Inez & Vinoodh (Photo: Inez & Vinoodh)

Dutch husband-and-wife photographers/videographers Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, or as they are more widely known, Inez & Vinoodh seem to be riding one of those creative waves which artists only dream about. They are responsible for the cover of the new Lady Gaga album “Applause” and the video of the title track. Fragrance lovers know them as the photographers behind ad campaigns for Viktor & Rolf, Chloe, Dior, and Narciso Rodriguez.

Carmen Kass (Photo: Inez & Vinoodh)

It was with the photograph of Carmen Kass used in the Narciso Rodriguez for Her campaign that the idea of having a photo be the brief for a fragrance became a concept for them. They already had a photo in mind, Kirsten 1996 and with the help of Ben Gorham of Byredo and perfumer Jerome Epinette they came up with Byredo 1996 Inez & Vinoodh. Up until September of 2013 the only people who had this fragrance were the 100 friends and family Inez & Vinoodh gifted this with for the Holidays in 2011. Now they have graciously agreed to share with the rest of us this amazing fragrance.

Kirsten 1996 (Photo: Inez & Vinoodh)

1996 is meant to capture the duality of the photographic inspiration; the pale skin and the carmine lipstick, the innocence and transcendence of the facial expression, and always the two minds behind the camera. Jerome Epinette wanted to allow cool notes like juniper and violet to contrast the warmth of leather and amber. The simple opulence of orris would be juxtaposed with the complex herbal earthiness of patchouli. M. Epinette takes some of the most well-known notes in perfumery and weaves an olfactory reflection which captures contrasts in an enchanting way.

The Original 2011 Gift Box

Juniper is so often used as a component in the top notes of fragrances I was surprised by M. Epinette’s choice to let it stand out in the early going all by itself. Juniper is one half of the fragrant duo which comprises the smell of gin. As the juniper sits on my skin it has me thinking of a gin and tonic on ice with the droplets of condensation sliding down the outside of the glass. I have never thought of juniper as a particularly chilly note previously but in 1996 it imparts a crispness which carries more than a hint of cool along with it. To further pick up on the cool, violet adds its sweetly floral quality to things before orris bursts onto the scene and turns things from cool to dazzling. The orris used here is so extroverted I want to lose myself within it. Through the orris I am drawn into the fragrance in the same way Kirsten 1996 draws you in with the simple visual. The beauty on display is all that is necessary to hold you in place looking to find more. In both the photograph and the fragrance there is happily more to come. In 1996 we turn towards the warmth of leather which compliments the decadence of the orris. Patchouli is used to bring all of this back to earth, literally. The patchouli adds a enough of a foundation upon which this fragrance can rest upon. A bit of amber provides simmering warmth for the last bit of development.

1996 Inez & Vinoodh has all-day longevity and above average sillage.

1996 is one of my favorite new releases of this year and it is because it is such a simple set of notes used to construct an extraordinary fragrance which is easily as mesmerizing as the picture which inspired it. Thank you, Inez & Vinoodh for allowing all of us to experience 1996.

Disclosure: This review was based on a lab sample provided by M. Epinette.

–Mark Behnke, Managing Editor

Editor's Note: If you want to see more by these talented visualists check out their website here. It has most of the commercial work they have done over the past 20-plus years.