The classic quadrilobe Guerlain bottle is dolled up with a puff atomizer. The little bow and padlock in three different colors are probably something I’d have loved for my Barbie, if she hadn’t been quietly gathering mold in a box for a couple of decades in her astronaut outfit. The retro-cheesy name suggests the secret diary of a wised-up ingénue engaged in David-Hamiltonian soft-focus soft erotica…
But the fragrance Jean-Paul Guerlain composed for Les Secrets de Sophie… Ah, well… Now that’s very lovely indeed. And it somehow suits the girly presentation conceived by the costume jeweler Sophie Lévy while tying in with what I would call the “white” Guerlains, starting with Liu and ending with Cruel Gardénia… Unlike the former, Sophie is devoid of any perceptible aldehydes; like the latter, it has the sweet, lush feel of the most luxurious beauty cream. And in the recent tradition of the latest Guerlains, a generous dose of white musk. But, thankfully and for a change, not a smidge of berry.
Instead, what Sophie exhales is a lyrical sigh of jasmine, blowing through a veil of violets, that just keeps on rising and rising until it sings like a whole bush of blooms at dusk, before retreating into a less defined bouquet (notes list the usual suspects: ylang-ylang and orange blossom).
Unfortunately, Sophie runs out of secrets rather quickly, and her mumbled whispers are hard to make out from behind the tonka, sandalwood and vanilla heirloom buffet. The incense that burned earlier on the commode has subsided into a wisp. Is it a matter of concentration? I’d have loved to listen to Sophie much longer: that jasmine- violet affair was really rather hot while it lasted, in its bashful, tender way…
Image: Sarah Moon, L'Avant-dernière (1988)
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If you don't mind my saying so, I'm not sure "Ingenue" fits the description of one of the cheesiest fragrance name in perfume history.
RépondreSupprimerTo me 'Les Secrets de Sophie' (which doesn't sound the same as "Sophie" on its own at all) makes me think of one of those Harlequin books which storyline is silly to the point of stupid, the romance a complete dud with plenty of dull plots and moronic predictable characters.
I think I'll pass on this romantic floral at $300 Gucci-like bottle.
Si j'avais, check out Octavian's post on it: "Les Secrets de..." is a type of perfume name that was frequently used in the early 20th century. That said, I do think (and have written) it sounds cheesy, but I also think the fragrance is beautiful. Though at that price point, I certainly won't be buying it.
RépondreSupprimerOnce again, your photos...! I adored that McQueen peacock dress, and I adore that photo of it. As for Sophie, happily the dose of violets prevents me from feeling sad about yet another egregiously overpriced perfume.
RépondreSupprimerHello, D. Name aside, the fragrance itself sounds quite beautiful as you describe it, although both you and Octavian point out that it seems to fall apart fairly quickly. I look forward to testing it, although at that price I guess I won't be getting any either. Good luck on your writing projects...
RépondreSupprimerI didn't know that but unlike other early 20th century perfumes like Mitsouko, none of these "Les secrets de.." aimed at ditzes are still here today.
RépondreSupprimerAmy, I'm kind of changing course on ionones -- it really depends on the way they're used, though mostly they're really too blue for me.
RépondreSupprimerJarvis, thanks. I don't think Sophie has your name written on it!
RépondreSupprimerSi j'avais, I guess there *were* ditzes in the 20s, but I'll take a Scott Fitzgerald ditz over the current variety any day!
RépondreSupprimerNo berries! Well, that's a good start. And I guess I'll go on record as admitting I kind of like the name, it's fun. It sounds like it matches up with the presentation okay, although I guess the "matchup" concept goes wrong with the price and the lasting power....
RépondreSupprimerMarch, I guess that for non-French speakers it *does* sound adorably French. Hey, but it's still got ionones, you know, so we're not too lost... The price is a deal-breaker, though. Guess I'll just use up that sample...
RépondreSupprimerI'm going to vote with March on the name - it does sound kind of romantically old fashioned. But hey, what do I know? I'm in central Ky. where the languages are hillbilly, Spanish and Irish brogue!
RépondreSupprimerThis new musk business is what bothers me though! Sorry, I don't like it and I loved the Guerlainade.
Rappleyea, there's still a Guerlinade-type base in Sophie, and the musk isn't the detergent-box kind. Still, yeah, it's pretty much everywhere these days...
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