MCPS

When Frédéric Malle sold his brand to the Estée Lauder Group in 2015, he immediately knew that he wanted to reinterpret some of the great classics that had been personally released by the Grande Dame EL. Why it then took nine more years for the Legacy Collection to appear remains Mr. Malle's secret…

Now, Malle is not a nose, but sees himself as a "publisher." The Legacy Collection was created in collaboration with Anne Flipo ("La Nuit de L'Homme (Eau de Toilette) | Yves Saint Laurent," "Invictus (Eau de Toilette) | Paco Rabanne," L'Interdit (2018) Eau de Parfum), Carlos Benaïm ("Polo (Eau de Toilette) | Ralph Lauren," "Hugo Just Different (Eau de Toilette) | Hugo Boss," Euphoria Eau de Parfum) and Bruno Jovanovic ("Monsieur. | Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle," Dries Van Noten par Frédéric Malle).

The goal was to "revive 'Azurēe | Estēe Lauder,' Estée, 'Knowing (Eau de Parfum) | Estēe Lauder,' Private Collection, and 'White Linen (Eau de Parfum) | Estēe Lauder' as 'museum pieces' with the help of talented perfumers."

However, simply swapping out individual notes does not work. Like in a game of Jenga, removing one note can cause the entire composition to collapse. Malle discovered that Estée lost warmth and richness without its honey note. So he kept it and enhanced the effect with an amber note.

I actually wanted to buy the whole collection as minis and Knowing Legacy in full size. Unfortunately, Estée Lauder USA does not ship abroad, and Harrods does not carry the five-piece mini set in their assortment.

The decision to limit myself to Knowing Legacy was easy: first, Knowing holds a special place in my heart - it was my very first perfume, which I bought as a teenager with the earnings from a summer job. And second, connoisseur Christi Long explained on Facebook that Knowing Legacy is the interpretation that is furthest from the original. And while I consider Knowing to be a great, timelessly elegant classic, I wanted something special for the substantial price, well, you know.

Knowing Legacy is a decidedly bold, dark, somewhat wicked interpretation. Iris, styrax, and labdanum give the fragrance a rock-inspired, modern feel, yet not at the expense of class and elegance.

Some who love Knowing Eau de Parfum will surely be disappointed by this rebirth. Personally, I am enchanted.

Frédéric Malle has reinterpreted the Knowing DNA in such a way that a wonderful tribute to Estée Lauder's life's work has emerged.

Lune Féline - when the wild, scruffy tomcat with scars that tell tales of adventurous battles encounters the noble Siamese cat with the pearl necklace in the pale light of the full moon.

Lune Féline - noble, subtly wicked, self-assured, never intrusive.

Marie Salamagne transports me with this flying carpet to another place and another time.

Great cinema - Nicole Kidman in “Eyes Wide Shut” could smell like this.

In 1992, this unique fragrance hit the market, establishing a new scent DNA and becoming a modern classic.

That was when my deep relationship with this perfume began. As a completely broke student, I read a glowing description by the great Luca Turin, bought Eau Timide (I could afford even less of the more intense versions...), and then applied it "timidement."

A few years later, I had a dragon of a boss who had chosen Feminité du Bois as her signature scent and slathered herself in it daily. You could smell her fantastic fragrance long before her nasty grin and thinning hair came into view, and her malicious comments (in Basel dialect) were within earshot...

After that, I couldn't wear the scent for several years until I managed to shake off that unpleasant association. That's why the sensually curved bottle of Eau Timide (nasty tongues call it "phallic") is still more than half full today.

And then I stumbled upon the Art Deco anniversary edition - and couldn't resist.

Feminité du Bois - the olfactory "Little Black Dress." Often copied, never matched. A tribute to femininity.

We were sitting at the venerable Okunoin Temple on a sultry summer night. The centuries-old cedars protected our silence, the incense of epochs enveloped us. Moonlight comforted me, and the chirping of the crickets reminded me to stay in the here and now.

My Love Has the Colour of the Night is probably the most Japanese fragrance I know. It always reminds me of that profound endless moment.

The opening is herbaceous-spicy, before Guaiac and Patchouli merge into a smoky note that carries a hint of amber and leather.

A scent far from the mainstream, yet wearable and elegant.

Marie-Louise was fed up. A change of scenery would definitely do her good after the ugly breakup with Stephan and the problems with her doctoral thesis. So the last-minute offer for a flight to Naples came just in time - it was pleasantly warm in Capri in May.

Upon arriving in Naples, Marie-Louise stocked up on summer dresses. In red checkered Capri pants, a sleeveless white top, and large sunglasses, she looked remarkably like Audrey Hepburn with her graceful figure, expressive eyes, and pixie haircut.

Once in Capri, her pace slowed to that of the locals and tourists. She enjoyed seafood and gelato with a view of the turquoise sea and wandered through the picturesque streets and along the breathtaking coast when - Dio mio! - her heel broke.

“Dov'è un calzolaio?” Marie-Louise asked a group of elderly women chatting in the idyllic village square (thankfully, she had picked up a bit in her Italian class despite the window seat). She followed the directions, her shoes in hand. The dull thumping of the cobbler came through the open door of the orange house behind two lemon trees.

She paused on the threshold. As her eyes adjusted to the dim light, Marie-Louise saw the craftsman with dark curls, immersed in his work as his slender fingers skillfully handled the suede boots. And then their eyes met…

Um, where were we? Oh yes, Rosendo Mateu #2. Just to say that H/S are excellent. The scent lasts all night - with or without the cobbler.