photo by Oli Marlow©
According to Jovoy Parfums Rare owner Francois Henin, the idea for Sora Dora and Jovoy Paris’ collaboration RED happened at a night after Esxence 2023. Quentin Dorado from Sora Dora was at a night club in Milan spraying the first iteration of what would later become this final perfume and Francois – I imagine in his inimitably jovial style – sought him out and made no secret of his love for the sillage, telling Quentin that it was the type of perfume he’d love to release himself. There and then, over broad, enthusiastic smiles, probable hugs and the clinking of cocktail glasses, the collaboration was cemented.
courtesy of the perfumer Margaux Le Paih-Guérin of Flair
Sora Dora RED x Jovoy Paris composed by perfumer Margaux Le Paih-Guérin is ostensibly a contemporary gourmand perfume that uses notes of brown sugar, hazelnut and coconut to accentuate its musk augmented sandalwood base. In its depths it’s close and made sensual with ionones, ending up like a toffee tinted sun tan lotion that’s lathed RED into the perfume suggesting glistening flesh. RED is certainly confident about the mode of its allure: the latter hints of nuts and chocolate putting a freshly baked spin on this plethora of new vanilla perfumes that are regularly hitting the market. But it’s the unique, almost citrus, fresh aspect that might be RED’s most interesting twist.
Sora Dora RED x Jovoy Paris courtesy of the brand
In the accompanying video released ahead of the launch, Le Paih-Guérin refers lovingly to a “mango note” called ‘mandora’ – which a cursory search reveals to be a fruit that is a cross between a mandarin and an orange. In RED’s opening this citric fruit note is bright and vivid – a little like a white mandarin essence and a little like clementine – and when combined with the sparkle of bergamot and the floral heart of jasmine, ylang and Tiare flower creates what I’ve long dubbed ‘the florist accord’. You know that big blast of headiness you get upon first entering a florist? That punchy smell that rushes you, loaded with the odours of freshly cut stems, green dewy freshness and floral density? That’s the florist accord.
Francois Henin Courtesy of Jovoy Paris©
It’s a unique idea to blend together the scent of your local independent flower shop and a wanton flash of glamorous vanilla scented skin but RED makes it work and it’s really rather bold. There’s flashes of the lemon madeleine accord of Beaufort’s Lignum Vitae in RED’s use of nutty pyrazines and the other spicy odorants; and there’s a little bit of the power flowers of Ormonde Jayne’s Nawab of Oudh Intensivo in the heart, but RED is very much its own. The balance of the sandalwood, those sultry, dry iris facets and the sugar RED/caramel tones is modern and memorable. When you smell it, you can fully understand why Francois followed his nose into whatever darkened corner or nightclub booth he needed to figure out precisely where that moreish trail was coming from.
Notes: bergamot, mandarin, pink pepper, clementine, coconut, cardamom, jasmine, tiare flower, mugwort, hazelnut, fig, iris, nutmeg, ylang-ylang, clove, frangipani, sandalwood, caramel, wood, musk.
Disclaimer: Sora Dora RED x Jovoy Paris sample provided by Jovoy Mayfair.
RED is exclusively available at Jovoy Paris, Jovoy Mayfair and Jovoy Qatar.
–Oli Marlow, Contributor
Quentin of Sora Dora with RED displayed at Esxence 2024 by Amber Jobin and Michelyn
Thanks to the generosity of a team member, we have a sample of Sora Dora RED x Jovoy Paris available for one registered RED reader in the US only. You must register or your entry will not count. To be eligible, please leave a comment saying what sparks your interest based on Oli’s review and where you live. Draw closes 6/3/2024
Please welcome Oli Marlow to the team !!
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