opoponax. | Quintessence

Kenzo Flower

Created in 2000 by Alberto Morillas, Flower by Kenzo appears to be undergoing a renaissance as of late. The folks over at LVMH have created a lovely new ad/commercial for a flanker known as Flower in the Air (seen here and here), which emphasizes the fragrance’s special character. While I have yet to get my hands on a sample, I thought it a perfect time to review the original Flower. Although it is a clearly contemporary creation in terms of its structure, Flower has one foot squarely in the past, paying deference to some of the great perfume classics.

Flower was styled as a poppy fragrance, meant to represent the scent of this supposedly scentless flower (though a fellow collector friend tells me the plants have a sharp green scent). Press marketing aside, Flower is a soft powdery violet with aspects reminiscent of L’Heure Bleue and Royal Champagne de Caron. While the most recent sample of Flower I picked up seems reformulated and less brilliant than I recall, it is nevertheless closer to its happy, carefree self than either of its forebears.

Flower’s fluffy violet is grounded by hints of vanilla, musk and opoponax, all of which are painted in soft brush strokes keeping the fragrance light throughout. While the fragrance has fairly good lasting power, it never feels heavy, and manages to convey its message in whispers. Flower is a lovely, relatively affordable choice when one needs the singular lift only a fragrance can bring. Perfect for a younger woman just venturing into fragrances.

The Flower line was expanded to include body products and though I have not seen it in person, the Sephora site claims that the new flacons are now re-fillable!

Floral

Notes: Wild Hawthorne, Bulgarian Rose, Parma Violet, Cassia, Opoponax, White Musk, Vanilla.

Etat Libre D’Orange – Secretions Magnifiques

With a name like “Magnificent Secretions”, it was evident that Etat Libre D’Orange had every intention of creating a provocative fragrance that would push the boundaries of conventionality. According to Etat’s press information, the fragrance is intended to invoke the scent of blood, sweat, sperm and saliva and to represent the “unique moment when desire triumphs over reason”. Novel concept indeed. And while Secretions Magnifiques can indeed be a polarizing scent, it is not as offensive or animalic as one would anticipate.

The opening is extremely subtle – so much so that I immediately reapplied after smelling my wrist, thinking I had not applied a sufficient amount. The softness of the opening is immediately punctuated by a metallic, mineral smell reminiscent to that of blood. While this may not sound like the beginnings of a fragrant love affair, the strangeness and novelty of it is positively intriguing. The drydown is similarly subtle, where marine accords lend themselves to imaginative interpretations of various secretions. Given the strong sensual implications of the name, an animalic note is strangely absent. Animalic notes are often used to convey a “body smell” to a fragrance and are frequently very sexually suggestive, especially in vintage perfumery. It is as though the “secretions” were captured and removed from the host body, making them devoid of some of the warmth one might anticipate. The absence of a strong animalic accord in conjunction with an almost oily sensation from the metallic opening reminded me of more of “Mechanical Secretions” than magnificent ones.

While Secretions Magnifiques will certainly be a challenging fragrance for some, I found it very enjoyable in an abstract, almost intellectual way. Despite the oddity of the accords and intended scent, it is actually a fairly light fragrance, and I found myself continually burying my nose in my wrist to recapture this novel creation. Thanks go out to the amazing Victoria at Bois de Jasmin for providing me with a sample as part of a contest!

Notes:

Iodized accord (fucus, azurone), adrenalin accord, blood accord, milk accord, orris, coconut, sandalwood and opoponax.

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Kenzo Flower

Etat Libre D’Orange – Secretions Magnifiques