mr. Chong's mindscape, cut through the darkness with occasional shafts of white moonlight which illuminate patches of green and brown. The flashes of light reveal a dirt path which continues into more darkness. Where is this path taking us? Mr. Chong smiles, "It's taking you to a paradoxical juxtaposition of pleasure and pain." Lead on.

Moonlight Forest by Nixity

Through the shafts of moonlight, we can detect the camouflage colors of galbanum, pink pepper, cardamom, fenugreek, and nutmeg. The moonlight turns to an amber hue as the sun rises and warms our surroundings. An earthy mud pie of patchouli sits atop fresh-cut sandalwood while agarwood (oud) smoke, incense, ambergris and worn leather provide comfort, always reminding us that we are safe. Despite these basenotes, I wouldn't consider this to be a smoky composition; there is more soot than smoke. The golden light expands on the leather, further challenging us to apply a category to the scent. Impossible.

When the long journey ended, I was left wondering if the cloaked landscape I just explored was in fact, my own mind. Perhaps my dark side is darker than I thought. The black sheep of the Opus series, VII is the first to be presented in a matte black bottle (I knew I'd love this fragrance the moment I saw that bottle). As one comes to know Beloved Man and Opus VII, they may also learn a lot about themselves. Psychoanalysis via perfume. After my time with these stunning new creations, I felt like I owed Amouage a co-pay.

Both fragrances are Eau de Parfums and come in 100ml bottles. Beloved Man is sold exclusively in Amouage standalone stores and a select number of department stores such as Bergdorf-Goodman in New York City and retails for $425.00. Opus VII can be found wherever Amouage is sold and retails for $335.00.

Disclosure: Samples were generously provided by Bergdorf-Goodman in NYC and MiN New York

–Michael Devine, Senior Contributor