An artistic creation is not consensual by intention but rather by the unpredictable result of a magic conjunction between the individual inspiration of a visionary creator and the public which will progressively come to meet him (and not the reverse). Paradoxically, it’s often when you are deeply personal and unique in your expression that you can reach the universal.

— Perfumer Michel Roudnitska, answering the question "What constitutes art in perfumery for you and how do you envision this in the reality of the fragrance industry?"; read more at Perfumism.

Melon is the new black. It is not the new black I was hoping for as I stuck pins in my sweet-fruity-floral voodoo doll, but there you are: be careful what you wish for. If you like melon in your perfume, you are going to love Emotionnelle, the latest fragrance from Parfums DelRae, which opens with the biggest, brightest, juiciest melon (Octavian at 1000 Fragrances: “I've never seen such a huge and hyper realistic melon note…”) ever bottled. You can just about taste it.

Emotionnelle was reportedly inspired by the smells DelRae Roth recorded in her diary on a visit to Paris (why couldn't she have had jasmine and frankincense for breakfast?), but perfumistas will more likely notice the links to Le Parfum de Thérèse, created by perfumer Edmond Roudnitska for his wife…

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Emotionnelle was developed by perfumer Michel Roudnitska…

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Despite the fascinating list of notes, it reads as very nearly bland on my skin…

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Hors Là Monde recently launched their second fragrance, Shiloh, after winning a protracted legal battle with actress Angelina Jolie over the rights to the name. Shiloh has any number of meanings, but only one of them matters to Jolie, apparently. I don’t know if the legal costs were outrageous, but it is hard to imagine a more fortuitous gift publicity-wise: Shiloh (the perfume) got way more attention in the mainstream press (and on the celebrity gossip blogs) than your average niche fragrance launch could ever hope to achieve.

The Shiloh fragrance was developed by Michel Roudnitska, and is described as…

…the treasure brought home after years of traveling. Mysterious, bewitching and refined, Shiloh is the result of a fusion of delicate scents, precious woods, a hint of Rose from Esphahan, and a touch of patchouli oil…

Additional notes include lemon, bergamot, herbs, rose, Virginia cedar, sandalwood, incense, oakmoss, musk, patchouli and vanilla…

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Shiloh is the second fragrance release from Hors Là Monde, a small jewelry company founded in 2005 by Symine Salimpour. The new scent was developed by perfumer Michel Roudnitska, but at the moment, its notoriety is based on the recently resolved five-month trademark battle between Salimpour and actress Angelina Jolie over the rights to the name Shiloh…

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Ellie is the fragrance debut from Ellie D, a line created by Jessica Dunne. Ellie was inspired by (and named for) Dunne’s grandmother; Dunne reportedly wanted to “create a perfume infused with nostalgia with youthful and modern sensibility”. The perfumer was Michel Roudnitska, and the notes include bergamot, tangerine, cyclamen, lily of the valley, jasmine, gardenia, rose, fig leaves, vetiver, sandalwood, musk, vanilla and coconut.

Ellie starts with bright citrus and greenery; the heart is a simply lovely blend of florals dominated by lily of the valley. The jasmine is ever-so-slightly indolic, and there is a tiny, short-lived hint of rose…

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I adore Amoureuse, but I don’t revisit it very often. The reason is simple: this is strong stuff. Now that Debut is available in an Eau de Parfum, it is time to issue Amoureuse in an Eau de Toilette — this is a fragrance that would be much easier to wear if it were considerably lighter than it is. It starts with tangerine and cardamom, underscored with touches of melon and pepper. That doesn’t sound like much, but if you don’t spray it on carefully (and actually, I prefer to decant and dab) it will very nearly knock you out…

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Parfums DelRae launched Début, their fourth fragrance, in 2004. Like the others in the line, it was created by perfumer Michel Roudnitska. The notes are bergamot, lime, ylang ylang, fresh leaves, lily of the valley, linden blossom, cyclamen, vetiver, sandalwood and musk.

DelRae Roth, according to the Parfums DelRae website, has had a lifelong interest in perfume, and began mixing her own essential oils prior to working with Michel Roudnitska:

The perfume world is dominated by four or five huge companies and I did not think that the quality was always there. I was convinced that it was still possible to create a perfume of integrity using the very best ingredients. (The Journal, Newcastle, England, 11/29/2004)

Such, of course, might be the motto of any niche perfume line, but the DelRae line, more than most, lives out the sentiment: the fragrances are both unusual and beautifully done, and although they are expensive, one does not, as in some cases, feel that one is paying merely for the privilege of buying something exclusive…

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