Andrée Putman is one of France’s best known interior architects. She has designed everything from home interiors to furniture to tableware. She redesigned the interior of the Air France Concorde jet, and she was responsible for the interior of the Pershing Hall hotel in Paris. For her first fragrance, Préparation Parfumée, which was released in 2001, she worked with nose Olivia Giacobetti, who…
…immediately understood what I wanted and succeeded in transforming my own personality into olfactory notes. We spoke about wood, wet wood, wood after the rain, driftwood, about water lilys and coriander leaf. I wanted it to be light and fresh, to be a fragrance for women, for men and even for children…I hope this fragrance evokes the same serenity and discretion present in all my other creations. (via cached copy from andreeputman)
Préparation Parfumée has notes of driftwood, grey pepper, water lily and coriander leaves. It has a strong pepper start, which is joined shortly by the wood notes. I would not have thought that I knew what driftwood smelled like, but it does in fact smell very much like old, weather-beaten wood. I don’t particularly catch the water lily note, but it does smell like water, and Giacobetti, happily, knows how to do water without resorting to a heavy synthetic marine note. It is fresh, a bit earthy, and a bit green, although again, I don’t really smell anything like coriander leaves (also known as cilantro).
It is a relaxed, laid-back scent, and very atmospheric despite the the fact that it is also about as transparent as a fragrance can get: this is not something to dab delicately on the pulse points. It is a true unisex, in the sense that it is hard to have a preconceived notion about which gender would more appropriately smell like driftwood.
Préparation Parfumée is packaged in a reproduction of an antique chemist bottle. You can buy a small 30 ml bottle for $55; it is also available in 100 ml and 250 ml sizes, and is sold at beautyhabit, hqhair, and Takashimaya.
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Hello R! Thanks for this review – as usual fantastique!
The perfume is not as fantastique to my nose…
xoxo
N, as always, you find a kind comment even when you hate the fragrance!
BTW, did you ever actually smell the new Miller et Bertaux, which seems to be called “Green, green, and green” or something?
And why are you not updating your blog? I hope you are not over-working again
Hello R! As you know things have been beyond busy here – I have not been able to get my backside to the boutique to try the #3. Shame on me – I know!
Will let you know as soon as I do. BTW I revisited Miss Dior again today and it is gorgeous. Same with Dioressence (sic). Hmmm I smell so good…
*which gender would most appropriately smell like driftwood* LOLOLOLOLOL!
N, just got samples of Miss Dior & Dioressence and will give them a try. I do hope things calm down for you soon!
Hey M. Can you tell I write this stuff at 6 am?
You do good for 6 a.m. writing sessions! Don't you think “driftwood” has the same smell (sort of) as a person, fisherman?, who has been in the baking sun all day, sweating and being spalshed constantly with salty sea water? That DRY salt, from perspiration and oceanic spray, on the skin and clothes smells of driftwood to me. It's not a “funky” smell…but a raw, harsh aroma. I'll have to get a sample of this scent to compare with my imaginary re-creation of it.
Interesting. Now I need to get a real piece of driftwood to compare…but the AP scent is not that way at all, not raw, not harsh, and I don't find it salty or sea-waterish, more like peppery and fresh-waterish. This is more like wood from a stream, maybe? Can you call that driftwood?
R just updated that blooming blog – for you!
;D
ah…I grew up by the ocean and always think of dry salty driftwood draped in brittle seaweed..but you are right…you can have driftwood from a river or stream too and that smell would be so different.
Hi Robin,
Samples APPP recently and frankly adore it. However, it does remind me a bit of Comme des Garcons Sherbet Series Cinnamon – was Giacobetti the nose for that one as well? (It also seems a bit like Banana Republic Slate as well – I think they might have ripped off Ms. Putman.)
Also, how do you think APPP compares to L'Artisan Navegar? My only concern in committing to a full bottle of APPP is it seems faint when dabbed and am hoping Navegar is a stronger version.
Thanks for all your help!
I don't know of any scents that OG has done for CdG, although that doesn't mean she hasn't — I just don't know about it.
I find Navegar spicier & more “sea-weedy”, if I remember correctly, although hope I'm not confusing the scent memory too much w/ L'Eau de L'Artisan (I find those 2 similar as well). I do remember Navegar as being stronger than APPP. Been meaning to do a review of Navegar & LEdLA, & will try to get to that soon.
Thank you very much, Robin! You're are always so knowledgeable, helpful and ever so enjoyable to interact with!
Have a great day!
You're very kind considering I wasn't much help
I'm wearing it today and love it so much – but god it seems to dissapear the minute after you spray it on skin.
It is not a powerhouse in terms of longevity, it is true! Although I do get a few hours out of it.