Launches To Love

LAUNCHES TO LOVE

We get extraordinarily excited about new fragrances launches, because there truly is nothing like switching up your scents to bring about an immediate change of mood. And more than this, focusing on some newly launched fragrances gives us an overview of olfactory trends, a way of keeping our fingers (and noses!) on the pulse-point of everything that’s happening in the perfume world. Because we understand it can be so difficult to keep track, we’ve curated this Launches To Love box with a mind to sniffing out those fragrances we believe you will fall in love with, just as we have. There are also some other independent niche and luxury houses represented in our choices, who perhaps you’ve not come across or had time to try on your skin. That’s why we love sending these launches straight to your home – so you can give them the time both they and you deserve! So, grab a drink, get comfortable, and while you are spritzing, here are some notes to help guide you through your sniff-athon about the Launches To Love...

ARgENTUM BECOME

FRAGRANCE FAMILY: FRESH

TOP NOTES: Italian bergamot, rosewood, geranium leaves

HEART NOTES: nutmeg, rose

BASE NOTES: Indian sandalwood, Indonesian patchouli, moss

ARgENTUM fragrances explore ‘archetypes’ of characters evolving from the elements that surround us, inviting you to either pick a card (online or in store) and be matched with your scent, or to smell them all and choose in a more traditional way. Here, we’ve chosen Become as it was the fragrance that launched the entire collection. Beginning life as the signature scent of their silver-infused, wellnessled and award-winning skincare; Become urges you to attune to your innermost needs. Grounding with the earthy notes of the base, yet invigoratingly fresh with citrus and verdant leafiness, the spices and woods meld on the skin to create an every day new you, no matter who you feel drawn to being.

Founder Joy Isaacs has always been interested in skincare and beauty, but ‘Fragrance goes back further.’ Her entrepreneurial spirit and problemsolving nature surfaced, because although she was in love with scent, Joy explains that she was "super-sensitive to some of the overpowering ones." Initially (and understandably) at first this meant Joy was "…very hesitant to allow scent into our products" because "some synthetic fragrances would give me headaches and make me feel quite unsettled. But we went to France and met Delphine, our perfumer, who worked in natural and organic fragrances, and it just felt right." Incredibly gentle on skin thanks to their unique milky and alcohol-free base, these are scents that don’t overwhelm you –they cocoon and protect you, inviting you to explore your own multitude ‘archetypes’ in fragrant form.

SMELLING NOTES:

EXPLORE: ARgENTUM Become

• What image comes immediately to mind as you wear Become…?

• Have you worn an alcohol-free fragrance? Do you enjoy the texture?

• What mood does Become evoke, for you personally?

• When would you feel Become might help you most to wear?

• Which three words best sum up Become for you? Grounding? Inspiring? Mystical? Over to you…

From £228 for 70 ml eau de parfum argentumapothecary.com

D’OTTO

7

FRAGRANCE FAMILY: FOUGÈRE

TOP NOTES: Sicilian grapefruit, Sorrento lemon, Calabrian bergamot, Basilicata petitgrain

HEART NOTES: orange blossom, sage, Garda lavender, thyme

BASE NOTES: sandalwood, Tahitian vetiver, musk, ambergris, Cambodian oudh

Taking artistic inspiration from Jackson Pollock’s iconic Number 31 painting, the composition of the fragrance has been carefully balanced to express the colours and textures of the canvas – truly making the connection of fine perfumery as an art form (something we have long believed at The Perfume Society!) Here, the traditional structure of the fougère fragrance has been given a thoroughly aquatic feel. The talented third-generation Italian perfumer, Paolo Terenzi, explains that he wanted to create '…the expression of the harmony of chaos in a drop of perfect emotion.' Citrus notes depict white paint flecks while Lake Garda lavender and sage bring natural tones of green, Cambodian oudh and ambergris pick out the darker splashes. Fizzing with optimistic harmony, it so brilliantly balances these notes to create waves of vibrant equilibrium throughout the day.

For their debut collection, D’OTTO chose to express abstract art through their fragrances, founder and perfumer Paolo selecting his favourite artworks throughout history and using the synaesthetic feelings the colours, materials and brushstrokes of the artist give, making these wearable pieces of art in themselves. Truly a modern Renaissance man, Paolo calls himself an ‘unconventional storyteller’ and musician; and with a professional background that also includes a degree in law and philosophy, studies in chemistry and physics and a lifelong passion for poetry. What’s more, the artistry runs in the family, as Paolo can trace his artistic inclinations back through his family’s bloodline, to 15th Century Rimini.

SMELLING NOTES:

EXPLORE: D’OTTO 1 + 7

• Allow yourself to think of the colours and textures this scent evokes…

• What painting (or other medium) would you create, based on it?

• Do the ingredients conjure an Italian landscape for you?

• Can you sense the ‘aquatic’ feeling Paolo wanted for the composition?

• Which three words best sum up 1+7 for you? Artistic? Multifaceted? Textural? Over to you…

From £275 for 100 ml EXTRAIT de parfum selfridges.com

SALVATORE FERRAGAMO SIGNORINA LIBERA

FRAGRANCE FAMILY: FLORAL

TOP NOTES: bergamot, pear, elemi

HEART NOTES: orris, rose, plum

BASE NOTES: pink sugar, ambroxan, cashmeran

Jérôme Epinette adds a delicious luminosity to this latest fruity, floral and oh-so fun fragrance, the bergamot and elemi zipping through the lusciously juicy pear notes in the opening whoosh, while the bouquet appears in the heart and the addictive base swoons with delight. Think sunshine illuminating an Italian street, a confident woman walking insouciantly about her day, stopping now and again to buy from local market stalls. Signorina Libera is all about celebrating freedom, being whomever you wish and living life your own way. So, let’s have her wearing a lemon tulle ballgown in the day, just because. She gathers armfuls of roses, dusts fresh plums with pink powdered sugar and twirls with abandon, empowered by sunlight and optimism.

Today, Salvatore Ferragamo is a global luxury brand. But its roots are quite humble – and fascinating. Salvatore Ferragamo was a farmer’s boy from Bonito, a small village 100 kilometres south of Naples, whose ticket to a new life in America happened to be a way with leather. When his family couldn’t afford a pair of white shoes for his sister’s confirmation, Salvatore had a go. Clearly a natural, he went on to create over 20,000 styles, for stars such as Audrey Hepburn, Sophia Lauren, Lauren Bacall, Greta Garbo and Marilyn Monroe. The fragrances are equally Italian style personified, eternally youthful in spirit and with the classic grosgrain ribbon on the bottles echoing Ferragamo’s bestselling ‘Vera’ shoe design. Bellissima!

SMELLING NOTES:

EXPLORE: Salvatore

Ferragamo Signorina Libera

• Where in the world would you like to wear this scent?

• Imagine the bespoke shoes you’d have made to accompany Signorina Libera’s outfit…

• Which of the fruity notes do you notice first, on your skin?

• And what of the floral heart –when does it appear, for you?

• Which three words best sum up Signorina Libera for you? Joyful? Optimistic? Mediterranean? Over to you… From £100 for 100 ml eau de parfum eu.ferragamo.com

SALVATORE FERRAGAMO SIGNORINA LIBERA

LALIQUE SOLEIL

FRAGRANCE FAMILY: SOLAR FLORAL

TOP NOTES: mandarin, cardamom, bitter almond

HEART NOTES: pear granita, jasmine

BASE NOTES: musk, sandalwood, pink praline

LALIQUE SOLEIL

Like the sunshine streaming through your window, Soleil immediately puts a smile on your face. The cool, intriguing scent of cardamom is softened by mandarin and mouth-watering pear granita while the heart is a delicious swirl of modern gourmand notes – bitter almonds, pink praline and an addictively creamy café latte accord. But don’t worry if you’re not keen on sweet scents, this is the opposite of cloying, having light-filled jasmine skilfully woven through the whole scent. A scent that smells like radiance personified, in a bottle shaped like the rays of the sun (we guarantee you’ll be staring at it if you purchase a full size. We adore ours!) this is one to wear when you need a hit of happiness that lasts.

The brand’s founder, crystal artisan René Lalique, was one of the first people to mix precious gemstones with glass in his objet d’art for greater artistic freedom and innovative results. Revolutionising the fragrance world with his designs, his love of beauty, artistry and maverick spirit lives on in the stunning modern evocations of Lalique’s soul to this day in all that they do. We feel Lalique’s mastery of capturing light is particularly reflected in Soleil – a wearable ray of sunshine whenever you need it most.

SMELLING NOTES:

EXPLORE: Lalique Soleil

• With what outfit would you wear this scent?

• Does the bottle reflect the fragrance inside?

• Which floral notes do you notice first on your skin?

• Do you think this is a modern fragrance? Why?

• Which three words best sum up Soleil Lalique for you? Bright? Happy? Solar? Over to you…

From £110 for 100 ml eau de parfum lalique.com

MAISON CRIVELLI NEROLI NASIMBA

FRAGRANCE FAMILY: FLORAL

TOP NOTES: mandarin, pink peppercorn, cardamom

HEART NOTE: neroli, petitgrain, orange blossom

BASE NOTE: Saffiano Leather, vetiver

MAISON CRIVELLI NEROLI NASIMBA

Inspired by a safari trek where orange blossom suffused the air, here is a fragrance to take your nose on an adventure. Neroli Nasimba is a magnificent juxtaposition of contrasts and, using unexpected notes, continues the always fascinating fragrances from this house (which we predict will go on to conquer the fragrance world with their multilayered and inventive scents). In this launch we find oodles of orange blossom and luminous mandarin contrasted with the cool spice of cardamom and deep, animalic purr of Saffiano leather. Created in collaboration with Paul Guerlain, this is an absolute must-sniff and, we predict again, a forever-love for warmer days or, conversely, when you crave that soul-swooning, bone dry heat.

Thibaud Crivelli founded Maison Crivelli in 2018, making it his mission to open up the communication channels of the fragrance world, inviting people ‘to slow down and take a moment for themselves,’ so that you’re able to be surprised again – to be re-connected to your sense of smell and the emotional responses you experience.’ Having grown up in France, spending his childhood summers on the French Riviera; later, Thibaud studied in Paris before moving to China in 2006, then travelling in various Asian countries for the next 10 years. Considering that the previous three generations of Crivellis had traversed five continents, and with music, art and foods sampled from a wide variety of those cultures, it’s perhaps only natural that he, too, became a sensorial adventurer.

SMELLING NOTES:

EXPLORE: Maison Crivelli

Neroli Nasimba

• Can you feel heat shimmering in this scent? Which notes evoke this?

• Have you tried leather fragrances previously? How does this differ?

• When does the orange blossom become most noticeable for you?

• What occasion or time of day would you feel happiest wearing this?

• Which three words best sum up Neroli Nasimba for you? Sultry? Adventurous? Surprising? Over to you… From £180 for 100 ml eau de parfum harveynichols.com

MAYA NJIE TOBAK

FRAGRANCE FAMILY: WOODY

TOP NOTES: tobacco leaf, vetiver

HEART NOTE: cinnamon

BASE NOTES: musk, leather

In Tobak, your new fragrance love will be ramped up via the beguiling honeyed smokiness of the tobacco leaf, a trail of animalic musks and leather resonating many hours later, meaning our noses (and yours, we are sure) will be firmly glued to your wrists as you wear it. The heat of your skin seems to carry Tobak in a haze around you, a personal cloak of perfumed protection, we feel, which resonates deeply with wafts of the cinnamon spicing the warm air. Both transportive, in that it takes you somewhere else, yet reassuringly familiar, in that Tobak has a sense of assuredness and comfort amidst the simmering sensuality it grants the wearer. A fragrance for abandoning the maps and compasses, and simply following your heart (or where your nose takes you)…

Maya Njie (pronounced ‘N-Jai’) has diverse familial and artistic roots, having been born in Västerås Sweden, with a West African heritage, and moving to London in her teens where she studied at the University of the Arts. Weaving together these threads via the medium of the senses, Maya began experimenting with smell alongside the visual mediums of colour and photography. Using her experience as an artist, Maya also designed the perfumes’ packaging, drawing on ‘the dreamy colour ways’ of her family’s photo album once again. Right from the start, these are scents that have not only sprung from Maya Njie’s imagination but have captured other people’s: when we wear them, our own memories and emotional connection ruins are triggered.

SMELLING NOTES:

EXPLORE: Maya Njie Tobak

• Where in the world does this fragrance take you?

• Do you agree that this is a woody scent?

• Can you smell cinnamon straight away or does it evolve?

• What music springs to mind when wearing this scent?

• Which three words best sum up Tobak for you? Expressive? Comforting? Individual? Over to you…

From £95 for 50 ml eau de parfum mayanjie.com

MEMOIZE LONDON CONCORDIA

FRAGRANCE FAMILY: FRUITY FLORAL

TOP NOTES: orange, pink peppercorn, pomegranate, bergamot

HEART NOTES: green fig, plum, jasmine, orris, magnolia, cinnamon

BASE NOTES: patchouli, vanilla, white musk, vetiver

Gorgeously described as being ‘The essence of harmony and accord. In the toughest of times, your trusted inner monologue whispered, "be still" - and so you found peace. Despite life’s greatest challenges and difficult moments, your inner smile, sense of composure and stability has always shone through.’ Garnering that inner strength through beauty, a bounty of fruitfulness bathes the floral heart in succulence before the blossoms bloom. Jasmine petals and magnolia burst free, lightly dusted in powdery orris and juxtaposed with green fig sprinkled in cinnamon. Sheer patchouli greets us in the base – a rounded, softly musky trail smoothly enfolded in a silky vanilla, all perfectly grounded in soothing vetiver. Sublime!

Holly Hutchinson founded Memoize London in 2016, but her heart started beating faster for fragrance far earlier – at the age of seven, to be precise. On her birthday, she was gifted her very first set of miniature perfumes. As her mother was ‘an avid collector of unusual scents’, perfumes were almost indelibly linked to scented snapshots of Holly’s childhood memories. ‘A French holiday in the sun, a ride across the waves by boat, venturing through trees in a garden of ferns and laurels…’ The album of scent memories was filling up fast, and we are thrilled she shares them with us in these fragrances…

SMELLING NOTES:

EXPLORE: Memoize London Concordia

• What specific scent memories does Concordia conjure for you?

• Which of the fruity notes do you find you’re most drawn to?

• Do you wear fragrances to feel peaceful? How does this make you feel?

• If you created a perfume house, what would your inspiration be?

• Which three words best sum up Concordia for you? Soothing? Friendly? Delicious? Over to you…

From £177 for 100 ml eau de parfum memoizeperfume.com

MICHAEL KORS GORGEOUS!

FRAGRANCE FAMILY: FLORAL

TOP NOTES: pink peppercorn, bergamot oil, mandarin oil

HEART NOTES: jasmine sambac, tobacco accord, tuberose, ylang ylang, orange flower

BASE NOTES: cashmeran, tonka bean absolute, cedar wood heart, guaiac wood oil, styrax, benzoin, suede accord

MICHAEL KORS GORGEOUS!

With white flowers of tuberose, jasmine sambac and ylang ylang at its heart, Gorgeous! is exactly that. Unapologetic in making itself noticed this is a blend of optimism and confidence. Pink peppercorn adds a dash of panache to the bergamot and mandarin first spritz. A tobacco accord adds a seductive warmth that melts into a creamy velvety base of tonka, cashmeran and woods, while soft and supple suede lingers on. Bold and sensual, this scent is presented in a glass, rose-gold tone bottle celebrating strength and femininity and contains a daily affirmation in the cap "Hello, Gorgeous!"

Kors launched his signature Michael Kors label in 1981 – and straight away caught the attention of the fashion press. One of the keys to his success: he’s unswerving, never straying far from his original vision of giving customers exactly what they’re looking for: chic, American simplicity, with lashings of European luxury and plenty of glamour, too. Working with some of the most innovative noses in the industry, Kors has offered fragrances since 2001, always injecting his distinctive, contemporary opulence into every composition. "I love that fragrance is so transporting... You can sit at your desk in London on a grey, hideous day, then spray the right fragrance and feel like you’ve just stepped off a boat in Capri, or you’re in a rice field in Bali, or you’re in a nightclub." A growing collection of fragrances continues to bottle that jet-set spirit.

SMELLING NOTES:

EXPLORE: Michael Kors Gorgeous!

• Have you tried any other Michael Kors fragrances? Do you recognise his style?

• If you could be anywhere in the world with this scent, where would it be?

• Which notes in this scent make you feel more vibrant?

• Is this an evening perfume, or would you wear for daytime too?

• Which three words best sum up Gorgeous! for you? Confident? Glamorous? Creative? Over to you...

From £85 for 100 ml eau de parfum theperfumshop.com

PARFUMS DE MARLY VALAYA

FRAGRANCE FAMILY: FLORAL

TOP NOTES: bergamot, mandarin, white peach

HEART NOTES: orange flower, nympheal, vetiver

BASE NOTES: akigalawood, ambrofix, musk

PARFUMS DE MARLY VALAYA

An investment piece we like to imagine as couture lingerie – think of this scent as a silken second skin that may be layered beneath whatever you choose, to make it your very own bespoke scent; or delicately flaunted in all its bare glory. The reassuring chicness of pared-back aldehydes and lily of the valley add tender delicacy to transparent orange blossom, while the woodier dry-down gently whispers of airy, cool vetiver, and a whisper of ambroxan-laden muskiness. Gauzy and graceful it may be, but it stays on skin like the memory of a kiss which makes you shiver delightfully at the suggestive innocence of, and feel a blush blooming beneath... We suggest wearing Valaya on its own for your first sniff, to allow your skin to take on its character and experience this new launch in its own right. Later, though, we urge you to try it as a silken, secret layer to experiment with.

Renowned for their scented extravagances, the Royal Court of King Louis XV became known as ‘la cour parfumée‘ – ‘The Perfumed Court’. Parfums de Marly continue that 18th Century tradition of fine fragrance, harnessing the very best of traditional and modern perfumery techniques and materials and revisiting the decadent flacon designs of perfume’s golden age. With stunning bottles and a wide range of luxurious fragrances for men and women that encompass every taste it is easy to fall head over heels for this heritage brand. For truly, Parfums de Marly have cracked the code of mixing historic intrigue with contemporary style.

SMELLING NOTES:

EXPLORE: Parfums de Marly Valaya

• Close your eyes and imagine where Valaya takes you – what do you dream?

• If Valaya were a piece of music, what instrument would play it?

• How do you imagine layering Valaya after this first wearing?

• Would you consider wearing Valaya to bed, perhaps?

• Which three words best sum up Valaya for you? Silky? Soft? Chic? Over to you…

From £230 for 75 ml eau de parfum uk.parfums-de-marly.com

Parfums de Marly parfumsdemarly

ROBERT PIGUET FRACAS

FRAGRANCE FAMILY: FLORAL

TOP NOTES: bergamot, mandarin, white peach

HEART NOTES: jasmine, tuberose, gardenia

BASE NOTES: musk, sandalwood

ROBERT PIGUET FRACAS

Though launched, incredibly, in 1948; Fracas still smells just as exciting today, and we are overjoyed Piguet are reintroducing their fragrances to new generations, while carefully preserving their integrity. A name utterly deserving on any all-time classic list, there is barely a perfumista or expert in the world who won’t mention Fracas as a must-sniff – and with good reason, as you will now get to discover for yourself. A coveted ‘jewel in the crown’ of Robert Piguet parfums, Fracas, by perfumer Germaine Cellier, remains the ultimate tuberose against which all other tuberose fragrances must be matched. Beloved by Madonna and Courtney Love, the unrivalled pairing of opulent tuberose and jasmine make this lush, creamy composition a must-sniff, and a must-wear for divas who dare to fill a room and leave a trail of seduction.

Robert Piguet’s legendary designs earned him the nickname 'The Prince of Fashion', with artists and stars clustering around him and none other than Christian Dior declaring that Piguet "…taught me the virtues of simplicity through which elegance must come." With elegance plus panache, along with his immeasurable charm, it wasn’t long before the great and the good flocked to his doors demanding to be dressed by him. World-famous artists such as Jean Cocteau, Colette, and Jean Marais. Now, the Piguet perfumes have even eclipsed this fashion fame, with names iconic as emblems of daring femininity and a power that resonates through the ages.

SMELLING NOTES:

EXPLORE: Robert Piguet Fracas

• Which vintage starlet would have worn this, and now, which modern muse?

• Do you feel empowered wearing Fracas? Describe how…

• If Fracas were a luxurious bedroom, how would it be furnished?

• And what would be the view from the window of this room?

• Which three words best sum up Fracas for you? Seductive? Powerful? Feminine? Over to you…

From £175 for 100 ml eau de parfum robertpiguetparfums.co.uk

Robert Piguet Parfums rpparfums

THAMEEN LONDON FANFARE

FRAGRANCE FAMILY: FRESH

TOP NOTES: neroli, lemon, bergamot

HEART NOTES: vermouth accord, juniper berry, rosemary, floral notes

BASE NOTES: vetiver, musk, patchouli

Now under the 'artistic residency' of Christopher Chong, Thameen London’s new collection begins with this launch – the first of a trio of Cologne style Elixirs, which they have intriguingly named ‘The Britologne Collection’ (British Colognes). But banish all thoughts of the fleeting nature of a traditional Cologne style, here, for Fanfare certainly lives up to its name and trumpets its arrival with a fizz of brightness that just keeps going. Inspired by the energy and history of London’s Covent Garden Flower Market area, the floral notes are present and persistent throughout, but feel utterly transformed into a very contemporary, yet cleverly timeless bouquet. French perfumer Bruno Jovanovic explains: "I’ve chosen an opening with a beguiling watery floral and citrus accord, which slowly becomes darker as the structure evolves and becomes more and more daring with the vermouth accord. Finally, the noble woods bring this dark depth to the structure of the fragrance."

A British fragrance house built on storytelling through scent, Thameen’s rise to success has been incredible, and dates back to founder Basel Binjabr’s lifelong love of scent, which began in childhood while accompanying his father visiting independent sellers, who referred to his favourite rose oils as his ‘precious jewels.’ The connection stuck fast in his memory, this link between rare gems and fine fragrance, along with a true respect for what we now may call ‘artisanal’ or ‘slow perfumery.’ That is, the treasuring of ancient techniques and materials, but faceting them in a timeless way that feels forever contemporary.

SMELLING NOTES:

EXPLORE: Thameen LONDON

Fanfare

• What floral arrangement would you create based on this scent?

• We feel Fanfare is completely for any gender to enjoy, do you agree?

• How long do you find Fanfare lasts on your skin?

• Would you only wear this on warmer days, or perhaps try all year ‘round?

• Which three words best sum up Fanfare for you? Invigorating? Unique? Exhilarating? Over to you…

From £250 for 100 ml Cologne Elixir thameenfragrance.com

YARDLEY LONDON

ENGLISH ROSE HAND CREAM

YARDLEY LONDON

ENGLISH ROSE HAND CREAM

FRAGRANCE FAMILY: FLORAL

TOP NOTES: citrus, rose, tea accord

HEART NOTES: rose bud, magnolia, violet, cassis

BASE NOTES: patchouli, musk

A light but luxurious nourishing hand cream from one of the most successful and iconic soap and perfumery houses in the UK. Inspired by England’s diverse and varied flowers, and the most classic of all English blooms – the English Rose – a flower associated with beauty, grace and femininity throughout the ages, Yardley London remain committed to discovering fragrances using natural ingredients.

With Vitamin E to fight against ageing English Rose Hand Cream absorbs quickly into the skin, leaving hands feeling soft, smooth and delicately fragranced, whilst conditioning and strengthening the nails. Citrus and a tea accord are used to refresh the scent of rosebuds, along with charmingly green yet softly powdery violet, the perfect creamy waxiness of the magnolia blossoms and a fruity note of cassis. Adding a velvety tone, the base is enhanced with patchouli and musk.

Unmistakeably feminine, calming and comforting notes put us in mind of twilit parties on a summer lawn, floaty dresses and a glass or two of something fizzy, perhaps…

SMELLING NOTES:

EXPLORE: Yardley London

English Rose hand cream

• What emotion(s) does English Rose evoke in you?

• Which famous English garden does this hand cream remind you of?

• Which rose are you? Classic? Modern? Wild?

• Which three words best sum up English Rose for you? Playful? Welcoming? Airy? Over to you…

From £2.99 for 50 ml yardleylondon.co.uk

yardleylondonuk yardleylondonuk