Last year I discovered this great series of scents made by Frederic Malle known as Editions de Parfums that is sold either exclusively at Barneys New York or online. The concept behind what M. Malle (the M. is short for Monsieur for you non-franocophiles) created is that he allows the scent artist to create his creation with no budget, no time constraints, and no marketing pressures. Also, on each bottle, the artist’s name is prominently displayed. I love this concept first of all because many colognes/perfumes out there are made for a “label” like Calvin Klein; the artist is never recognized; there is a tight budget and timetable for the scent; and the scent must be heavily packaged and marketed. Do you know who made Armani’s cologne? I don’t either. That is what is so cool about M. Malle’s scents. It appeals to me because I love the idea of the artist having complete control from beginning to end of the process of creating the perfect scent that is not intended to fit a perceived commercial concept. Beyond that, I love the scents. Interestingly, they are unisex scents since if you smell good, you smell good irrespective of one’s sex.

Besides the box of all 16 scents in small capsules, I own the large versions of 4: Dominique Ropion’s Carnal Flower- a beautiful, rich and unique tuberose laden scent that truly is the most floral and “feminine” that I own (don’t worry I’m okay with that. it is very sensous. and the sweetness of the floral scent is NOT cloying or cheap. it is luscious and beautiful); Jean Claude Ellena’s Bigarade Concentrée: a very clean citrus smell of bigarade, or bitter oranges, simply elegant and clean; Maurice Roucel’s Musc Ravageur a beautifully soft creamy smell with hints of vanilla and bergamot; and finally Michel Roudnistka’s (son of famed Edmond Roudnistka) Noir Epices- my favorite right now which is a rich oriental spice smell with utter complexity and sophistication- very sexy. These 4 scents are so very different and I match the scent to my mood and what I wear. Interestingly, if I wear pinks, I will be more inclined to go with Carnal Flower. If I wear blues, I may go with the Bigarade. If I go with browns, I like Noir Epices. Sometimes, I just go with what scent I like irrespective of clothing color. Okay, I am now sounding a bit crazy. I just love a sophisticated scent. I don’t wear one every day but when I do I love smelling it.

I finished a book a few months ago, Chandler Burr’s The Perfect Scent that documents the creation of two scents: Jean Claude Ellena’s first signature scent for the house of Hermes and Sarah Jessica Parker’s first commercial scent, I believe called Lovely. Besides the development of these two scents, I loved the history of the perfume industry and the incredible degree of artistry that these artists possess oftentimes swirling subtle notes of hundreds of essences to make the final product. What I also found was interesting is the power of synthetic scents. Many people want only “natural” scents. This is total garbage since there are terrible environmental effects from deforestation to mine a single ingredient plus there is no control ultimately over the scent because there are a lot of extraneous scents that exist in a natural scent and variability. Okay, just thought I would provoke your interest in smelling good. Remember artistry and style do not necessarily relate to just how you attire yourself. A beautiful scent can be an incredible element of self expression.

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