The new "mystical journey" called "Coeur de Vétiver Sacré" is a marvelous fragrance idea in an extremely bad "mise en scène". Actually, l'Artisan Parfumeur introduced atheism in perfumery and without any doubt the perfumer has never entered a church, a monastery or a temple. It's like praying to a god in front of the wrong statue and in an incomprehensible language. This perfume will never reach the heaven because the author did not respect several basic rules. How can you listen to the pray if this perfume has no volume at all, its tenacity is very poor (less than one hour on skin!) and the notes are so distorted going in all directions? Wasn't perfume supposed to carry a message to Gods? If it is not able to carry something to the humble nose of the wearer why should it be mystical?
Coeur de vétiver Sacré is actually a composition around the smoky facets of the vetiver (used in very small amounts) combined with the very special note of the black tea. This combination is sensational and there is even a small "cuir de russie" facet, very particular and refined, underlined by peppery notes. But, unfortunately, this is actually a sketch, a "collage" and not at all a perfume. There are 2 notes that completely destroy the refined accord because they are overdosed and not balanced. First, there is a dried fruit note recalling davana and brandy on top that is almost overwhelming on blotter but almost absent on skin. This is because the ingredient used is more volatile and it isn't linked with anything in the drydown (basic formulation technique, apparently unfamiliar to the perfumer). Then, there is too much vanilla-musk-semi oriental accord on the drydown (quite tenacious) that kills the idea of the perfume (its quintessence), leaving a very well known gourmand note on the skin. It evokes the illusion of womanity during the "mystical experience" of Kenzo Amour with amber, sandalwood, vanilla, incense and maybe a faint illusion of immortelle and violet-heliotrope. Spices are there but nobody understands why. The "fragrance" is what happens between these 2 mistakes, with a faint vetiver note and one recalling the herbal smoky facet of calamus plus the vanilla excess to cover the mistakes. To my knowledge this is not composition but "le fruit du hasard" and something that doesn't last and doesn't have some minimal technical qualities should not be bought. The vetiver note is less important here or the perfumer wanted to demonstrate us that name, idea and interpretation should not convergent. There are too many things inside (even saffron) and not a central key. It's rather atonal and maybe that's why it doesn't work at all. What I consider the biggest mistake of the perfume is how it works on the skin. Artisan parfumeur, supposed to care about the "arts and crafts" of perfumery should give a great importance to this because people buy expensive perfumes precisely for that. It is not possible that a perfume created around the vetiver doesn't smell of vetiver on the skin totally betraying the original idea. This is not about skin chemistry but a case of a very bad formulation.
I want to give an exquisite example of what truly artistic perfumery is in terms of inspiration and technical requirements. This is La trezième heure from Mathilde Laurent (Cartier) with a similar idea - smoky maté tea. The Artisan Parfumeur team should study this creation day and night to learn basic elements of aesthetics and formulation: great idea, coherent composition, amazing sillage, an impeccable evaporation curve.
I want to insist on the fact that the original idea inside this perfume is very good. It simply needs a perfumer to rework the formula and express this beautiful accord of vetiver, black tea and what is reminiscent of Dzing (but also the beautiful Dzongkha), leaving the "borrowed" Sycomore notes and vanilla outside and focusing on the essence and the coherence of the fragrance.
I want to give an exquisite example of what truly artistic perfumery is in terms of inspiration and technical requirements. This is La trezième heure from Mathilde Laurent (Cartier) with a similar idea - smoky maté tea. The Artisan Parfumeur team should study this creation day and night to learn basic elements of aesthetics and formulation: great idea, coherent composition, amazing sillage, an impeccable evaporation curve.
I want to insist on the fact that the original idea inside this perfume is very good. It simply needs a perfumer to rework the formula and express this beautiful accord of vetiver, black tea and what is reminiscent of Dzing (but also the beautiful Dzongkha), leaving the "borrowed" Sycomore notes and vanilla outside and focusing on the essence and the coherence of the fragrance.
Niche brands, supposed to express artistic values, should reflect in 2011 about launching less perfumes. Masterpieces do not appear every day but I'm extremely sad to notice bad formulation and too many borrowed accords from other sources.
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Fragrance is the 8th Art - Octavian Coifan - Le Parfum est le 8ème Art
