Vilhelm Parfumerie Purple Fig, photo by The Perfumed Dahlia
In his own words, the photographer Slim Aarons was known for “photographing attractive people who were doing attractive things in attractive places.” After he was awarded a Purple Heart as a WWII combat photographer, Aarons moved to California and began capturing photographs of socialites and celebrities like Clark Gable, Jimmy Stewart, and Gary Cooper—anyone with a taste for “la dolce vita” (the good life). Aarons’ photographs are windows into a seemingly manicured world where there are no tan lines and parties were very well attended. Regardless of the setting, everyone was dressed (or undressed) to the nines.
Mrs. John M Thornton at the Convair Astronautics division of the General Dynamics Corporation in Kearny Mesa, San Diego, California, 1960/Getty Images Slim Aarons©
I imagine many Slim Aarons photographs somehow smelled of Purple Fig by Vilhelm Parfumerie, which opens with a refreshing blast of glorious, tantalizing green. It beckons with a flirtatious look over a bare shoulder, then sweet, heady jasmine wafts in and melds with a juicy fig. Like Slim Aarons’ photographs, Vilhelm Parfumerie Purple Fig is impossibly glamorous and perfectly chic—flawless, but never boring.
Marilyn Monroe with her fan mail, photo Slim Aarons, 1952© GETTY
Vilhelm Parfumerie Purple Fig could have been all bewitching jasmine absolute and juicy fig, a pairing that might seem old-fashioned or potentially soapy. But Jerome Epinette and Creative Director Jan Vilhelm Algren decided to sweep aside your preconceptions by adding top notes of Sichuan pepper and angelica seeds. Then, they put galbanum at the heart of Purple Fig, which again might sound like it could add a retro feel, but instead that galbanum brings in a subtle edginess. In Vilhelm Parfumerie Purple Fig, notes that you thought you knew take on new dimension. Alongside jasmine and galbanum, fig suggests the coiffed sultriness of an attractive dinner party doyenne in her attractive home, surrounded by other attractive people. This is not to say that Vilhelm Parfumerie’s Purple Fig is a particularly gendered fragrance—anyone can wear it, particularly as the vetiver and woods come forward in its drydown. The only risk in wearing Purple Fig is that sweatpants might suddenly feel underdressed—but as Slim Aarons said, “I didn’t do fashion. I did the people in their clothes that became the fashion.” Perhaps this scent could even elevate loungewear.
Purple Figs, photo by Steve Buissinne via Pixaby
Figs are a delicacy. The window of opportunity to eat a fresh, tree-ripened fig is limited and the fruit will not ripen further after it has been picked. When fig trees’ leaves or branches break, or when the fig is unripe, the stem releases a milky white sap called “fig latex,” which has a green, bright odor. A ripe fig’s skin is velvety, and the inner fruit texture is soft. Its juice has an almost floral flavor that perfumes the inside of your mouth. In fragrance, fig is often used for scents that smell clean and soapy. It can have an association as a “home fragrance,” with several brands offering popular fig-scented candles and other home goods. In Vilhelm Parfumerie Purple Fig, however, it’s the floral and green aspects of the fig that are expertly drawn to the forefront. The floral feel of fig juice is enhanced by the jasmine. The galbanum is suggestive of a bright green fig latex. Though the fragrance is called Purple Fig, it is predominantly an unexpected and strikingly beautiful mélange of jasmine, fig, and galbanum.
Slim Aarons photo of the Kauffman Desert House (currently listed at $25 million dollars): Source Architectural Digest Feb 19, 2021©
By the mid-1970s, Slim Aarons’ photographs had fallen out of fashion. The opulence and glamor of his wealthy subjects in their homes, on their yachts, and in other fabulous locales had become perceived as decadent and outdated. Around the turn of the century, however, there was a resurgence. Fashion designers began to mimic Slim Aarons’ photography style for their ad campaigns, and Getty Images, Inc. purchased the Slim Aarons library for a small fortune. By now, you have almost certainly seen a Slim Aarons photograph in your Instagram feed or on a coffee table—and you were probably struck by how relaxed and attractive his subjects looked. Though the hairstyles are sometimes a bit dated, the settings are timeless. They engender nostalgia for places you’ve never been, and for people you’ve never met. As it happens, Vilhelm Parfumerie Purple Fig is also a timeless classic. Though Purple Fig was released in this century, many of its notes would have been familiar to and welcomed by the fabulous people in Slim Aarons’ photographs. But, Purple Fig smells very gloriously here and now, and even more perfect for a near-future of socializing that’s on our horizon.
Notes: Sichuan Pepper, Angelica Seeds, Galbanum, Green Fig, Jasmine Absolute, Vetiver, Cashmere Woods.
Disclosure: A bottle of Vilhelm Parfumerie Purple Fig was provided for this review by Eden Square, U.S. distributors of Vilhelm Parfumerie fragrances. My opinions are my own.
Dalya Azaria, Contributor
Vilhelm Parfumerie Purple Fig, photo by The Perfumed Dahlia
Thanks to the generosity of Euro Perfumes the USA Distributor, there is a 100 ml tester bottle of Vilhelm Parfumerie Purple Fig for one registered reader from the USA ONLY. To be eligible for the draw, please leave a comment describing what aspect of Dalya’s review inspired your interest in this fragrance. Do you have a favorite Vilhelm Parfumerie fragrance?. Draw closes 2/24/21
Art Direction: Michelyn Camen, Editor-in-Chief
Follow us on Instagram @cafleurebon @theperfumeddahlia @vilhelm_parfumerie @official_europerfumes @jeromenyc1
Available at to buy or purchase samples Luckyscent
This is our Privacy and Draw Rules Policy.
We announce the winners only on our site and on our Facebook page, so like ÇaFleureBon and use our blog feed… or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume.
Images: Dalya, Slim Aarons and Pixaby