Jean-Claude Ellena is one of the more well-known noses in perfume. Some perfume addicts trail Ellena from house to house, snapping up anything he creates -- but again, those fragrances are guided by the needs of the house, rather than the will of the nose. With Editions, Ellena's imagination is allowed free rein.
I had intended to space the Malles out a bit, but when choosing a vial this morning I found it very hard to pick anything else -- "En Passant" delighted me all day yesterday, and the thought of lacing myself with something heavy just didn't appeal, especially as they're mostly vanilla or incense fragrances. By name alone, "L'Eau d'Hiver" seemed out of season, but then again, a splash of wintry water would be welcome in the summer heat. So on it went.
On me, it's the first crocus after winter, emerging while there's still a little snow on the ground. That scent alone is one I find incredibly beautiful, and incredibly unusual, but then it progresses in a way that's practically a narrative of the life of a flower. From the snowy crocuses to a cool greenhouse full of annuals, all ready for the first planting of the spring. Then it's as though I'm bringing my nose very close to an iris, right against the petals -- the fragrance is wholly tied up with the greeny plant-ish smell of the petal itself. As time goes on I smell a pollen note emerge, and then the florals just ripen and deepen like a bouquet on your living room table. Absolutely stunning, from start to finish.
It's an intimate scent, both in that it feels like you're getting to know one specific flower personally and in that it lingers very close to the skin. Canadianne liked it, but Tankard just proclaimed it "very weak". Which is fine; to boost the sillage on this fragrance would mean changing that concept of a single stem into a field of them, and the feeling of intimacy would be lost. So go somewhere else to get hit over the head with a bouquet.
Verdict: The life cycle of a flower framed by the progression of springtime. Private and subtle and gorgeous, this is another light scent I would wear in a heartbeat and enjoy all day long.
1 comment:
Liza,
May I just say, that was a beautiful review. I am waiting for this one to arrive from Barney's as I write this. If my husband knew what I spent on it, he'd have a fit. It's my passion though, and my $.
I tend to gravitate towards wintery fragrances. After finishing my Apres l'Ondee edt bottle, I simply HAD to try this one, created as a tribute to Guerlain's Apres l'Ondee.
Again, a wonderful review! MignonMe
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