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lundi 7 juin 2010

The Life Aquatic with Fleur de Liane by Bertrand Duchaufour for L’Artisan Parfumeur




When Fleur de Liane was launched I was perfectly willing to test it, until the dread word “aquatic” sent me running into the wilderness muttering “the horror… the horror…” Colonel Kurtz style, Duchaufour or not Duchaufour. About a month ago, dropping by the L’Artisan flagship store on the rue de l’Amiral de Coligny, I boldly picked up a bottle, gave myself a good squirt, and moaned to the perfumer Stephanie Bakouche, who works there, that I now needed a good scrub. How she talked me into accepting three samples to test at home is a tribute to her pedagogical skills. And she was right: it did need further testing, and I am now a convert.

Aquatic notes are mostly used to convey impressions of freshness. Not so here. Like the Panamanian island jungle that reputedly inspired it, Fleur de Liane is damp and vaguely threatening under it tropical lushness. Reverse-engineering Bertrand Duchaufour’s recent exploration of floral accords, I’d say that he was already working on Amaranthine’s thick, turbid milkiness here. Under his fictitious jungle vine flower there is more than a hint of vegetal decay brought on by the earthy/rooty facets of patchouli and vetiver, along with a slight mushroom note. It is this whiff of corruption -- along with the creamy density of the floral accord and its indolic, honeyed animal notes -- that skews the muguet/magnolia away from its dominant green soapiness and into more disturbing territory. Metallic effects lurk somewhere in the blend, perhaps alluding to the blood that must be spilled in the jungle undergrowth.

Revisiting Fleur de Liane after having experienced Amaranthine sheds new light on the direction Bertrand Duchaufour was taking before it became spectacularly obvious that he would go on to become a master of the uncanny floral. It also goes some way into reconciling me with the aquatic note, when it is ripped out of the cliché that Cool Water, L’Eau d’Issey and their clones have become. In the jungle where Fleur de Liane grows, the vines could strangle you. Piranhas patrol the waters. And somewhere in the foliage, the Lord of the Flies may be lurking. Which is just how a jungle should be.



Illustration: Painting by Anselme Boix-Vives


14 commentaires:

  1. I so agree with yu re: the revisitation , post Amaranthine.

    This is one singularly suited to our younger son-
    Who rocks Eau des Merveilles, Gentiane Blanche, and this- as signature scents ;-)

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  2. I'm surprised that this aquatic converted you! Yet, not surprised at all. This BD knows his materials, I guess! ;)

    Marcus

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  3. Alrighty, then. I'll definitely give this a sniff -- lately I'm really quite smitten with the "corrupted" flowers. I cannot get enough of my Manoumalia, I'm wearing entirely too much of it entirely too often. I must confess, though, on me Amaranthine is just a sprightly floral. I never could seem to get any of the down & dirty everyone else is noticing in it.

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  4. And you permit us to see the vines of your mind grow, interconnect, support, and lead to various fragrances and appreciation for them. Very interesting...the process, the presentation, and what is emerging as a more distant view of the "plant" (as well as these close-ups in each of the Life Aquatics). Thank you.

    I love revisitations...okay, I *love* them when the reveal something new... ;)

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  5. Oh, D. I have tried, I really have, but I can't do it on this one. Not even when you explain it that way. Not even when the Gods or at least L'Artisan seems to be telling me something: I have four Fleur de Liane samples sitting on my desk right now. I give them away and then they multiply and come right back to me. (Note to self: find aquatic-loving evil scent twin...)

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  6. Querida Ida, it's really quite striking, isn't it? Kind of like a hidden gem... which clearly was in full few for some people like your son... and his mother, obviously.

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  7. Marcus, it's the way in which it is executed that changes everything. A bottle may loom on the horizon.

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  8. Amy, try it at leat. It hasn't got the same vibe as Manoumalia but it's not unrelated.

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  9. ScentScelf, that's what I find frustrating sometimes in keeping up with the new stuff, there isn't enough time to revisit thing that aren't even that old. Usually this works best in themes. Sort of like a fugue from one thing to another....

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  10. Alyssa, well if you don't, you don't, but yes,those samples seem to be cloning themselves... Just so they don't spawn Acqua di Gio I think you're fine.

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  11. Great post! I think I'm going to have to go sniff this again. I love Amaranthine more and more every day, but I didn't like it at first spritz.

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  12. Thanks k. Amaranthine does have something a little skewed that can take a while to adapt yourself to but it's well worth the effort. It's one of the most outstanding florals in recent memory.

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  13. If anyone on the planet can talk me into retrying this, it is you :) I had the same initial reaction you did. (insert testament to your persuasive skills here!)

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  14. March, you kind of need to skew your mind's nose in a certain way not to read "aquatic" but place the note into its proper function.

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