Perfumista Anatole Lebreton 2019

Recently, I noted in my comment on ‘Cornaline’ that Anatole Lebreton as a brand is the only provider with a somewhat noteworthy portfolio of which I know all the fragrances. Literally immediately, this statement was rendered untrue by the appearance of the present number seven in the collection. A circumstance that Derailroaded apparently did not want to leave as is, for I was promptly supplied with a sample so that I could clarify my statement - thank you very much for that!

Well, if today isn’t involving Labdanum-Stink. Right off the bat, I think of it before other impressions can come into play. Fruits (pear and raspberry - yes, plum - no, at most unripe damson, perhaps a hint of apple; by the way, all “rose family”) as well as especially rose can be smelled in a fresh-fruity, almost airy-ethereal way that I did not expect from this perfumer. And they are quickly wiped away by a tarry twist that underscores my above assumption. It reminds me of Dior’s ‘Oud Ispahan’. Wisely, however, a hint of soapy rose remains, supported by the same potential of jasmine, so that it does not come across as completely urinated. Or perhaps not yet, let’s wait and see, we are dealing with Mr. Lebreton…

Floral lipstick, like from the sibling scent ‘Incarnata’, joins in. Overall, ‘Perfumista’ offers quite cooler, airier nuances throughout the morning, which, however, submit to the juicy-viscous overall picture. At noon, I sense a lightly smoky woodiness, on one hand dusty, on the other voluminous - due to the contribution of the floral and the sweetness. Even a hint of leather becomes, well, just discernible, undoubtedly fed by patchouli, but at the same time utilizing the herb-floral wealth.

Additionally, a base of (presumably) vetiveryl acetate reveals itself, which I perceive significantly earlier on subsequent testing days with this knowledge. It explores its proximity to the resinous-smoky and thus transitions into the final part, for the end I guess vetiveryl acetate and labdanum, thus a sour-smoky, slightly urinated mood that is quite hefty on the skin, but otherwise by no means intrusive, especially since a creamy-floral veil consistently mixes in.

The noble provider of the sample already referred to the “unwashed impression” that the scent conveys in a typical Lebreton manner when sending it. However, to me, the “unwashed” is not too dirty; I found the incontinent gardener in ‘Grimoire’ to be more intense in this regard. Rather, I sense a somewhat more sovereign floral-animalic that quotes Lebreton’s lively ideas from ‘Cornaline’. Just not quite as, let’s say, plump.

In short, ‘Perfumista’ gets quite a few things right, which, now also thought across manufacturers (see above), had turned out more or less over-the-top elsewhere.

Conclusion: A crisp-juicy floral for those ladies for whom, for example, Ropion’s modern classics ‘Carnal Flower’ or ‘Une Fleur de Cassie’ come across as a tad too bright, elegant, and distant. The ‘Perfumista’ wearer is not an meticulously (self)-staged diva who consciously keeps her surroundings at a distance, but a mature, calm, natural, friendly person of inner rank, as lively as she is wise, who needs no carefully drawn fence to instill respect all around. I love and admire such women, so it is no wonder that I like ‘Perfumista’ very much.

My favorite from Lebreton.