Imagine our collective delight at ÇaFleureBon when we received notification from Creative Director Jeroen Oude Sogtoen of Mona Di Orio that four of her original Mona Di Orio Signature Collection perfumes were to be relaunched. Her earlier works were so masterful, avant-garde at the time they appeared upon the Scented Scene. Even among passionate perfumisti I felt the ambivalent tug of controversy: Mona’s perfumes were innovatively her own and perhaps not as widely appreciated as they merited when they debuted. Those of us who adored her compositions were fierce proponents, and those who were unnerved by their unselfconscious singularity were vocal naysayers. Editor-in-Chief Michelyn Camen’s interview was instrumental in illuminating Mona’s feelings about her oeuvres and olfactory journeyand the last before her untimely passing. It was a privilege to engage Mona in lively discussion revolving around shared passions.
photos of Mona di Orio Courtesy of Jeroen
The timing feels so right; Mona had discussed her desire to bring back these fragrances before her untimely passing on December 9, 2011. With bourgeoning societal exposure to more unusual and creative perfumery comes a level of education – and I’m hoping that the freshness and originality of Mona Di Orio Signature Collection Carnation (2006), Oiro (2007), Amyitis (2008) and Jabu (2009) will capture the imagination of a new audience as well as satisfying those of us eager to reacquaint ourselves with these aromatic bijoux. They certainly deserve it. My instinct is that – upon initial olfactory impact – one may easily prejudge these perfumes because of their startling presentation (which only lasts for a few minutes at best). Because so many fragrances tend to be linear, and these are NOT – there may be those who erroneously dismiss them. Be patient, I implore: what is revealed is so multi-faceted and fascinating.
rare photo of Mona di Orio courtesy of Jeroen
Mona Di Orio Carnation (2006): from the old French, referring to skin. The evocation of carnality, post-boudoir-warmed flesh. This, after all is what Carnation is all about, NOT the flower by any means. We are immediately greeted by an acetone-like, urinaceous note, very much approach/avoidance – which takes us unawares. It lasts just long enough; clove-y invocation of carnation saunters in, violet-tinged, spicy and accompanied by mischievous ylang ylang and jasmine: feral. All waxes serene, soft: such melting tenderness of glowing musk and woods, amber, sweet whispers of intimacy. Aren’t you glad you didn’t walk away??? Talk about ground-breaking…
Notes: bergamot, carnation, geranium Bourbon, ylang ylang, violet, jasmine, storax, precious woods, musk, amber
rare photo of Mona di Orio courtesy of Jeroen
Oiro (2007): from the Portuguese, meaning ‘gold’: Citrus!!! Citrus citrus citrus – all brilliant sunshine and good cheer. We are in for glistening radiance: a gorgeous full-throated jasmine harmonizes with ylang ylang in no wise similar to their coupling in Carnation. This is no reprise, it’s a sumptuous gilded surprise where sweetness conspires with incense, musk, wood and amber. Sweet pea and heliotrope are hand-in-glove, tendrils of incense insinuate themselves. The base is spectacular: dark and lush with vetiver and cedar, a smattering of immortelle and savage musks. In winter Oiro warms; in summer it unfurls, revealing claws and that envoûtant quality.
Notes: Calabrian green mandarin, sweet pea, spices, Indian jasmine absolute, Somalian olibanum, heliotrope, Cormoran ylang ylang, Haitian vetiver, immortelle, Spanish cedar, amber, musk
rare photo of Mona courtesy of Jeroen
Mona Di Orio Amyitis (2008): the queenly wife of King Nebuchadnezzar of Persia, who so longed for the forested mountains of home that he constructed the Hanging Gardens of Babylon for her. Full transparency: Amyitis was the very first Mona Di Orio perfume I ever purchased. It ensnared me immediately; my husband Bernhard (aka B) was with me and announced “Buy that”. For many, it’s a sleeper and I can’t fathom why. Perhaps the prominent green pepper and caraway notes were a deterrent at the time of its release. Not to me: Amyitis was all Divine Mystery and sylvan grace adorned with violet hues. It comprised many of the aromas I crave – oakmoss, cedar, opoponax, verdancy, umami seasoning (caraway, savory), ionones. Saffron lends a leatheriness; amber smells deep, labdanum-heavy and most definitely in cohoots with moss. Is it melancholy? Only you can determine that: to me it will always smell lovely, nuanced and profound, much like Mona whom I met on that very day. Notes: caraway, savory, capsicum (green pepper), green notes, iris, violet, guaiac wood, cedar, saffron, opoponax, moss, amber
courtesy of Ermano Picco©
Mona Di Orio Signature Collection Jabu (2009): Zulu for joy or pleasure. Pop! The very briefest allusion to acetone, then we find ourselves immediately propelled into the orange blossom-laden grove! Mona could not have more aptly named this fragrance; it fairly dances upon the skin. Sweet honeyed floral oblivion imbedded in precious woods and ambergris. Garnished with plum, sweetened with tonka: are you in, too? I cannot imagine that this wouldn’t be love at first sniff. Jabu is a warming perfume, sunlit and generous, easy to wear and unusual; you bask in it. A sultry addendum is the subtly balsamic vetiver which imparts a modicum of shade. Another plus: when Jabu was created a percentage of the proceeds went to benefit Orange Babies, a charity working with HIV-infected mothers and babies in Africa. Looking back I can see that for many who sampled Mona’s first perfumes, Jabu was a big favorite. Come, revisit it for yourselves; it’s so effortlessly lovable.
Notes: Brazilian orange blossom, South African petitgrain, Cormoran ylang ylang, Australian amyris, Javan vetiver, guaiac wood, ambergris, plum, tonka bean
Many thanks to Jeroen Oude Sogtoen and Mona di Orio for my samples! Such a pleasure. My nose is my own…
~ Ida Meister, Senior Editor and Natural Perfumery Editor
~ Art Direction: Michelyn Camen, Editor-in-Chief with assistance from Jeroen Oude Sogtoen,
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Photo of the Signature Collection x 3 courtesy of Jeroen
Thanks to the generosity of Jeroen Oude Sogtoen of Mona Di Orio Parfums we have a sample set of all four fragrances for one registered reader (register here if you have not already done so) worldwide or a 10 ml of either Mona di Orio Carnation, Mona Di Orio Oiro, Mona Di Orio Amyitis or Jabu as your choice. Please leave a comment relaying what appeals to you about Mona Di Orio Signature Collection based on Ida’s review and where you live as well as what you would like to win. Draw closes 6/20/2019
Editor’s Note: Mona Di Orio Parfums has launched 3 X 10 ML EAU DE PARFUM 0,34 FL.OZ (€ 95,00) of any Mona Di Orio Signature Fragrance including Lux (reviewed here by Danu Seith Fyr) and Nuit Noir reviewed here by former Editor The Silver Fox.
I am often asked why I started CaFleureBon in 2010, a fragrance site almost totally devoted to niche, independent and artisan perfume; why are the reviews so positive. Emotionally, Ida and I were with Mona when Luca Turin’s Book debuted in 2009 and he gave very poor reviews of Mona’s first six fragrances and it affected us profoundly. My “review philosophy” for nearly 10 yrs as the Editor-in-Chief of CaFleureBon is: with 16 worldwide editors and contributors, if there is ONLY negativity in your subjective review without positivity, we will not post it, or we will survey another contributor especially for small and emerging perfumers. The only stars next to a fragrance is the perfumer and creative director. We miss you Mona –Michelyn Camen, Editor in Chief
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