Stælios Pierre Guillaume 2024

First off, I want to begin this review by saying this fragrance is probably one of the most unique leather scents on the market and I can guarantee that you have never smelled any leather scent like this before, and I mean that quite literally.

Whenever I smell this fragrance Im instantly transported into another realm, where fantasy twines together with ordinary. Sailor merchants that have been transporting luxurious Russian reindeer leather were driven away by the tumultous sea and ended up on an mystical island where nature has left its marks. A tranquil leap of wind blows the davana and the pepper plants that have been freely swinging back and forth, spreading its aroma across the islands edges, captivating every passerby. The merchants, woken up from their aroma trance, decide settle on the island after seeing its beauty. The precious leather was transformed into hides that exude a bewitching aroma and radiant beauty.

One day, while the merchants were exploring the island deeper, stumbling across a rare royal wood that released a pleasant smell, they suddenly heard fearful scream nearby, and when they went to check, they saw that their island invaded by vikings that sensed an inviting smell coming from the island. The merchants knew they were doomed, since they were outnumbered, but they decided to fight with all they have in order to protect their land. Swords clenching, heavy breath and roars, and the merchants were slowly losing their hope of winning, until, a fiery creature with the body of a horse covered in a layer of fire that shined bright like the sun appeared on the battlefield to help the people that have been protected the island. It was the horse of Helios, the Sun God that have been reigning over that island for eternity.

Imagine this scene, slow piano strings are playing in the backround, each one of them interrupted by the horse's gallop, which he mastered with such artistry that even the enemies were stunned. Staelios successfully eliminates all the vikings and once again protects the liminal space between reality and fantasy that he calls home.

If I could describe Staelios in one word it would be "ethereal". The combination of the rare leather, which isnt your usual soapy/dark leather, with the precious woods, that grant it a touch of lightness, and the spice undertone from Davana and Pepper turn this from a fragrance to an olfactory experience that you need to have at least once in your life.

The bottle is beautiful aswell, a beautiful thin square shape made from purple and orange glass presenting an eye pleasing contrast, and the tag with the perfume and brands name is shaded in gold with a beautiful pattern resembling the sun.

Please enjoy immersing yourself into my story and I hope you liked my review.

Until next time

Yes, sometimes you feel disappointed. I wanted something special. I definitely got that with this fragrance, but on my skin, it smells burnt and like rubber. I don't detect any flowers, no freshness. It simply smells like burnt rubber, like a balloon that has been held over a flame. What a shame, many people find it good. Maybe it's something personal, but I definitely cannot recommend it.

The first spray reveals to me, through cedar and cypress, a turpentine-like note, complemented by something peppery and a slight, citrusy bitterness that possibly comes from clove oil and limonene. I also perceive an herbal scent and a strong fragrance of a very expensive and high-quality lavender-lily-of-the-valley-rose soap.

Staelios describes itself in the top note as spicy-warm, in the heart note as fruity-smoky, and in the base note as leathery-animalic with an elegant, woody depth. The development of the various scent notes takes its time, and it becomes softer, woodier after 4 - 5 hours, but still remains extremely present.

While the fruity, sweet facets remain closed off to me, I find Staelios to be extremely contradictory. It is both warm and fresh, floral and spicy, animalic and woody, intense and diffuse. An extremely interesting fragrance that I am happy to have added to my collection, and it has a very, very long lasting power. Even the next day, I could still smell it distinctly on me. Whoever wears it will definitely be noticed, and my husband has already laid claim to it in case I ever tire of Staelios.

According to Pierre Guillaume, Staelios contains a total of 46 ingredients. Some of them I mention here:
Davana, Ashanti pepper leaves, Russian leather, noble woods, Moroccan cedar, cinnamon and cinnamon bark, Virginia cedar, cypress, sandalwood absolute, lavender, patchouli, clementines, Guayana purple wood infusion (also known as amaranth or violet wood, violet wood, purpleheart, or violet wood), clove, nutmeg, lavender oil, vanillin.

Despite being a blind buy, I am thrilled with the scent. For me, it was definitely a good choice.