Stars of the Tom of Finland biopic from left: Lauri Tilkanen, Pekka Strang and Kaija Jessica Grabowsky. Image: Josef Persson (2017)

 Etienne de Swardt, declared his independence from “business as usual” in 2006. Freeing himself from the predictable sterility of market driven fragrance and beauty, he formed his own perfume house where he brought to life a new freedom of expression in fragrance.  For more than a decade, Etat Libre d’Orange has been creating evocative,  sometimes challenging scents that push the limits of perfumery while maintaining a sense of ironic whimsy, wrapped around distinctive fragrance profiles that are inspired by culture, the arts, technology, cinema, heroes, heroines, …creative storytelling (a great example was the recent She was an Anomaly, by Daniela Andrier that Lauryn Beer reviewed).

Etienne de Swardt at Esxence 2014 (photo by Tama Blough RIP)

When I met Etienne for the launch of Rossy de Palma in NYC in 2009 (at the now shuttered Henri Bendel’s) it was my first exposure to perfumer Antoine Lie as well. Which brings us to one of the earlier releases from the house, Tom of Finland.  

via Etat Libre D’Orange

 For more than a decade, Etat Libre d’Orange has been creating evocative, challenging scents that push the limits of perfumery while maintaining a sense of ironic whimsy, wrapped around distinctively luxurious fragrance profiles.  So who was Tom of Finland?  His real name was Touko Valio Laaksonen a Finnish artist known for his stylized highly masculine erotic fetish art, and for his influence on late twentieth century gay culture. “Straight, gay… These words are irrelevant here. Tom of Finland is beyond sexuality — he is sex, in all its fullness and magnitude”-Etienne de Swardt

Editor Sebastian Jara’s review

Like the artist it was named for  Etat Libre D’Orange Tom of Finland straddles the line between in your face and enigmatic, including its use of ingredients.  Etat Libre D’Orange Tom of Finland uses a Givaudan material called Safraleine©, arid and dry giving the impression of leather, cedar and saffron. Yet it’s not a heavy leather, as the tonka and vanilla at the drydown leads Tom of Finland into the gourmand territory. It’s a marvelous fragrance and not often reviewed these days-Michelyn Camen, Editor in Chief

 

Tom of Finland bottle by Sebastian

Thanks to Europerfumes the US distributor and to Etienne de Swardt, we have we have ONE 100 ml  bottle for a registered CaFleureBon reader and Looking Feeling Smelling Great subscriber in the USA only. To be eligible, please leave a comment saying what strikes you about Sebastian’s review of Tom of Finland and where you live. Draw closes 11/11/2019.

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