Comme Des Garçons Zero courtesy of the brand
“There are some things one can only achieve by a deliberate leap in the opposite direction.” – Franz Kafka
Do you ever wish the world came with a reset button? The promise of a new start forged in the absence of complication? According to Comme Des Garçons, their new release, Zero, composed by Fanny Bal, under the creative direction of Christian Astuguevieille represents “a radical expression of simplicity; a reset, the antithesis of excess … an exploration of freedom found within purposeful parameters”.
Photo: Fanny Bal of IFF©
In Comme Des Garçons Zero, Franny Bal, a protégé of Dominique Ropion who shared her path to perfumery in ÇaFleureBon’s Young Perfumer series, has created a bold assertion and an austere insinuation—constructed by deconstructing—with recognition to the sustainability of its ingredients.
Comme Des Garçons Zero, photo by Michael Devine
While Comme Des Garçons Zero may be minimalist in terms of its structure, it’s a powerful perfume which opens with a full-bodied cedar accord through a hint of bergamot. The cedar, which, per Comme des Garçons, was hand-harvested and extracted using hydroelectric power, is a perfume unto itself and suggests nuances of rosewood and mahogany. In the mid, a purposefully-synthetic rose accord mingles with an equitably-sourced Haitian vetiver which bolsters the cedar’s earthiness. All the while, there’s a crystalline angularity which embraces rather than fights an emerging softness, creating an exciting tension rather than disharmony.
Martin Guitar Factory craftsmen, photo courtesy Martin Guitar
Tying it all together, congruent to the Comme des Garçons philosophy of thinking outside the box, is a curious note of varnish. I was instantly reminded of a tour I once took of the Martin Guitar Factory in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, where, since 1833, expert craftspersons have built guitars from blocks of wood to glossy sonic—and olfactive—marvels. I began to wonder if the interesting addition of a varnish accord bent the composition toward the abstract and therein, conjured images from my own personal history, my own interpretation. It was Jackson Pollock who said of abstract art: “Energy and motion made visible – memories arrested in space.”
Jackson Pollock, Number One, 1950 wiki art
Comme Des Garçons Zero is not an anti-perfume, nor is it a synthetic soliflore (à la Escentric Molecules Molecule 01). Zero is a study in thoughtful and thought-provoking ingredients which, beyond its artistic measure and carbon neutrality, smells really good. That is, after all, the essence of olfactive simplicity.
Zero is an eau de parfum which is available now, in 100ml fully-recyclable glass vessels. While evaluating Zero, I found it has moderate projection and excellent (12+ hour) longevity.
Top notes: Varnish Accord –Bergamot; Middle notes: Vetiver Heart – Rose Oxyde; Base: Cashmere, Musk, Cedar
Disclosure: This review is based on a bottle provided by Dover Street Market. Opinions are of the author.
Michael Devine, Contributor
Photo courtesy of the brand
Thanks to the generosity of Dover Street Market we have a 100 ml bottle of Comme Des Garçons Zero for a CON USA registered reader only. To be eligible, please leave a comment saying what you thought of Zero based on Michael’s review and your favorite Comme Des Garçons fragrance. Draw closes 6/29/22
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