...Lately I have been exploring Keiko's releases. They are in stark contrast to what I have been collecting and wearing over the years.Keiko Mecheri employs subtlety while maintaining substance. If you happen to be looking for a fragrance or two that smells extremely good while respecting other peoples space, you should sample some of her line.

...Only a bit of Italian as my linguistics are limited to English.

...The reformulated "Or Black" by Morabito isn't season-specific like the original formula. It's still a substantial leather scent, but I can wear it year round."Pancaldi by Honorah" is a fougiental that is also year round and smells awesome."Santal Noble" and "Profumum Roma Santalum" are classic sandalwood fragrances that smell great no matter the season.

...I suppose once your in this crazy hobby long enough, you come to the conclusion that the only thing that matters is if what you are contemplating on purchasing smells great enough for you to own it.We all owe it to ourselves to be open to both designer and niche releases. After all, it only stands to reason that there's good and bad in both categories.The last few years, I have found ( by prodigious sampling ) that niche lines have gained the upper hand simply because they are more daring to release creations outside the proverbial box. Don't misconstrue this statement as derogatory toward designers per se. It's simply a matter of designer houses marketing more generic and safe fragrances that ( to me ) result in somewhat boring sample wears.Back in the day, designer houses WERE the measuring stick. They do release more economical scents compared to niche lines and not all niche is good ( regardless of the price). I admit that I gravitate toward the classics because of their boldness, yet these days, I find myself sampling mostly niche. I have smelled ( almost ) nothing designer as of late that would convince me to purchase.Do you feel as I do......or do you think designer fragrances are as good as they ever were?

...Keiko Mecheri's vintage Sanguine. Nice acquisition and glad to have it for warm weather.

...Flaconneur:I was cruising post in Basenotes when someone made mention to Parfumo International. I took a closer look and found that the perfume directory here was much more complete and more comprehensive. I thought it was worth a try.Same here. I believe the directory is superior and the site needs some time to develop.

...Y and Saharienne from Yves Saint LaurenT Love it!