In Fieri Park of the Monsters photo by Rachel
“And when he came to the place where the wild things are they roared their terrible roars and gnashed their terrible teeth and rolled their terrible eyes and showed their terrible claws till Max said “BE STILL!” and tamed them with the magic trick of staring into all their yellow eyes without blinking once and they were frightened and called him the most wild thing of all and made him king of all wild things.” – Where the Wild Things by Maurice Sendak, 1963
Maria Teresa Venezia courtesy of the perfumer
Though not familiar with the Sacro Bosco (“Sacred Grove”) of Bomarzo, colloquially called Park of the Monsters, prior to reading about the fragrance inspired by the creator’s childhood memories of the place, I was intrigued by how the fragrance, Monsters in the Park by In Fieri, deftly embodies such a unique local. The park of Bomarzo is a complex of monumental (and some say, grotesque) sculptures created in the 16th century by Simone Moschino for patron of the arts Pirro Ligorio, located in the province of Viterbo in Northern Italy near to where Maria Teresa Venezia, founder and co-creator of In Fieri, lived before moving to Los Angeles. It was her visits to this unique attraction that inspired her to create, along with perfumer Enrico Buccella, her first fragrance and 2022 Art & Olfaction Award finalist, Park of the Monsters.
There are many theories about why Ligorio created such an unusual garden that stands in stark contrast to the perfect symmetry of several nearby Renaissance gardens popular during this period: perhaps it is not to please but to astonish those who visit, or could it be an expression of his grief over the loss of his beloved wife?
Park of the Monsters (Wikipedia and Unsplash) collage by Rachel
Whatever the reason, the garden and its monstrous statues have clearly left a lasting impression on Maria Teresa; enough to create a fragrance that encompasses contrasts and unexpected wonders hidden within.
“On Saturday, parents brought their children to the park. The park reminded us of a place we saw in a dream, an unknown but familiar place. We were greeted by Hannibal’s elephants and met Ceres. She was sitting on colossal fruits guarded by lions and bears. A tortoise was carrying a winged woman on its back. We saw the monstrous Orcus with his mouth wide open and the ferocious Cerberus protecting the underworld. We run looking for a secure place. We met Pegasus, the winged horse, and rode him to the elusive sea, where Proteus was sailing a whale and Triton was listening to the sirens’ enchanting music in his golden palace at the bottom of the sea. We went to the leaning house and fell asleep.” -Maria Teresa Venezia
Photo by Rachel
It is a different set of monsters that come to my mind while wearing In Fieri Park of the Monsters. Perhaps my frame of literary reference is slightly skewed from spending the last decade reading hundreds of children’s books though, I would not be surprised to find other enthusiasts of Maurice Sendak’s, Where the Wild Things Are, a classic tale written over half a century ago. In time, we all learn the same lesson as Max, the king of all wild things, that no matter how much rumpus you create with your friends, there is nowhere more comforting than your own bed surrounded by those who care about you.
“And Max the king of all wild things was lonely and wanted to be where someone loved him best of all…so he gave up being king of where the wild things are.”
In Fieri Park of the Monsters immediately conjures images of the furry wild beasts living in a magical forest by the sea The lily notes come across almost tuberose-like in a manner reminiscent of Tubereuse Criminelle by Serge Lutens – not to say the two fragrances are identical however, they share a similar menthol or camphor note creating an intensely spicy and indolic white floral. The green notes are there not as leaves, grass or stems but, to add brightness and a crisp aspect to the floral bouquet.
Where In Fieri Park of the Monsters really shines is in Buccella’s use of animalic musks – prominent right from the start. This style is a personal favorite, often found in vintage parfums or more recently in independent creations such as Areej Le Doré’s Civet de Nuit. Be not afraid, the wild start full of edgy florals and beastly musk settles down quickly into a reassuring and comforting bubble of almost powdery fur while maintaining undercurrents of the richest floral notes. It is as if the wild things’ mythical odor along with potent flowers of the magical forest had permeated Max’s wolf suit and remained with him on his journey home to his own bedroom where his supper was waiting for him.
Like the Sendak book, Park of the Monsters is not an overly complicated, twisted story but, more of a single running stretch that captures and holds your attention from start to finish. As with the story and the fragrance’s namesake garden, some may initially find Park of the Monsters a bit subversive, unexpected and against the grain. However, I for one, am left with little doubt that Park of the Monsters by In Fieri will withstand the test of time, earning its place as a new classic and providing joy to those who dare experience it.
In Fieri may be a Latin expression meaning “beginning to have existence but not yet completely formed” but, Monsters in the Park, in my view, is masterfully crafted and well deserving of its selection as an Art & Olfaction Awards Finalist of 2022
Rachel Watson, Senior Contributor
In Fieri Park of the Monsters was created by Enrico Buccella in 2021, is an extrait de parfum and can be purchased here. If you live in the EU you can test or purchase In Fieri Park of the Monsters at 7Scents in Budapest
Notes: lily, green notes, guaiac wood, incense, spicy notes, musk.
Disclaimer: Review is based on a bottle generously provided by the brand. My opinions are my own.
In Fieri Park of the Monsters (from the brand)
Thanks to the generosity of Maria Teresa Venezia of In Fieri we have a 30 ml bottle of Park of the Monsters for one registered reader in the US. You must register or your entry will not count. To be eligible, please leave a comment saying what sparks your interest about Rachel’s review of In Fieri Park of the Monsters. Draw closes July 15, 2022
Maria Teresa Venezia is the 165th in our American Perfumer Series you can read about her path to perfumery here
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