Scour Room 1015’s website, https://room1015.com/, and you’ll see references to rock ‘n’ roll, counterculture, and punk. The brand founder, Michael Partouche, a trained pharmacist, uses his fragrance to express rebellion and alternative ideology. From what I’ve sampled, I’ve been unimpressed. However, like many brands and bands, they got off to a good start. They launched with a trio of fragrances in 2015. Atramental, their olfactory evocation of a tattoo parlour remains their best fragrance. In my opinion, they remain a bit of a one-hit wonder. They’ve since gone on to release 12 more scents, bringing their catalogue to 15. Last year’s Wavechild was awful, a mishmash of gourmand and marine. Jasmine Freak, signed by Jérôme Di Marino, hit shelves in 2025.
The avant-garde marketing imagery for Jasmine Freak appeared intriguing. Indeed, a touch Bowie-esque. Unfortunately, all the intrigue went away as soon as I sprayed the perfume. Jasmine Freak disappoints – it’s a fruity floral straight from central casting, complete with a sweet as bubble gum jasmine note and an on-trend mango note on background vocals. The floral accord, composed of tuberose, ylang-ylang, and, of course, jasmine, has a creamy, glossy, sugary sheen that feels like a chorus ready for top 40 commercial radio. The musky outro dares not offend.
I’m sure it’ll be a success for the brand, but it’s about as rock n’ roll as a cucumber sandwich without the crusts. Surely, it’s time for this brand to start creating fragrances that live up to the marketing hype. Break some guitars, launch a Television into the pool. As cliched as that sounds, it’s better than receding to the norm. Do something rebellious (in a perfume composition sense). No more perfume clichés! Those I cannot stand.
Note: Sample of Jasmine Freak purchased by me. The first image is from Room 1015; all other photos are my own.
Have you sampled Jasmine Freak? What do you think of the brand?
Here are some more photos of jasmine from my garden.
