It has become trendy to hire an in house perfumer these days. But it was the House of Caron who from its inception is one of the rare companies that has always employed an in-house “nose”. From Ernest Daltroff, to Richard Fraysser, the current “nose,”Caron perfumes embody an olfactive heritage that is almost unequaled in the industry.
Luisa Ranieri
In an interview I conducted with Romain Ales on Dec 13, 2009, M. Ales, first revealed that Parfum Sacre, launched in 1991 (formulated by nose Jean-Pierre Bethouart) was working with a new muse for the House of Caron, “Her name is Luisa Ranieri and she played ‘La Callas’. She is divine, tender, intense, and subtle. She is woman and really embodies our scent Parfum Sacre.” In this interview he spoke of a new interpretation of Parfum Sacre…Parfum Sacre Intense.
With so many flankers cluttering the market, I did not know what to expect. Whereas I was not a huge fan of Parfum Sacre, I love Parfum Sacre Intense; in this case the flanker outshines its predecessor. It is a more erotic, carnal and resinous version of the original. The woodsy accords are more prominent on my skin, and the floral notes are supporting players, (with the orange note the most prominent) as the clove, cinnamon, warm amber and smoky vanilla take center stage. It is truly one of the most complex and sultry fragrances I have encountered this year.
Don’t get me started on the packaging, with its purple flacon that evokes the curves of a woman. The gold engraved talisman and amethyst Swarovski crystals charm. These flacons and new packaging still retain the essence of Caron, but are contemporary eye candy and as seductive as the fragrance (I noticed on the www.phytouniverse.com site, that all the iconic fragrances are repackaged).
If Richard Fraysser continues in this direction, the House of Caron has truly found a 21st century perfumer worthy of its heritage. And the ad copy is correct, wear Parfum Sacre Intense, parce que la femme est divine.
Composition: Head: Pepper, Coriander, Cinnamon
Heart: Jasmine, Orange, Clove, Rose
Base: Mimosa, Myrrh, Vanilla, Musk
30ml EDP spray
20ml EDP Purse Spray
50ml EDP Refill
20ml Parfum Extrait
-Michelyn Camen, Editor-In-Chief