SLEEPING WITH GHOSTS

You may ask yourself, ‘What a strange name for a perfume’?? 

To understand why this is aptly named ‘Sleeping with Ghosts’ you would have to look into the creative mind of Mark Buxton.

Mark Buxton

Mark Buxton is a world renown perfumer  with a love and passion for life.  Mark Buxton  was born in England but his creative intellect and fervent nature fell in love with Paris and all things Parisian. An enthusiast for Art Deco, antiques, a lover of things past. This artistic soul found his niche in perfume and 25 years ago began his career as one of the best ‘noses’ in Perfumery.  

Mark has been involved with some of the great Designer perfume houses in the world. Givenchy, Paco Rabanne, Versace, Chopard, to name just a few and notedly Comme des Garcon with which he has had a long term liaison.

What makes his creations special is that his perfumes reflect his belief in refinement and beauty combine this with passion and sentiment you have some

of the most extraordinary scents of our modern times

‘Sleeping with Ghosts’ is just one of the many scents in which he has poured his heart and soul into.This scent is about the past, about memories good and bad. remembering the tender moments in our life that are important to us.

 So if you think this perfume is smoky or gothicly broody you will be pleasantly surprised that it’s not.  

This scent is sweet and lingering with a top note of marigold, and quince supported by a mid note of peony and leather and sleeping on a base of vetiver and vanilla. 

Sweet memories of the past, memories of past connections that stir up emotions of the heart.

All of Mark Burton’s conceptions are about passion, emotion, love and life.

written by Lily

Mark Buxton Perfumes available @ Agence de Parfum

NEVERMORE by P Frapin & Cie

How can a perfume evoke the 'heart and soul' of the classic Gothic poem 'Nevermore', written by one of histories famous writer Edgar Allen Poe?.

Edgar Allen Poe

This melancholic Ode is about a lonely man mourning the loss of his great love Lenore. While sitting alone a Raven flies into the room and perches himself of a statue of Pallas (the ancient God of Wisdom). The man asks the Raven many questions about love and life. All of which the raven responds with one word...Nevermore.....The meaning ???? Never to see his love again, never to be happy again, never to stop feeling despair and grief, never to live life fully..... Nevermore......

Lost love

It's a depressing tale of lost love and a broken heart. So back to my question, how can a perfume encapsulate this emotion?
The Creative Director of P Frapin & Cie, one of France's most revered cognac manufactures, namely David Frossard was wise enough to understand that scent and emotion are intermeshed and that a scent can evoke in us the most strongest of emotion or memory.

David Frossard

This well established family business founded in 1270 produce some of the highest quality cognacs in France. It was only logical, since the first enjoyment from am cognac is to smell it, to go into crafting some of the most sublime scents on the market today.

David Frossard's Nevermore is an icy and morbid rose. The top note opens with a piercing aldehyde spiced with black pepper and nutmeg which maintains the sullenness of the broken heart of the Damask rose and Rose de Mai all which lays on a metallic and cold bed of cedar and saffron.

Nevermore\

This is not a scent for the content and joyful. For all the grief stricken lovers of this world, one hint of  this perfume will remind you of your loss, your anguish, your sorrow.....



Written by Lily




Available @ Galarie de Parfum Myer Melbourne.

PERFUME - SCENT FOR THE SOUL

Another grey day  and there are end of financial year sales everywhere. As I stare out the window, I think to myself, I would really like to go out and see what perfumes are on special I could probably pick up a good bargain, as these sales seem to be ongoing.

As I look down at my bowl of forest berry muesli and warm milk I can smell the sweet fruitiness wafting up to greet me. How delicious! This is comforting food for a cold dreary day, like the breakfast’s my mum used make for me as a child. Just the smell of it warms me.

 Our olfactory sense and taste buds are harmoniously inter connected, and all of

this triggers memory. We can’t fully taste without smell and taste and smell reminds us of thing past. The scent of the juicy berries mixed with the creamy oats and vanillery milk is heavenly and has helped put a smile on my face.

 OK time to get dressed and see what’s available in the shops. Showered, dressed, quick face and hair make over and I’m off. It’s funny how just the smell of the warm breakfast has lifted my spirits. It’s true, scents can alter moods.

As I approach the perfume counter, there is a heady scent of apple, amber and vanilla in the air. I turn around to see a perfume representative spraying a test card with a new fragrance that’s just been launched. “Would you like to try Donna Karen ‘Delicious Night?’

She says. As I thank her and test the scent I envisage a warm summer night sitting in the backyard in the country (yes I was a little bit country in my younger years) under the fruit trees, laughing with my friends and family, sipping on a summer drink. What a wonderful memory. As I land back to ‘here and now’ I move on to look for the bargain section.

 It’s noisy and busy with assistants helping customers with their enquiries. ‘What do you normally like to wear?’. I hear one assistant ask, as the customer trials and tests one or two perfumes. I overhear another girl say to her friend, standing with another bottle in her hand. ‘This reminds me of custard tart, I love my grandma’s custard tart’, 

 Fruity florals,  oriental vanillas, gourmands. Perfumes today have become more food orientated.Think of the chocolate, caramel overtones of Thierry Mugler's Angel or the fruitiness of Marc Jacob's Dot.

 In the 1950’s & 60’s it was chic for ladies to smell like bouquets of flowers and men to smell like fresh lemon and spice.

 Now some of the most popular scents are an intoxicating blend of chocolate, vanilla, coffee & exotic fruits and flowers.

 Food has always been a comfort. How often have you heard the term ‘emotional eater’? Our emotions & memories are connected to two of the major senses we have. That is: taste and smell.

As I look around I see and old familiar perfume, Chanel 19. This used to be my best friend most favourite scent back when we were young and crazy. I remember her 21^st birthday party, the room was filled with this fresh citrus aroma as we laughed, drank & danced… and I smile. At this point I'm feeling quite satiated, like I've just finished the best meal I have ever had!

 I contently walk around viewing all these beautiful bottles of memories and it dawns on me.

 Perfume is comfort food for the soul...... but without the calories.....






Thierry Mugler Angel available @ David Jones and Myer Melbourne
Donna Karen Delicious available @ David Jones and Myer Melbourne
Marc Jacob's Dot available @ David Jones and Myer Melbourne
Jean Patou Joy available @ David Jones
Channel No 19 available @ David Jones and Myer Melbourne




Written by Lily

AGENT PROVOCATEUR

In 1994 by Joseph Corre, the son of fashion designer Vivienne Westwood  and ex wife Serena Rees established a new line of playful and sexy lingerie called Agent Provocateur.

When one thinks of Agent Provocateur certain words come to mind... risqué, provocative, coquette, burlesque, sensual ,kinky even rude (nudge, nudge, wink, wink).
This high class lingerie brand has a reputation of being 'naughty but nice', fetish with class. It has attained a stream of celebrity followers and admirers  such as Kylie Minogue, Kate Moss, Deeta Von Tease, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Peaches Geldoff  to name a few...

Kate Moss in Agent

In the last 19 years it has become a best seller of the most stylishly wicked underwear world wide.
Whatever your fantasy Agent Provocateur will have the racy outfit for you right down to the silk seamed stockings,little girl lace, thigh high boots or leather dominatrix shoes.

It was only fitting that their initial fragrance reflected the alluring sexiness of this brand.

In 2000 perfumer Christian Provenzano was approached with the task of creating the perfect scent for the perfect lingerie.








The scent had to be evocative, alluring and unforgettable. Christian Provenzano first instinct was to create a scent around the queen of all sensual flowers, the rose.



Christian gave the rose with a hint of jasmine, magnolia and gardenia a 'boudoir' appeal by using the sharp spice of saffron and coriander added the dirtiness of cedar and warmed it with the animalistic  fire of musk and amber.

The perfect scent for the femme fatale with promises of all her earthly pleasures.

Maggie Gyllenhaal

ROSE D'ARABIE GIORGIO ARMANI

Rose D'Arabie

The majestic rose is said to be older than the humankind that nurture and adore her.
From the ancient civilizations to the modern world, the rose has always been a symbol of beauty and love.
Her look, which are varied, and her intoxicating scent have been the centre of many stories, myths and legends throughout history.

There are many stories  from the West to the Middle East of this sweet scented flower. It is said that the oil of the Damascan rose was used in the middle east  by ancient  magicians and alchemists for love  potions and medicinal treatments.









 One Persian legend on how the rose acquired her red hue, states that a nightingale singing his song of love was wounded by a thorn of a sweetly scented white rose and his blood turned the rose deep red.

Nightingale and the Rose

Then there is the popular tale of 1001 Arabian Nights. Of the  Persian  King Shahryar who was so  untrusting of his virgin wives that he had them put to death before the following day eliminating any chance of them cheating on him. To spare her sister, who was to be the King's next victim Scheherazade volunteered be in her sister's place and spent the nights telling the King enchanting stories of adventures and heroes but would stop before the end of her tale, till the next night and so on and so on for 1001 nights..... Till the King made her his wife.....

Scheherazade

Why else would a successful designer such as Giorgio Armani be so charmed by the rose and its mystic heritage that it impelled him to create a perfume with her scent in the starring role.

Giorgio Armani, who for the last 30 years has been the embodiment of style, elegance and refinement added Rose D'Arabie to his Armani Prive collection of 1001 Nights.

This collection involves three various scents which embody the mystery and allure of the Middle East.

Armani Prive 1001 Nights Collection

Oud Royale
The prized Oud or Agarwood laced with spices, amber,vanilla, frankincense and myrrh.
A scent worthy of the 3 wise men.

Amber Orient
A blend of frankincense, patchouli, thyme, sandalwood and vanilla The rich smell of the halls in any mystical eastern temple.

Rose D'Arabie
Her majesty, the rose spiced with saffron, patchouli and woods.

Written by Lily






Armani available @ David Jones & Myer Melbourne

ENCHANTED FOREST

The Vagabond Prince is a very new  Boutique founded by the creators of Fragrantica and it's very  first scent offering to the world of perfume is a opaque bottle gilded with woodland  flora called the Enchanted Forest.

Traditional Hohloma pattern

Surrounding the obscure round black bottle is the gilded  hand painted traditional Russian flora motif known as Hohloma.
There are two symbols entwined in these gold leaves and stems.. a sleeping dove , symbol of womanhood and the moon, symbol of the night and it's shadowy secrets, giving it the appearance of a blackcurrant berry sitting within this golden nest.

Bertrand Duchaufour

The creative genius behind this mysterious scent is the highly regarded perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour. Bertrand's love of native art, flora, and his belief that balance is attained when there is a contradiction in terms,is the inspiration behind this intriguing scent.
Bertrand Duchaufour is probably best known for his work  at the  house of L'Artisan:

AL Oud
Dzongkha
Merchant Loup
Piment Brulant
Poivre Piquant
Timbuktu
Nuit de Tubereuse
Fleur de Liane
Patchouli Patch
Vanille Absolument
Traversee du Bosphore




The aroma of the humble blackcurrant is the motivating force behind the Enchanted Forest.
Bertrand did not want to create a sweet, dulcet fruit scent with the usual vanilla undertone but the scent of cool, misty, magical forests that have these fragrant fruits snuggled within them.

The scent opens with blackcurrant flower and leaves, rum, wine, pink pepper,rosemary,davana (sweet fruity herb) and the freshness of aldehyde and orange it blossoms  into a heart of blackcurrant buds, honeysuckle, rose carnation, vertiver,spiced with coriander, balanced by the warmth of amber, patchouli, vanilla musk, the woodiness of fir and cedar and the animalistic undertone of castoreum.

Think of a scene from 'A Mid Summer Night's Dream' with Queen of the faeries,Tatiana asleep in her beloved forest. Slumbering quietly amongst the sweet black current bushes nestled amongst the mix of coloured Autumn leaves and warm earth.
She is blanketed by bluebells and Lily of the Valley safely cocooned amidst the bright orange speckled mushrooms which grow under the mighty pine trees. The air is fresh with the musty woodiness and her dress glistens with diamond dew drops and pearls of crystal water all woven together by silky spider's web.. Her robes reflect the warm rosy tones of the flora and the rustic burnt orange  foliage of the glade.

This scent is of fresh ripe blackcurrant and earthy woodlands, worthy of any Faerie Queen in any Enchanted Forest.

Enchanted Forest Perfume

Written by Lily


Enchanted Forest @ www.thevagabondprince.com



Vagabond Prince Logo and picture of bottle supplied by The Vagabond Prince.

TOM FORD NOIR

With an ever expanding empire of uber chic wear, beauty and scent,Tom Ford has created for the new year a new addition to his private collection of perfumes aptly named Tom Ford Noir.
Don't be fooled into believing that this is solely a
masculine scent for the macho male with a big gun and an over production of testosterone. Far, far from the truth for this perfume read like another chapter in an ongoing adventurous saga of the ever suave and elusive Bond, James Bond .

The International man of mystery.














 Tom Ford Noir is the scent worthy of any Bond  agent, male or female.
 Suave, elegant, intelligent, intriguing and shall we say... sexy....


The man who wears Noir.. put into the best or the worst of situations is never ruffled or shaken (just  stirred)..Never a hair out of place nor a mark on his exquisite Gucci suit.
This scent is equally compatible for his female counterpart.A truly unisex scent which lends a sensual anonymity to the glamorous agent in the little black dress.

Opening with a vibrant hit of bergamot,Noir is sensually spiced with pink and black pepper, nutmeg, sage and caraway with an added ambiguously feminine  touch of rose, violet, iris and geranium, balanced by the masculine leather and charmed by allure of amber,patchouli and vanilla.

Martini .. anyone...

Written by Lily


Tom Ford Noir available @ David Jones Melbourne

FRAGONARD PERFUMERY

By the end of WW1 in Europe there was a large influx of tourists, workers and businessmen curious to discover the beautiful French Riviera.

Fragonard Perfumery

Eugene Fuchs an entrepreneurial perfumer at the time saw  to set up trade on the stunning French Riviera,south of France,in the town of Grasse to sell perfumed good from soaps to gloves.

Grasse was renown for it's tanneries and abundance of high quality scented flora and herbs which were used to disguise the smell from the tanneries..To this day the purest perfume essence still comes from Grasse.

The Swing By Jean Honore Fragonard

In 1926 Eugene opened Parfumerie Fragonard named after Grasse's famed hedonistic painter Jean Honore Fragonard and in honour to his loved town of Grasse. Eugene saw an opportunity in the  tradition of perfume making in the region.

Base materials

by the 1950's this family run affair had greatly expanded and was now not just a retailer but exporter of base perfume  materials to countries such as the United States and to companies such as Estee Lauder.

Jean-Francois La Costa and family

 by the 1970's grandson and heir Jean-Francois Costa,who was then head of the company expanded Fragonard by opening a Museum filled with his vast collection of perfume related antiquities.As the success of Fragonard amounted more Museums, factories and shops were opened in Eze and Paris and all are accessible to the public. They offer tours and workshops as well as the complete retail experience of this immense family organisation.





To date it is run by Agnes and Francoise, the daughters  of Jean- Francois Costa.There are 61 perfumes in all from the first created in 1928 'Le Naturelles' to the newest. All aspects of the company are now under the banner of these two talented family members.

 Agnes and Francoise have expanded the business into Manchester and jewellery as well 14 Men's Eau de Toilettes, all of which have their own stories to tell with scents such as Concerto, Desert,Papa Cherie and Toujous Fidele to name a few.

Men's Eau de Toilette

The newest creations offered are Eau du Seducteur for men  partnered with Moment Vole for women.
These enticing scents are packaged to reflect the tradition of Fragonard, the painter, with his decorative and whimsical art, as well as the perfumer.


Eau du Seducteur; packaged in the Roccoco blue for the suave gentleman, with an eye for then ladies and the charm to match.A top note of citrus fruit spiced with cardamom and nutmeg, sweetened by geranium and warmed by the allure of sandalwood, musk, cedar and tonka bean. 



Entwined in a Liaison Dangereuse with Moment Vole,encased  in demure beige,kissed with the rosebud smile  of sweet blackcurrant and raspberry flushed with floral rose, iris and modest violet counter balanced with hidden desires of  dark amber.

Two scents created for those with a love for life and a passion for love.









Written by Lily



Fragonard available @ Jacqui Fernandes Collins Place, Melbourne 3000