Stephan Matthews

Showing posts with label Aime Guerlain. Show all posts

Monday, 29 October 2018

SHALIMAR by Guerlain

One of the joys of writing about scent is that I occasionally get the chance to revisit a fragrance that can truly be described as a “classic” in the history of perfumery. The word is used too frequently to describe all sorts of fragrances, and it often feels as though it has lost a little of its importance. However, when it comes to Shalimar by Guerlain the word is absolutely spot on. For a fragrance that is ninety-three years old, this matriarch of a scent still has something to offer to younger generations, especially those who dare to be different. Let me reintroduce you to this Jacques Guerlain classic.

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Thursday, 12 October 2017

GUERLAIN'S RUSSIA

Guerlain has always enjoyed an unparalleled affection amongst perfume fans and part of this is the continuing transparency that they are displaying in their current releases, and also in the rewriting of parts of its history. Over time a "good story" can cover up the true facts and it is refreshing to see these being peeled away piece by piece. As part of this openness, Guerlain allowed Thierry Wasser and Frédéric Sacone’s vintage recreations to be made available to smell at the Champs Elysees boutique and this means that we can travel to Russia, via France, and discover Impérial Russe and Cuir de Russie.

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Thursday, 19 January 2017

INVISIBLE PALLADIA by 4160 Tuesdays

Every so often I get sent a fragrance just for fun. By that I mean that it's not something that is commercially available. Sometimes it's a modification, sometimes a trial, and sometimes an unused test. This was what happened last year when 4160 Tuesdays, more specifically Brooke Belldon, found an unreleased fragrance in the workshop and sent me a sample. A combination of luck, Brooke's squirrelling and my love of gin meant that I was unexpectedly given the ultimate feel-good fragrance. Throw in my not being able to read Brooke's handwriting and this years INVISIBLE PALLADIA was born.

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Thursday, 23 June 2016

GUERLAIN - The King Of Colognes

It's a rite of passage, a marker of acceptance, an honour above all others. It's a very select club which currently only has five members. A company which became famous for a very special Eau de Cologne continues that tradition by asking each of its perfumers to create their own cologne to sit alongside previous generations. I am of course talking about Guerlain. Each perfumer through its history has contributed their own interpretation to this exquisite collection. With a span of one hundred and fifty seven years from the first to the last you know that you're going to run the whole gamut. So let's take a look at the Perfumers' Collection.

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Thursday, 19 November 2015

Guerlain's Vintage Recreations

The Champs-Elysées boutique reopened in 2013, after major renovations, with the upstairs transformed into a beautiful hall of mirrors. Display areas showcasing historic perfume bottles from Guerlain's history gave Thierry Wasser and Frédéric Sacone and idea, what if you could smell the perfume that was on display? So, back to the original formula books they went and recreated twenty-seven vintage perfumes. These were originally the "secret" of the boutique, and only available to smell if you knew they existed! As the news leaked out, and demand increased, Guerlain introduced a structured workshop in January 2015.

July 2015 saw the arrival of another twenty-three recreations, which took the final total to fifty. However, as much as the first set were fascinating and showcased the artistry of Guerlain, it was the second set which contained the surprise. Within the follow up we got the chance to discover fragrances by Pierre, Gabriel and Jean-Jacques, the “secret” perfumers from the famous family. Their creations had always been attributed to the main perfumer of the time, so they never got the credit. Let's take a look at these four perfumes and see how they fit into the accepted Guerlain style.

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Wednesday, 30 September 2015

JICKY by Guerlain

In our constant quest for "newness" and originality we sometimes forget some of the classic creations from the past. These evergreens manage to hold onto their reputation through a mixture of rediscovery and loyalty. Maybe it's time to start revisiting these icons, and where better to start than with the one that changed the face of perfumery for ever.

The fascination in the early nineteenth century was the beautiful soliflor fragrance or the ever popular lavender. Some scents were simply single flower preparations, or if they did have additional ingredients then they were only present to extend the life of the fragrance, or boost the central ingredient. That was until 1889, when Aimé Guerlain created a truly iconic perfume.

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Monday, 14 September 2015

Guerlain Lavande - The 1920s Mystery

With their vintage recreations now totalling fifty, Thierry Wasser and Frèdèric Sacone have allowed perfume fans to experience some of Guerlain's most famous fragrances. Obviously choices have to be made, and not all of the perfumes can be included. One of those which is missing is Lavande. It might not sound very impressive, but unraveling the truth has made me realise just how special it really is.

My interest in Lavande began because of contradictions that littered various blogs and websites. Nothing about this old girl seemed to add up. There were various release dates, various ingredients and even various creators. So I thought it was time to rediscover this forgotten gem, and maybe try a recreation of my own.

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Thursday, 3 September 2015

Guerlain's Sexual Scents

When Guerlain introduced the Elixir Charnel range in 2008 there were quite a few raised eyebrows at the news that this prestigious house had entered the controversial arena of "sexual" scents. With a collection aimed quite clearly at women with very distinct and adventurous sexual styles, it blew the lid off the most famous and respected historical perfumery. Sex has always sold, that is the undisputed law of retail, but what would Aimé Guerlain have thought? I hope that he would see it as a bold move to modernise a traditional style, and maybe even chuckle at the same time. So what exactly is "Elixir Charnel"?

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After twenty successful years as an actor, I decided the time was right to begin a new career, and that was in the perfume industry. Scent had always been a passion of mine, and working alongside a new group of creative minds ended up being the perfect fit.

As a Brand Consultant, Evaluator, Copywriter and New Business Advisor, the variety of work is exciting, and definitely draws on my acting background. Every day brings new challenges, experiences and delights to a workplace that is crammed full of new releases, evergreens, and fading classics.

This website brings together my ramblings on all aspects of the perfume industry from bottle design to fragrance, companies to noses, and everything in between.

Opinions are my own and do not in any way represent the views of the companies mentioned. Where products or services have been provided by the companies it is stated at the end of the article.

Companies and readers are welcome to contact me by using the Send Me A Message option below.

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Monday, 29 October 2018

Thursday, 12 October 2017

Thursday, 19 January 2017

Thursday, 23 June 2016

Thursday, 19 November 2015

Wednesday, 30 September 2015

Monday, 14 September 2015

Thursday, 3 September 2015