I feel that I have been a bit boring and reactionary in my knee-jerk reaction to L’Heure Bleue 26, so I decided to revisit it on my way to work via Yokohama Takashimaya.
I still don’t really like it, but I would be intrigued to smell it on someone walking past; lived in a little; how it blends with human skin.
At least it is original. The vast majority of ‘new’ perfumes are facile retreads of done-to-death tropes : L’Heure Bleue at least doesn’t smell like anything else ; yesterday, the ozonic facets came through to me as more muted, and the blue iris and orange blossom accord had the eerie sway of a sirenic, futuristic lagoon.
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I also had time to have a quick sniff of the entire Loewe (a brand in a current renaissance) contemporary collection – all too brash and obvious to me, I am afraid to say, except Iris Root, which, with its chalk-cliff, cold emotivity, had me going back for a second trial.
I am not really sure what I feel about iris anymore. I think I prefer it as a supporting actor: as a powdered, cushioning effect as in the classical Guerlains or with a verdant touch like the best iterations of No 19.
This iris soliflore has texture, heft; the requisite melancholy (amazing how quickly it lowered my mood from the raspberry violet irises of that morning’s Dior Purple Glow; I quickly regretted having the blotter emanating a particular kind of sadness from my shirt pocket); sophistication, definitely – and I suppose a certain nobility.
At the same time, the perfume feels amorphous; muddled: its message unclear. Yes, there is a very obviously high quality orris root front and centre stage, with a fresh top accord of Timur – apparently a Nepalese Szechuan pepper), and Angelica – a peculiar, green and herbaceous note that always evokes ambiguity in me, as well as plenty of high-level aromachemicals burgeoning under the surface (in the later stages this Loewe becomes tight; sweet, like nougat on drying concrete): and though a drift of this fragrance would undoubtedly be quite alluring on some individuals -dressed for the part in stylish uncoloureds, not batting a lash at the semi-stratospheric ¥68,000 /$500 price tag, I know that I couldn’t wear this on myself. Ultimately, I did find it suffocating.
What irises do you think I might actually like ?
Suffocating is how I find iris/orris root. I can handle a little in the background, but overwhelming as top note. Not sure if it’s dues to the association with diapers/baby powder or just a gut reaction. Rarely and barely have I ever sensed the bread-like effect some people have.
You would HAAAAAATE this then !
Belle Ame from Les Abstraits would be my recommendation. An Antoine Lie creation for Eugen Nizic founder of U Smell Good. I am not a fan of Iris generally, too cold & too bloody miserable. Belle Ame is Iris dressed in cuddly, warm furs. Texturally strokable, warm from the idea of a soothing hot chocolate from cacao powder but unsweetened.
The podcast Les Oderants & Fliss Sniffs Stuff in Insta describe it far better than I can
Thy hast described it vell enough — sI vont t smell
I still crave Amour Cacao by Comptoir Sud Pacifique – the most gorgeous smell and texture, like a jar of Bourbon biscuits
I can do iris when cuddly
She is very cuddly, angora rather than cashmere though. Not chocolatey at all though, definately not gourmand.
Beautiful Soul is the perfect name for how Belle Ame smells & feels.
I got the discovery set when Eugen offered free ones for Xmas to anyone who messaged him for one. It was a gracious gesture. I expected to fall for the balsamic rose of La Douleur Exquise, but whilst I enjoyed it, it didn’t make me catch my breath as Belle Ame did.
I haven’t tried Philosopher’s Walk yet but will put that right in due course.
( the only problem is that I never / v rarely like anything by Antoine Lie …….. but I am always ready to prove myself wrong )
Belle Ame is a very UnLie fragrance. Les Cendres & La Douleur Exquise are more recognisably his work.
Hello — this is what happens with me with L’Heure Bleue, although I desperately want to like it, but at the end of a day I just want it off. Is this the heliotrope? It’s what you said about Loewe: “becomes tight; sweet, like nougat on drying concrete”, and I honestly can’t think of anything worse than that. I was near a few teenagers at a train station yesterday and thought I’d have to miss the train if the sickly-sweet, shrill vapours didn’t dissipate soon. (I love nail-polish and pear-drop, dissolvant, turpentine, petrol smells….so it’s not that.) All I can think of is the canisters of air freshener in some Japanese lifts; nothing green, nothing airy, just dense sweet charcoal grit public ashtray poison constricting your windpipe. Iris? I sort of like the Santa Maria Novella one with the velvet front, but also the newer formulation. Warm but not constricting, very floral. Bond No9 had a lovely orris, I thought – Soho? Black and white swirls.
I discovered this effect of orris recently when I got a sample of Amouage Interlude Man Black Iris because I really like Interlude 53 Man. From everything I’d read, Black Iris was more wearable, smoother, less foody (Interlude Man has an oregano note, although I didn’t find it foody)… so I was surprised that it felt somewhat smeared or collapsed, lacking definition in comparison. You hit the nail on the head with “amorphous.”
What about Satori Iris Homme? And whatever happened with the rest of that story?!
Oh glad you asked ; I was thinking about going back to it
I really like Iris Homme actually
Faint, but legible; pleasing
That Amouage name is a bit of a mouthful, isn’t it ?
The only iris I have ever liked is one of Chanel’s Les Exlcusif’s
Hey there TBN,
I’ve not opened my bottle of L’Heure Bleue as yet but smelled it on my friend in the afternoon. She smelt amazing, like really breathtakingly amazing. I got a whiff about three steps out and it blossomed as I hugged her.
I think our iris tastes are poles apart. My fave is now DCd L’Occitane Iris Bleue Iris Blanc. A cool but lightly sweetened iris root.
Portia xx
Inspired by this — want to smell your friend !
Our tastes not poles apart btw — I just had a deeply averse first reaction to this one — open minded enough to smell it anew on a person
If only you were here in Sydney. Anna Maria would be thrilled to meet you.
One day we’ll be back in Japan.
Let’s definitely meet x