It is a problem when an art is turned into caricature. Nowadays, perfumery is a kind of caricature of itself. Vanilla is not the only ingredient that exists. Neither is caramel. I think it causes real damage and is a real pity when it feels like everything smells of either fruit or vanilla or caramel.
— Perfumer Mathilde Laurent. Read more at Cartier in-house perfumer Mathilde Laurent: 'People don’t know what they want, and they don’t know what they like' at The National.
Three limited edition collector bottles from Cartier's Les Heures Voyageuses series: "Les Heures Voyageuses are an infinitely precious nomadic collection of fragrances designed by Cartier perfumer Mathilde Laurent in tribute to faraway lands." $265 each for 45 ml at Saks Fifth Avenue.
In Europe, we have lost the idea of such notes in perfumery, and it is so sad because it is something so precious and delicate and sensual. I was very surprised and happy that there is still a region of the world where people like such notes. For me, it was something that gave me a lot of hope and optimism. It is a sign that maybe we will not all smell of sweets and fruits for the rest of our lives. That we are not condemned to fruits and vanilla forever.
— Perfumer Mathilde Laurent on why she loves oud. Read more at Cartier perfumer Mathilde Laurent calls oud ‘a real gift’ to perfumery at The National.
I like perfumer Mathilde Laurent, but we are not besties. I am pretty sure she first came to my attention in relation to her 2003 version of Shalimar Eau Légère, and when I have absolutely nothing better to do, I sometimes wonder what Guerlain would be up to now if she, instead of Thierry Wasser, had been appointed the house perfumer, and whether I would have ever gotten the (admittedly ridiculous) Shalimar Eau Légère Extrême I wanted. Instead, Ms. Laurent ended up at Cartier, where she has done plenty of respectable work without stressing my budgetary arrangements in any significant way: as I said, we are not besties. My favorite so far, on the women’s side, is the lily-ish Baiser Volé. The gardenia-ish La Panthère did not please me so much, other than the fantastic bottle. Now we’ve got Baiser Fou, inspired by “lipstick kisses” and said to be orchid-ish:
To capture the elusive aroma of lipstick, Cartier perfumer Mathilde Laurent was inspired by the intense powderiness and sweetness of the orchid. The bloom’s delicious balmy accents of white chocolate add to the addiction, lingering on the skin for hours.1
Hmm, sweet powder — sound familiar…
More limited edition collector fragrance bottles, with the usual disclaimers: in most of these cases, the juice is unchanged, just the bottle is “special” (or not, as the case may be), and some of these may not be available in the US. Today’s post includes limited edition bottles from Cartier, Annick Goutal and Loewe; plus new concentrations of Salvatore Ferragamo Emozione Dolce Fiore and Mr. Burberry.
From Cartier, L’Envol de Cartier in the Metamorfosis edition with an ombre-ish mirror effect bottle. In 80 ml Eau de Parfum for €100, at El Corte Inglés in Spain…