Art Meets Art Besame Mucho, photo by Nicoleta
“Inspired by iconic songs. Created by the world’s finest perfumers.” From reading the brand’s manifesto, even before knowing anything more, I knew I was going in for something special, for the synesthete in me swooned at the idea of a brand blending the two invisible worlds into one cohesive concept.
Tanguy Le Baud, photo via official website
Tanguy Le Baud, the man behind this innovative concept has an impressive background, having spent over a decade at L’Oréal Luxe with big names like Lancôme and Kiehl’s, not just learning the ropes of the fragrance world but also nurturing a deep passion for excellence in luxury. Combine this with his love for music and a quintessentially Parisian upbringing, and you’ve got the unique blend of Art Meets Art.
Tanguy’s vision is about more than just perfume; it’s about creating an experience that resonates on a deeper, emotional level with all who come in contact with his creation. Art Meets Art is where music’s soul meets perfume’s essence, creating a groove to wear on one’s skin and adding a little bit of French chic sparkle to everyday life. Some of the world’s finest perfumers embarked on this journey:
Art Meets Art perfumes official brand photo
Art Meets Art Like a Virgin, created by Master Perfumer Alberto Morillas, is a pure, luminous aquatic floral surrounded by musk – a throwback to an 80s classic, recomposed with a modern, transparent flair. I can’t wait to pair it with a white T-shirt & wear it in spring, on the first day the sun will be warm enough to leave my jacket at home.
Lilac Wine, composed by Frank Voelkl, is a heady and mysterious purple scent, a calming lavender-violet-plum that melts into a deep mossy cedarwood texture. If you like to wear perfume on your wrists (like I do), every night when you go to sleep, I can’t think of a more comforting, cozy, and relaxing choice.
Sexual Healing, created by Christophe Raynaud, is a blend of honey, ginger, tobacco, and vanilla that feels “hot, just like an oven”, as Marvin would say. If one can translate the slow movement of honey pouring down alongside the wax melting from a yellow candle, this is it – warm, thick, enveloping, and deep.
My favorite, Art Meets Art Besame Mucho, on which we are going to focus on today, is also composed by perfumer Christophe Raynaud.
Christophe Raynaud, image via @artmeetsart Instagram page
“My approach to fragrances is that it should make people want to hug and kiss.” Christophe Raynaud
Born in Paris, Christophe Raynaud is a creator with a unique talent for composing beautiful and universally desirable fragrances. Throughout his career, he created perfumes for various brands, including Guerlain, Thierry Mugler, and Jean-Paul Gaultier. Music plays an integral part in Christophe’s life, and he follows the new generation of artists with great interest. If he were a song, he said he would be: “You Are Everything” by Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye.
Leo Anchoriz and Sara Monteil in the 1963 movie Noches de Casablanca IMDb
Art Meets Art Besame Mucho is a bolero composed at 19 years old by Mexican pianist Consuelo Velázquez. According to Velázquez, she wrote this song even though she had never been kissed yet at the time, and kissing, as she heard, was considered a sin. This universal romantic anthem, light in style and deep in content, became the most covered song in Spanish of the 20th century, including The Beatles, Sara Montiel, Plácido Domingo, Césaria Evora, Dean Martin, and Nat King Cole. For creating Besame Mucho, Christophe Raynaud was inspired by the provocative screen interpretation of this romantic anthem by Sara Montiel.*
Art Meets Art Besame Mucho, visual via the official Instagram page
Art Meets Art Besame Mucho feels like wearing my favorite black leather biker jacket: cool, comfortable, and timeless. It’s amazing how well the familiarity of a gesture repeated over time is translated in olfactive form – for you, those with long hair, you know the movement of gliding your arms into the cold smooth sleeves, accompanied -almost in the same time- by the gesture of flipping the hair out of the collar – well, the sensation it here, in all its little details. The texture of the leather: crisp, cold, and smooth to the touch is recreated with new details – the blood orange that gives it a metallic taste, and I almost hear the zipper going up. A whisper of incense weaves through, evoking the serene, cold aroma of a catholic church, grounding the fragrance with a touch of solemnity. Cold on cold, the milky pearls touch the pale skin and infuse the aura of old-world nostalgic elegance with notes of vegetal ambrette. Feels like underneath the jacket I am wearing my little black dress, with orris, giving it a classical, tailored luxurious feel, that makes you hold your head a little higher and straighten your back for the perfect aristocratic posture. Juicy blackcurrant mix with creamy sandalwood and woody notes, further envelop you in a cool, relaxed, and effortless embrace. Much like the perfect leather biker jacket, worn on top of the perfect little black dress, this fragrance’s mojo is daring, elegant, and sexy – all balanced in the right proportions.
Main accords: Top: blood mandarin, incense, pink pepper; Heart: orris, ambrette, blackcurrant; Base: black leather, cedarwood atlas, white sandalwood
Enjoy the playlist for Besame Mucho on Spotify here.
Also, check out @wearescentient’s reviews for Sexual Healing & Lilac Wine
Nicoleta Tomsa, Senior Editor
Disclosure: A bottle of Art meets Art Besame Mucho was kindly offered by the brand, opinions are my own.
Art Meets Art Besame Mucho, photo by Nicoleta
Thanks to the generosity of Art Meets Art we have a 50ml bottle of Besame Mucho for one registered reader in the EU, US, or UK. You must register or your entry will not count. To be eligible, please leave a comment saying what sparks your interest based on Nicoleta’s review and where you live. Draw closes 3/1/2024
Heading out to Esxence next week? Meet Tanguy at BF28 in the French Pavilion
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