Philippe Starck Peau de Soie (Dominque Ropion), Peau de Pierre (Daphne Bugey) and Peau d’Ailleurs (Annick Menardo) ~Perfume Reviews + Fragrance by Design Draw

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Designer Philippe Starck is renowned for his eclectic designs

Philippe Starck is a one of the world’s foremost designers, with a body of work spanning decades and multiple disciplines. When I learned that he was launching his own his own line of fragrance, I was immediately intrigued; how would the designer of the Ghost Chair approach creating a fragrance? What perspective does a man who has designed everything from cell phones and hotels to Steve Job’s yacht bring to the perfume table?

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Philippe Starck famed Ghost Chairs

Having had the opportunity to experience each of his three fragrances, M. Starck brings his distinct aesthetic; deceptively simple structure, intrinsically chic, that leaves plenty of room for individual interpretation.

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Philippe Starck sculpture inspired botttles featured in his ad campaign

M. Starck states that he never discussed notes or ingredients with the perfumers who created the three fragrances. The conversations were very conceptual, centered on  “ my visions, worlds I visit and had visited, explorations I had made. I was referring to the smell of an asteroid, the smell of emptiness, the smell of speed” Very few notes are given in the company’s description of each fragrance, which allows the wearer to define the fragrance on their own terms, free from any pre-conceived restrictions.

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Philippe Starck Chandelier designed for the Maison Baccarat: Photo Raul Higuera

Peau de Soie: brought to life by Dominique Ropion, signed the most feminine of this trio, translated from the French it means a fine satin. There is a lovely citrus in the opening, although citrus isn’t mentioned in the short list of notes. The heart is very woody and beautifully represents the paradox Peau de Soie is meant to evoke, that of femininity wrapped around a man’s heart.  There is a warm animalic accord that leaps out after several hours on skin.  It’s intimate and sensual perfume.

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Dominque Ropion

Master perfumer M. Ropion was an inspired choice for this fragrance; in less capable hands, it might have fallen a little flat. But the ability of M. Ropion to layer beauty on top of more beauty is a a complement to Mr. Starck’s aesthetic of chic simplicity.

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Phillipe Starck for Wolford

Peau de Pierre:  For me, this is the most masculine of the line. Mme. Bugey turned Mr. Starck’s vision (a masculine fragrance that reveals a man’s feminine side) into reality with a healthy dose of vetiver laid over a subtle base of what smells like anise, with nuances of very clean patchouli (none of which is listed in the notes.)

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Daphne Bugey

Smoke IS listed in the notes, but it’s very subtle, along with earth notes and wood. Peau de Pierre is a wonderful fragrance and easily shareable, and I predict it will have a great many fans as it crosses gender lines.

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Superarchimoon Outdoor lamp  designed by Phillipe Starck photo: FLOS

Peau d’Ailleurs is my personal favorite. It smells of freshly turned soil in early Spring. and that amazing scent you get with the first rain after a dry spell (petrichor, I believe it’s called) It’s earthy and almost chalky, very mineral-like. It’s unusual, and addictive.

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Annick Menardo

I was  not surprised to learn that Master Perfumer Annick Menardo is the perfumer. If you like Bvlgari Black, I think you’ll like Peau d’ Ailluers, (which translated from the French means elsewhere) not because they smell in anyway similar, but because they share that intangible uniqueness.  Fellow chypre lovers will find it  intriguing as well,  again, not because of any olfactive similarities, but because its distinctiveness strikes the same chord.

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M. Starck’s clear vision, the obvious care he took in matching each vision with the perfumer best suited to refining it, and his ability to maintain that vision without getting bogged down in the minutia of hundreds of notes and ingredients is impressive. That’s what designers do, of course, and one of the greatest of his generation has shown us all just how it’s done.

FragranceNotes: Philippe Starck allows us to fill in the blanks with our own imagination

DISCLOSURE: Starck Parfums Paris provided me with each fragrance for this review. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to try them, thank you!

Tammy Schuster, Sr. Contributor

Author’s Note: Philippe Starck fragrances are exclusive to Neiman Marcus  Bergdorf Goodman and online and was released as limited editions.

Art Direction: Michelyn Camen

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Thanks to The Fragrance Group, the  U.S. distributor of Starck Parfums Paris, we have a Reader’s Choice draw for a registered reader in the USA (you must register to be eligible) for your choice of one 90ml bottle/$150 of Peau de Soie, Peau d’ Ailleurs or Peau de Pierre.       

To be eligible, please leave a comment telling us what you liked most about Tammy’s reviews, are you familiar with Philippe Starck and his designs, do you care if notes are listed and which Starck Parfums Paris fragrance you hope to win. Draw closes on December 12, 2016.

WELCOME BACK TAMMY!

We announce the winners only on site and on our Facebook page, so Like Cafleurebon and use our RSS  feed or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume….

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19 comments

  • GrandmaGaga says:

    I enjoyed this review by Tammy…very straightforward and understandable. I am somewhat familiar with Mr. Starck’s designs but have not tried any of these new fragrances…I believe they have not been released yet? The Peau de Soie sounds like I would like it as it is considered the most feminine of the three. I think it is an odd way of marketing a scent to not release the notes in it particularly when a line is just beginning; there is no history to draw on and I think it would limit the number of potential customers. I suppose, however, that there are just as many people who would be intrigued enough by the mystery to seek out a sample or be interested to try them based on Mr. Starck’s reputation as a sophisticated designer. I am in the US and, as always, thank you for the chance.

  • Ellen M says:

    I enjoyed this direct and to the point review by Tammy. I’m not familiar with Mr. Starck’s designs, and I personally prefer a larger list of notes as that helps me to decide what I might be interested in wearing. Of the three, I think I would like Peau de Soie. Thank you for the opportunity. I live in the USA.

  • Amber says:

    I love Phillipe Starck designs and I love the smell of petrichor so Peau d’Ailleurs would be my choice. The lack of notes is intriguing. I think it would be fun to try and sniff out what may be in this scent. I’m in the US.

  • Kate C says:

    Enjoyed the review – I love how not many notes are listed for these, so you can interpret them yourself. I always have a bit of difficulty with fragrances that have a long list of notes, because I can’t always detect them all and it makes me feel rather unsophisticated.

    Been a fan of Starck for a while and actually have a ghost chair at my vanity. I’d love to try Peau de Soie. Thanks for the lovely draw! (US)

  • Diana Devlin says:

    I’m actually quite intrigued that Mr. Stark did not discuss notes with the perfumers that helped create these scents. I had always assumed that’s where most perfumers/creators start with an idea of a particular note for a perfume and then build upon it.

    I think your descriptions of each of the fragrances sound very earthy and deep. I’m not quite sure which one I’d prefer. I suppose Peau de Soie would be my choice since you describe it as intimate and sensual.

    I live in New York (USA)

  • fazalcheema says:

    I am also most intrigued by Peau d’Ailleurs because it is earthy and musky and it was created by Menardo. From what I have read, Peau d’Ailleurs may turn out to be the most popular in the line. I like modern artists like Starck and Newson who incorporate futurism and digital age elements in their designs. Even these bottles by Starck have that space-future elements. My choice will be Peau d’Ailleurs. I am in the US.

  • MikasMinion says:

    I didn’t realize these would be so limited in distribution, so expect I won’t ever have a chance to smell them in person if I don’t win a bottle. It’s a shame because I’m a design freak and would probably have considered a splurge.
    I actually like that there isn’t an extensive notes list with these. I find myself dreaming up a smell that rarely delivers if I know what’s supposed to be in a scent. On the other hand, it is nice to be able to avoid notes that really don’t work.
    I’m in the US and would choose Peau d’Ailleurs.

  • Steve A says:

    I was not familiar with Mr. Starck until this review. I’m intrigued with these perfumes because of the minimal amount of notes listed for each one. I enjoy “simple structured” perfumes as well as complex ones. Because Tammy deemed it her personal favorite I’d like to choose Peau d’ Ailleurs for this draw. US

  • BostonScentGuy says:

    I loved reading these reviews, as I’d smelled these three scents quickly at Bergdorf Goodman and written down some notes…and found that many of my initial impulses make sense! I’d called “Peau de Pierre”–grassy, cereal/wheaty. It sort of reminded me of Bois Blonds by PG. Peau d’Ailleurs I’d called “Black March-ish,” in reference to the CB I Hate Perfume scent…nice to see my perceptions of soil reaffirmed! I enjoyed all of these and think Tammy described the essence of each scent very well in general! I concur with her assessment that the collection works well as a whole body of work, despite the different perfumers and themes explored. If I won, I’d choose Peau de Pierre. Thanks for the draw! I’m in the US.

  • Rox says:

    I am intrigued how he approaches a creation not from the angle of specific notes. Never thought about an asteroid having a fragrance. I would like to win Peau d’ Ailleurs, I would wear it to work and imagine I am “elsewhere” from time to time. Thanks for the draw. I live in the U.S.

  • Elizabeth T. says:

    A warm welcome back, Tammy!!!
    Those bottles sure are something. It would be slightly sad to own just one, no?? They are amazing together, truly a work of art. I do like when notes are listed, as I live in small town Missouri (not all that far from the Ozarks!) and listed notes are about the only way I can get a sense of a perfume as access to a perfume counter is highly limited. I adore the smell of petrichor and love smelling it in perfumes… thus I would choose Peau d’Ailleurs from this amazing draw. Thank you, Tammy, for the review and for sharing your fragrant journey with us. I’m so glad you are on the mend!

  • Hikmat Sher Afridi says:

    Welcome back Tammy Schuster for introduction of new perfume house that I never heard before. Wonderful review & it is a clear sign that you sense of smell is normal. The smell of an asteroid, the smell of emptiness, the smell of speed, is a unique approach, concept & idea by Philippe Stark in perfumes. All the three perfumes have 3 notes only…..interesting. I’ll go for Peau d’Ailleurs or Peau de Pierre.
    Thanks to The Fragrance Group, the U.S. distributor of Starck Parfums Paris for the generosity and Cafleurebon for the opportunity to participate in the draw by letting me relative address of NY, US.

  • Patty P. says:

    Tammy said that the Peau de Pierre has a “…healthy dose of vetiver laid over a subtle base of what smells like anise, with nuances of very clean patchouli (none of which is listed in the notes)”. If those notes aren’t listed this is the I’d like to win. 🙂 USA

  • HanneA says:

    First of all, those bottles! So beautiful and fluid. Definitely eye catching.
    In regard to the listing or not listing of ingredients I feel a bit flexible about it. When I am out shopping, if I haven’t specifically researched a fragrance but decide to sample some, I usually find something I really enjoy even though I haven’t a “ingredient profile ” in my mind at that moment. At that moment it is purely ” wow, this is amazing, I love it!” And there is a great freedom in that. However, I usually end up looking up those perfumes after the fact to find the ingredients list… And this ends up causing me to remember those ingredients the next time I am looking for a fragrance. Some ” smells” just stay with you and it is wonderful when they really work well for you and when you can find other fragrances that are similar to your favorites. This was a lovely review and in an ingriguing way paid homage to the ultimate blind buy. I would love to try Peau d’Ailleurs because there is nothing quite like the lovely smell of freshly turned soil, especially after a long winter cooped up in the house. I live in the USA and would be pleased to win and sample one of these fragrances.

  • Cynthia says:

    Glad you’re feeling better, Tammy! These all sound very conceptual. I’m going to folllow your lead and say I’d like to try the Peau de Aulleirs. I love the smell of rain on earth, although I’m having a hard time visualizing it in a perfume. Thank you for the review and thanks to the perfumer for the chance to try. USA

  • doveskylark says:

    Tammy’s review made sense she of the notes when few were listed. That intrigues me that this line makes a concept of not listing notes, of not wanting to create preconceived notions in the mind of the wearer. I like this idea. I like to be surprised and then interested enough to try to decipher the notes myself.
    I love Starck’s Anahi Beer Hall in Tokyo. He took such a risk.
    If I were to win the draw, I’d choose Peau de Aulleirs. I love rain notes.

  • hofken says:

    I liked Tammy’s review as Philippe Starck seems so unique in his art and his approach. Though I was not familiar with Mr. Starck or his designs, I enjoyed looking at his diverse work online. I especially like The Kartell Masters Chair. I dont’ care if notes are listed and liked the idea of “the smell of an asteroid, the smell of emptiness, the smell of speed”. I’d most like to try Starck Parfums Paris Peau d’ Ailluers fragrance.

  • William says:

    I loved Tammy’s review, and the detailed breakdown of each of the fragrances. As well as the actual review of what was present and what was not. The examples lend themselves to the slightest manifestation of scent one can get through a computer.

  • allaces says:

    It was very interesting reading Starck coming up with these fragrances in the first place. Just not an arena you’d expect someone to come into the fragrance game from. But I love seeing artists of any type trying their lot in fragrances. Im familiar with the ghost chair but not really other works of his. I think the bottles aesthetics, with a translucent floral colors reflect his chair design.

    I would love to win any of the bottles but am most interested in Peau d’ Ailleurs. Im in the USA:)