Thomas De Monaco Raw Gold image via the brand
“There is more to sex appeal than just measurements.” –Audrey Hepburn
“Poetic. Emotional. Authentic.” These are the carefully-chosen words Thomas De Monaco uses to describe his creations. And it shows. After experiencing his 2022 release Eau Couer, I admittedly entered full fanboy mode. In my recent review, my carefully-chosen words were “heart-meltingly beautiful.” And it is. So, I decided to revisit his first release, Thomas De Monaco Raw Gold, which caused quite a stir in the perfume world when it was launched as a limited release in late 2020. Many of those in the know began hoarding backup bottles and whispering its praises as shouting might let out the secret: Raw Gold is sublime.
Thomas De Monaco Courtesy Thomas De Monaco
I’ve learned that Raw Gold was intended to encapsule memories from Mr. De Monaco’s adolescence, the whirlwind years in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s when he, as a young aspiring photographer, was considered unpolished – like Raw Gold. There’s something unpolished (by design) about the fragrance itself, there’s a sensual tension in the opening, resolved in the heart like the penultimate chord in a musical progression released by the tonic. I wonder if Raw Gold may also be a reference to the main ingredient – a multi-faceted aged patchouli which will have patchouli lovers swooning.
Courtesy Thomas De Monaco
Under Thomas De Monaco’s creative direction, Raw Gold was composed by Fredrik Dalman, known for his sumptuous creations for the legendary Mona DiOrio. The fragrance opens with accords of plum liqueur, coffee and vetiver. This triumvirate, orbiting the ambery patchouli, is at once stimulating and cozy, exciting and reassuring. In the heart (wait for it) is the exalted lipstick accord. The lipstick, balanced by notes of leather and suede, never steer the overall composition north or south of genderless; this is a fragrance which can be enjoyed by all. Those looking for an elevated Dior Homme will likely find Raw Gold to be a new Holy Grail.
Detail from Robert Rauschenberg Gold Standard 1960s via wiki
While Thomas de Monaco Raw Gold may be a reference to the pulsating 60’s and 70’s, it remains knowingly modern. There’s a self-awareness that reflects on youthful escapades with today’s confidence. Sounds sexy, doesn’t it? Well, it is. Raw Gold, with its animalic base of civet and dripping honey, is as sexy as lipstick on the collar of a leather jacket. While this perfume may no longer be a secret, anyone who wears it better know how to keep one.
Top Notes: Liqueur, Coffee, Vetiver, Black Pepper; Heart Notes: Leather, Lipstick, Suede, Base Notes: Patchouli, Civet, Saffron, Opoponax, Tonka Bean
Disclosure: Bottle purchased by the author.
–Michael Devine, Senior Contributor
Photo: Raw Gold Photo by Michael Devine
Photo by Michael Devine of his own bottle
Thanks to the generosity of Thomas De Monaco and Indigo Perfumery, we have a 50 ml bottle ($300) of Raw Gold to give to one lucky registered ÇaFleureBon reader IN THE CONTINENTAL US OR EUROPE. There is one winner only. Please register here or your comment will not count. To be eligible, please leave a comment with what intrigues you about Raw Gold and indicate where you live. Draw closes 12/8/22
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