Dawn Spencer Hurwitz, of DSH Perfumes, is not only a creative perfumer in her own right; but loves to take inspiration from other art forms. Working at her studio in Boulder, Colorado, Dawn has celebrated the fine arts, music, holidays, nature, and has taken us around the world and back into the past. Historical figures abound in her catalog. Perfumes of an Egyptian kingdom and the fashions of Yves St Laurent have been brought to scented life as brilliant collaborations with the Denver Art Musuem.
Perhaps one of the reasons why Dawn Spencer Hurwitz's fragrances are often spotlighted on CaFleureBon is that her body of work fits well with our mission to celebrate the Arts in the context of scent. For her first jette into the world of dance, Dawn created WANT and Catch & Release to accompany the modern dance movements of The Interweave Dance Theater "In the Realm of the Senses" performances. Lovers of dance embraced artisan fragrance, many for the first time. Perfuming a dance piece, let alone two, and all the emotions stirred is truly an undertaking.
Sara Van Der Heide Modern Dance
WANT is fragrance that truly lives up to the way the perfumer describes Wade Madsen’s choreography: a genre-bending retro piece that exudes modern “straight lines” sensibility. Opening with a spectacular blast of citruses and aldehydes, this radiates bergamot, orange and lemon on a zesty wave of electrified intensity. Splendid greens, sweet basil and lemongrass, are layered over two types of jasmine blended with a chilled galbanum and veer toward a more classical eau fraiche structure. It is just familiar enough to be comfortable and unique enough to intrigue. This perfume seemed rather light and care-free for something with such a provocative name. Much like its namesake, WANT is slightly intangible, yet filled with happy and uplifting aromas. The citrus is our desire shining and beckoning us, as demulcent greens manage to convey that just out of reach feeling that keeps us going, yet still wanting. This perfume is much more than an invigorating cologne with impressive longevity, it’s an amazing synthesis of tender freshness with primordial woodiness. Just a lump of sugar, enough to satisfy but entice, is the medium that deftly connects these two accords in one satisfying perfume. Sillage: good. Longevity: above average.
Notes: aldehydes, bergamot, citruses, galbanum, grandiflora and Sambac jasmines, sweet basil, lemongrass, Mysore sandalwood, oak moss, handmade sugar cube accord.
Claire Danes and Ariel Flavin in the modern dance piece "Edith and Jenny".
Mark Haines’s dance Catch & Release, animating feelings of love and loss resulting from a break-up, is portrayed in a very non-traditional fragrance style. Having no olfactory pyramid, this is anything but linear. Catch & Release seems very much like a mobile with all its parts moving at the same time around a common epicenter, yet moving of their own accord. The first impression was one of saltiness, dry greens and a beach aroma reminiscent of kelp. An aldehydic mist rises, mirroring the sensation of tearing up, and memories of musk begin to surface.
An underlying bitterness blends with an ephemeral use of a interestingly appealing calone note. The use of choya nahk and seaweed along with calone results in a very true watery scent. Hints of moss and fir play peek-a-boo adding a bit more somber tone. This scent captures a melancholy walk on the beach, now alone, when one may feel the acute pangs of loss and pain, as salty tears meet salty spray. Capturing not only loneliness, but remembering joy and looking forward with hope, we have a truly abstract perfume that captures everything it set out to and more. Catch & Release is definitely as avant-garde as it is achingly poignant. Sillage: very good. Longevity: good.
Notes: bergamot, petit grain, oakmoss, calone, seaweed, silver fir, choya nahk, galub attar, tears accord and Africa stone.
Disclosure: Reviews based on samples sent to me by DSH Perfumes. WANT and Catch & Release are available on the DSH Perfumes website.
-John Reasinger, Senior Editor and Natural Perfume Editor
Thanks to DSH Perfumes we have a 5 ml bottle of either WANT or Catch & Release to give away to one US reader and a set sample set of both perfumes in 3 ml spray WORLDWIDE. To be eligible please leave a comment stating what country you reside in, your choice of perfume or sample set and either your favorite DSH scent OR favorite style of dance. Draw will end on March 15th, 2014.
We announce the winners only on site and on our Facebook page, so Like Cafleurebon and use our RSS option…or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume.