The Soft Androgyny of Living Lalique

by: Miguel Matos

I was presented with the latest Lalique creation, Living Lalique, in October at the TFWA Expo in Cannes. With a stunning bottle like that, there was an instant wow factor. It must be one of the most remarkable bottles I have seen in the perfume industry lately. Clearly and unmistakably identifiable as reminiscent of the beautiful designs of the French artist, master of glass works in the Art Nouveau and Art Deco periods, the bottle of Living Lalique gives an impression of an extremely sophisticated scent inside. Most Lalique perfumes are great, in my opinion, and the bottles are almost always gorgeous. So, no surprise here. But this is a special bottle, very vintage and classic style. Even among dozens of other bottles in my collection, this one stands out and makes a statement of elegance.

I have been waiting for an announced launch of Living Lalique in order to give you my impressions on it. I have been anxious for it because I have a passion for this edition and it is a surprising perfume, not what you would expect, even if you read the notes list. In fact, Living Lalique belongs in the same family of quirkiness as another gem in the line, Perles de Lalique. This brand is a symbol and an example of a mainstream name that manages to keep a higher level of quality and an artistic approach to fragrance. There is enormous care while designing the bottles and a concern with the juices inside so that they will almost always surprise you with unusual and original blends.

Before entering the subject of the scent itself, I have to stress again the rare quality of the design of this bottle, a heavy hexagonal glass with an organic feeling, within the Art Nouveau style. Each side is faceted and the edges are rimmed in fine white lines. There's a golden ring with the engraved inscription “Living Lalique” and above that sits a transparent stopper with a white and gold bird design on top. All of this is flawless until you open the bottle and find out that the beautiful stopper is actually made of cheap plastic with lesser quality finishings. The heavy bottle makes an awkward contrast with the light plastic stopper that tries to imitate glass. Well, not all is perfect after all.

So, getting to the perfume itself. It's an iris-based fragrance, as Elena said in her announcement. But don't be fooled, thinking it will be a very feminine and powdery perfume. It is the opposite of that, actually. What a surprise! When I sprayed it for the first time I had to ask: “Is this a masculine fragrance?” Yes there's a clear predominance of iris, but it is married to a huge dose of woods and vetiver. Do you remember the unisex quality of the great Perles de Lalique? Well then, it's the same feeling. When you first smell it there's a burst of black pepper, iris and vetiver. All the sweet notes listed like vanilla and tonka bean are subtly mixed in the middle, but only to give it body and smoothness. All is very dry and rough. What a great contrast to the delicate and feminine bottle. This is not the makeup iris, nor the earthy powdery quality. It's more like the way iris is being used in male fragrances nowadays. It's not a difficult perfume, and it makes you think that you already smelled it before, somewhere. But it's lovely, elegant and androgynous, and I love it. However, there's a catch: it is a really shy skinscent. I have to give it six sprays on my neck and reapply it after an hour with the same dosage. And still nobody can smell it around me. Which is a pity, for it's an interesting scent and something I could wear a lot, but I like my perfumes big and bold ... I have been wearing it occasionally since October and with great pleasure. But unless you carry with you a purse spray, you will find yourself craving that first whiff of iris and vetiver very soon and not getting any. It says eau de parfum but the longevity and sillage are closer to an eau de cologne. Please, wonderful artists at the house of Lalique: I know there is a Parfum version of Living Lalique. Can you release it quickly? Thanks!

Images: Miguel Matos