Peau de Bete by Liquides Imaginaires

by: Elena Vosnaki

Philippe di Meo with his Liquides Imaginaires has already gifted us with 3 lines of fragrances presented in trios: Les Eaux Dela, Les Eaux Sanguines and Les Eaux Arborantes, met with critical success, but at the Pitti Fragranze 13 exhibition he presented his latest eau de parfum, or rather - shall we say - an eau de peau, i.e. a skin scent that promises new challenges. Peau de Bête is the name, denoting, for our purposes, "the skin of a beast" and will soon premiere at the Liquides Imaginaires online shop in the coming months. 

 

 

Reportedly this is only the beginning of another triptych called Animal Beauty, with this being the first edition of an animalic fragrance seen through the porthole of a contemporary perfume aficionado's eyes. 

 

The beast in question does not yield to a feline-evocative composition or one of those huge animalics of the 1980s like Montana's. The sensuality in Peau de Bête instead is smooth like a horse's back and with unexpected notes of spice, herbaceous hints and woody elements. The makers want us to imagine riding on a black stallion through vast fields of green and brown to the frenzied beat of hooves. 

 

 

The perfumer, Carin Bouin, mixed a complex formula that encompasses various materials. For example pepper on top, with cumin and safranal, the latter giving a leathery aspect. There are also woody notes of Atlas cedar and Virginia cedar, as well as guaiacwood. Rich notes of Indonesian patchouli leaf and patchouli absolute, Indian cypriol, castoreum, styrax, civet, Ambrarome and even the borderline repulsively suggestive molecule skatole. Plus a few other things which remain undivulged in order for us to experience the challenge of a modern animalic that is impetuous and surprising. 

 

 

Available as eau de parfum, 100ml for 250€, from late September 2015 by Liquides Imaginaires. Now available at essenza-nobile.de and soon onLiquidesImaginaires.com/eshop/en/.