About an Outstanding Fragrance and the Downsides of Hautevolee
Actually, there is nothing more to add to the fragrance after the comment from the highly esteemed member "Profumo".
Everything important and insightful has been mentioned.
My humble, subjective opinion is, of course, finely woven into this text :)
Disclaimer:
This text refers solely to Austria and my experiences there (Germany is indeed a paradise when it comes to perfume).
Rather, I am concerned here with my personal aversion to a corporate policy of
"Artificial Scarcity in the Luxury Segment".
For some, it may be a great and exciting pastime to chase after a beloved perfume that they have wanted for a long time.
This form of satisfaction, when one finally holds the coveted scent in their hands after a seemingly endless odyssey, simply eludes me.
Of course, fragrances are my hobby, and I know how much money people invest in their hobbies; no one needs to tell me that. But a hobby should also be something that is fun and not devolve into research work.
In the case of fragrances, I find this practice even more senseless and downright strange than, for example, with the trendy bags from Louis Vuitton, Hermès, or Chanel.
These are "status symbols" that almost everyone in the world knows and can immediately categorize.
(The crowning glory of all this, however, are certain models from Rolex, but that is another topic.)
I could wear a "common" Lubin "Condottiere" every day for 20 years, and with a lot of luck, maybe 1 person would recognize this scent and nod at me appreciatively.
Don't get me wrong; I don't want the fragrance to make me an elitist snob, not at all...
I just simply don't want the manufacturer to suggest this with their sales policy... it is "just" a perfume, a consumable item... just a scent that sounds damn good from the description, and I simply want to test it before I buy it, nothing more, nothing less "POINT".
But if this small detail is already the biggest entry hurdle, then something is seriously rotten in the state of Denmark.
I also understand the objections of those who say:
"Yes, that's why it's called luxury; you don't need it to survive, and if you're so upset, just don't buy it, and the drop is licked."
But I find it quite arrogant and not very customer-oriented to expect someone to buy a €250 fragrance "WITHOUT SAMPLES" just like that!
On top of that, I: a) simply don't have the time to write to all the perfumeries, and b) I just don't like begging for samples that don't exist in Austria!
I am probably the only person in Austria who owns this fragrance because no one has the opportunity to go into a store, test the scent, and say:
"Yes, it really smells great, it's worth the money, I'd like to buy it" "Wrap it up, please!"
No, where are we headed... that would be too easy... our fragrance in the hands of Jeremy Pascal?
The manufacturer cannot provide you with information on where and, above all, how many of his exclusive fragrances have been shipped and refers to the list of sources... I can do that now :)
Exactly 1 unit of the fragrance is shipped by the manufacturer to Austria, without a tester, mind you, and this 1 fragrance then leads a lonely existence in some perfumery until someone obtains a sample through back channels from Germany and then has the mercy to write to various perfumeries in Austria that are listed as sources on the manufacturer's website to find out if the fragrance is even available in the listed perfumeries, only to then learn from the perfumeries: No, we never had it... Wait What....??? *BOOOOM* Brainfuck Deluxe.....
This is how customer loyalty and service from the manufacturer's side works.........NOT!
You can see that what I have been condemning all this time, I have done anyway!
Am I ashamed for supporting this business policy?
Yes, somewhat.
Did I enjoy "working" so hard for a fragrance?
No.
Do I like the fragrance?
Yes, to an extraordinary degree.
You see, it's quite complicated.
So if anyone has managed to get the fragrance in Austria, please contact me and tell me how you did it :)
The fragrance itself:
*Insert comment from Profumo here*
A truly outstanding fragrance that, for me, closes the circle to, as mentioned above, my hobby.
The beautiful four-part harmony of green violets, finely bitter leather, powdery iris, and aromas of berries (without their penetrating sweetness and often sharp synthetic notes) demonstrates great craftsmanship and an incredible sense for the essential! I do have something new to add to the fragrance:
Do you know Swizzels - Fizzers?
Perfect, that's how it smells! :D
According to my better half (with my incredulous astonishment... does she mean it, is she allowed to?.... after everything I've been through)
*Shoulder shrug*
So much for the "oh so great" exclusivity :D
Addendum:
December 23, 2020
Lubin seems to have relented, and the fragrance is now available on well-known sites. This makes my comment a bit obsolete, but so what.
Happy spraying!
Lubin is really making this series rare. Even in Germany, it's only found in a few perfumeries. And you don't really find out what 'limited' means for this fragrance. Thanks for the compliment on my comment. In the end, it's just a really lovely scent.
I don't understand this business policy either. Don't they want to sell their fragrances? Selling in select perfumeries is fine, but in this case, if I remember correctly, the number is supposed to be limited to 100 worldwide. And they aren't even supposed to be offered online. Why? Is the exclusivity at risk otherwise?
The affordable fragrances from LPDO come with a sample of about 1.5ml outside the packaging, with a request to test this first, as you can return the bottle unopened if you don't like it - that's a kind of luxury too. If you need real frustration: try to build a Slumberhouse collection and communicate with them... :))
Best regards from beautiful Upper Austria.