I’d be interested to know how much emphasis people place on originality when making a new perfume purchase. With the thousands of releases each year, it seems increasingly difficult for brands to come up with something new. It struck me when sampling Parle Moi de Parfum’s excellent range of scents, 12 EdP’s in total in this discovery set, that we’ve smelt many of these creations in some form or another before. Cleverly though master perfumer Michel Almairac, he of Gucci Pour Homme I, Fahrenheit, and Chloe EdP fame has curated a collection of scents that tweaks the formulas just enough to warrant the interest and attention of this hard to please perfume lover.
Michel Almairac and his son Benjamin launched Parle Moi de Parfum in 2016 in Paris and set up headquarters in the heart of the city, creating a space where perfume lovers could congregate and sample the wares of his father. A true family business, Benjamin’s mother Elisabeth and his brother Romain were involved in the design of the boutique. As of 2020, there are 14 perfumes in the brand’s catalogue. I purchased a discovery set with their first 12 perfume’s and in today’s blog post will give a quick rundown of each. By the way, after each fragrance name, there is a number that corresponds to the number of revisions it took to settle on the final formula.
Amongst the 12 there are a couple of scents that may satisfy the ravenous appetite of gourmand lovers, Flavia Vanilla / 82 is a low-calorie gourmand with vanilla and a large dose of florals. A much more grownup vanilla than you find on the shelves of the department stores. No syrupy sweetness in sight. Surprisingly though, I rather enjoyed Guimauve de Noel / 31 (Christmas Marshmallow). I say surprisingly as I’m not normally a gourmand lover, but this one is a real “loosen the belt” treat. Orange Blossom over vanilla with sugar crystals sprinkled in for good measure. It reminded me a little of a mix between Kilian’s Love and Nishane’s Hundred Silent Ways. A delicious scent that evoked Michel’s childhood memories of decadent desserts. I’ll certainly be going back for seconds.
For rose lover’s there’s Une Tonne de Roses / 8 a rose and patchouli combo that didn’t excite me so much but perhaps lovers of Diptyque’s new Eau Capitale may enjoy. Orris Tattoo / 29 is a buttery, powdery, rooty scent with a woody backbone to hold it together. I pick up an almost fig-like fruitiness that recalls Diptyque’s Philosykos. It’s an interesting one that has grown on me. Gardens of India / 79 is a waxy white, softly feminine floral of tuberose, jasmine, with a musky, sandalwood dry down that I wouldn’t probably reach for, but is worth checking out if you’re a fan of white florals. Tomboy Neroli / 65 is a neroli fragrance with a modern woody amber dry down that is a little cliched, but certainly works a lot better than the likes of a Sauvage or a Bleu de Chanel. Perhaps a little sharp for some, but with its modern feel, I’d dare say this may be one of the brand’s popular ones. My favourite from the florals is Totally White / 126 a beautifully transparent, ethereal scent with notes of lilac, syringa, hawthorn, and wisteria. Brilliantly evocative of a fresh spring morning, and certainly wouldn’t be out of place in the Guerlain Aqua Allegoria line. Fans of scents like Aqua Universalis and En Passant should check this one out. Brilliant.
Cedar Woodpecker / 10 has a strange name but it’s a throwback to classic masculines with woody notes and a leather accord wrapped intriguingly around an iris note. I preferred Woody Perfecto / 107 a well-done vetiver, leather, and coffee scent that reminded me of a cross between Hermes Vetiver Tonka and Atelier des Ors Cuir Sacre. Chypre Mojo / 45 has a somewhat bubble-gum sweet mango note at the outset that I didn’t love. The patchouli/woods dry down was a touch boring. Milky Musk / 39 is a wonderful skin-hugging musk with a creamy sandalwood dry down. Linear but brilliantly done.
Papyrus Oud / 71 is probably the brand’s most well-known scent. It’s an, I’d say close to note-perfect reiteration of two of Michel Almairac’s beloved cult classic designer scents Gucci Pour Homme I and Bentley For Men Absolute. Smoky, woody, dry, medicinal highly wearable oud, pencil shavings cedar with a touch of pepper, spices, and sweetness from vanilla and amber. East meets West in the best possible way, and for fans of the long-discontinued Gucci one to get your hands on.
So, plenty to check out here with this brand and something for everyone. My favourites were Totally White / 126, Milky Musk / 39, Guimauve de Noel / 31, Cedar Woodpecker / 10, Woody Perfecto / 107 and Papyrus Oud / 71. I’m looking forward to trying the brand’s latest creations Mile High / 38 and Saffron Wood / 91.
Have you tried Parle Moi de Parfum? Do you have a favourite?
Note: I purchased the discovery set through Peony Melbourne in Australia. Bottle image courtesy of Fragrantica