Silk Andrea Maack 2011

Top: A low-hanging sun makes the gold dust in the air sparkle

Heart: A sea of delicate white flowers, the spray a pale pink

Base: A beach of gently warmed, slightly damp earth

And above it strides the most beautiful woman in the world with enticing calm.

Silk is, in my eyes, a perfect fragrance. Modern. Substantial. Present. Unique. And simply beautiful. Thoroughly feminine. But not exaggerated. Not pretentious. The scent that the untitled woman would wear if she were at peace with herself and the world. And if she would allow herself to embrace the girl within. If self-confidence finally came hand in hand with inner peace. If she would let her free spirit breathe deeply and simply be carefree. Finally, completely herself. Just herself, fully present with herself and her loved ones. With love in her mind and heart.

Sometimes - very, very rarely - among the many wonderful fragrances that surround me day by day, I encounter one that is not just wonderful, but a miracle itself.
This little miracle enables and likely makes greater miracles possible, restoring my childlike belief that wishing does indeed help and prayers are heard.
It does not push itself forward, it shuns the spotlight and the loud and shrill - and yet, and for that reason, it is there, with me, at my back, by my side, not leaving me alone, whatever may come.
Such a fragrance is "Silk".

In fact, it does not appear to be a magical elixir at all, this scent in its clear, simple, unpretentious bottle.
Smooth and round and pleasing, it rests in my hand, waiting to share its contents with me.
Outside, the sky is gray, the thermometer has not yet reached double digits, the weather god seems to have misplaced his calendar or brought November forward - I spray, I sniff, I close my eyes and I am in May.
Gentle yet radiant brightness surrounds me, warm yet cautious sunbeams tickle my winter-pale skin.
The air is clear and pure, infused with the scent of freesias and a light fruity sweetness that makes me think of pears - delicate and fragile it seems, yet not ethereal, not transparent, not so that I must fear that with the next exhale I will blow away all the magic.

I breathe and feel how the tense muscles in my neck relax, how my heartbeat calms, how the thoughts galloping too quickly through my head settle into a gentle trot - I know about the difficult appointment that lies ahead, I know about the countless papers on my desk, their slightly woody, dry, almost musty smell weaving into the fine threads of fragrance that wrap me in a permeable, transparent web of cheerful serenity.
All the excited, nervous, anxious, and restless feelings shrink within themselves, becoming a smaller and smaller point, eventually invisible to the naked eye.
Only friendly thoughts and feelings have space - "Silk" spreads a very noble, yet approachable and light atmosphere, which gains more presence the closer the scent and skin connect.

About an hour after spraying, I perceive faint ozonic hints that support the impression of airy lightness, without, however, significantly influencing the character of the fragrance.
My adversary sits across from me now, that woman who can darken any mood, turn all good into bad, stifle every hope in its infancy with her very special way, where pessimism and cynicism form an unhealthy connection.
Most of the time, I lack the words, the gestures, to counter her negativity, I fall silent and feel small and stupid and useless.
Today I wear "Silk".
Today I am calm, today I feel secure, today I know I am guided by powdery warmth and restrained sweetness that embraces me like a light, barely noticeable chiffon scarf.
"Silk" harmonizes my inner self and thus my outer self, transferring to the people who are in the room with me, who share a common goal and are not swayed by ifs and buts and futility.
Not today, not here.
I see open faces, clear gazes, relaxed shoulders, a smile here and there.
And I know that each of these faces is my reflection.
Two hours later, the way is clear, the runway is illuminated, the sun shines into the room.
A hint of "Silk" lingers.

When I first smelled Silk by Andrea Maack on a test strip in my trusted perfumery, I said to the perfume consultant: "Oh, this is incredibly beautiful. A truly wonderful, harmonious scent. Unfortunately, it just doesn’t suit me at all. What a pity!" I said this and set the test strip aside.

I took samples of other, also very beautiful fragrances, but Silk stayed in my mind. Time and again in the following days, I thought about this peculiar, delicate, and yet quite strange scent. As if, at the moment I first smelled Silk, I had formed new synapses. A new storage, a small new part, a scent memory, in which not the memory of the fragrance, but the fragrance itself was stored. Silk kept presenting itself to me again and again.

So, a week later, I got a sample of the scent that supposedly doesn’t suit me. A small spritz on my wrist and I forgot it was there. Silk initially retreats. It diffuses into the skin, becoming a whisper that gently and slowly wafts over the body. But over time, Silk becomes deeper, rounder, and more present, and then it’s simply there, stays, and is no longer to be imagined away. Every time I moved my hand that day, Silk came to my nose. Silk accompanies, unobtrusive yet self-assured.

A week later, after I had long set the sample aside, my new scent memory stirred, and again Silk stood so present and clear in my nose. This time, I refrained from convincing myself that the scent doesn’t suit me. I wanted it, regardless of whether I could wear it or not. And it felt wonderful when Silk was then in my bag.

Since then, I wear Silk almost every day and am completely fascinated by this peculiar, beautiful, and quite strange scent.

Top notes: Violet, Freesia, and Lime
Heart notes: Linen, Papyrus, Labdanum, Magnolia
Base: Vanilla, Amber, Earth

The top notes strike me as a peculiar heavy sweetness at first sniff. The Freesia is very clearly present and reminds me a bit of the Freesia from the Chloé line. The Violet remains relatively subdued, but it’s there, and the Lime adds a bit of green.

In the heart, a very warm, slightly powdery, and dry note soon joins, along with a fully blooming Magnolia. Meanwhile, a wonderfully fresh note develops that one wouldn’t have suspected amidst all the floral splendor.

Silk gets its final touch when the fragrance becomes grounded. In the truest sense. Earth, Amber, and Vanilla provide Silk with a wonderful foundation.

Silk develops quickly and relatively one-dimensional. I had the impression that almost all components were there in no time, but the development of the fragrance into depth somehow never stops. Whenever I sniff my arm again, I feel that Silk becomes ever more profound, perhaps even a bit abyssal. This is definitely not a floral girl’s scent, but an olfactory, almost living work of art that develops a slightly cool metallic touch in the base.

Silk is actually a homage to the French fashion houses, especially to the long tradition of making silk scarves. And so, according to Andrea Maack, Silk is meant to feel like the touch of a silk scarf against the skin. Silk reflects the feeling of wearing a perfume like a luxurious and precious accessory.

And that is Silk. Luxurious, precious, self-assured but unobtrusive. Warm yet cool. For me, an absolute signature scent!