Van Cleef & Arpels Midnight In Paris: A Leather Embrace

November 4, 2010November 16, 2010

At the recent Sniffapalooza Fall Ball 2010 we were treated to all kinds of presentations of new fragrances. Perhaps the most memorable was given by Brigit, the Van Cleef & Arpels SA, at Bergdorf-Goodman. Brigit took a different tack for her presentation of the new Van Cleef & Arpels masculine fragrance Midnight In Paris. Brigit just holding the beautiful cobalt blue bottle decorated with a constellation of stars told a tale of a couple walking the witching hour in Paris. At the end of her tale the couple ended in an embrace accentuated by the man’s leather jacket.

The Escentric World of a Beautiful Mind: Interview with Geza Schoen + Draw

November 1, 2010November 1, 2010

Geza: Phew, this took three hours!
Michelyn: Thanks so much Geza..but uh, its a little racy. I may have to edit it.
Geza: Racy? Really?
Michelyn: Maybe a little. Let’s rock!

Fragrance Review Montale Black Musk : A Child Is Born In Paris

October 29, 2010August 12, 2011

The new Montale release Black Musk smells like the love child of Black Aoud and Musk to Musk. This isn’t a bad thing especially if, like me, you like both of the fragrances whose DNA make up Black Musk. In many ways Black Musk is an improvement on each of the originals as it seemingly manages to meld the two into a whole better than the sum of its parts.

NEW FRAGRANCE: Six Scents Parfums Launch ‘Series Three’… Creativity, Culture and the 5th Sense

October 28, 2010October 28, 2010

Each year, the Six Scents Parfums fragrance initiative brings the experience of creativity with a conscience to the world through a collection of six unisex scents. Created by a distinct group of designers and perfumers, these limited edition fragrances are designed to represent a global range of contemporary views on creativity and culture. Perfumers Yann Vasnier, Rodrigo Flores-Roux, Christophe Raynaud, Mary Katrantzou, Stephen Nilsen and Nathalie Gracia-Cetto collaborated with Designers Alexis Mabille, Mary Katrantzou, Junn.J, Rad Hourani, N.Hoolywood, and Ohne Titel. A percentage of proceeds will go towards War Child International, which works with children all over the world to reduce poverty, to provide education and to defend their rights.

Madini Mokhalate Malaki: Before There Was Fancy….

October 22, 2010

The House of Madini , based in Tangiers, has been in existence for 14 generations
[or 400 years, according to the Talisman website]; Suleiman Madini is the current head of operations.
I’ve collected many of their fragrant concoctions over the years. A prime example of bang for buck is Mokhalate Malaki- loosely translated as ‘blend for the well-born’.

Ineke Gilded Lily: To Frame The Lily

October 17, 2010

I have been looking forward to trying Ineke Ruhland’s seventh fragrance, Ineke Gilded Lily, since she told me about it last April. Ms. Ruhland chose to create a fruity chypre with a heart consisting of the Japanese Goldband Lily. One of the things that I am impressed with time and again is the dedication of the best artisanal perfumers and Ms. Ruhland is one of those. To truly understand the Goldband Lily Ms. Ruhland planted some in her Bay Area garden and took the time to experience the Goldband Lily as a living thing before converting it to an accord.