Biggest surprises in Perfumes The Guide 2018?

[luca turin]

Conversation is fun but one of our main concerns was to document and encourage the rise of niche/artisan fragrances, especially those that get no space in stores etc.

 

[grayspoole]

Conversation is fun but one of our main concerns was to document and encourage the rise of niche/artisan fragrances, especially those that get no space in stores etc.

Amen to this.

Damn, I had Apoteker Tepe's After the Flood high on my "To Try" list (among several others, but especially that one) and never had a chance to try it.

Did Holly shut it down based on lack of sales/interest, or was it a retirement or other personal reason? Did she say in her notification? Just curious, as that would possibly affect a decision to come back based on all this renewed interest.

Hi Live Jazz-

I must have deleted the email but as I recall, there was no detailed explanation. Checking her Linkedin profile, I see that Salz ended Apoteker Tepe in February 2018 and returned to her other career as an interaction designer in the same month. I wish her well, and perhaps she will continue to explore perfumery in other contexts...I hope so! Have you seen her TEDx talk?

https://youtu.be/ns_3My8xoJg

 

[My_pep_pep]

There are quite a few 2- and 3-star reviews in the original guide, for scents that I happen to love, Chene for example. The number of stars doesn't always matter to me, if I know what kind of scent I like. There's an element of subjectivity.

 

[luca turin]

There's an element of subjectivity.

Roughly 100%.

 

[Diamondflame]

A summary look through the 1 or 2 star-rated fragrances will reveal the ‘space’ taken up by ‘mediocre obscurity’. Yes, I know it’s relatively small but when you’re talking about valuable ‘real estate’ every square inch matters. At least to me. I mean seriously, how many of us here will actively go out of our way to seek them out?? Heh, that’s what I thought.

Conversation is fun but one of our main concerns was to document and encourage the rise of niche/artisan fragrances, especially those that get no space in stores etc.

More than anything else I bought these guides for my entertainment being a fan of your witty writing style and all. Conversation is indeed the fun part and that’s what we’re all having right now isn’t it? But I fail to see how a rating of one star or two can be a source of encouragement to these outfits.

 

[luca turin]

But I fail to see how a rating of one star or two can be a source of encouragement to these outfits.

Should have made it clearer: I want the _good_ ones to flourish undiluted.

 

[HORNS]

Luca and Tania gave one of my favorites, Iris Homme by Satori low marks, but I was pleasantly surprised by their praise of Satori’s Sakura and Yoru no Ume.

 

[Hazel5]

Alas, apparently I have terrible taste. I love Hedonist and it's flankers. One star. And Buonissimo. Same. Oh well. Progress not perfection.

 

[Suspended]

I must have deleted the email but as I recall, there was no detailed explanation. Checking her Linkedin profile, I see that Salz ended Apoteker Tepe in February 2018 and returned to her other career as an interaction designer in the same month. I wish her well, and perhaps she will continue to explore perfumery in other contexts...I hope so! Have you seen her TEDx talk?

https://youtu.be/ns_3My8xoJg

I was just given a free sample of those Unstopabbles she created. Boy, those things pack a punch. Our laundry was nuclear level fragrant.

I don't normally use scented conditioners in my wash as I don't like my clothes to have a lingering scent. These definitely aren't for me.

 

[Diamondflame]

Should have made it clearer: I want the _good_ ones to flourish undiluted.

That’s why I miss your perfumesIlove blog... Any chance of you resurrecting it? :smiley:

 

[luca turin]

Luca and Tania gave one of my favorites, Iris Homme by Satori low marks, but I was pleasantly surprised by their praise of Satori’s Sakura and Yoru no Ume.

Brilliantly original, and with the weirdest sampling format, transparent soft rubbery things with a towelette floating in liquid, looked like something for the Space Station. But then the frags are like nothing else on earth

 

[luca turin]

That’s why I miss your perfumesIlove blog... Any chance you might revive it?

Not really. It was time-consuming in a pleasant way, but mostly it was predicated on the notion that niche and artisan firms needed special encouragement. The danger of that is grading on a curve. I do not believe this is needed anymore. As I've said before, if your thing is online for $220 euros an ounce you deserve to be judged with Shalimar and your competitors without extenuating circumstances. The game has changed. Just as a lot of people took advantage of niche, many are hoping for free ride on "hand-made" artisan and produce mindless crap.

 

[freewheelingvagabond]

Yes, I know it’s relatively small but when you’re talking about valuable ‘real estate’ every square inch matters. At least to me.

This is what you get from living in Singapore. :vrolijk_26:

 

[HouseOfPhlegethon]

Alas, apparently I have terrible taste. I love Hedonist and it's flankers. One star. And Buonissimo. Same. Oh well. Progress not perfection.

No, you don't. Some of us have to champion the "uglies, misfits, and the "rank and vile." :shocked:

 

[HORNS]

Brilliantly original, and with the weirdest sampling format, transparent soft rubbery things with a towelette floating in liquid, looked like something for the Space Station. But then the frags are like nothing else on earth

“Honestly-made” is a term thrown around a lot, but that’s really what attracts me to both Satori’s as well as Bruno Fazzolari’s works. As far as the former is concerned, knowing and meeting her a few times puts her works in perspective, especially considering her aesthetic fits the overall Japanese social constraints of not imposing on those around you. And that’s why I find Iris Homme to achieve her objective.

 

[luca turin]

"rank and vile."

Love it!

 

[Chetopa]

It's what I said in another thread -- 'Niche' is becoming a con for most people

Designer fragrances are a con to but it's costing us less to learn the lesson

So true. I find myself more and more having to hone my bs detector with a lot of new niche. I think Luca mentions the geographical descriptors of notes ie. australian sandalwood as being a tell but I'm finding the overly descriptive definitions of a scent, coupled with a ridiculous price point from a perfumer I've never heard of a big red flag. For every Papillon or Fazzolari that pops up with a genuine talent there seems to be 99 poseurs whose talent appears to be the cool marketing/packaging of their mediocre juice.

 

[tensor9]

I see that LT seems to be a fan of Fort & Manle. I've been curious, so I decided to check them out and order a sample pack.

 

[NickZee]

The other thing I found interesting was the 2 star ratings for many Roja Dove fragrances and the abrupt descriptions along the lines of “routine fruity-rose (full stop)”. Full disclosure, I am a Roja-phile and own 10 bottles. The thing with Roja is that he has been in the industry a long time in one form or another, and he uses that experience to deliver fragrances that are meant to be excellent, tweaked representations of classic formulations or genres using quality ingredients. So all of his fragrances, to me, are like pristinely restored collectible cars from yesteryear, something that people often seek out. But ofcourse the level of originality does not go beyond “standard issue”. In fact, to my mind, that’s the point. The range screams out “Here’s a standard issue woody spicy masculine, but with no skimping on ingredients”.

His pricing does get outrageous when you start looking beyond the standard Mascuine and feminine lines, but that’s a separate matter for people to decide based on their fragrance priorities and financial situation. The entry-level EDPs are very fairly priced IMO and still offer excellent quality.

I see that LT seems to be a fan of Fort & Manle. I've been curious, so I decided to check them out and order a sample pack.

Well worth the effort. I purchased a sample pack last year and today purchased full bottles of Harem Rose, Sultan, and Amber Absolutely. The house is characterised by an excellent study and selection of materials and there’s a particular house accord that makes these fragrances smell amazing. Whatever the perfumer lacks in classical training, he has made up for by selecting amazing smelling ingredients. I didn’t particularly like Charlatan, Purple Hat or Maduro, but others list these as their favorite.

 

[the_good_life]

So true. I find myself more and more having to hone my bs detector with a lot of new niche. I think Luca mentions the geographical descriptors of notes ie. australian sandalwood as being a tell but I'm finding the overly descriptive definitions of a scent, coupled with a ridiculous price point from a perfumer I've never heard of a big red flag. For every Papillon or Fazzolari that pops up with a genuine talent there seems to be 99 poseurs whose talent appears to be the cool marketing/packaging of their mediocre juice.

It's certainly true, but nothing entirely new. Much of the 19th century history of Eau de Cologne is one of false pretense, forgery, and unsubstantiated claims.