Etat Libre d'Orange's next scent will be Tom of Finland, a fragrance created for the Tom of Finland Foundation, a non-profit organization that offers “a safe haven for all erotic art”.
The packaging will feature homoerotic artwork by the late Touko Laaksonen, aka Tom of Finland, and prospective customers will reportedly have to establish that they are of age (21 in the US, 18 elsewhere) to purchase the fragrance.
The Tom of Finland fragrance was created by perfumer Antoine Lie, who was asked to create a scent that “does not disturb the odor of men”. The notes feature “crumpled leaf”, suede, metal, pepperwood, iris, vetiver, tonka bean and musks.
Etat Libre d'Orange Tom of Finland will be available in 50 ml Eau de Parfum. (via Women's Wear Daily, additional information via tomoffinlandfoundation) Update: see a review of Etat Libre d'Orange Tom of Finland.
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Wow Robin, definitely no fruity florals in this one..:-D
I love that it “does not disturb the odor of men.” I keep hearing it in a falsetto Monty Python voice.
Some guys over at Basenotes have smelled this (they live in Europe) and have reported it has a 'green-ish' aura, with a slight metallic tang and a subtle leather note. Which sounds absolutely unlike the picture you've posted above Robin.
Have looked at their website and this is some different stuff
Mike the aromas that you mention won't mess with the male bodyscent.. I guess…
Nope!
Works just like an ear worm: now I will hear it that way forever too.
Mikeperez, The man in the picture looks like his odor would not be easily disturbed.
Does anyone else besides me want to pull that shirt back down over his nipple?
Well with the exception of Rossy de Palma, this is definitely my favorite gimmick of the line so far.
For whatever that's worth. ; )
I have a feeling you do not need to spend much time perusing the Tom of Finland website then
This one & the RdP both seem to have some point to them, so I'd agree.
Too late. I've already been there. My, my, my, the men there do certainly have some sproingy members, don't they?
Maybe this is a fragrance for men who don't like to wear frgncs.
Indeed, they are impressively sproingy.
Hey, are you aimtx?
I have the earworm of all time–Monty Python's “Finland Song” being sung by a chorus line of TOF drawings….I am very curious to try this one. I love several ELDO scents and am in the minority in that I find their whole schtick amusing. cheers, Sara
Yes, but does he cry explosively?
Yeah, but only because he looks cold and uncomfortable! Poor guy, it looks like the male version of getting your skirt caught in the back of your pantyhose! Somebody help him! LOL!
Can't go to the site, not safe for work me thinks! But I do like the way men smell as a general rule, so yay for them for going with the flow instead of against.
Nope. I go by sweetlife everywhere but here. NST was the first blog I signed into and I hadn't got the hang of the handle thing yet. Nor am I motivated enough to figure out how to re-register.
I would have included NSFW in the article, but figured the “don't enter if you're underage” thing was enough of a clue
Luckily for me, I don't know that one! Otherwise, am very susceptible to ear worms.
Hope this one will be worth smelling
Went *whoosh* over my head…
Where is my dictionary..?!
The guy on the picture would fit well in an ad for Le Male whatever version.
This is actually really entertaining news. I was convinced the ELdO folks had lost their minds when I read the copy for “Don't Get Me Wrong Baby, I Don't Swallow”, but I do think they have nothing if not a sense of humor.
I think this scent should be nothing but leather, civet, and castoreum.
Count me in too. Thanks.
OK, am I the only one who thinks the “must be 21 to purchase” ploy is particularly ridiculous? Or did I read that wrong?!
Only when assembling furniture.
I'm absolutely tickled about ELDO doing this fragrance. Tom of Finland has long, long been associated with the hypermasculine leather community, where the use of fragrances is seriously frowned upon and discouraged. Oh, the irony!
Your idea of the scent would be a better fit with the imagery!
I don't know if it is another way to get attention or if they were seriously worried about selling risque images to young people, but yes, it is ridiculous. I believe there are 7 versions of the packaging, some of which are “problematic” in that regard and some of which aren't.
Perhaps it will sell better outside their own constituency then. In the US, at any rate, the line is only carried at Henri Bendel, which I wouldn't guess is favored stomping grounds of the hypermasculine leather community?
I think you would be correct in that guess. I'VE never even been inside of Bendel's, but that's mostly because I live in Minnesota. I understand I can order ELDO by phone, but there are only 1 or 2 in the whole line that I'll wear. (I'd REALLY like to try the Noël au Balcon, but I guess Sephora France doesn't ship to the U.S.)
I just find the whole notion that wearing scents as an indication of a man's lack of masculinity, especially in that segment of the gay community. There is a saying: “Leather is just another form of drag.” It has its own customs and costumes, just as any other defined segment of the gay community. I see profiles on gay sites where guys will say something like this: “Smell like a man! That means no deodorant, no cologne, no perfume!” And then it's accompanied by a picture of the writer with an 8″ stogie sticking out of his face. Um, yeah. That cigar really makes you look like a man!
I lived in San Francisco for eight years, and one of the bars on Castro Street had a sign in the window prohibiting “applied scents.” I so wanted to make some sort of scent bomb with A*Men and throw it inside!
This entire brand could be something from my hometown Amsterdam.
“Sex sells” that is the main idea behind this concept.
Planned a visit back home in february and hope to go and visit the little store where both Etat d'Orange and Frederic Malles fragrances are being sold.
I like greenish metallic leather. The, um, partial picture makes me think of my fourth-grade male students, who are enthralled by Wrestling.
Tim, It is interesting then, that the TOF foundation decided to do this. Perhaps they need to raise funds like everybody else, or perhaps their constituency is now much wider — I know their stated mission was originally about preserving the legacy of the original Tom of Finland's artwork, now it is more widely about a “safe haven for erotic art” in general.
Not sure it is a “real” word anyway!
LOL — for some reason, now picturing people being arrested for procuring Tom of Finland fragrance for minors. I'm afraid your fourth grade boys will have to stick to Axe
A feeble reference to Skarb.
Ack — sorry, that was over a week ago, I'd already forgotten!
Motley in Boston, MA is the first retailer in the U.S. to carry this scent. It is available now before it's official U.S. launch in June 2008. http://www.shopmotley.com
This is my favorite scent of all times. I can’t even describe it. I cannot wait to be able to find a way (or a friend visiting France) to get another one.
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etiennepadin, I have 2 brand new sealed bottles of Etat Libre D’Orange Tom of Finland for trade if you are interested. I purchased several bottles while living in London. I just got back in the US this month and still have these 2 unopened and sealed.
Let me know.