New Perfume Review: Olfactive Studio Ombre Indigo + Shadow and Light Perfume Draw

  olfactive studios ombre indigo

Céline Verleure was one of the people I had the good fortune to meet when I was at Esxence in Milan. Her line is an intriguing one, with fragrances built around specific photographs, and packaging that incorporates design elements of cameras and photographs. Her design aesthetic has been largely spare, with minimal use of color. She released her first three fragrances, Autoportrait, Still Life, and Chambre Noire, in 2011, Lumiere Blanche in 2012, and Flashback in 2013.

olfactive studio ombre indigo gustavo pellizzon

Photo by Gustavo Pellizzon

With her latest perfume, Ombre Indigo, she selected a photograph by Brazilian photographer Gustavo Pellizzon, of a figure all in silhouette except for a bright orange pair of trousers draped around his/her  neck, standing in or near a still body of water, with colorful sunset reflections of deep blues and shimmering oranges. Ms. Verleure was intrigued by the depth of the bright colors that cast such a stark contrast to the relaxed, shadowy figure. She decided to create a perfume that would be an olfactory shadow. Working with Robertet perfumer Mylène Alran, the resulting perfume captures that which is a part of us all, following us, running ahead, growing darker in the light and dimmer in the darkness.

olfactive studio ombre indigo yamashida cafleurebon

"Boom!" by Kumi Yamashita

When I first apply Ombre Indigo, I am struck immediately by the deep woody, smoky quality of the fragrance, like I have rubbed myself with the ashes of incense. But what I really love, and I had to seek out the notes list to find out what was happening, is a mere tickle of plum. It is very nearly an olfactory hallucination and adds a personality and uniqueness to a perfume that could easily be just another woody, smoky leather scent. I also very much appreciate that even though this fragrance contains all of the big heavy notes like leather, incense, amber, musk, vetiver, and benzoin, it manages to remain translucent, its sheerness allowing the complexity of the scent to shine without being overbearing. This is due in part to a lively tuberose running through the heart; subtly, but with enough presence to be noticed. One could wear this on a warm evening with no problem. The fragrance does have sillage, but at the same time is not loud close to the skin. It is blended expertly and is exceptionally wearable by any gender. The final selling point for me is the spectacular color of the perfume itself, a deep teal indigo that is very compelling.

olfactive studio ombre indigo floro cafleurebon

"Sitting Here Casting My Shadow" by Rook Floro

I am enjoying the collaborative effort that is the Olfactive Studio line, and Ombre Indigo is a marvelous addition. Ms. Verleure stepped out of her comfort zone with her choice of photograph, and the care in executing the concept is obvious. So far, it is one of the best perfumes of this year.

Notes: petit-grain bigarade, absolute tuberose, saffron, plum, vetiver essence, papyrus essence, leather, incense, benzoin resin, amber, musk

I gratefully received my bottle from Céline Verleure of Olfactive Studios.

Tama Blough, Managing Editor

Ms. Verleure was so generous that I am paying it forward with a 10-ml decant to any reader in the US resident only. To enter, please name which is your favoritephoto or fragrance from the Olfactive Studio line and why you would like to experience Ombre Indigo. Draw Ends April 7 2014.

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.

Editor's Note: If you have not read about Celine's Creative Process you will enjoy learning about her background at Kenzo, launching osmoz.com and  how she conceived the concept behind the brand in CaFleureBon Creative Directors in Perfumery Series. Congratulations to Olfactive Studio Lumiere Blanche which is a Fragrance Foundation Finalist in the Indie Fragrance Category 2014MIchelyn Camen, Editor-In-Chief

 

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45 comments

  • I haven’t tried any Olfactive Studio fragrances but the photo and description of Ombré Indigo are the best so far. I live in the US. Thank you for the generous draw!

  • Eleanor T says:

    Deep woodsy smoky incense and tuberose
    Ombré indigo sounds beautiful
    I would love to try it
    Lumiere Blanche is one of my favorite perfumes it is soulful
    USA

  • I love Autoportrait but I’m interested in the lighter yet smoky effect achieved here! US reader.

  • Seriously, I can not pick a favorite of this line because I own all of Olfactive Studio’s Fragrances. I adore each one for different reasons and they are worn when I feel a need to enhance my mood with the qualities that I associate with each one. I choose not to limit myself strictly to perfumes and seasons, I go more for my mood enhancement from wearing them.. It Is All About ME… when it comes to my perfume 😉 I would love to experience Ombre Indigo because of my LOVE for the house of Olfactive Studio. The color of the perfume is also intriguing to me. I am in the US and Thanks for the opportunity

  • My favorite Olfactive Studio scent so far is Lumiere Blanche.
    Ombre Indigo piques my interest because of the gorgeous color and Tama’s incredible review. The plum and smoke sounds amazing! I live in the U.S.
    Thanks for the draw!

  • Tama, what a beautiful review. The picture upon which the fragrance is based is spectacular because it integrates light and dark.The contrast between the blue and the orange is lovely.

  • US resident. I would like to try Ombre Indigo because the concept of scenting a shadow is very intriguing and would like to compare it to my interpretation of what a shadow “smells” like, also I’m big on photography so the concept of the line is also very interesting and original. The Gustavo Pellizzon photo is my favorite from the line.

  • Believe or not, but photo by Gustavo Pellizzon is my favorite. Some of the notes of Ombre Indigo are one of those I am addicted to. And your review/description made me want to try this fragrance even more.
    I am in the US.
    Thank you for this draw.

  • My favorite photo is the one by Massimo Vitali. A woody smoky leather perfume combined with tuberose sounds right up my alley! I am in the US, thank yoU!

  • I love Olfactive Studio, particularly Autoportrait. Ombre Indigo sounds right up my alley, from its list of notes–tuberose and leather and benzoin…be still my heart. Thanks as ever for the draw.

  • I love this line; my favorite fragrance is Lumiere Blanche.
    Wonderful review and thanks ever so much for the draw.

  • julesinrose says:

    Friends keep telling me to try Lumiere Blanche, but Ombre Indigo sounds like I’d love it even more. You had me with your first descriptive line.

    “Boom!” by Kumi Yamashita is an intriguing photograph and is perfectly evocative of a perfume.

    In the US still, and thanks once again for the lovely draw!

  • My favorite is Lumiere Blanche though Autoportrait runs a close second. It would be a pleasure to win Ombré Indigo. I love the color indigo and am interested to find out how it translates to aroma. I live in the U.S. Thanks for the draw.

  • I haven’t tried any from this line yet, though they all sound so lovely. I think of all the photos, this one is my favorite. I love the contrast and the sumptuous folds of the dress. I’m in the US.

  • I like the first photo. The others are seriously creepy. I tried a perfume from this line and though I could tell it was a great composition, I did not end up liking it. Yet, I do feel I would find something I would like, so maybe this new one will be it. Overall, the bottles and the whole brand looks classy. Im in the US.

  • d3m0licion says:

    I live in the US and my favorite Olfactive Studio is FlashBack, and about the new one I’d love to try because that mix of tuberose and incense. Sounds amazing. Thanks for the great review.

  • This new launch from Olfactive Studio is the number one thing I was excited to read about from Esxence. My favorite Olfactive Studio fragrance is Lumiere Blanche and I was thrilled to see it was a Fragrance Foundation finalist. This one is so gorgeous and Tama, you’ve made it sound so compelling. (I personally love the photography in the piece too.) I’m in the US and just am dying to try this.

  • Fazal Cheema says:

    My favorite is Still Life which i also own. My favorite picture is Sitting Here casting my shadow…i am in the US

  • As an aside, I guess I’m a bit slow on the uptake but I just realized all of the fragrances in this line have names that are plays on photography. I knew the line’s inspiration and theme but I hadn’t put that together. Liking it even more now.

  • I have not tried any from this line yet but am very intrigued by the idea of plum tuberose and smoke coming together to create a scent portrait that is a reflection of an actual photograph (which I love BTW). I’m in the US, thank you for the generous draw.

  • Carole Fallon says:

    I have sampled Still Life and liked it very much; I am intrigued with her work from a photograph and would very much like to try Indigo. I am in the US.

  • I have the Olfactive Studio sampler and like Lumiere Blanc the best so far. I’d like to try Ombre Indigo because I have liked what I have sampled so far and the simpicity of the bottle/label and the color of the fragrance really appeal to me.

  • I adore Lumiere Blanche! As soon as I heard about this new one, I was intrigued. The photo for Ombré Indigo and the notes selected for the perfume to represent the photo are so intriguing! This scent is the one I’m most anxious to try this Spring. Thank you for sharing some with us in this giveaway!

  • I like the Kumi Yamashita photo. Could be some interesting thoughts about what’s happening here. The notes of Ombre Indigo sound great (especially the inclusion of plum, papyrus, saffron) and the color of the juice is gorgeous. I am in the US.

  • Chambre Noire is my favorite Olfactive Studio scent (so far!) and I love the Pelizzon photo above. I’d love to try Ombre Indigo because I love smoky, leathery scents and that tickle of plum sounds so intriguing as an accent!

  • Ombre Indigo sounds atmospheric and lovely, but not overwhelming. I would love to try it. My favorite scent in the line is Lumiere Blanche. Thank you for sharing this!

  • Lumiere Blanche is my favorite by far. I tried the sample set and Lumiere Blanche captivated me. I want to try Ombre Indigo for the images it conveys and the image that inspires it. It sounds gorgeous!
    I am in the US.
    Thanks!

  • Thank you for the lovely review, Tama! I have not tried anything from the line yet,, but would love to test Ombre Indigo! I love plum and smoky notes, and of course leathery scents. I adore the name because I love anything in any shade of blue! I’m in the US …

  • wefadetogray says:

    I think I am not going to add anything new here by saying my favorite Olfactive Studio perfume is Lumiere Blanche. I’d love to try this because I adore woodiness and smoke together, in addition, I love plum so this mix sounds very compelling to me. Oh and that color! Indigo juice!
    I dont have a favorite photography but I do love many photographers, my favorite one being Francesca Woodman.
    Thanks for this lovely draw.
    I am in the US.

  • I have to agree with many of the people here and say that Lumiere Blanche is beautiful. I’d love to try Indigo because I’m drawn to this company’s overall aesthetic and style.
    I’m in the US. Thanks!

  • I purchased a sample of Lumiere Blanche and loved it. So I will say, for now, that is my favorite. The accompanying photo is also very beautiful. Because of my good experience with Lumiere Blanche I am very eager to try Ombre Indigo. Some of the heavy/drier notes in this fragrance also make me curious. I am in the US. Thanks.

  • Matildaben says:

    I am a big fan of Olfactive Studio and I can’t wait to see what they do with incense. All of their perfumes are so original and creative, but my favorite is Chambre Noire.

  • helicalgnome says:

    I don’t think I have a favorite Olfactive Studio yet. I like Lumiere Blanche very much and I like Autoportrait. Right now, I cannot decide which one is my favorite. I’d like to try Ombre Indigo because I find intriguing how heavy notes (which I love) can be rendered translucent and sheer.
    Thanks.
    I am in the US.

  • Valentine girl says:

    While all of the photos are visually mesmerizing, I am particularly drawn to “Boom” by Kumi Yamashita as my favorite photo. I would love to try Ombre Indigo as I hope to enter a roomful of people and Boom! Everyone is blown away by catching a whiff of my fragrant shadow as I walk by them. I am a USA resident & thank you for the draw opportunity.

  • I liked the photograph and fragrance of Lumiere Blanche. Sadly I think I’m anosmic to some of it because it just does not last on my skin. I live in the US and love to be included in the draw.

  • Lumiere Blanche is the one that most appealed to me, but I do believe Ombre Indigo has surpassed it, especially with your lovely review. Ashes, incense, plum… oh yes. I’m in the U.S. Thanks for the draw!

  • I have tried 5 from Olfactive Studio and like them all. All are very well done. 🙂

    So for that reason I have high hopes in trying this new one. USA

  • I like the photo “Boom!” I love the ombré Indigo bottle and the color of the perfume inside goes with the title. I love a smokey quality in a fragrance.
    USA thanks

  • First if all, can I say how much I love the color of the juice! I love the cardamom in Lumiere Blanche and found myself reaching for it frequently last year.. The accompanying image was also gorgeous. All that luminous white in the photo. It just seemed perfect for San Francisco summers. What appeals to me most about this is the note list which appears deep/heavy but sounds like it was created with lightness in mind.

  • WOW – Deep woody, smoky incense with a thread of tuberose running through! I want to try it because it has so many of the notes I love.
    I love the name, the concept, the bottle – everything about it.

    My favorite OS is Chambre Noir and I live in the U.S. Tama thanks for sharing a generous portion of Ombre Indigo!

  • love chambre noir! love smoke/incense/leather in fragrances & would love to experience olfactive studio’s interpretation of it! thanks for this offer!

  • Cynthia Richardson says:

    I love the idea of “seeing” a fragrance. My favorite is Flashback and I would like to try Ombre Indigo because i need a fragrance with saffron notes. I live in the US

  • My favorite photo is “Boom!” and I have yet to experience any of the OS scents, although I am most intrigued by Lumiere Blanche…up until now! At this time of year I’m intrigued by saffron notes; perhaps it’s the return of the sun? I live in the US.

  • Kim Morgan says:

    Totally out of my comfort zone here –this reminds me of an old library chair, comfy and warm and quiet. US resident.