Of all the archaic universal truth within the fragrance industry the infallibility of a creative director is perhaps the most baffling. What puts forth by a supposed master, no matter how incorrect the information may be, has to be beyond reproach. Thus with the brand equity of a company at stake such respect only only seems fair: with millions and millions of dollars or euros at stake an authorized coverage cannot be wrong, no? Except it often does, and yet the cosmetic industry is only too happy to carry on its own merry ways.
Mind you, I am not talking about the imcompetencies of poor journalists who are often assisgned to a profile without the technical know-how to begin the coverage. Sometimes jounalistic inaccuracies do take place. But when seemingly common knowledge gets overlooked in favor of the grander waxing lyrical that's when self-promotion gets sincerely irksome.
"Yes, the iris flower is beautiful," says Christopher Sheldrake, perfumer and director of research and development for the same, grand French name, and today Polge's accomplice in the creation of scents divine. "But with the root, we're definitely in the potato category." And this, on the face of it, does not have quite the same romantic connotations. Appearances can be deceptive, however, because the iris flower is, in fact, odourless. "Yes, even I cannot smell it," says Polge in heavily French-accented tones. Instead, the scent comes from the rhizome, which, through a painstaking process is transformed into iris butter, which is among the most rare and precious ingredients in perfumery. "The flower doesn't smell at all," Sheldrake confirms, "but the root doesn't smell floral either. It's a very rich, creamy, powdery smell."
The commercial lyricism? Fantastic. The intricate eloquence? Seamless. The requisite fact checking with the statement above? Non-existant.
The iris flower is odourless? Fiction. Many varieties of common iris flowers are actually quite scented. In fact one doesn't have to look very far in the perfumers' exploration of the iris flower but the 2007 Perfumer & Flavorist magazine. In "Identification of Iris Scent Volatiles Using Dynamic Headspace with PDMS Foam Trapping and GC-TOFMS", Ray Marsili and Cesar Kenaan have actually described the scent of the bearded iris as an "unusually strong, pleasant fragrance", comparable to a "caramel, spicy, vanilla with citrus nuances". In fact, a chemical profile of fragrant bearded iris is published along the rest of the article. The study can be retrieved for free by anyone with an enlightened knowledge of Google; apparently Chanel has not bothered with it.
As for the part on orris--describing the root not smelling floral--is to me also misleading. Yes, the fresh root has a very earthy scent, but a proper rendering produces an essence reminiscent of violets covered with chalk dust. Most ravishing upon introducing the element as an elegant restraint while rebalancing the floral-woodsy facets. I thought all this is common knowledge in perfumery.
Could the statement be an honest mistake? Perhaps. But after several observations (here and here) I am less optimistic than most. Too much has been said with the intention of being accepted at face value.
So what more can I say? You cannot be serious, Monsieur Polge!
Has it been such a long adieu since we last conversed? Seems as if the de rigueur of working hard for one's life has a way of segregating your truly's time from blogging, but once again my fellow writer Helg has a way of pulling me back into the thick of things. I'm referring to, of course, the recent news that the next Hermessence shall be called Iris Ukiyoe. Not surprising, perhaps, to the readers of this blog that Ellena has been working on an iris fragrance (as reported here). But there's more to this tale than what meets the eyes...
While the notion of linking iris with Edo-period Japanese art might be a far fetch tangible threads exist between the two. Water iris (Iris laevigata), though itself does not produce the costly perfumery essence,has long been thriving and treasured as symbols of elegance for millenia in the land of the rising sun, famously appearing in classic texts such as The Tales of Ise and The Tale of Genji. The entry in the former literature is especially famous in Japan, as the protegonist, travelling along the famous iris marshes of the ancient Mikawa province, uses the five Japanese syllables found within the name of water iris (ka-ki-tsu-ha-ta) as the beginning of each line for his poem that articulates the longing for his far-away wife:
から衣 きつゝなれにし つましあれば はるばるきぬる たびをしぞ思 Karagoromo / kitsutsu narenishi / tsuma shi areba / harubaru kinuru / tabi o shi zo omou I have a beloved wife / familiar as the skirt / of a well-worn robe / and so this distant journeying / fills my heart with grief*
So why ukiyo-e among the sea of Japanese treasures devoted to iris? While there's no room for speculation (I dare not getting into Ellena's head) I believe the easy accessibility of the wood-cutting genre during the time of increasing westernization during the Edo era proves to be the key. Ukiyo-e, aiming to depict the transient gloss of everyday life, has a slightly dream-like quality in its delicate yet vibrant use of colours, coinciding with Europe's dream of the orient during the 18th and the 19th century. Perhaps no French artists have been more indebted to ukiyo-e than Debussy, as his famous works Estampes (1903), La Mer (1905) and his two sets of Images (1905 & 1907 respectively) all reflects the diffusive tonality and intricacy of the Asian art form; La Mer, Debussy's closest experimentation to a full-scale symphony, even included a re-interpretation of the famous "The Great Wave of Kanaga" (originally by Hokusai) on the cover of its first edition.
So what does the musing boils down to? To me the jury is still out on how Ellena will exactly gather the various aesthetics assicated with the ideas, be it the perfumery aspect of iris or the transient quality of ukiyo-e. Of course, we know that Ellena shall render iris in an abstract approach via cocoa, as the master perfumer mentioned months ago. Still I should point out that Jean-Claude's affinity to the clean Japanese aesthetics isn't accidental but more of his perception of Hermès: during his interview process Ellena pointed out that the venable brand, to him, is a combination of Mediterranean generosity and Japanese clarity. Thus to me Iris Ukiyoe, the latest Hermessence offering, is going to be a continual exploration of such philosophy. But perhaps how such idea shall be further articulated is more of a point of interest, and we shall find out where the olfactory equilibirum lies soon enough comes this November.
Photo: 《杜若ときりぎりす》 (Water Iris and Grasshopper) by Hokusai
Video: "Pagodes" by Claude Debussy, performed by Claudio Arrau * Translation by Helen McCullough
I'm here to post my current playlist: incidentally the music is all Canadian.
We all have moments in our lives when sidestepping simply isn't an option anymore: Ontario singer-songwriter Matthew Barber's "Settle My Accounts" could very well be that hymn of everyday triumph.
Can't exactly put my fingers on it but Howie Beck's music has a sort of hypnotic melancholy, this time backed with a crisp urban edge that makes the single from the critically acclaimed fourth full-length album "How to Fall Down in Public" all that more appealing.
Of all the seasons Les Tuileries has traversed spring is perhaps the least dabbled of the temporal graces. While fall and winter have their fair share of scribbles any astute reader of this publication will deduce a lack of sentiment devoted to the oft-praised harbinger of hope. Indeed, I bear no sentimental illusion to the earthly rejuvenation, which may have served me well in hindsight since yours truly has participated in some of the sanest break-ups during this time of year. Besides, who shall have the leisure to wax lyrical to the fair-er season upon realizing the flip side of such time* equally has a knack of wrecking the facile air typically granted to this time of the year?
Yet what is life if hope stops springing eternal? Namely, what joy ceases of exist if the crisp spring air is not tangled with a whiff of aromatic nuisance? Thus a preamble to scents that, well, fancies a spring-minded spirit is in order. To me spring is incomplete without the curling blooms of Dutch hyacinths, oozing with their unapologetically intoxicating redolence. Perhaps such sentiment is linked to one of my most complicated childhood memories associated with spring? At the tender age of four the first ever dream job I've declared was being a horticulturalist (much to the horror of my parents).** I'll never forget my mother's ruby-drenched face as she half-jokingly explained the implication of unprofitably (and the implication to my surely starving future wife). Acquiring the requisite real-estate, for one, is a terribly expensive proposition in my birth land. Thus years later, upon having emigrated to Canada--and having adequate space in order to be a proper green thumb--I did not hesitate to finally raising flora via sustainable means, as then was the early era of modern organic agriculture. Having only given a tiny, sun-averse lot and a non-existent budget to indulge in the fall of 1992 I quickly settled on a ménage of Dutch hyacinths, low-maintenance frills that could surely reward me in the spring. And rewarded me handsomely they did upon the subsequent spring, bursting with a sophisticated confetti of multi-sensory delights. I would never forget the day I proudly carried my aromatic trophies home and the predictably chilly reaction from my disapproving parents. ("You suck the life of the blooms once they are cut" was my father's first reaction.) Thus while many have their lily of the valley to contend with I considerGucci Envy (1997), Maurice Roucel's post-modern ode to hyacinth, the quintessence of spring. Of course, my clumsy childhood experimentation pales in comparison to Monsieur Roucel's eloquence, as the Tom Ford artistic direction wittingly smooths out the brassy, earth-laden aroma of the original and ever so cleverly emphasizes the plant's verdant edge, giving the scent a sleek urban vibe, as if the bouquet has been nurtured in a ultra-pristine solarium, perched on the Manhattan Upper East Side skyline. Contrary to public opinion I do not find fault in its mainstream distribution; in fact the eau de parfum is a bit of a rare find these days: I only acquired that edition once, giving it straight away to a dear friend as her surprise post-secondary graduation present since the eau de toilette version has been her aromatic signature. Turned out the surprise was all mine: upon opening the present she couldn't recognize the decidedly different packaging of the eau de parfum; in fact she deduced the bottle was a fake until I reminded her that I don't acquire aromatic counterfeits. (A reverse practical joke that would amuse Guy de Maupassant, perhaps?)
Autobiographical palaver aside nothing heralds this spring like Jean-Claude Ellena's latest offering Voyage d'Hermès(2010). I don't think I can add much to Denyse Beaulieu's excellent review on this subject, and upon wearing this fragrance in the recent weeks I do find almost no fault in the scent. Sure, the scent is probably first conceived to be launched under Hermès' annual theme for last year ("Travel") and it's the epitome of Ellena abstraction, as his olfactory idioms over the years are instantly recognizable, complete even with slight lilts from Ellena's earlier proposé under the venerable house. Yet all that familiarity aside I do find that the fragrance lives up to its editorialship, as it intends not to evoke any particular worldly locale or time--a rarity on both counts in the perfumery business. And so appropriate for spring! Diaphanous yet tenacious, sophisticated yet laid-back, Voyage d'Hermès to me is a well-constructed, intelligently put together olfactory essai that serves both as a grand entry point or a reasonable retrospective of the master perfumer's art thus far. Mind you, I don't think people of opposing aesthetics will be converts, but isn't the freedom to be the cornerstone of Ellena's olfactory point of view? And on such note of free expression Voyage d'Hermès does actually remind me of a particular place: Maison Hermès, given its meticulous strive to modernity and the attention to humanism in the design--but such coherence needs to be encouraged, non?
If modernity is that all you seek Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle En Passant(2000) is yet another alternative. Now I have reviewed the fragrance earlier and shared my passion on lilac (the fragrance's principle dancer) so I shall wax lyrical no further. On the other hand (in risk of being thought of as a sentimentalist) I consider no spring pick can be complete without Serge LutensSa Majesté la Rose (2000). Yes, I know rose soliflore is a finicky category--and perfumer Sophia Grojsman's masterpieces of Paris d'Yves Saint Laurent (1984) and Trésor de Lancôme (1990) should receive honourable mentions in this category just for their sheer significance in perfumery history--but perfumer Christopher Sheldrake's creamy rosy creation is worthy of the ancient Roman's adoration of the celebrated bloom, most notably during their infamous orgies (one man even reportedly died from rose petal asphyxiation, surely one of the more curious ways to bid adieu to the world). Of course, Sheldrake's fame doesn't stem from a mere procurement of rose water or the mere modification of rosy chemicals such as damascones--the deceptively simple rose fragrance gradually morphs into a satisfyingly complex, unabashed celebration of the velvet bloom. Ultimately the ingenuity of Sa Majesté lies in its clever blending of Moroccan rose with facets of blue chamomile, geranium, lychee, clove, honey, vanilla and gaiac wood, thereby arranging a lush modern rose bouquet without veering off topic. No wonder it's listed as one of Luten's favorites within his realm.
During this time of the year, especially at the beginning of each spring, the time of the year which the conditions have a hard time making up its mind, to and fro until the chilly regression has its temper tantrums, I am partial to Guerlain Jicky (1889)--no, not the eau de toilette, but the parfum instead. While some have problem with its civet-laden trail I still find it within good social order compared to, say Yves Saint Laurent Kouros (1981), a masterpiece by Pierre Bourdon which I am neither virile nor handsome enough to pull off. I guess if it is any consolation former 007 Sean Connery is quite partial to Jicky, though I'm not sure if the Scot uses the parfum as a splash. On Guerlain's official website all but the 1 oz. edition are gone in terms of parfum, but I don't settle though, as simple and as complicated as that.
So there, my top 5 picks for this spring. In the spirit of inter-disciplinarily artistic nature of Les Tuileries I want to share with all what springs in my mind, a summation of the fragility and the strength behind my idea of spring. Yes, I am talking about my hero Franz Schubert's legendary question, the unfinished piano sonata in F-sharp minor (D. 571), a piece which the genius wrote at the tender age of 20 and never quite gotten around how to bring the ravishing beauty to a harmonic end. With this being said: could this be an appropriate footnote to the following famous quote by Rilke?
Don't search for the answers, which could not be given to you now, because you would not be able to live them. And the point is to live everything. Live the questions now.
Video: Schubert piano sonata in F sharp minor D 571 (possibly by András Schiff) via TheKarajan2006 @ YouTube
* No force wrecks the magic of spring so convincingly than seasonal allergies. Personal income tax preparation comes in close second. ** Lepidopterist was my next choice; eventually the noble profession of medicine was chosen: none of the above became my eventual trade.
For more spring picks please refer to the following blogs:
According to a Hermès representative a new addition to the Hermèssence collection shall debut toward the end of this year, although this time details of the upcoming release, including its name and the exact launch date, are closely guarded mysteries. As of this moment the Paris headquarters will not reveal the tale just yet, not even to its employees around the world.
End of the story? Not exactly. Here are some details to consider:
For decades now all Hermès launches will have to be within the premise of the brand's annual theme--this year it's "Tales to be Told". No doubt the theme fits Ellen'a eloquence perfectly.
The latest Hermèssence will not likely be a fresh musky wood fragrance since Voyage d’Hermès will debut very, very soon and it shall be quite illogical to paraphrase the story twice within the same year. (Hermèssence fragrances, of course, are always versatile fragrances for either gender.)
The second clue is somewhat of an interesting one to consider. Hermès, of course, is not short of iris-infused fragrances, including Hiris, Kelly Calèche, UnJardin en Méditerranée, Eau de Gentiane Blanche and Paprika Brasil--so if Ellena's interview from Psychologies is not a smoke screen that meant to conceal the theme of his latest project we might be interesting to see how the in-house nose shall play with iris this time around. Of course, knowing Ellena's thoughts on gourmand fragrances, especially after the release of VanilleGalante, a curve ball might lie straight ahead. Stay tuned.
Franz Biebl's Ave Maria has been floating in my head during this holiday season. So here, happy holidays for all of you out there.
And thanks for putting up with me when I am not particularily inspired to, well, muse on olfactory art. Or art in general. What can I say? The French probably has it down pat when coining the term un ange passe: the perfectionist within probably will protest that the pause is too typical and lengthy, the dialogue too unilateral. But I believe in the organicity of blogging, the need to express--and not merely selling an angle. So who knows? Maybe someday I'll tinkle the qwerty keyboard again.
YouTube Clip: "Ave Maria-Franz Biebl- Chanticleer", performed by Chanticleer and uploaded by nioka47
Pretty much what I said when I was in London, UK this September. Just went straight to Harrods' Serge Lutens section and asked for Iris Silver Mist--completely missed the Serge Lutens Paris boutique pilgrimage due to some awful directions merely days before that--and no, for the records Harrods wouldn't get ISM on behalf of anyone. So it's true, one cannot get "everything and anything" there.
Please don't get me wrong: I know ISM is a Paris Serge Lutens Paris boutique exclusive, and on-line ordering via the designer's official website can happen with the help of an European resident--merely an observation on, as I've said before, how not everything conveyed in the market is necessarily true just because it has been repeated over and over.
'Tis time like this a supportive long-distance partner who lives in Europe could come in handy, no? Someone who wouldn't (and frankly, shouldn't) consider the task of acquiring a Serge Lutens Paris exclusive and mail it to Canada an obligation under the law of reciprocity. Unfortunately none can be available in my case. Oh well, someday I will head back to Paris, armed with better directions.
(Or Serge Lutens can lessen the inconvenience by finally adding ISM to the export line. Now where's that on-line petition again? I think I have something to sign...)
The 13th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition has just wrapped up several weeks ago in Fort Worth, Texas and Japanese concert pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii, who is blind at birth, won the competition. (Tsuji shared the highest honours at the Van Cliburn with 19-year-old Zhang Haochen from China.) I should add that the Van Cliburn is one of the most prestigeous piano competitions; many consider it just as grand as the Leeds (held in Leeds, England), the Tchaikovsky (held in Moscow, Russia) and the Chopin (held in Warsaw, Poland). Anyhow, since seeing (and in this case, listening) is believing here are the requisite YouTube clips...
Preliminary Round: Selection from Chopin Twelve Etudes, Op.10
Preliminary Round: Liszt Paganini Etude No. 3 "La Campanella"
Preliminary Round: Selection from Images by Debussy, Book I
Semifinal Round: Beethoven Sonata in B-flat major, Op. 106, "Hammerklavier"
Final Recital: Liszt Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2
Final Recital: Chopin Berceuse, Op.57
The competition actually ends with a customary concerto round but since his performance of Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2 is too long for me to post in its entirety please Google the footage if you are interested. Anyhow, enjoy!
Clips uploaded by Balloon0429 and the Van Cliburn Foundation on YouTube
