Fragonard has an established history of celebrating the best that Grasse has to offer, originally as a tourist attraction for wealthy visitors and then as a perfumery in its own right. When it first opened its doors to the public in 1926 it was catering for a growing demand for “leisurely pursuits” around the Côte d’Azur but the success of its fragrances went far beyond a mere souvenir of a holiday in France. Still most famous for Belle de Nuit in 1946, this year sees Fragonard release Verveine as its new “Flower Of The Year”, although the company’s love affair with this ingredient is already well know.
Now that the first frosts have really fallen on the British countryside there are two things that are forefront in everyone's minds. Firstly, the sprouts that you buy will be slightly sweeter in taste (my mother always swore that the frosts did this to these divisive greens) and secondly, people will begin reaching for their “winter” scents in ernest. However, for those ladies that prefer a fresher scent during the colder months, because they long for the warmth that Spring promised, help is at hand in the form of this year's release from Bronnley, in collaboration with the Royal Horticultural Society. Say hello to Orchard Blossom.
Mother's Day is almost upon us and the usual quandary of what present to buy rears its head again. Ultimately most Mums are happy with whatever they are given, although from personal experience I always find that the card is the most important part. If you haven't bought anything yet then the chances are that it will be a mad dash to the high street on Saturday with a slight "rabbit in the headlights" look. So, with this in mind, I thought it would be useful to suggest some fragrances that make the perfect present. There are three to choose from with very different price tags, but each is guaranteed to make your mum feel special.
Fragonard started a tradition back in 2010 by releasing their first "Flower of the Year" and it is still something that is looked forward to even in its eighth season. Now these fragrances are essentially soliflores, which essentially means an interpretation of a single flower, but you also find that they have been crafted into an Eau de Toilette that develops on the skin. It's a very old tradition to create something which is true to nature rather than abstract and Fragonard continue to do it brilliantly. This year's chosen flower is the Peony, or Pivoine in French, and it's everything that you could have wished for.
Collaborations in the perfume market are nothing new, although a large number of them have resulted in some rather dubious creations. So, it was with some nervousness that I approached the RHS Collection by Bronnley, and in particular their new addition to the range, Poppy Meadow. A company whose foundations were built on a floral bedrock would seem the perfect organisation to work with the Royal Horticultural Society, but would their scents be challenging florals or merely shadowy petals? Let’s head down to the garden and see exactly what awaits with the 2016 release, Poppy Meadow.
The constant challenge for companies to create the latest blockbusting fragrance is one that many now approach with a reserved optimism. They often stay firmly within an olfactory style or even reinvent past favourites in an effort to hold onto an existing brand loyalty. The idea that past triumphs can again become the latest fashion is not as crazy as it sounds. After all, we can only reinvent the wheel so many times. It was with all of this in mind that I approached Bronnley's latest release, Pink Peony & Rhubarb. The name sounds like Jo Malone, the ingredients sound like Bronnley, but where will the scent take us?
