I don’t think I have ever put up a post before where I ask the readers to identify a particular fragrance for me – not that I am Al Pacino in Scent Of A Woman (perish the thought).
But Japan has a current olfactory megahit, and I need to know what it is.
It smells like real J-tundra I have ridden past on several occasions: rain-fresh; dry-heathery, natural : hideously artificial.
People are wearing it everywhere. Fashion types. In great clouds. Drillingly specific. Belly-filling. Immaculate. Fascinating. Officiously ‘high quality’. I doubt it is cheap. Mid-twenties to thirties. A bit pretentious. I have very very nearly stopped several women and men wanting to ask them what it is, but have invariably chickened out, for fear of coming across as a bug-eyed stalker. At some point I might have to, but for now I am asking you first.
With a great thwack of Comme Des Garçons-ish Black Pepper – always a queasyish, if ingenious perfume that I once inexplicably bought, – combined with an unmistakeably Diptyqean aqueousness – could this actually in fact be a Diptyque, a word like rhythm, I usually have an inborn inability to spell- given how groovily popular that house has become au japon?
All I know is that this perfume simultaneously (literally) turns the head -while (literally) quite deeply churning the stomach. It is amazing. It is foul. If a lover wore it, you would have no choice but to retrieve the ice pick from under the bed.
I ask you :
What the hell is it ?
I must know too….
Any ideas ?
The time has come! The war of the Noses! Discriminating Fragranticists delve in your armoire and rise with a vengeance in the battle against Trumpery Trash!! I stand fast with vintage Guerlain!!
My god so do I : but you might also tip your hat to the undeniable brilliance of this thing
If it could just be worn at a millionth of the strength…
one is totally bamboozled by it ( whatever that means )
Ps definitely in-trumpesque
this thing is blindly apolitical
The time has come! The War of the Noses against Trumpery Trash!! Fragranticists delve in your armoire and rise with a vengeance. I stand fast with vintage Guerlain and some delectable perfumes coined from Black Narcissus.
I was gonna say one of the new Diptyque’s, but I think you covered them already and you would have known 🤣
Color me curious though
I have only talked briefly about the Rose Rocquefort or whatever it was called.
Might head in the boutiqque’s direction next week
but those were ¥50, 000 or so – monstrously expensive in everyday terms, whereas I have smelled this more generally
What are the latest releases in Japan?
A couple of recent releases that might fit the bill.
Gaultier Le Male Lover. Notes of pepper, lime, ambergris, sea, musk, vanilla & wood.
Alternatively Louboutin have recently released Fetiche L’Encens. Notes are black pepper & frankincense.
Le Male isn’t generally apparent here – but sounds viable note wise
Louboutin is a delicious long shot
I do love a good mystery.
You must ask what’s a best seller when you’re next in a department store
I will definitely be doing some sniffing around
Maybe an Hermès? Barénia or H24
No I actually did a review of the vile Barenia but it somehow deleted itself
nothing Angelish about it
H24 is less noxious, surely
Barénia is a disaster. I found it a discarded Angel wannabe that should never grace the inside of a perfume bottle 🤢
Me too !
All I have gotten out of H24 is a weird banana chemical, that steam-iron note, an d a bit of a fougere-type of herbal greenness, synthesized ans svelt… Not my thing, but maybe I should try again. It certainly, doesn’t sound like what you are describing. I wonder what it could be? I personally am calling for the bug-eyed stalker to make his debut. Who knows? This could become an exciting new mode of flaneurie!
Bug-eyed stalker will definitely have to accost a young thing on the street in the name of knowledge.
Keep sniffling and sniffing! So curious!! Do inform us about the apocalyptic ending
I do have to know, because it is so singular and it is driving me slightly mad not knowing what it is.
I have no idea, so I asked AI and it first suggested Arquiste Nanban, and then when I added “watery” as term, it switched to L’Eau d’Issey. I don’t think AI is about to take over the world just yet. Keep us posted when you find out!
We now have an AI detective on the case as well now – cool. Definitely not Arquiste, though (though now you make me want to check ) and not cyclamen melon enough to be Miyake related. But with the same olfactory impact that had, that iconoclastic smashing of the old ideals
I’m putting my money on Diptyque but in the meantime, please build up your courage to ask someone so we can all know. 😁
In the name of all our pancreases I vow to eventually do so
Could it be Les Priv’es 303 by Bon Perfumeur (chili pepper, pink pepper and benzoin)?
That brand is sold here but only v limitedly
I would probably have picked up on the benzoin ( which I love ) but you have got me curious
I’m so, so curious as to what it could be! Besides my earlier suggestion I’m wondering if it could possibly be Perfumer H Pepper Perfume? (Perfumer Lyn Harris’ new line). Pink and black peppercorns, elemi, coriander and carrot seed, etc. My other guesses (very broad, I know), might be a Zoologist perfume, or one of the newer Andrea Mack perfumes. I also think the Comme de Garcon Black Pepper is a viable suggestion as well.
If you find out I’d love to know! I love a good puzzle and I love the hunt of finding out.
I wondered Zoologist, one of the really out there ones but that and Andrea Mack are only found in the odd select niche Tokyo boutique
Comme Des Garçons Black Pepper smells much darker and dense
Next time you smell it on someone, ask them what they’re wearing (whilst pointing out you are a perfume writer of international renown)…or would asking a stranger such a personal question be too outrageous in Japan?
Thanks for the boost to one’s ego…
I HAVE to ask someone, but yes it might come across as a bit old man pick-up artisty here
You can find a list of popular perfumes on Cosme jp.
Here is the ranking for perfumes: https://www.cosme.net/categories/item/804/ranking/
Jo Malone — English Pear & Freesia (1)
Kimono Yu EDT (2)
Miss Dior — Blooming Bouquet (3, 4, 5)
Replica — EDT Lazy Sunday Morning (6)
Jill Stuart — White Floral (7)
Motion — Flower Garden Hair & Body mist (8)
Cosme Decollette — AQ EDT (9)
Oise-san — Purifying Love (10)
The horror turned out to be Zara Elegantly Tokyo