Atanarjuat

When Claude Debussy went to the Conservatory of Music in Paris, he was a rebel. And a young, inexperienced one at that.
As a composer, he began early on to dispense with tried-and-tested harmonic techniques ("Outrageous!!" or rather "Scandaleux!!", his professors must have exclaimed...) in order to implement his own style of pentatonicism, novel timbres and whole-tone scales. Strange, spherical sounds were the foundation of Debussy's non-conformist style, to this day the musician of Impressionism par excellence.

For me, Outrageous undoubtedly has Impressionist traits. All the statements here that accuse it of being iron-apple musk - or celebrate it for that very reason - have decoded the top notes of the fragrance very well. Similar to Debussy's compositions, however, the heart and base are still waiting for us reviewers with encrypted, twisted harmonies - devoid of any classical-romantic structure. Shimmering tremolo surfaces, morning mist legatos, sunbeam tones. A variety of timbres! Much in pianissimo. Restrained. But with soul.

Right from the start, it's not exactly Monetian sunrises - those come later - rather, Outrageous offers surprisingly Brazilian caipirinha notes: even if not listed here, that would be lime and mint above all. The Brazilian Debussy! However, the apple remains in the lead. Then there are the often obligatory fresh notes of bergamot and mandarin. Aldehyde musk circles the heart, blowing in the wind of the sunrise. But Monet again? The fresh-laundry Monet! Major chord brushstrokes up to the sky - in light green-blue.
It is said that Frederic Malle and Sophia Grojsman actually met in a Brazilian bar for their joint project. The impressions from this meeting gave birth to the idea for this very fragrance. And one of the two is said to have actually drunk a caipirinha....

Leaving the Brazilian image behind, a cedar tree that has been hiding for a long time surprises us at the end. As if it were a secret in the overall picture. A motif that you only ever see, hear and smell very quietly and very briefly. A solitary fifth. In the midst of the colorful light that has been shining on us the whole time...

Kiton and hype don't really get along. Then as now, the fashion house does not exactly strive for exclusivity, but likes to base itself on old craftsmanship and fabric traditions. The loyal fans here in this forum know Kiton above all for its extraordinarily beautiful fragrances of days gone by. Legends such as "Kiton Men" or "Napoli" have kept the flags of the manageable perfume category flying high for years.

Far from any hype, the fashion house is now launching further men's fragrances on the market. Italian with an edge, with character, high-priced, but without 2023 vanilla. Quite old-school, of course, but still very easy to love, as they are more in line with Italian perfumes than with fine French finesse, for example.

Riva Fiorita bursts forth with a lush green scent, enveloping the wearer in a powerful intro of orange, bergamot and grapefruit. Towards the heart, the pithy character of the heart effects listed above masterfully defines the Italian old-school affinity of time-honored fougere without appearing archaic. It is quite modern, our Italian, combining old and new. Lavender, yes. But with violets. Plus strong pepper, deep green basil and a dash of cardamom. Glittering dark green, tart-fresh, pithy. Right through to the base, which fades out with nutmeg wood. For sillage fanatics interested in longevity: this one delivers. Not that I'm particularly interested in that now, but it lasts the day without complaining.

In general. The fragrance grabs hold, stands in the wind of life. Knows the old, wants to discover the new. Robbenbingo already wrote it below. Far from any vanilla-2023-caution-the-winter-is-coming praise, this one should be hyped all the more. And that's what I'm doing here!

In fact, I like the DNA of Cavallier-Belletrud fragrances under the thumb of the "Société par actions simplifiée" quite like, because they know fresh modernity often complemented with a certain twist and so often quite interesting compositions result.

This has always worked quite well for me in the men's LV perfumes launched since 2018 - and it still does. The Colognes are a little more one-dimensional and just do not have that little edge, yet I also have sympathies for Afternoon Swim and just also Cactus Garden.
Why just the former a similarity to "Imagination" is attested, I do not really understand, rather still in small the Cactus Garden, whose soapiness and the proximity to tea could play a role.

The images between Iceland and sky, water and mist start bright and fresh and quite citrusy, less orangy in the top note (which comes back more at the end). Not acrid, but bright and clear like undulating waters. In the heart we have the black tea, slightly spicy with ginger accents and cinnamon parts - never smoky though, never resembling an Assam, but fine and light. The classification "woody-spicy" above I see as exaggerated. The tea is also not drunk with milk (no iris, no sandalwood, no Lost Alice), seems rather watery-woody (guaiac) and the incense makes it float through mist.

A consideration towards signature scent potential is also conceivable, the DNA works all year round, even makes it through a winter no matter how strong. For my part, however, I can imagine "Imagination" also well in colder temperatures, without him ever reminding me of Christian festivals in December - on the contrary.

Of course "Imagination" is again Belletrud-typically in the popular mode on the way and of course he meets hereby probably again a mass taste. But then I do not care if I find him well done. And that's what I think. The will be a real hit for LV!

Who is looking for an all-rounder without too common orange and yellow aesthetics with wood rip-off in the base, but does not reject them per se, is open to new old and old new, which / which is really well served in the latest work Cavallier-Belletrud.

Mr. Syco and Mrs. More first met on Sylt and have been a couple ever since. Regularly - they found out in common conversations - they visited this very beautiful island during their summer holidays. Both are quite decent people, neatly dressed, fine manners. And. extremely life-affirming and thoroughly likeable.

In that year (say a fictional 2023) they wanted to do something different. Something wild and new for a change.
They sat down a globe and did the crazy thing. Mrs. More got to spin it and Mr. Syco was supposed to stop the spinning globe with his finger to hit their next vacation destination.

St. Vetyver! One happy Island!

No sooner said than done. Mrs. More and Mr. Syco set up - after a long flight and short bus shuttle - comfortably in their hotel room (everything a little worn, nothing there 5 stars and never all-inclusive) and ran - after the whistling wind - to the beach. They had exchanged their sometimes (too) fine clothes for shorts and T-shirts. Mr. Syco still tried it with his sandals (without socks), Mrs. More had absorbed the Caribbean feeling faster and ran barefoot into the first waves...

Both spent a wonderful holiday on St. Vetyver: a somewhat dirty, stained and worn Caribbean island with a corresponding flair. And with it, a couple with black feet and a big laugh in their sunny hearts!

The two want to marry soon in any case!

In itself, I have nothing at all to do with Louis V., but at the time a certain Jacques Cavallier-Belletrud began around the year 2016 with the work on a new series for men's fragrances. I think the ladies were on it even earlier. I quite liked his creations for Tom Ford or even his Rive Gauche pour Homme. I was appropriately excited about his first Vuitton releases and tested them all right after they came out. Shock infatuated I was in Orage, Parfumos very first review of Ombre Nomade followed.

The fragrances inherent a certain "easy wearability" and yet they all have one thing in common: they contain such a small edge, a small character quarrel, which they stand out a bit from other designer fragrances - in a positive sense. The Perubalsam (smells leathery) in Sur la Route is listed here as an example. Great!

The following Parfums de Cologne could not stand up to it, they are still pleasing today - want to be sold. And yet they are fun, no question, I like Afternoon Swim and Cactus Garden especially, although (or just because?) They are the same not.

"On The Beach", however, has again this little corner that could make it interesting - I'll write you briefly why:


From the nearby beach restaurant (somewhere on the Mediterranean) the wind blows past a baked potato spice vibe - with rosemary and thyme. That's fine and that's the said "edge" that makes the fragrance at least interesting.
I find a tangy-bitter yuzu great, but please not too hand-holding with constantly intervening neroli. Less would have been more.
In the cypress grove ends the nice day by the sea after a few hours. But hey! It is and remains a cologne and thus a short-term refreshment - price or not!

I for my part remain during the day in my wooden hut On the Beach and treat me later rather less a few rounds of water sports at the "Afternoon Swim" and otherwise do not immediately travel to the wonderful green sea in the South Pacific to the "Oceania". Here the wind blows still a stage stronger - but also this flight wants to be paid...

Wherever it takes you: I wish you a good trip!