Peggy Guggenheim photographed by Man Ray in a Paul Poiret gown, 1924 (courtesy of guggenheim.org)
“There is no excellent beauty which hath not some strangeness in the proportion”. ~ Sir Francis Bacon in “Of Beauty” from Essays (1625)
John Biebel and Serin banner
Perfumer John Biebel of January Scent Project might be perceived as one who embodies the oft-repeated tenet espoused by Sir Francis Bacon which I’ve quoted above. Similarly, Virgil’s Aeneid fits like a glove: “Fortune favors the bold.” Both apply to this polymathic gentleman who writes, composes, paints and creates sans cesse without regard for more mundane matters such as sleep and nutrition.
Ida and John en route to Florence
When we traveled to Florence for LUSH it gave us a singular opportunity to catch up and spend time together; he generously brought with him samples of his more recent work Dinudisit (2018) and Serin (2019) which I had not yet smelt. If you are familiar with John’s compositions then you know that they are far from the ‘spray and go’ variety of perfumes: one does well to spray and sit with them, permitting them the time and space to unfold as they invariably will. He is fearless in his pursuit of innovative ways to express himself, often utilizing materials which another perfumer might simply dismiss – or not even entertain. It cannot be denied that their considerable beauty lies in a strangeness of proportion.
Dioscorides, physician preparing an elixir (from northern Jazira) via themetmuseum.org
To refer to January Scent Project Serin simply as an Oriental is to give it short shrift. It skews medicinal, herbal, floral and smoky by turns – which renders it all the more fascinating to my nose. Despite considerable dissimilarities between the two, I feel a metaphysical connection between Serin and Santa Maria Novella’s alchemical Marescialla cologne created in 1828: some herbaceous link bordering on the precipice of wizardry, peculiarly reassuring in the manner of ancient receipts. It harkens back to another era when the materia medica (body of knowledge regarding therapeutic use of natural substances) ruled globally – from pre-Roman times until the 20th century (I smile as I ponder this, as John and I have discussed the SMN oddity with relish).
Serin Poster art illustrated by John Biebel
There were many things I burned to know, so we spoke at length about John’s creative process with regard to Serin in particular. John eschews the descriptor ‘syn-aesthete’ with regard to himself. He experiences vivid color and auditory associations; details become intrinsically linked in his awareness. As he composes, John needs a guidepost: ‘to roam around free’ is irritating for him. He will spend many hours producing sounds, homophones – in order to name his scents. “What does it sound like?” is part of the undertaking. For Serin, John wanted a short name; it ended up being a species of European finch which “looks very ordinary, but when it spreads its wings you can see bright yellow feathers”. This goldenness corresponds to the brilliant orange/yellow hue of calendula absolute, the color of the perfume and its overall burnished glow and diffusivity. The shade of Chinese lacquer red utilized as a backdrop for Serin’s image was compelling; it arose from an Asian supermarket in Allston, Massachusetts we both frequented years ago and its restroom door, which stood out for its intense vibrant color. The Super 88 provided a distinctive aromatic impression as you entered – one of Chinese dates, incense and herbal medicines. Each of these elements aligned like a string of pearls to inspire Serin.
What is it that we smell? It’s initially brilliant, floral, medicinal – a touch of band-aid (cypriol), the expansivity of heliotrope’s almondy sunniness, a wisp of mint, the citric burst. Rose and white champa leaf make quite a pair; the former’s Universal Playmate personality is happy to accompany the fruity green floralcy of this native Indian plant. Calendula’s dried-fruit note combined with a slightly bitter warmth of sun-dried earth and grasses also has a touch of spice which blends beautifully with clary sage. Sandalwood and the divine opoponax create a cushion subtly enhanced with a judicious seasoning of guaiac and incense. When sprayed with abandon, January Scent Project Serin sings of abundant voluptuousness before its eventual evolution into a softer, more herbal realm: marigold, calendula remind me of sunwarmed daisies in the meadow, an exquisite artlessness which I find charming and soothing. Marigolds and incense recall an Aztec festival with their billowing clouds of copal – but John employs only an intimation of incense; if you seek anything churchy, you won’t discover it here. It is part of Serin’s overall fabric, not an aromatic cudgel. The intricacy of this perfume is compellingly original, as January Scent Project fragrances are known to be. I love it more with each wearing as it unfurls and reveals varying facets.
Notes: incense, guaiac, cypriol, sandalwood, rose, citrus, tagetes, calendula, opoponax, mint, sweet musk, sage, heliotrope, white champa leaf
Samples generously provided by the perfumer: I love them! Many thanks. My nose is my own…
~ Ida Meister, Senior Editor and Natural Perfumery Editor
January Scent Project Serin
Thanks to the kindness of John Biebel we have one 30 ml. bottle of January Scent Project Serin for one registered reader in the USA and three samples globally for three additional readers. You must register here or your comment will not count. To be eligible, please let us know what you enjoyed most about Ida’s review of Serin and where you live. Do you have a favorite January Scent project fragrance? Draw closes 1/10/2020
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