Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle – Dans Tes Bras

Violet and heliotrope are among my favorite floral notes, so the 2008 release by Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle sounded like it would be right up my alley. What baffled me was how these light floral notes could be possibly be combined with incense and pine (other favorites) into a fragrance which would be coherent, let alone beautiful. Why I doubted the artistry of Maurice Roucel, prolific creator of perfumes such as 24, Faubourg and Iris Silver Mist, I am not certain, but it is something I will not do again.

This being said, Dans Tes Bras is far from being easily accessible. What starts out as a beautiful violet opening, tinged with a lovely anisic note and slight hint of green, quickly and unexpectedly darkens into a deep and stormy brew. Dans Tes Bras, translated as “in your arms” has all the warmth and depth of a lover’s embrace, the scented equivalent of Edith Piaf’s “La Vie En Rose”. While the lightness of the floral accords recedes into the background, deep notes of pine, patchouli and incense seems to rise up like a dense vortex. The fragrance develops a creamy, warm character that lends a supple richness to the creation. Dans Tes Bras gives me the impression of being wrapped in a billowy cloud: I can see the light, yet I am enveloped within a heavy, charged atmosphere. It feels odd and safe, all at once. 

While Dans Tes Bras is a thoroughly modern composition, there is a soapy, powdery nuance to the fragrance that lends it a vintage character, reminiscent of Lucien Lelong’s Tailspin. My sense is that the cashmeran was responsible for this, an ambery musky note which is often described as cashmere woods in a fragrance. Perhaps my imaginary cloud is the strong, cashmere laden arms of a loved one: strong and warm, yet utterly human.

Floral Woodsy Musk

Notes: heliotrope, jasmine, woodsy notes, patchouli, pine tree, cashmeran, sandalwood, musk, incense and violet.