Serenissima
Reviews
Filter & sort
Serenissima
Translated
Show original
just around the corner
Today we would say that Coco Chanel was a "guest in residence" at the Ritz Hotel in Paris.
She lived here for many years and had numerous affairs, including with the musician Igor Stravinsky.
His wife and four children moved into her house just outside the city, which she had bought for herself and her great love Boy Capel, who died far too young.
She wanted to live there with Boy during his stays on the continent as his "left-hand woman", as he was also married.
So now she was accommodated here by the rest of the Strawinsky family.
She even paid the housekeeping money for them every month: Igor, however, lived in her suite with her - as long as it suited her!
Of course, one day he was dumped too. He didn't want to leave, threatened her and the hotel's security service (as it would be called today) had to be called in.
Only a short time after his disappearance, Pablo Picasso stood outside her door grinning broadly: Yes, everything thrives on change!
But enough of the well-known and never-ending gossip about Mademoiselle; this is about a fragrance that bears the name "31 Rue Cambon" and refers to the house, just around the corner from the Ritz, where the company's headquarters are still located today.
Day after day, even in her old age, Mademoiselle, dressed all in black, with a small round black hat, deep dark red lipstick and a cigarette between her lips, could be seen on her short walk from the hotel to the center of her life, where she ruled with an iron hand: no one had it easy with her!
So it is actually logical that a fragrance composition should finally be named after her place of work; here in the "Les Exclusifes de Chanel" series.
"31 Rue Cambon": A green chypre fragrance set against the sea of houses in the city of Paris - what a charming idea from Jacques Polge.
A chypre in all its classic manifestation, in which the never-missing bergamot aroma has been tastefully embedded in lots of green and briefly sprinkled with black pepper; this opening already points to a stylishly lively creation.
The charming floral heart, excellently dosed from fragrant roses, proud iris and cheerful ylang-ylang with its summery honey aroma, also delights according to the "law of chypre fragrances".
Patchouli, earthy and warm, provides a great base for all this casual, very wearable elegance, with cistus also clearly leaving its resinous scent traces.
The straightforwardness of the then revolutionary fashion associated with the name Coco Chanel was so skillfully translated into fragrance in "31 Rue Cambon".
A brief digression in passing:
When you think of her, you automatically think of the famous "little black dress" and the likewise black, short box jacket with which she went down in fashion history and which can still be found in fashion collections.
There was even a very interesting photo exhibition entitled "Little Black Jacket":
Karl Lagerfeld had photographed this garment on over seventy different models. The centerpiece was a large color photo with Claudia Schiffer; the majority of the photos are in black and white and therefore particularly attractive to look at.
Never before has a disused Berlin subway shaft been so well visited!
But probably the most famous "little black dress" is by Hubert de Givenchy and is worn by Audrey Hepburn in the movie "Breakfast at Tiffany's".
But back to the actual topic:
there are no limits to "31 Rue Cambon"; this fragrance is what you could call a classic "all-rounder".
Stylish yet with a casual elegance, it really does go with everything and is an adorned companion at any time of day and on any occasion, with a rich sillage and quite appropriate longevity.
You don't really need more than "31 Rue de Cambon" for a day in Paris; the rest can be bought there: There is an "emergency address" on the flacon.
She lived here for many years and had numerous affairs, including with the musician Igor Stravinsky.
His wife and four children moved into her house just outside the city, which she had bought for herself and her great love Boy Capel, who died far too young.
She wanted to live there with Boy during his stays on the continent as his "left-hand woman", as he was also married.
So now she was accommodated here by the rest of the Strawinsky family.
She even paid the housekeeping money for them every month: Igor, however, lived in her suite with her - as long as it suited her!
Of course, one day he was dumped too. He didn't want to leave, threatened her and the hotel's security service (as it would be called today) had to be called in.
Only a short time after his disappearance, Pablo Picasso stood outside her door grinning broadly: Yes, everything thrives on change!
But enough of the well-known and never-ending gossip about Mademoiselle; this is about a fragrance that bears the name "31 Rue Cambon" and refers to the house, just around the corner from the Ritz, where the company's headquarters are still located today.
Day after day, even in her old age, Mademoiselle, dressed all in black, with a small round black hat, deep dark red lipstick and a cigarette between her lips, could be seen on her short walk from the hotel to the center of her life, where she ruled with an iron hand: no one had it easy with her!
So it is actually logical that a fragrance composition should finally be named after her place of work; here in the "Les Exclusifes de Chanel" series.
"31 Rue Cambon": A green chypre fragrance set against the sea of houses in the city of Paris - what a charming idea from Jacques Polge.
A chypre in all its classic manifestation, in which the never-missing bergamot aroma has been tastefully embedded in lots of green and briefly sprinkled with black pepper; this opening already points to a stylishly lively creation.
The charming floral heart, excellently dosed from fragrant roses, proud iris and cheerful ylang-ylang with its summery honey aroma, also delights according to the "law of chypre fragrances".
Patchouli, earthy and warm, provides a great base for all this casual, very wearable elegance, with cistus also clearly leaving its resinous scent traces.
The straightforwardness of the then revolutionary fashion associated with the name Coco Chanel was so skillfully translated into fragrance in "31 Rue Cambon".
A brief digression in passing:
When you think of her, you automatically think of the famous "little black dress" and the likewise black, short box jacket with which she went down in fashion history and which can still be found in fashion collections.
There was even a very interesting photo exhibition entitled "Little Black Jacket":
Karl Lagerfeld had photographed this garment on over seventy different models. The centerpiece was a large color photo with Claudia Schiffer; the majority of the photos are in black and white and therefore particularly attractive to look at.
Never before has a disused Berlin subway shaft been so well visited!
But probably the most famous "little black dress" is by Hubert de Givenchy and is worn by Audrey Hepburn in the movie "Breakfast at Tiffany's".
But back to the actual topic:
there are no limits to "31 Rue Cambon"; this fragrance is what you could call a classic "all-rounder".
Stylish yet with a casual elegance, it really does go with everything and is an adorned companion at any time of day and on any occasion, with a rich sillage and quite appropriate longevity.
You don't really need more than "31 Rue de Cambon" for a day in Paris; the rest can be bought there: There is an "emergency address" on the flacon.
10 Comments
Translated
Show original
Rose morning light
Lutetia - Lutèce - Paris: the city on the Seine is named after all of these things.
Caesar already conquered Lutetia - Asterix readers will remember that our Gallic friends marched to the rescue of the city in one volume.
"Lutèce", the City of Light, gave its name to a Dana brand fragrance and I also remember that Yves St. Laurent launched a fragrance of the same name (in a slender purple glass bottle and named after this City of Light). I wonder what happened to it?
Or did it quietly and secretly become "Paris", a companion that is still very popular today?
The "City of Light": we find it again in Chanel's "Paris - Paris", a fragrance from the "Les Eaux de Chanel" series, which I had the pleasure of testing.
Thank you once again for the generous bottling.
It is written: "Paris - Paris" is the city of light at sunrise, when the nightly shadows retreat, the first café au lait, the first, still warm, butter-scented croissant at the small table in front of the bistro on the corner.
(after a quote from the house of Chanel.)
"Paris - Paris", these are awakening roses, kissed by Aurora, not yet unfolding their full fragrance intensity in the freshness of the morning.
Is this why "Paris - Paris" is a rose fragrance that is initially perceived as rather cool?
Or are the bizzling aromas of pink pepper and the effervescence of summery ripe citrus fruits cooling here?
It is somewhat reminiscent of citrus-scented rose champagne in the morning - pourquoi pas?
In any case, "Paris - Paris" is a sparkling rose fragrance that prepares you for the magic of a richly scented day with a lively charm all its own.
It also warms up, becomes rounder, and when patchouli with its golden-brown earthy shimmer finally enters the stage, a richly scented rose light lies over everything: enveloping and enchanting!
You don't have to be a proven lover of this city or this brand; a love of rose fragrances in all their diversity is completely sufficient here, or it may even develop as you get to know this composition better.
In keeping with the name of the "Les Eaux des Chanel" series, this creation by Olivier Polge does not have the exceptional longevity of the usual rose fragrances, but is extremely rich and long-lasting for a "scented water".
This allows the roses to fully blossom on the skin over time and envelop it with the casual elegance that once characterized Mademoiselle Coco Chanel's dresses.
"Paris - Paris": full of Parisian charm and lightness, gracefully translated into fragrance.
"Paris awakens ..." is the German text of a well-known French chanson.
Now we too can experience the magic of this moment, awakened by the morning goddess Aurora and captured by Chanel in the flacon
Even more: "Paris - Paris" accompanies us gracefully through the day, the fresh baguette under our arm, surrounded by the rose breath and shimmering light of this city.
Caesar already conquered Lutetia - Asterix readers will remember that our Gallic friends marched to the rescue of the city in one volume.
"Lutèce", the City of Light, gave its name to a Dana brand fragrance and I also remember that Yves St. Laurent launched a fragrance of the same name (in a slender purple glass bottle and named after this City of Light). I wonder what happened to it?
Or did it quietly and secretly become "Paris", a companion that is still very popular today?
The "City of Light": we find it again in Chanel's "Paris - Paris", a fragrance from the "Les Eaux de Chanel" series, which I had the pleasure of testing.
Thank you once again for the generous bottling.
It is written: "Paris - Paris" is the city of light at sunrise, when the nightly shadows retreat, the first café au lait, the first, still warm, butter-scented croissant at the small table in front of the bistro on the corner.
(after a quote from the house of Chanel.)
"Paris - Paris", these are awakening roses, kissed by Aurora, not yet unfolding their full fragrance intensity in the freshness of the morning.
Is this why "Paris - Paris" is a rose fragrance that is initially perceived as rather cool?
Or are the bizzling aromas of pink pepper and the effervescence of summery ripe citrus fruits cooling here?
It is somewhat reminiscent of citrus-scented rose champagne in the morning - pourquoi pas?
In any case, "Paris - Paris" is a sparkling rose fragrance that prepares you for the magic of a richly scented day with a lively charm all its own.
It also warms up, becomes rounder, and when patchouli with its golden-brown earthy shimmer finally enters the stage, a richly scented rose light lies over everything: enveloping and enchanting!
You don't have to be a proven lover of this city or this brand; a love of rose fragrances in all their diversity is completely sufficient here, or it may even develop as you get to know this composition better.
In keeping with the name of the "Les Eaux des Chanel" series, this creation by Olivier Polge does not have the exceptional longevity of the usual rose fragrances, but is extremely rich and long-lasting for a "scented water".
This allows the roses to fully blossom on the skin over time and envelop it with the casual elegance that once characterized Mademoiselle Coco Chanel's dresses.
"Paris - Paris": full of Parisian charm and lightness, gracefully translated into fragrance.
"Paris awakens ..." is the German text of a well-known French chanson.
Now we too can experience the magic of this moment, awakened by the morning goddess Aurora and captured by Chanel in the flacon
Even more: "Paris - Paris" accompanies us gracefully through the day, the fresh baguette under our arm, surrounded by the rose breath and shimmering light of this city.
12 Comments
Translated
Show original
my very private May Day
Theodor Fontane describes the day, in particular the evening before Whit Sunday, as "Whitsun Eve" in his famous "Walks" in the Oderbruch region.
He uses it for a long walk, enjoying the open view over wide meadows and forests, still clothed in the most varied shades of green of early summer, interrupted here and there by bright patches of chestnut candles and robinia flower clusters.
Early evening silence lies over everything, interrupted only by the "six o'clock ringing" of the churches in the villages nestled in the greenery, which makes you pause and listen: Listening to the vibrations of the awakening nature with its touching surprises for all the senses.
He describes this moment so intimately, so privately, that I am reminded of a long-forgotten fragrance by Yves Rocher that I did not appreciate at the time: I was exploring other, more exciting scents for me.
That's why I'm particularly happy to have been given the opportunity for a second chance and to have found another miniature among all its little fragrance siblings; the contents haven't changed.
This is a very pleasing addition: most of Yves Rocher's fragrances show great consistency, rarely changing over the years: they remain true to themselves!
Thus, after a short time on my skin, "Vie Privée" presents me with a lovingly composed bouquet of seasonal flowers under a fine, tastefully dosed musk-sandalwood veil.
The almost fragile beauty of orange blossom and freesia harmonizes beautifully, two very graceful fragrance building blocks whose quiet beauty always gives me great pleasure to encounter.
These noble classics of many compositions are also shown here in their not yet too mature but already fragrant bloom.
They have not yet awoken from hibernation, stretching out towards the light and sun, opening their flower heads and sending out their fragrance full of delight at the rebirth of nature.
Radiant jasmine blossoms, almost innocent in their white-green robes and golden faces, radiate cheerfulness together with ylang-ylang.
Not quite as noble as the ladies rose and iris, but they all make the heart soar with joy and rediscover all this, as if for the first time in life.
The aforementioned veil of musk and sandalwood accents adds depth and slightly animalic warmth, which is still very welcome at such an early point in the season.
How unpretentious and at the same time beautiful "Vie Privée" was created: As a charming everyday companion that underlines the personality, light on its feet and yet so perfect in its very own grace.
I don't expect more in terms of sillage and longevity from an eau de toilette and am therefore not disappointed: early summer lightness and cheerfulness dominate here in the form of a lovingly composed floral bouquet.
In my younger years, I consciously experienced the era of pompous, opulent works of fragrance art and allowed myself to be carried away and seduced by them: they still enchant me today!
But from case to case, having grown older and more fragile and thin-skinned myself, I prefer the quiet, harmonious tones that I find in a part of the great world of fragrance that I never entered back then.
So today, on May 1st, there is a reason to celebrate spring, the coming summer, full of fragrance!
Not with lily of the valley this time - but please don't forget: Today is "Lily of the Valley Day"! -but with the wonderful bouquet of flowers that was presented to us years ago by the perfumers on behalf of Yves Rocher and is still very welcome.
He uses it for a long walk, enjoying the open view over wide meadows and forests, still clothed in the most varied shades of green of early summer, interrupted here and there by bright patches of chestnut candles and robinia flower clusters.
Early evening silence lies over everything, interrupted only by the "six o'clock ringing" of the churches in the villages nestled in the greenery, which makes you pause and listen: Listening to the vibrations of the awakening nature with its touching surprises for all the senses.
He describes this moment so intimately, so privately, that I am reminded of a long-forgotten fragrance by Yves Rocher that I did not appreciate at the time: I was exploring other, more exciting scents for me.
That's why I'm particularly happy to have been given the opportunity for a second chance and to have found another miniature among all its little fragrance siblings; the contents haven't changed.
This is a very pleasing addition: most of Yves Rocher's fragrances show great consistency, rarely changing over the years: they remain true to themselves!
Thus, after a short time on my skin, "Vie Privée" presents me with a lovingly composed bouquet of seasonal flowers under a fine, tastefully dosed musk-sandalwood veil.
The almost fragile beauty of orange blossom and freesia harmonizes beautifully, two very graceful fragrance building blocks whose quiet beauty always gives me great pleasure to encounter.
These noble classics of many compositions are also shown here in their not yet too mature but already fragrant bloom.
They have not yet awoken from hibernation, stretching out towards the light and sun, opening their flower heads and sending out their fragrance full of delight at the rebirth of nature.
Radiant jasmine blossoms, almost innocent in their white-green robes and golden faces, radiate cheerfulness together with ylang-ylang.
Not quite as noble as the ladies rose and iris, but they all make the heart soar with joy and rediscover all this, as if for the first time in life.
The aforementioned veil of musk and sandalwood accents adds depth and slightly animalic warmth, which is still very welcome at such an early point in the season.
How unpretentious and at the same time beautiful "Vie Privée" was created: As a charming everyday companion that underlines the personality, light on its feet and yet so perfect in its very own grace.
I don't expect more in terms of sillage and longevity from an eau de toilette and am therefore not disappointed: early summer lightness and cheerfulness dominate here in the form of a lovingly composed floral bouquet.
In my younger years, I consciously experienced the era of pompous, opulent works of fragrance art and allowed myself to be carried away and seduced by them: they still enchant me today!
But from case to case, having grown older and more fragile and thin-skinned myself, I prefer the quiet, harmonious tones that I find in a part of the great world of fragrance that I never entered back then.
So today, on May 1st, there is a reason to celebrate spring, the coming summer, full of fragrance!
Not with lily of the valley this time - but please don't forget: Today is "Lily of the Valley Day"! -but with the wonderful bouquet of flowers that was presented to us years ago by the perfumers on behalf of Yves Rocher and is still very welcome.
7 Comments
Translated
Show original
magical, smoky darkness
It's been here for a long time, this bottling from my dear friend Can777, and like many others he chose for me, it took me some time, including a few attempts at writing, to approach "Osang" from Mendittora's "Talismans Collection":
That's how complex this fragrance is, so deep and strongly touching the senses.
Now seems to be the right time; perhaps it is spring with all the incipient life that gives me access to a fragrance prelude, clover-infused flowering meadow with many playfully feeding insects.
Some bright tones in the otherwise sustained minor scent concert: even if this spring and summer meadow matures in the course of the fragrance, the still fresh floral green becomes fragrant hay and the bees' harvest becomes rich, creamy and golden honey.
Only heliotrope with its vanilla veil resists this change until it magically interweaves with the powdery summer beauty of the proud iris and thus spreads the net for the spicy and resinous-smoky variety that now follows.
This is also where the brightness of this composition ends; from now on, dark tones and sounds dominate the fragrance that spreads leisurely across the skin.
Styrax resin still carries a hint of vanilla, adding brief light effects to the incipient wafts of smoke from precious and delicious resins, the selection of which may take some getting used to.
Benzoin and labdanum meet golden-brown chunks of myrrh, veils of frankincense and amber marry with the striking, familiar musky-animalic: this rich smoke, richly spiced with nutmeg and pepper, awakens the senses, beguiles them or brushes them against the grain, possibly even repels them - this varies depending on the mood of the day!
Heavy wafts of oud set fragrance highlights before astonishingly creamy sandalwood accords together with Peru balsam ensure a soft, fully floating final note.
Any unevenness in the development of the fragrance is smoothed out, creating a distant feeling of well-being.
"Osang" also offered me its barbs for a long time, which I couldn't get to grips with at all; I never managed to get anywhere near the harmonious finale of the fragrance.
I am currently on a journey from the green, blooming resurrection to the resinous, very strongly spiced darkness, deep inside the earth with all its questions and magic!
Does this "talisman" hold a memory of what has been or/and of what is to be expected?
Rich sillage and the duration of the shelf life give you the opportunity to think about it.
"Osang" is no everyday fragrance companion, no mere passing encounter.
Rather, it opens the door to a place of contemplation, a capsule for pausing, lingering and finding oneself.
That's how complex this fragrance is, so deep and strongly touching the senses.
Now seems to be the right time; perhaps it is spring with all the incipient life that gives me access to a fragrance prelude, clover-infused flowering meadow with many playfully feeding insects.
Some bright tones in the otherwise sustained minor scent concert: even if this spring and summer meadow matures in the course of the fragrance, the still fresh floral green becomes fragrant hay and the bees' harvest becomes rich, creamy and golden honey.
Only heliotrope with its vanilla veil resists this change until it magically interweaves with the powdery summer beauty of the proud iris and thus spreads the net for the spicy and resinous-smoky variety that now follows.
This is also where the brightness of this composition ends; from now on, dark tones and sounds dominate the fragrance that spreads leisurely across the skin.
Styrax resin still carries a hint of vanilla, adding brief light effects to the incipient wafts of smoke from precious and delicious resins, the selection of which may take some getting used to.
Benzoin and labdanum meet golden-brown chunks of myrrh, veils of frankincense and amber marry with the striking, familiar musky-animalic: this rich smoke, richly spiced with nutmeg and pepper, awakens the senses, beguiles them or brushes them against the grain, possibly even repels them - this varies depending on the mood of the day!
Heavy wafts of oud set fragrance highlights before astonishingly creamy sandalwood accords together with Peru balsam ensure a soft, fully floating final note.
Any unevenness in the development of the fragrance is smoothed out, creating a distant feeling of well-being.
"Osang" also offered me its barbs for a long time, which I couldn't get to grips with at all; I never managed to get anywhere near the harmonious finale of the fragrance.
I am currently on a journey from the green, blooming resurrection to the resinous, very strongly spiced darkness, deep inside the earth with all its questions and magic!
Does this "talisman" hold a memory of what has been or/and of what is to be expected?
Rich sillage and the duration of the shelf life give you the opportunity to think about it.
"Osang" is no everyday fragrance companion, no mere passing encounter.
Rather, it opens the door to a place of contemplation, a capsule for pausing, lingering and finding oneself.
6 Comments
Translated
Show original
first digging in the mud, then a balmy Mediterranean feeling
Dark beaches: I don't even know how many of them there might be; after all, the term "beach" here always means a smaller or larger stretch of light-colored, sometimes even almost white sand by the sea.
I do remember reading once about a "black beach" somewhere in Scandinavia, but I can't really imagine it yet.
So after the first spray of "Birdie", I'm digging in the dark, heavy patchouli soil, somewhere on the Mediterranean, infused with the vetiver that so often accompanies this fragrance:
So I am surrounded by very familiar scents that I like.
But suddenly I encounter something surprising:
Spicy, woody, almost tangy (fermented?) greenery jumps out at me: Was this probably where chopped waste from plants, bushes and wood was dumped and collected?
The scent of lavender in various forms of wood, leaf and blossom certainly seems to be present; we have known each other quite well for some time.
However, something similar to camphor or wormwood is striking and at first also frightening: a surge of dark green, very bitter aroma immediately hits my nose, seems to be aromatherapeutically active there and before I can really shake myself, "Birdie" becomes pleasantly balsamic and quite supple.
Now I feel surprisingly comfortable and let myself drift, so that I can also perceive slowly developing, distinctly maritime notes.
Seawater with all its interesting components seems very close; I can almost hear the waves crashing and feel the wind; it's more than just a light breeze.
So I trudge barefoot, eating a ripe, juicy apple, through now soft sand that joins this damp patchouli vetiver earth with rich green inclusions and let myself be accompanied by a very austere and powerful composition that reveals itself to me over time in a very pleasant and soothing way.
XerJoff's "Birdie" is very rustic, takes a lot of getting used to, but is also very interesting in its fragrance development.
At first, the patchouli is heavy and familiar, followed by a powerful green "rumble", a kind of explosion of dark, very bitter plant and woody aromas that takes up a lot of space until the emerging creation becomes balsamic and takes you to an enchanted sandy place on the Mediterranean coast.
I am pleasantly surprised at how this fragrance chameleon develops as I wear it: It is more than just a mere arrangement, a deep sympathy develops for this fragrance creature.
So my curiosity led me down a completely different, but not entirely foreign path; after all, I've been into aromatherapy for a long time.
Maybe that's why we harmonize so well!
I do remember reading once about a "black beach" somewhere in Scandinavia, but I can't really imagine it yet.
So after the first spray of "Birdie", I'm digging in the dark, heavy patchouli soil, somewhere on the Mediterranean, infused with the vetiver that so often accompanies this fragrance:
So I am surrounded by very familiar scents that I like.
But suddenly I encounter something surprising:
Spicy, woody, almost tangy (fermented?) greenery jumps out at me: Was this probably where chopped waste from plants, bushes and wood was dumped and collected?
The scent of lavender in various forms of wood, leaf and blossom certainly seems to be present; we have known each other quite well for some time.
However, something similar to camphor or wormwood is striking and at first also frightening: a surge of dark green, very bitter aroma immediately hits my nose, seems to be aromatherapeutically active there and before I can really shake myself, "Birdie" becomes pleasantly balsamic and quite supple.
Now I feel surprisingly comfortable and let myself drift, so that I can also perceive slowly developing, distinctly maritime notes.
Seawater with all its interesting components seems very close; I can almost hear the waves crashing and feel the wind; it's more than just a light breeze.
So I trudge barefoot, eating a ripe, juicy apple, through now soft sand that joins this damp patchouli vetiver earth with rich green inclusions and let myself be accompanied by a very austere and powerful composition that reveals itself to me over time in a very pleasant and soothing way.
XerJoff's "Birdie" is very rustic, takes a lot of getting used to, but is also very interesting in its fragrance development.
At first, the patchouli is heavy and familiar, followed by a powerful green "rumble", a kind of explosion of dark, very bitter plant and woody aromas that takes up a lot of space until the emerging creation becomes balsamic and takes you to an enchanted sandy place on the Mediterranean coast.
I am pleasantly surprised at how this fragrance chameleon develops as I wear it: It is more than just a mere arrangement, a deep sympathy develops for this fragrance creature.
So my curiosity led me down a completely different, but not entirely foreign path; after all, I've been into aromatherapy for a long time.
Maybe that's why we harmonize so well!
7 Comments
