What make of car do *you* drive?
The latest Luca Turin article in NZZ Folio focused on this latest Guerlain offering. In a car analogy that is very entertaining, you can read how Insolence isn't the stuff of the devil after all, despite the cries of several pseudo-cultured perfume lovers who shot it down before even getting the chance to smell it. I had been itching to write about it for some time, so this gives me a good opportunity to bring it up.
Basically Turin parallels italian based coachbuilders for some famous cars with the houses/noses who create the perfumes. (very valid since both design a product). The Pininfarina family is the one famous for designing Ferrari and Maseratti. Other automobile builders mentioned are Carozzeria Touring, which has had a hand in Alpha Romeos and Fratelli Zagatto ( fratelli means brothers in italian). He does mention two specific models of cars at the end, two Ferarri models this one for Insolence and and that one for Chamade. Italian design for cars mentioned by someone of Italian extraction? I don't see this as weird.
He had made the connection between an Isotta Fraschini car and Cuir de Russie by Chanel waaaaaaaay back, if you remember.
On to perfume matters....The controversy regarding Insolence had a lot to do with the name, the face promoting it (Hillary Swank was not deemed Guerlain material, but hey, the girl has two Oscars! She's got something going on for her), the advertising focusing on body bling and dancing naked in the dark (the preview, which will be cinemato-theatre material can be seen here courtesy of Vogue.co.uk), the colour of the juice. In fact, everything except the smell itself!
My personal opinion? I am partial to a Mini Cooper cabrio. (that's a joke; well, not entirely: I do love the Cooper cabrio!)
I said way back that we are quick to diss it and will soon crave it.
Same thing happened more or less with L'instant at time of launch. Many people dissed it when it first came out, commenting on how uncharacteristic of Guerlain it was, then lots of people went and bought it and enjoyed it immensely.
They are no fools at Guerlain, they know what they're doing and I don't think that issuing something not on a par with Mitsouko is a bad thing; not everything has to be on a par with it, anyway. (you know I love it, but you get my drift, n'est-ce pas?) The advertising is nowhere here not there, it's the juice that matters, for us perfume lovers, isn't it? Why be swayed by the ad? (which will attract a certain kind of customer who has some money to spend, so good job, I guess, heads of Guerlain advertising).
So..................
I have liked it. Yes, I have. This Opium and Mitsouko lover liked Insolence. I was sure I would when I read a poster with similar tastes say she found herself addicted to wearing it when she first got it despite herself and sure enough I find it a little addictive myself. It does not smell vulgar whatever the image might imply; it smells a little old-fashioned actually in the best possible sense. Myself I do not get the Aprés L'ondée connection so many have mentioned because of the violets featuring prominently in both. The latter is crisp, melancholy, a cool customer, not sweet at all, a lovely fragile floral. This one is sweet and candied and makeup-powdery. More in L'heure bleue's stride and hooray for me who cannot wear L'heure bleue! The candied violets can be intense and very sweet at first, then some glorious powdery base spins around and around like mrs.Swank dancing in a more modest attire than her birthday suit. Really, it's a lovably cuddly and "traditional" perfume in the best possible sense. Establishment, not avant-garde. But then, that's what Guerlain does best!
The perfume box that plays its own music, set to rythmic lights is surely something not very serious, it was after all part of the press release, just 200 boxes, but I doubt anyone of us is interested in that aspect. At least if you are reading this venue I hope you're not.
It also elicited an immediate response from SO, who is very eclectic in perfume (and really knows nothing about brand cachet, so I trust his judgement because I know it has to do with the smell per se). I am sure it would elicit compliments from others too, as people have been reporting it does. I am getting a bottle myself.
Contrary (if i understood correctly) to mr.Turin I think this one will be quite successful commercially, mark my words.
Pic of the music parfum box comes from Ebay auction.
eleven commentsDear Helg-
Let us agree to disagree on this one...
While I appreciate what appears [to me ] to be a retro violet note, there are so many more satisfying ways for me to get my violet freak on, we can't begin to list them here...
I agree heartily, it will sell, and sell well.
Years ago, a nice young man asked me to help him create a fragrance line, and I declined, for financial and family reasons.
When he produced his first efforts and asked my opinion,
I really didn't care for them, but I cared about HIM, so I truthfully told him that they would sell like mad, and they have...
The line is known to most people as 'Fresh'.
So, my friend, in the final analysis, it really doesn't matter what I think.
Chacun a son gout !
[If I were with you, I'd sing this- one of my favorite pants roles...and I'd sing it in German, of course !]
chayaruchama () - 06 10 06
this is the month of cars and perfume for me
I recently found this site
http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2006/..
Duriez of Patou does a commercial for Lexus
karol - 06 10 06
Chayaruchama,
perfectly valid to disagree. Johann Strauss was on to something, bats and everything (technically the libretto writer, but don't know name)!
I did like the retro character of this one and the powderiness, because those are elements lacking from recent releases, so it's also a matter of avoiding the deja vu. That's very important to me.
Fascinating what you say about Fresh, though! To tell you the truth....all right, I am not crazy about their scents either, but as you say they sell well.
perfumeshrine - 06 10 06
Karol,
indeed this is a month of cars. I had been meaning to do something with a certain car pic for a scent that goes well with it. Maybe it will be my next post.
Thanks for the link! Mr.Duriez for Lexus! Impressive... (in my best deepest Darth Vader voice)
perfumeshrine - 06 10 06
I drive an Audi A2 - perky, a bit wacky, but definitely sensible underneath all that. And S.O.L.I.D. Have no idea how to link it to a scent!
Insolence - I'm with Chaya, but then I seem to be agreeing with her everywhere in internetland...
Love to you Helg.
Leopoldo - 06 10 06
Audis are great cars! Good looking too, I find.
Sorry Insolence was not to your satisfaction; you have to give it that it is out of the normal fruity-floral category at least. At this point I had almost lost hope...
perfumeshrine - 07 10 06
Hi all. Humor is the only test of gravity, and gravity of humor; for a subject which will not bear raillery is suspicious, and a jest which will not bear serious examination is false wit.
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