A Fragrance for CaFleurebon’s Birthday: Dawn Spencer-Hurwitz “Lautrec”

 

 Lautrec:  At The Moulin Rouge

There is a lot of literature and art I’ve experienced which was inspired by fin de siècle 19th century Montmarte and the Bohemian art scene. It is Henri Toulouse-Lautrec who has left the most indelible impression as his paintings of the newly opened Moulin Rouge covered all aspects of society from the patrons to the performers. It took someone who could stand outside the conventions to be able to capture it.

 

 

Dawn Spencer Hurwitz was inspired by our EIC Michelyn Camen to create a perfume for CaFleureBon’s first birthday. The visual inspiration she chose was a painting by Toulouse-Lautrec, “Woman With Black Boa” and a black opal and sapphire ring. What struck me about both of these pieces is they are beautiful on a surface level but if you take the time to experience them and live with them a bit there is a whole other level underneath that surface beauty. The name of the fragrance Ms. Hurwitz created was Lautrec.

 

 La Goulue Arrivant Moulin Rouge

In the last year Ms. Hurwitz has been almost Toulouse-Lautrec-like in her ability to turn out incredible pieces of fragrant art from her own little corner of Bohemia in Denver. The similarity between Ms. Hurwitz and Toulouse-Lautrec is both have a freedom to create without regard to boundaries and in turn that allows the audience to be drawn into their vision. Ms. Hurwitz is also working with the full arsenal available to an artistic perfumer. She likes to try and keep it natural and has shown, particularly in her entries for The Mystery of Musk and Outlaw Perfumes, that that is no hindrance to her. I believe she uses what she must to realize her vision and her intimacy with her ingredients has made her one of the best perfumers we currently have working. Lautrec, in its ability to capture a singular moment, as complex as Montmarte in the waning days of the 19th century; is a beautiful example of her aesthetic.

 

 Henri Toulouse Lautrec: At the Moulin Rouge Two Women Waltzing

Lautrec wafts its way to your senses initially on a fruity cloud made up of orange blossom, mandarin and passionfruit. There is some lively interplay between the orange blossom and passionfruit setting the stage for the rest of Lautrec’s development. Next is an intoxicating boozy duet between absinthe and cognac. The sweetness of the absinthe stands in contrast to the cognac. The two together feel like a table for two at the Moulin Rouge; intimacy shared amid the music and smoke. Rose and jasmine slowly add a floral underpinning to the alcohol without ever really taking over. Lautrec then begins a slide into a resinous phase built around benzoin and joined by labdanum and patchouli. The base finishes with balsam and sandalwood coated in a fine layer of chocolate and vanilla.

Lautrec has extraordinary longevity and above average sillage.

Ms. Hurwitz has, once again, created a splendid bit of olfactory magic. That she created it to commemorate our first birthday at CaFleureBon makes it a gift that keeps on giving.

Disclosure: This review was based on a sample of Lautrec supplied by DSH Perfumes.

 

 

 

The draw for the hand jeweled bottle of Lautrec and the  gemstone  necklace is still open until March 27, 2011; as is the 15ml each of Timeless. Any comments on this post and on Anya's post will be entered in the draw for both prizes.

Mark Behnke, Managing Editor

Editor's Note: 'La Gouloue' is a  French Can Can Dancer from the Moulin Rouge.. better  switch  from the Tango with Maurice Roucel to a chorus line with Amanda, Dawn and Anya

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28 comments

  • Claudia Kroyer says:

    I love Dawns fragrances and own several. She is such a talented perfumer Lautrec is a must have for me……and the necklace is to die for. BEAUTIFUL.

  • LuluIntergon says:

    DSH is my favorite perfumer and I have to credit her with opening my eyes and nose to the world of perfume. Love her amazing talent for telling stories through scent.

  • Lautrec perfume sounds very interesting, but I cannot even imagine what it smells like — even after such a detailed review.  The resinous base with gourmand touch sure sounds nice though.

  • Claudia Kroyer says:

    Well Michelyn if it is your dream scent then i am sure we I will love it …..it  does sound amazing….want want want.

  • ElizabethN says:

    i can't imagine what this smells like. but i would love to try it! thanks to Dawn for offering these.

  • Now Michelyn Camen's "Eau de Moi" certainly sounds worth trying, especially when crafted by such an excellent perfumer as Dawn.  Mark's description is definitely intriguing. (Looking forward to a video of that chorus line, or maybe just two women waltzing a al the Lautrec above.)

  • i loved that Dawn used artwork (Woman with Black Boa) for inspiration! I work with poets in the area and the most exciting is when we get the poets and visual artists together to inspire each other and create side by side…enter me!

  • It sounds absolutely delectable. I love the thought of the interplay between the absinthe and the cognac. Chypre-esque Oriental is right up my alley. 

  • LauraMatheson says:

    Oh, wow~! I would be thrilled to win Lautrec (and since my name also begins with the same first 3 letters, surely it's a shoo-in!!).  But to win Timeless, well, that would be a dream too since I've yet to sample Anya's creations and have been longing to do so (not too long now…I'll be treating myself in the not too distant future).  Wonderful and dreams-provoking site ~ thanks 🙂

  • Thank you Mark for your poetry!  I am overjoyed that you liked Lautrec, especially as it's design and inspiration are so close to my heart (It was for CFB, of course!)  I especially love the way you express the interplay between the absinthe and cognac…fabulous! oxoxo & <3's to you and all of the amazing groups of talents at CFB!

  • oops – that 's supposed to say "the amazing talents grouped together at CFB"….obviously it's too early in the morning for me to be typing. lol. 🙂

  • Thank you Dawn for your love and support We are awed by your ability to capture CaFleureBon’s aesthetic in a gem studied flacon. The choice of black opal has a lot of significance, as each shimmer of color represents a distinct voice of one of our contributors or editors.

  • Sounds like a social gathering captured in a bottle! Love the inspiration and would love to try.

  • Absinthe eh?  That is another note I seem to chase after… mixed with cognac…even better =)

  • I just recently had a chance to try a fragrance from DSH. And i was surprised, it was incredibly good. It seemed natural, strong, and of great quality. The partnership between CaFleureBon and DSH is perfect, since both brings the art in an accessible form and without compromising the quality. Congratulations to bogh ladies, and i wish to CaFleurbon an incredible second year! And that many other birthdays, full of surprises, come in the next years!

  • DSH fragrances are not new to me. I have few of them but "absinthe and cognac" is something I need to try. It seems everybody found this description really tempting and intriguing. 

  • "fruity gourmand chype esque oriental" — Yvresse comes to mind.
    "eau de moi" — Michelyn, I hope I will learn more about fragrances you like.  So far another "eau de vous" I heard about — Mon Parfum — leaves me in a similar bewilderment as to what the experience would be like 🙂  I'll have to try those at least to satisfy my curiosity.

  • I think it's quite amazing to see how the perfumers are interacting with us consumers/lovers of their creations. It gives the experience of perfume quite a new and interesting facet.

  • Claudia Kroyer says:

    Dawns fragrances are like Art and wear like it to…….music in a bottle…music on my skin for me to share with all that surround me.  For those that have not tried her fragrances you really should, you are missing out. I must have some Lautrec 🙂

  • I'm crazy about Toulouse-Lautrec.  The pastels are so amazing.  Would love to try Dawn's Lautrec.  In fact, I'm going over to the site right now to check it out…thanks!