Stephan Matthews

Showing posts with label Champs-Élysées. Show all posts

Monday, 14 December 2020

TIME TO DRAW THE RAFFLE NUMBERS by 4160 Tuesdays

There can’t be many people that haven’t heard of “the seven year itch.” I’m not talking about the 1955 film that starred Marilyn Monroe and Tom Ewell, but more the feeling of dissatisfaction or familiarity that is said to appear at that point in any relationship. This doesn’t just apply to people; it can be anything that is long term. During lockdown I started to go through some of my older fragrances, rediscovering forgotten favourites, and I stumbled across one that had been pushed to the back. Time To Draw The Raffle Numbers by Sarah McCartney was released in 2013, and it’s high time it was shown some love.

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Thursday, 22 February 2018

Everything But The Kitchen Sink

It’s a common enough expression and one that seems to be particularly apt in the current perfume market when applied to sales assistants, “everything but the kitchen sink.” In a drive to arm employees with all of the necessary information to sell their latest blockbuster, companies have increasingly passed on information in a “quantity” approach as opposed to “quality”. The details of fragrance ingredients used to be a closely guarded secret but the arrival of the internet and social media blew that wide open. So, in an ever-competitive market, and with “transparency” still the key word, what information actually helps your perfume choices?

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Thursday, 13 October 2016

PETIT GUERLAIN - The Lost Innocence

Everyone talks about scent bringing back memories but this week it was a painting that triggered my recollection of a Guerlain classic. I’ve started renovating part of my house and this included taking out a built-in wardrobe. It was a typical nineties “Changing Rooms” style construction built of four-by-four and MDF, but what was hidden behind it really took me back. The wall was decorated with painted dolphins, so obviously it used to be a child’s room, and straight away I started to think about Petit Guerlain, which was released in 1994. So, let’s go back twenty two years and rediscover Guerlain’s innocence.

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Monday, 22 August 2016

Happy Birthday INSOLENCE

It’s hard to believe that it’s ten years since the world was first dominated by Guerlain’s iris and violet fragrance bomb. To some it was a new interpretation of the classic L’Heure Bleue whilst to others it was seen as a link between Guerlain's expanding “travel exclusive” range and the boutique customers. Either way, 2006 marked the launch of a fragrance which took department stores and boutiques by storm. You couldn't escape any beauty hall without being sprayed with Insolence and so it was easier to just succumb to the “overdosed, high-voltage” pink explosion, and once smelled it could never be forgotten.

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Monday, 16 November 2015

Guerlain's Ne m'Oubliez Pas

The Guerlain "Exclusive" lines have always existed to push the "creative audacity" of the company, in the way that its founders did. Mainstream fragrances are currently almost devoid of individuality, because that is what the majority of the public want, and an easy to wear perfume is an art in itself. Whilst Guerlain is adept at creating these, it is not what they are most famous for. In the past the company always pushed the boundaries by exploring new techniques and materials, and these limited releases are where they get the chance to spread their wings once more.

Most fragrance houses have an "exclusive" line, but what it usually means is that it is exclusive to a few stores in each country. So when the news broke in September 2015 that Guerlain would be producing a new "exclusive" just for its Paris boutique on the Champs-Élysées it was met with mixed reactions. Would it eventually be rolled out to other countries? Would it be a reworking of an old perfume? To answer these questions I went to Paris in search of Ne m'Oubliez Pas.

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Tuesday, 6 October 2015

Guerlain's Fond de Cuve

When Guerlain reopened the Champs-Élysées boutique in November 2013 there was an interesting addition to their range, and one which seems to have gone largely unnoticed. This in itself is quite apt, because the first version of this product was only available if you actually worked for Guerlain.

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Saturday, 3 October 2015

The Other Side of Guerlain

This year has cemented the never ending demand for country exclusives or limited editions, and I have lost count of the number of emails and phone calls asking me, "What is the latest Guerlain release?" After the usual list of Mon Exclusif, Ne m'Oubliez Pas and Cour des Senteurs, I always politely enquire what fragrances by Guerlain they have used in the past. It is at this point that the miracle happens. People suddenly realise that there are fragrances from before 2013 that are still in production!

Magazines, societies and fan groups have become so preoccupied with the latest releases that they are forgetting the classics that have made the perfume industry the diverse tapestry that it is. So, let's just quickly revisit a few of the classic Guerlain fragrances that can be found in every department store whether you live in London, Manchester or Aberystwyth. Say hello to four wonderful perfumes, three by the genius Jean-Paul Guerlain, and PLEASE go and try them. If you're in London then send me an email and I'll show you them myself.

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Friday, 28 August 2015

Guerlain's 1904 Vintage

In 1996 Olivier Cresp was chosen over Jean-Paul Guerlain to create the fragrance Champs-Élysées. Described as the essence of a chic woman, it couldn't have been more different to the 1904 version by Jacques Guerlain. It was never intended to be compared with the original Parfum des Champs-Élysées, and until Thierry Wasser recreated the "vintage" as part his curatorship of the Guerlain legacy it wasn't even possible. So, leaving the current "Radiant Floral" rose petal and almond wood edition, let's travel back to a time when the Champs-Élysées was a very different place.

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Thursday, 13 August 2015

APRÈS L'ONDÉE - From Seduction to Blue Hue

Created in 1906 by Jacques Guerlain, Après l'Ondée is an all time classic. It has had a troubled history, and for a period it was heavily criticised, but it has managed to survive and is now the oldest "female" creation still in production by the company. Just to clarity, the fragrances older than this one are Cologne Imperiale 1853, Jicky 1889, Cologne du Coq 1894 (all unisex), Mouchoir de Monsieur 1904 (masculine) and then the jewel in the crown. Why do I love Après l'Ondée so much? Quite simply, it is a masterpiece of delicacy meeting mystery, freshness meeting earthiness, and expanse meeting warmth.

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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, 14 December 2020

Thursday, 22 February 2018

Thursday, 13 October 2016

Monday, 22 August 2016

Monday, 16 November 2015

Tuesday, 6 October 2015

Saturday, 3 October 2015

Friday, 28 August 2015

Thursday, 13 August 2015