Red as Inspiration - New Editions: Perry Ellis Red, Armani Prive Rouge Malachite, Hermes Eau de Rhubarb Ecarlate

by: Sandra Raicevic Petrovic

During this decade, some designer houses were inspired by the color red which is interpreted into perfumes using certain special ingredients. For example, Eau de Lacoste L.12.12. Red crowns its woody-spicy composition with red Rooibos tea, just like the house of Bvlgari, which in their red tea composition Eau Parfumee au The Rouge mixes South-African Rooibos tea and Chinese Yunnan tea, sprinkled with bright pink pepper and mandarin zest drops. Ralph Lauren Polo Red joined the group of "red fragrances" in 2013, and in its composition it accentuates cranberry, red saffron and red sage. Davidoff Hot Water adds red basil and red pimento to their composition, spread over warm resinous scents of benzoin and styrax, while juicy ripe, sugared cherries characterize Lolita Lempicka Sweet,creating an illusory red chord in the composition.

The trend of the color red also influenced  the house of Yves Saint Laurent, which just before the last New Year’s holiday launched its limited editions Opium Rouge Fatal and Paris Rebbel Collector in very attractive red lacquered flacons. Thierry Mugler colored his cult Angel star in red for his limited edition Angel Passion Star. The flacons are so beautiful that it is almost impossible to resist them!

In Diana Vreeland's collection, the color red characterizes the fragrance Perfectly Marvelous, which is also composed of typically "red" notes: lacquered red sandalwood, red pimento and white jasmine. Numerous editions are inspired by red, and the one I miss most on the perfumery shelves is Feu d'Issey, the first representative of this strong and passionate color that unfortunately was discontinued.

Comme des Garcons dedicated their special collection Series 2 Red to the color red back in 2001, bringing five fragrances dedicated to red ingredients: carnation, rosewood, rose, sequoia and harissa (a bitter sauce consisting of pimento, hot spices and several sorts of pepper). Among my favorite red perfumes, I can single out:Xerjoff Red Hoba, Il Tuo Tullipano by Hilde Soliani, Casamorati 1888 Bouquet Ideale, Histoires de Parfums 1889 Moulin Rouge.

This year’s red editions, which will certainly attract attention, are Armani's Prive Rouge Malachite, inspired by red malachite and the Russian culture, Hermes Eau de Rhubarbe Ecarlate, based on rhubarb and signed by Christine Nagel, and Perry Ellis Red, which continues the line that started with the edition  Perry Ellis from 2013, followed by Perry Ellis Cobalt in 2014 and Perry Ellis Citron in 2015. 

Armani Prive Rouge Malachite has been available since January 2016 and was launched in pair with Armani Prive Vert Malachite as an homage to the Russian culture in the collection of Terres Precieuses. Red malachite by Armani is composed of intoxicating floral notes of tuberose, warmed with wood and amber. The fragrances are priced $310 at Neiman Marcus, as 100ml Eau de Parfum. The house of Hermes will publish more info on their new editions soon, and it is already known that we can expect two of them in February 2016:  the above mentioned Hermes Eau de Rhubarbe Ecarlate and Hermes Eau de Neroli Dore. These fragrances complete the traditional collection of eaux de cologne. 

PERRY ELLIS RED edition 2016 juniper berries, citruses red apple, red leather, Sichuan pepper, amber sage, sandalwood, oak moss

Perry Ellis Red was announced as "the scent of power, passion, and performance, Perry Ellis RED packs a punch with its contrasting essence of fresh, oriental, and long-lasting masculinity. An initial burst of juniper berries and a kick of citrus evolve into deeper notes of red apple, sichuan pepper, red leather, and amber. The addictive trail of the fragrance infuses textured hints of sage, creamy oak moss, and sandalwood revealing a fearless confidence and a sexy sophistication."  - Perry Ellis.

PERRY ELLIS RED can be purchased as 100ml Eau de Toilette priced at $65 at Macy's or as a set with the three earlier mentioned Perry Ellis editions, in 0.25oz flacons for $38.