Atelier Des Ors Rose Omeyyade (digital composition/editing by Despina Veneti©)
In the nearly three years I’ve been writing for Çafleurebon, I’ve reviewed them all: the Damask and the Centifolia, the green and the soliflore, the shy and the dewy, the fruity and the gourmand, the lipsticky and the ambery, the spicy and the oudy; along the way, I tried to accompany my rose-centric pieces with a variety of stories that travelled from Grasse to Cairo, from ancient Greece to the Renaissance, or from Isaac Newton’s scientific theories to the “Dune” sci-fi saga… After such rose hyper-activity, I sort of pledged to myself to take a short break from the undisputed Queen of flowers – if only to give us both a chance to miss one another! That was the plan, until Jovoy Paris sent me one of their thoughtfully curated sample boxes, its theme being none other than ROSE. Testing the strikingly varied fragrances included in the 14 Nuances de Rose Jovoy box, I found several ones calling out my name – but my heart skipped a beat when I came across a particular one. It was love at first sniff for Atelier Des Ors Rose Omeyyade.
“The Rose”, Thea Proctor©, 1927
Created by in-House perfumer Marie Salamagne of Firmenich under the creative direction of Atelier Des Ors founder Jean-Philippe Clermont (read his Creative Director’s article by clicking on this link),. Rose Omeyyade was a part of the brand’s inaugural 2015 collection, and has – quite understandably – remained a customer favorite ever since. I say “understandably”, since the fragrance is to me an excellent example of how a genuinely niche creation can combine artistic value with universal appeal. Starting off with one of the most popular perfumery trends of the last decade, rose and oud, Mme Salamagne’s creative flair and sensibility ultimately delivered a fragrance that can effortlessly captivate, while epitomizing the House’s style. Atelier Des Ors Rose Omeyyade pays a fragrant homage to the legendary Umayyad Dynasty, “narrated” through a Western olfactive point of view – in this case the timelessly elegant, French haute parfumerie tradition that is the catalyst of all the brand’s beautiful offerings.
“Rose Rising” (digital collage by Despina Veneti©, based on a photo of the Umayyad Palace in Amman, Jordan)
Atelier Des Ors Rose Omeyyade opens with a euphorically inviting, scrumptiously jammy Damask rose, infused with the youthful energy of tart-sweet raspberry and electrifying pink pepper. A brilliant accord of brown sugar, tastefully balanced and highly interactive, is present throughout the fragrance’s evolution, coloring the key ingredients in all sorts of fascinating gourmand shades. During the first hour, it progressively boosts the rose’s inherent deliciousness with a syrupy undercurrent, not unlike rose petal preserve; meanwhile, it generates a liqueur-like vibe that slightly ferments the fruity and floral notes. Once the dry, woody base develops, the sugar accord embellishes it with palatable nuances: the guaiac wood feels nutty, the patchouli cocoa-sprinkled, the oud dulcet-toned… Aided by honeyed amber and smooth suede leather accents, the rose’s initial ingénue-like appeal blossoms into more mature, yet infinitely refined, sensuality: ripe, fleshy and fully-bodied, the rose becomes so nectarous, delectable and tactile that it synaesthetically arouses several of the senses.
“Red Velvet Drama” by Helmut Newton©, c. 1960
Visually and texturally speaking, I see the rose’s transformation in Atelier Des Ors Rose Omeyyade as changing from a bright red, flowy and flirty, chiffon dress, into a deep crimson, draped and dramatic, velvet gown. However, gentlemen should not be wary of the femininity of this metaphor: Atelier Des Ors Rose Omeyyade is in fact a spectacularly adaptable, gender-bending, all-embracing fragrance that has proved stunning on everybody I’ve tested it. Its glowing, far-reaching charm fills me with profound aesthetic satisfaction – of the kind that is elicited by widely perceivable, yet no less remarkable, beauty.
Notes: Rose, Raspberry, Pink Pepper; Brown Sugar, Patchouli, Guaiac Wood; Agarwood, Amber, Sandalwood.
Disclaimer: Many thanks to Atelier Des Ors for my bottle of Rose Omeyyade. The opinions are my own.
Editor’s note: We have a special treat for our readers. If you love Atelier Des Ors and enter the code CAFB20 it can be redeemed for a 20% discount at atelierdesors.com. The offer is available for one month only and expires July 7, 2021
– Despina Veneti, Senior Editor
Atelier Des Ors Rose Omeyyade 100ml bottle (photo courtesy of Atelier Des Ors©)
Thanks to the generosity of Atelier Des Ors, we have a draw for a 100ml bottle of Atelier Des Ors Rose Omeyyade (value: 230€) for one registered reader in EU, USA or Canada. You must register here or your comment will not count. To be eligible, please leave a comment saying what you enjoyed most about Despina’s review, if you have a favorite Atelier Des Ors fragrance, and where you live. Draw closes June 12, 2021
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