My Top Ten fragrances of 2012...You must believe in spring

 

Needless to say, Séville à l’Aube has been the fragrance of 2012 for me. And it seems as though most of the launches I've loved in this past year share some of its springtime exhilaration. Maybe perfumers, consumers and marketing pundits alike have been yearning for a sense of renewal; tender blossoms poking their pistils through the sticky vats of fruitchouli. This seems to be translating into a new kind of freshness, neither citrusy nor aquatic, but rather expressed through moist dewy floral notes (Byredo Inflorescence, Narciso Rodriguez for Her L’Eau and See by Chloé will be carrying this trend over into 2013).

Jour d’Hermès, now available in Hermès shops and to be launched worldwide in February, is the most achieved expression of this floral idea. Designed to convey the idea of flower-as-such without representing any blossom in particular, Jean-Claude Ellena’s feminine answer to Terre d’Hermès is both serene and exhilarating, and my favorite mainstream launch.

Baiser Volé eau de toilette by Mathilde Laurent for Cartier is, with the much harder to source extrait version, much truer to the perfumer’s original “rubbing yourself all over with a lily” idea, since the cosmetic notes of the eau de parfum are toned down. Aldehydes give it that extra sparkle and boost the green galbanum overture.

L’Eau de Chloé by Michel Almairac (Robertet) is by far the best of the brand’s signature series. The perfume conceived it as a green chypre structure, and in a genius brainwave, replaced the water usually added to the blend along with alcohol with rose water for a strikingly natural effect that acts from top to base notes.

Vero Profumo Mito by the irreplaceable Vero Kern is the ultra-niche, take-no-prisoners interpretation of the springtime floral, with citronella chomping down on magnolia flower-flesh. Huge volume, great compliment-catcher, and the best go-to feel-good scent this year.

Arquiste Boutonnière by Rodrigo Flores Roux (Givaudan) made it in the nick of time to be included in this yearly round-up (the first sample got hijacked in the mail) but instantly shot up to the top rung. Arquiste is to my mind one of the best recent niche brands, with a consistency that makes it feel necessary. I’ll be getting back to the fragrance for a full review. For the time being, I’ll just say it combines a photorealistic freshly plucked gardenia with a quote from fresh masculine colognes, but can be totally rocked by ladies.

Ann Gérard Perle de Mousse, another scent I’ll need to be getting back to ASAP, strikes me as the most interesting interpretation of the green chypre genre this year. Bertrand Duchaufour conceived it as part of a trio for the Parisian jeweler Ann Gérard, overdosed it with lentiscus.  Tinged with iodic and violet notes, this green material fills the role of the soon-to-be-banned oak moss.

Olfactive Studio Lumière Blanche by Sidonie Lancesseur (Robertet) tugs the green theme that runs through my favorite 2012 launches towards a completely different area of the scent-map. A play on incandescence, it contrasts the coolness of cardamom and anise with the hotness of cinnamon, over the milkiness of an almond-iris-sandalwood accord.

Blanc de Courrèges by Julie Massé (Mane) is, as it name indicates, another take on white, the emblem of the iconic fashion house. Going by the number of hits I’ve been getting for this review, this graceful iris-patchouli with almond overtones is indeed getting a lot of well-deserved love. Kudos to the new Courrèges owners for restoring the mythical rose chypre Empreinte, along with Eau de Courrèges. The rebirth of Courrèges has been one of the nicest fashion/perfume news of the year.

Prada Infusion d’Iris Absolue tilts the blindingly white (to my synaesthetic brain) original version towards a slightly more sensuous register… As though Daniela Andrier had sifted Infusion d’Iris through Candy, keeping the latter’s delicate benzoin heart. The Candy exfoliating scrub, which is a lot stronger on the iris and musk than on the caramel, and leaves the skin very fragrant, works pretty well with this.

Parfum d’Empire Musc Tonkin couldn’t be a stronger contrast with the elegant lovelies of this list. Marc-Antoine Corticchiato’s limited-edition, extrait concentration tribute to the most mythical of animal notes stops just short of being feral enough to live in a cage. Definitely in the “a-little-dab’ll-do-ya” territory.

And, since 2012 has been, overall, a prettty good year for niche, let's make this a Top 15 with: 

 Serge Lutens Santal Majuscule, Aedes de Venustas, Frapin Speakeasy which I’ve yet to review, Parfumerie Générale Corps et Ames Eau de Parfum and État Libre d’Orange Fils de Dieu…

And I can't resist giving a nod to Guerlain's campaign for La Petite Robe Noire: the scent isn't necessarily my sort of thing, but the ads just put a silly happy grin on my face. Here's the Christmas edition: 

For more 2012 round-ups, please click to:

Bois de Jasmin

Now Smell This

Perfume Posse

Perfume-Smellin’ Things

And a very happy, healthy, gloriously fragrant 2013 to you!

Illustration: Will Ryman, The Roses, Park Avenue