Posted by Robin
on
15 January 2010
The original Hotel Costes fragrance, once called Costes but now presumably Costes No. 1 to distinguish it from their newer eponymous scent, was something of a cult favorite, although I don’t hear about it so often these days — is anyone out there still wearing it? At any rate, it was done by perfumer Olivia Giacobetti and was based on the hotel’s signature room fragrance.1 Giacobetti also did their new fragrance, Costes No. 2, which was reportedly “inspired by the Hotel’s signature rose bouquets and the recently opened rose florist shop”2 (the notes: benzoin, cinnamon, Turkish rose, geranium, orange blossom, and gaiac wood).
If you’re after a boatload of roses, though, be warned that you won’t find it here. Costes No. 2 is, first of all, a very quiet scent…
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Posted by Robin
on
14 December 2009
Hotel Costes has launched a follow-up to their cult-favorite signature scent, Costes, which is now referred to as Costes No. 1. The new scent is Costes No. 2 (shown above right), and like the first, was developed by perfumer Olivia Giacobetti…
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Posted by Robin
on
14 April 2009
French niche line Honoré des Prés debuted last year with five certified organic perfumes, all (Chaman’s Party, Bonté’s Bloom, Nu Green, Sexy Angelic) save one (Honoré’s Trip) from perfumer Olivia Giacobetti. As I’ve said here before, I don’t really care personally about the synthetic vs. natural debate — to the extent that it is a debate — but it’s been nice to see more and more choice for consumers on the naturals front over the past few years, and of course anything from Olivia Giacobetti is going to get my attention.
My early favorite of the five: Chaman’s Party, the woody-vetiver entry, of course. I have to note as an aside that the brand’s Ecocert status doesn’t stop them from issuing the same sort of breathless PR-speak as everybody else; Chaman’s Party is described as an “explosive perfume due to its top-secret ingredients with aphrodisiac properties”. I don’t know about all that, but it’s a wonderful vetiver, and like the recent Turtle Vetiver Exercise No. 1 from LesNez, I’d call it a must-try for vetiver enthusiasts…
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Posted by Kevin
on
18 December 2008
Penhaligon's Hammam Bouquet
There are two perfumes for men that I’ve been forced to defend for almost 20 years. Friends, and strangers, to my face, have called these two fragrances “dandyish” “old fashioned” “of another time” and (for me, the worst) “grandfatherly.” There’s nothing wrong with grandfathers; my maternal grandfather was a sweetie who spent his leisure time reading and collecting stamps; he ran a small, country general store, geared more towards small talk and checkers than merchandise, and he smelled of vanilla, pipe tobacco and beagles. What bothers me about the “grandfatherly” adjective when it comes to describing perfume is this: “grandfatherly” implies a scent is passé. What are the two perfumes I’m always ready to defend? Guerlain Mouchoir de Monsieur and today’s review subject, Penhaligon’s Hammam Bouquet. Both fragrances are wearable and interesting; it just takes a worldly, confident, quirky, youthful (in attitude above all else) and witty man to pull them off (and to tell the truth — 98 percent of the people I’ve heard disparage Mouchoir de Monsieur and Hammam Bouquet are not qualified to wear them).
Hammam Bouquet was created in London in 1872 by William Penhaligon and it contains lavender, bergamot, rose, cedar wood, iris, jasmine, amber, musk and sandalwood. I bought my first bottle of Hammam Bouquet 18 years ago this month for a trip to Paris…
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Posted by Robin
on
24 November 2008
Honoré des Prés is a new French niche line debuting this month with five all-natural, certified organic perfumes: Chaman's Party, Bonté’s Bloom, Nu Green, Sexy Angelic and Honoré’s Trip. All five are being marketed as unisex; four of the five (and I don't know which!) were developed by perfumer Olivia Giacobetti.
Chaman's Party ~ “from a hut in the heart of the virgin Amazon forest”, with notes of vetiver and holy basil. 148€…
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