by: Serguey Borisov
The new collection Les Eaux Primordiales is named with a typical French equivoque. The name stands on one hand for the waters of the primeval ocean where life appeared on Earth, and on the other for the very first colognes (Eaux) of young perfumer Arnaud Poulain, which in turn can create their own world around everyone of us. The same kind of puns are waiting for our attention on the labels of the flacons in the form of names, as well as within the bottles. Eternal moment (Moment Perpetuel), metallic iris (Iris Palladium), memory of the future (Memoire du Futur) – all names with a French sound.
Abstraction Raisonnée
Vetiver presented as a green berry or vegetable is a fairly modern pun. The fresh vetiver attenuated with sour gooseberries and green, sulfury grapefruit and flavored with tropical fruits (Paradisone?) smells like the love child of Antigua by Phaedon Paris and Emotional Resque by Mark Buxton. Mark Buxton’s and Pierre Guillaume’s ghosts hover over Paris in this “reasonable abstraction”. Everything points to the presence of vetiver – there are not that many ingredients that could land any dream so skillfully on a woody masculine drydown. Abstraction can be called a prickly green accord, in which one can see the shapes of berries or sour green vegetables, green fruits or flowers. The fragrance was born as a boy – there are tobacco and nutmeg, as a legacy of Vetiver Guerlain, and the fresh fougere smell of Fahrenheit Christian Dior’snew offspring. The milky part of benzoin, cedar wood and vetiver reminds of Fat Electrician by Etat Libre D’Orange, Encre Noir Lalique and other attractions of the magic woody country named Vetiverindia. A perfume one has to try!
Notes: Bergamot, Grapefruit, Hedione, Tropical Fruits Chord, Rhubarb, Vetiver, Tobacco, Nutmeg, Benzoin, Amber, Violet and Woody notes.
Bernd and Hilla Becher, Grain Silos, 1998
Iris Palladium
Another White Iris, grafted onto the money tree and drinking its sweetish juices. As if we – iris fragrance fans – were not aware of the launches of Irisss Xerjoff, Iris Pallida L`Artisan Parfumeur, Bois d`Argent Christian Diorand the pair of Bois d`Iris – by The Different Company and Van Cleef & Arpels. But if you have not yet got acquainted with Orris, the noble woody-powdery ingredient made from iris rhizome – start right here and now. Iris Palladium’s difference from the other orris soli-rhizome fragrances is the never-ending pleasant and soft smell. The full-bodied woody orris accord is always neutral, warm and with a calm flow, it does not make a cloud of pale powder and never falls down to vanilla cake. Orris in total neutrality, the fragrant Switzerland. I would call it an iris fougere fragrance, as it`s very gentle and caring, like cosmetics. Give me two, please.
Notes: Bergamot, Carrot seeds, Sage, Jasmine, Cedar wood, Patchouli, Labdanum, Iris, Tonka beans, Sandalwood and White Musk.
Moment Perpétuel
My favorite French lavender, light blue. Or not, because something intensely green arises, more energetic and invigorating, bright and swift. A fougere meteorite fell into the lavender fields of the Provence. Perpetuum mobile – it's a compliment to the enduring classic lavender smell, the “eternal moment” is a statement of the fact that the lavender note usually emerges, develops and disappears rapidly. And Moment Perpetuel is the perfectly executed attempt to extend the aromatic green flash for a few hours, with the help of modern non-oriental means: thyme, blackcurrant base, pine oil, and a musk complex. The lavender appears with some whitish base notes, it is oh-so-modern compared to the evergreen Pour Un Homme de Caron and has more dynamic development than Jersey Chanel (all of those who hate to wear lavender colognes due to its shade of wet chalk and blackboard rags are required to try this one). Who said that nothing eternal could happen?
Notes: Bergamot, Lavender, Thyme, Blackcurrant, Blackberries, Hedione, Nulu balm, Iris and White Musk.
Particules Imprévisibles
Unpredictable particles? OK, Google, remind me, how long since Gucci Pour Hommewas removed from the production line, to the dismay of all smooth seducers? And how much does it cost now, to get a bottle from the hands of perfume speculators who earn on our nostalgia? Particules Imprevisibles is slightly more strict and fresh, not as imposing as Gucci – but perfectly recognizable and very similar to the original, a warm and inviting, spicy, papery smell. In general, there has always been some probability of a Gucci Pour Homme comeback, but a bit like Elvis Presley’s second coming. Completely unpredictable. Monsieur Poulain says that this woody fragrance will be very unpredictable on all the different types of people skin. I cannot praise the fragrance for originality, but for this performance of unspoken desires, Gucci Pour Homme fans will be very grateful!
Notes: Pink pepper, Lavender, Rosemary, Ginger, Cumin, Elemi, Violet, Nagarmotha, Labdanum, Guaiac wood, Vanilla and Amber
Champ d'Influence
The field of influence, you say? This is a true masculine cologne mass destruction field – the smell of the Hussars’ morning before their visit to the provincial city. It’s like one of the vintage fougere colognes said “I`ll be back” when it was taken out of production, and kept its promise. If you remember the aromatic fougeres likeMacassar Rochas and Jules Christian Dior, untimely gone into a vintage cohort – then here's evidence that history does not disappear but repeat itself. A bitter green and uncompromising smell within the soapy-military family, loud as a command and sharp as a rifle recoil. The mythical man, an indomitable fighter, a real McCoy. Surprisingly, after such a hard green entry the cologne slides into the traditional hairdressing accord of coumarin, oak moss and musks – as the great old vintage Fougère Royale Houbigant bequeathed at its discontinuation. No wonder that Champ d'Influence was created in memory of the perfumer`s grandfather and his habit of wet-shaving with a badger and razor and washing his face with aftershave. In the present perfumes, this role was decently played, for example, by Replica: At The Barber`s Maison Martin Margiela and Fierce Abercrombie & Fitch.
Notes: Lavender, Citrus, Aldehydes, Geranium, Vetiver, Oak moss, Coumarin, Oud, Patchouli, White musk, Amber and Woody notes.
Bernd and Hilla Becher, Coal Bunker, GB 1973
Mémoire du Futur
A memory of the future? It is a boozy, spicy, floral aldehyde chypre with a dirty paper sillage. White and crisp as starched sheets. Bright as dazzling pink sails in the fantastic sunset. Huge and unceasing as a Chypre ocean with aldehyde iris whitecaps on berry rose waves. The drunken yeast (alas, that`s my impression on my skin), floral and fruity, is done many times before, for instance by 100% Love S-Perfumes. It remains alive after a full working day and a couple of hot showers, like chalk cliffs in a boozy berry and animalic surf – so be most careful with it. A giant chypre bouquet, but totally out of my taste.
Notes: Bergamot, Aldehydes, Tarragon, Rose, Jasmine, Iris, Carnation, Violet, Tonka beans, Patchouli, Oak moss and Golden stone.
To sum it up, Les Eaux Primordiales collection is a timeless (classic and modern at once) collection. The perfumer-creator and art-director Arnaud Poulain is grateful to writer Jules Verne (for the brand name), and to designer Howard Kettler (for the Courier font), and the Becher couple (for their photographic works), and also to his teachers from Cinqueme Sens and colleague Amélie Bourgeois (for both professional training and friendly collaboration).
And I have to give thanks to you, Mr. Arnaud Poulain, for a wonderful evening spent socially with your new perfumes! I was pleased to discover them for the first time. It`s a great collection to make one's first steps discovering The Perfumery Kingdom, to meet and recognize these most fruitful perfume ideas.
Thank you!
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