J’s images of Naomi Goodsir Or Du Serail, Nuit de Bakélite and Corpus Equus
The adornment, the rider and the horse.
Perfumery is a natural extension of Naomi Goodsir’s artistic sensibility, which began with millinery and bespoke accessories. It acts as an unseen embellishment bringing mood and texture, creating an impression that is felt. Hailing from Australia, Naomi honed her skills in fashion design in Sydney before relocating to France, where she and creative director Renaud Coutaudier established their perfume house in 2012. They debuted with the darkly alluring Cuir Velours and Bois d’Ascèse, both crafted by the then-emerging talent Julien Rasquinet. The Naomi Goodsir perfume house feel very considered; each perfume is there for an artistic reason rather than following trends.
Riding bag by Naomi Goodsir
One of my favourite artists, Bas Jan Ader, produced only a few works during his brief life, yet their influence resonates deeply in the art world, much like Naomi Goodsir’s creations in perfumery. Notably, Nuit de Bakélite, which has garnered numerous awards. Summarising these three perfumes is a challenge, as they offer stunning journeys that unfold through the wear. This Three You Must Be Wearing conjures an image for me of a green elegance, adorned with a beautiful cocktail hat while riding a dark horse. I highly recommend smelling each of the perfumes.
Naomi Goodsir Or Du Serail and perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour
Naomi Goodsir Or du Serail (Bertrand Duchaufour) 2014: Glittering bright fruits feel like jewels hit by sunlight making them glow with delicious tropical aromas, with a hint of darkness making them shine brighter. Or du Serail becomes darkly rich as the notes combine into a golden hue with those subtle herbal floral greens giving a bitter counter to the fruity facets. Dry ripe mango kissed by red berries joins a crisp red apple and mandarin in a beautiful cocktail of colours and textures blended with coconut water, a dash of herbal aromatic green chartreuse and a good glug of spiced rum. Naomi Goodsir Or Du Serail feels like a cocktail hat worn by this rider, bespoke elegance as fruity gems glistens. Slowly more of the structure is revealed with soft wood pushing through as the fruits ripen into a rich tobacco aroma. Maté tea lends a bitter feel to contrast the sweeter aspects giving bodily warmth and glow. Or du Serail feels glows like amber with a beautiful texture that’s moves from smooth fruit skin to a softer sensual waxiness in the final dry down, but here in the mid cedar with the maté gives a powdery woody musky texture, that sensual sensation somewhere between silk and velvet. A new drink has joined us now, calvados, with apple feeling stewed and warm with a tart herbal tea like warmth from sage. You can feel some darker elements push through slowly. Or du Serail evolves slowly like a story unfolding over a drink. Its cosy glowing warmth attracting those around to the rider it adorns, giving an alluring power to its possessor.
A honeyed tobacco with a rich woody vanilla takes over as the boozy fruity drink final sip is done. You can feel the form and structure that’s been crafted from wood to hold the shimmering bejewelled fruits from the opening. Darker oak gives it a frame as a soft powdery dry cedar is used to wrap and shape this form. Or du Serail is stitched with silver threads of vanilla smoke, adding a beautiful contrast to the glowing amber woods as the honeyed tobacco is applied with a soft sensuous beeswax. The ghosts of the aromatics herbal fruity cocktail haunt the air around this beautiful piece, like soft reflections are still shimmering over this seductive rich tobacco vanilla woody cocktail hat. Darker woods whispers of age in a loved way, as Naomi Goodsir Or Du Serail with its gentle darkness makes the sweeter side shine in the most beautiful way. Or du Serail is an elegant perfume with a wild look in its eyes, all kinds of fun that glows with the warmth of love and desire, while still holding a unique presence as all of the perfumes in the Naomi Goodsir line do. Notes: Apple, Davana, Mango, Red berry, Rum, Sweet orange, Beeswax, Clary sage, Coconut, Ylang ylang, Amber, Cedar, Labdanum cistus, Maté, Musk, Tobacco, Vanilla.
Perfumer Isabelle Doyen and Naomi Goodsir Nuit de Bakélite
Nuit De Bakélite (Isabelle Doyen) 2017: Nuit de Bakélite seems to encapsulate Naomi Goodsir in a bottle. The Bakelite plastic aldehydic sheen from the opening referring to the original Bakelite caps of the early bottles-all becomes the milliner’s own hat. Then the flacon’s bespoke unique and sleek design, it’s elegant neck then powerful shoulders and sleek body with tobacco coloured label feel like they quietly reference Naomi’s personal style, where vintage elegance and contemporary clothing merge effortlessly in a considered way. Nuit De Bakélite captures the feel of a narcotic lady, one that’s unique an earthy green tuberose with sharp galbanum nails with a sensual orris and ylang ylang, with almost a dash of a fresh green aromatic cologne. A dark elegance blurring the lines between genders. Nuit De Bakélite is a huge perfume, it fills rooms and lingers long after you have left, and it’s a perfumed work of art that never lets you forget once you smell it, its green earthy vegative roots sink into you.
Michelyn’s collage of photos taken at Esxence 2017 of Naomi’s millinery, her Bakelite ring and bracelets, Isabelle Doyen and staged photo
Naomi Goodsir Nuit De Bakélite is anything but traditional, its got a vintage twist merged beautifully with the contemporary giving a unique artistic feel. Its bold and confident, yet sleek, silky and considered with an array of beautiful green textures that again speaks to Naomi’s aesthetic Bakelite and leather being materials she uses to compose with, while the earthy vegative greenery in Nuit de Bakélite speaks to her desire for sustainability in her work. It’s most definitely a unique confidence that’s riding this horse; it’s a portrait of a lady smouldering with natures green flame before the beauty of the leather saddle is revealed later in the dry down. Its paired with a softer honey tobacco, licked by a smoky labdanum like the nap of soft refined leather, then dusted with a light whisper of iris ash. Nuit De Bakélite wild side warmed up wrapping you in a cosy inviting embrace. Unforgettable. Notes: Angelica, Galbanum, Tomato leaf, Violet leaf, Karo karounde, Orris, Tuberose, Davana, Guaiac wood, Labdanum, Leather, Styrax, Tobacco.
Naomi Goodsir Corpus Equus and perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour
Naomi Goodsir Corpus Equus (Bertrand Duchaufour) 2021
“Nuit de Bakélite is somewhat of an UPO, Unidentified Perfume Object. Corpus Equus is “another kind of composition”, REALLY interesting.” This is how Renaud Coutaudier, Naomi Goodsir’s co-Creative Director, introduced Editor-in-Chief Michelyn Camen to Corpus Equus in an email.
Corpus Equus opens with an intense, smoky essence that evokes a sense of darkness and char, intertwined with a musky undertone. It feels as if a horse has emerged from the swirling smoke, bringing with it a rich, oily resin that mimics the warmth and texture of horsehair as you lean in to go faster. Corpus Equus is wild and daring, capturing the sensation of a powerful creature in motion, exuding a sense of untamed energy. The perfume hints at stables, enveloped in deep browns and rich tones, leaning towards a rich black rather than green. As Corpus Equus unfolds, a luxurious birch wraps around the horse, merging with the oily texture of the horsehair as it transforms into leather against your skin. This process softens the wildness, suggesting a gentle taming of the creature by the rider.
From this rugged animalic leather smoke, a delicate rose unfurls, adding a layer of sensuality to Corpus Equus. The interplay between the wild and the delicate creates a sensuous grace. Hints of earthy patchouli emerge, enhancing the musky smoke giving new subtle textures, while soft wisps of incense lighten the dark tones to a smokier grey. As Corpus Equus evolves, the powdery softness of rose petals seems to turn to ash, mingling with woody cedar and other abstract woods, creating a sensation of gradual disintegration. The fragrance remains dry and smoky, with the deep birch leather still prominent, now dusted with a delicate floral ash. This ambery smoke fades gently, reminiscent of a fading memory, inviting quiet reflection on the majestic horse Naomi Goodsir rode, captured in ash, wood, leather and smoke. Corpus Equus feels like recounting tales by the fire of this horse and rider adorned in a glittering cocktail hat. Corpus Equus is stunning. Notes: Rose, Amber, Birch, Cedar, Incense, Leather, Musk, Patchouli, Smoked wood.
Disclosure: Naomi Goodsir’s Corpus Equus is from J’s personal collection, Naomi Goodsir Or Du Serail and Nuit de Bakélite were sent to J for review, thoughts and nose are his own.
J Wearescentient, Senior Editor, artist & olfactive writer.
J’s images of Naomi Goodsir Or Du Serail, Nuit de Bakélite and Corpus Equus
Thanks to Naomi Goodsir, we have a 50ml bottle of your choice of either Or Du Serail, Nuit de Bakélite or Corpus Equus for one registered reader USA or EU. Normally I should suggest which one is my favourite but all of the Naomi Goodsir perfumes are worth having; it’s the kind of perfume house that gives me hope for the future. To be eligible, please leave quality comment about what appeals to you about J’s review, where you live, and which you would choose if you won. Do you have a favourite Naomi Goodsir fragrance? Draw closes 3/13/25.
Please also read: ÇaFleureBon Creative Directors in Perfumery Naomi Goodsir & Renaud Coutaudier with Michelyn Camen here. And J’s piece on Bois d’Ascèse here.
Ermano and Michelyn CaFleureBon Best Fragrance of the Year Corpus Equus 2021, Ermano and Michelyn CaFleureBon Best of Scent 2017 for Creative Direction and Nuit de Bakelite
Nuit de Bakelite is a CaFleureBon Modern Masterpiece, review by Ermano Picco here
Available at stockists worldwide, to test or buy including Indigo Perfumery, Luckyscent and Fragrance Vault
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