Dana Kline (l) and Perfumer Stephanie Bakouche of L'Artisan Parfumeur
Yesterday I attended a press event in Soho, where I met Stephanie Bakouche of L’Artisan Parfumeur, Bertrand Duchaufour’s apprentice (and the nose for MDCI Invasion Barbare launched in 2005 only three years after graduating ISPICA) and Dana Kline VP and General manager of the US operations. In a lovely suite at the Crosby Hotel, the famous French perfumerie L’Artisan Parfumeur presented the new perfume Rose Privee and La Boule de Provence a new interpretation of the iconic Boule d’Ambre (Amber Ball), with the terracotta crafted by the same French mother and daughter artisans, each as different as a snowflake.
La Boule De Provence
Anyone who knows me is aware that I have quite a collection of the Amber Balls, so my heart skipped a beat at the sight of these alabaster handcarved beauties. The scent was created by Grasse-based perfumer Jean-Claude Gigodot, who also composed the original fragrance for the Boule d’Ambre in 1977. M. Gigadot was a friend of founder Monsieur Jean Laporte (M. Gigadot is also the nose for Au Pays de la Fleur d’ Oranger perfumes). The beauty of Provence, in the South of France, was the inspiration for the fresh and elegant aromatic scent, with notes of lavender, hay, rosemary, tomato leaf and basil.
L'Artisan Parfumeur Rose Privee, Stephanie Bakouche and Michelyn Camen, Bal de Provence
I now have a new obsession, a new friend-in fragrance and if you want to be my valentine all it takes is La Boule de Provence.
La Boule de Provence 20g – $100, 50g – $140, 100g – $280, Home Fragrance Diffuser $70
On Counters – May 2015 and available at L’Artisan Parfumeur boutiques, concessions, distributors & website.
All photos from my iPhone; shout out to Daisy Bow and Arielle Weinberg of The Scents of Self who also were at the event
–Michelyn Camen, Editor in Chief