Monday 14 February 2022

IRIZOM by Prestige de Menton

When we think of the word “niche” our minds almost immediately start seeing pounds signs and three figure sums. A company that isn’t part of a major corporation will of course have extra costs, and these often end up being transferred to the customer. However, this doesn’t always have to be the case. If the bottle isn’t the most expensive looking, or the box is perhaps a little basic, isn’t it the contents that are the most important? Prestige de Menton is a well-known perfume brand in the south of France and celebrates its 75th birthday this year. So, there's never been a better time to rediscover Irizom.

I’ve talked about Prestige de Menton in the past, and I proudly declare my love of the company’s iconic Eau de Menton alongside The Perfume Society’s Lorna McKay, but it’s still a little bit of an undiscovered gem outside of the Côte d'Azur. It was founded in 1947 by the perfumer Louis Berneux who, after growing tired of the Paris scene, relocated to Roquebrune Cap Martin in the south of France. He fell in love with the area, especially Menton and its citrus festival, and so the famous Eau de Menton was created in celebration.

The company remained in his hands until the 1970s when it was sold to the Leroix family, and this is when the output really increased. More than thirty fragrances were released under the control of Philippe Leroix and, while the bottles and boxes were simple, they gained an incredibly loyal following. However, it was the sale to Julien Foucher in 2017 that saw the diamond finally being polished. He took six of the citrus fragrances, grouped then into the Eau de Menton collection, and repackaged them in a more contemporary bottle and box. The question was what to do with the other perfumes?

The company's remaining selection of male and female fragrances were popular with both locals and tourists, some had been using them for over a decade, and so the decision was taken to leave the bottles and boxes exactly as they were. One of these perfumes, Irizom, is particularly fascinating because it was an early example of exploring the woody aspect of iris but presenting it as a masculine fragrance. This use of the iris note is almost a calling card in today’s niche perfumery, and so having the opportunity to experience it in a more seventies setting is a great example of today’s trends being yesterday’s forgotten fashions.

Irizom opens with an excitingly tart citrus and bergamot combination but, alongside this hesperidic quality, there’s also a note of galbanum that adds a wonderfully green quality. However, the star ingredient arrives accompanied by a hit of cardamom and, interestingly for a "masculine" scent, an animalic-leaning note of jasmine and lavender. The iris’ powdery and buttery facets are then accentuated with a dry oakmoss and vetiver pairing but, to balance out the dry down, a cedar and tonka bean blend adds a warmth that melts into the skin. Is it a chypre or a fougère? It's difficult to decide, but I do know that you have to try it!

Irizom is available from the Prestige de Menton website at prestigedementon.com priced at €18 for 50ml, €24 for 100ml and €31 for 200ml. [Bottle was purchased]
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6 comments:

  1. mladenmladenovski23 February 2022 at 18:07

    I just ordered this! thanks for the recommendation!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Stephan Matthews14 March 2022 at 21:38

      Hello Mladen, thank you for your comment and I hope that you like it. Best, Stephan

      Delete
  2. mladen3 March 2022 at 10:22

    Beautiful perfume, your review is spot on. Classically beautiful.
    I am going to enjoy discovering their line of perfumes!

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    Replies
    1. Stephan Matthews14 March 2022 at 21:39

      Hello again Mladen, I'm so pleased that you like it. There are lots for your to discover from Prestige de Menton, so happy sniffing. Best, Stephan

      Delete
  3. Anonymous27 April 2022 at 20:31

    Just bought it based on your review.
    Love the idea of a niche perfume where all the price would be integrated in the juice and not in the marketing/packaging .

    Now I'm also curious trying those Spanish names they have. El magnífico etc have you tested it yet?

    Cheers

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Stephan Matthews28 April 2022 at 19:53

      Hello, and thank you for your comment. There are still some that I haven't tried, and "El Magnifico" is one of them. It's on my list. Best, Stephan

      Delete

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