Odin New York City the Soho men’s clothing store entered the fragrance arena earlier this year with three fragrances; 01 Nomad, 02 Owari, and 03 Century. Once any perfume label starts numbering things you know there will be another and just six months after the debut of the original three, number four has arrived. 04 Petrana is the latest and it is named after a version of black iris that blooms in the Jordanian desert.
Friend in fragrance Mr. Akshay Bhatia, Owner and Perfumer of independent perfume house Surabhi Fragrances, was inspired during a perfume conversation between perfumers from all around the globe to create a perfume that he called Kathmandu. Mr. Bhatia indeed did take the time in his lab to make two different versions of “Kathmandu”, one that was made with almost entirely synthetic materials and the other an almost completely natural version, with the addition of synthetic aldehydes. As I eagerly anticipated samples, I was surprised when instead of physical bottles of perfume he sent me perfume briefs (notated formula for perfume) and suggested that I make them myself. Being an entirely Natural Perfumer and having absolutely no experience with synthetics I was rather intimidated by the long list of chemicals,but nonetheless ordered the exhaustive list and the natural equivalents in order to “have a go” as my British relatives would say.
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Chicago perfumistos have something to celebrate. The Windy City will be wafting its own exclusive fragrance, Baie Rose 36 courtesy of Le Labo.
In the Fall of 2010 among my most anticipated fragrances this fall is the new Royal Exclusive from Creed, Spice and Wood. Olivier Creed is the perfumer behind this one and he was inspired by the historical romance between Egyptian Queen Cleopatra and Roman Marc Antony.
In 2003, in partnership with Shiseido, Olivia Giacobetti opened a boutique in Paris named IUNX with twelve fragrances and a working lily pond inside the store. From all accounts I can gather on that store it was modernistic and sleek in style…..and probably destined to fail, which it did. By 2006 Shiseido was pulling out and the lily pond was being drained. The people who had a chance to try the fragrances spoke highly of them and I thought my opportunity to try them was gone. It is obvious that IUNX was a personal passion because she has taken the opportunity to resurrect it in a more modest reincarnation. Mme. Gicobetti has had a successful relationship with the Hotel Costes in Paris. It is there that IUNX has quietly made its return. I am going to focus on two of the four IUNX fragrances available, No. 8 Eau Baptiste and No. 9 Eau Blanche which are orange blossom and iris centered respectively.
