Frassaï Fraise de Nuit
Puis, chez nous, tout heureux, tout aises,
En paniers enlaçant nos doigts,
Revenons rapportant des fraises
Des bois! ~ excerpt from Villanelle by Théophile Gautier
Then, at home, completely content and at our ease,
Entwining our fingers like a basket,
We will return carrying woodland (wild) strawberries!
I am very grateful when samples are sent to me, when I place an order with a retailer. Recently, Ann of Indigo Perfumery kindly sent me a a little of Frassaï Fraise de Nuit, one of Frassaï’s two latest releases this year – and I found it entrancing and remarkably comforting to wear. Frassaï has created two limited edition eaux de parfums (the other being A Sigh of Dawn), a full 93% natural in origin – which utilize upcycled aromatic materials. This is a bold move– and ecologically speaking, an ethical and creative endeavor whose time has surely come.
Courtesy of the brand
What does ‘upcycled’ signify? you may well inquire. Upcycling is the process of reclaiming the discarded/under-utilized/residual materials which have been previously employed in fragrance – for example, spent roses, vanillic elements retrieved from the processing of wood, rice, etc. In many cases, what results is the discovery of something wondrous which would have otherwise been left behind. In addition to eliminating waste, the perfumer’s palette is enriched with new possibility.
Natalia Outeda founder and creative director of Frassaï
Frassaï Fraise de Nuit is described by the brand as a nocturnal fruit fragrance. I brook no argument here; it is a decidedly lyrical representation of the scent’s ineffable attributes. How can one possibly categorize something which defies classification? If nighttime reflects a span of respite, of replenishing the spirit – then the appellation nocturnal is apt. Fraise de Nut is by no means a somber, brooding, ponderous mélange. For me, it is a fairytale incarnate, replete with all the fleet-footed charm of the fey and the mischief they enact when dusk descends with its customary stealth. It’s strawberry sorcery under the veil of darkness.
Marypierre Julien via Givaudan
Fraise de Nuit is gourmand: that didn’t dissuade me from embracing it with open arms – or applying it for multiple days in a row, which is something I rarely do. It is compelling, unique, and incredibly easy to wear – qualities which endear a perfume to one, especially in an era populated by lovely fragrances which may prove demanding and require particular circumstances/occasions for wear. This isn’t to infer that Fraise de Nuit is facile in any way; it can’t be so readily dismissed. For a fragrance with relatively few notes, it possesses the complexity which sustains an ongoing fascination. Givaudan perfumer Marypierre Julien has seen to that. She employs an upcycled natural strawberry, plump and ripely juicy; it never reads as forced or shrill – and five distinct variations of vetiver (I am mad for vetiver!) are present, each with a different scent profile. Four of these are the unique domain of Givaudan and given the designation OrPur (pure gold), which signifies a high-quality level of ethically sustainable raw ingredients. The fifth vetiver utilized is a CO2 extraction which brims with a true-to-life rooty profile. From what I am able to glean, the Givaudan Indian material is intensely green; its Haitian oil is more ethereal and citrus-inflected – while Haitian vetiver fraction OrPur leans ever more streamlined and fresh. I love the inclusion of an Indonesian vetiver OrPur, with its fiercely smoky, aw/leathery/unvarnished personality. As a vetiver ensemble, they are flawless and meld seamlessly into one another as, over time, varying facets are revealed upon the skin.
illustration courtesy of the brand
All of these olfactory hues are embedded in an upcycled vanilla, which is one of the end products of rice bran production. One of the constituents inherent in rice bran is ferulic acid: in order to transform this into vanillin by biological means, fermentation and natural enzymes are pressed into service. Voilá! Beautiful vanilla, and zero waste. It’s perfect.
From where I sit, Frassaï Fraise de Nuit is among the favorite new scents I have experienced so far this year. It murmurs of summer, sings in autumn, enfolds you in winter, and promises the eternal return of spring: who could ask for more? Endowed with a singular lilting voice, equal parts mystery, magic, and light, it is unfortunate that there is only a limited quantity available (350 100 ml. flacons): soon to be gone with the fairies. But while they last…
What I get, I bring home to you: a dark handful, sweet-edged, dissolving in one mouthful. I bother to bring them for you though they’re so quickly over, pulpless, sliding to juice a grainy rub on the tongue and the taste’s gone. ~ Helen Dunmore, Wild Strawberries
Notes: natural strawberry (upcycled, Strawberry Alcoholate OrPur™), five vetiver expressions, vanilla ex rice (upcycled)uu
Sample generously provided by Indigo Perfumery– many thanks! My nose is my own…
~ Ida Meister, Deputy and Natural Perfumery Editor
Michelyn’s Note: Sample Fraise du Nuit at Indigo Perfumery
Learn about Natalia Outeda’s role as the Creative Director of Frassaï in her own words here
Michelyn awarded Natalia Outeda Best Creative Director of 2018. Ermano awarded Dormir a Sol a top ten fragrance of 2024. A Fuego Lento received a Best of Scent 2018 from Michelyn. Please read Ida’s reviews of Dormir al Sol, El Descanso, Verano Porteño, Blondine, Tian Di, and Teisenddu, and J’s review of Ajedrez here.
Follow us @cafleurebonofficial@idameister@indigoperfumery@frassaï@natalia_outeda@marypierrejulienperfumer