The Perfume Society Niche Four Discovery Box Smelling Notes

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HOW TO TR AVEL WITH YOUR NOSE…

We often feel braver on holiday – wearing bolder prints and brighter colours than usual, adding fun accessories or trying out new styles. Even if you can’t physically get away right now, embrace this valiant spirit and venture forth in fragrances you might otherwise overlook (or would normally feel too shy to wear)!

Fragrances can be inspired by places all over the world, and smelling a scent can immediately suggest the ambience of a destination, or its climate: is it hot and sultry, or cool and shady? Near the sea with salt spray in the breeze, or a huge expanse of sandy desert? Never been there personally?

Google some pictures of the place a fragrance was inspired by, imagine being there, the background noises, and now smell…

We always love to travel with a selection of samples to match our moods, but the next time you go somewhere lovely, consider choosing one of them as a souvenir of the trip, and make time to lock that smell in your head. Go back and smell it after 20 minutes on your skin, then after an hour, three hours. Hold those memories dear: whenever you wish to reach them again – they’ll be waiting for you forever.

Whenever we visit somewhere new, as well as taking along new fragrances to try, we like to look at the fragrant products made with ingredients grown there. Locally-made oils, soaps and scented body-care are often proudly inspired by the places they were made, which means we can use them almost as teleportation devices for years to come – an instant hit of olfactive memory, every time you unwrap a bar of soap or take a shower.

We all have much-loved places we dream of on dull, grey days, and the magic of fragrance is to propel us there in a split second. If you’ve a particular place in the world that’s already dear to your heart, close your eyes and bring it to mind, now. Allow the memories to wash over you in waves. Where are you standing, and what can you see? Feel the temperature of the air, recall those scent memories you’ve stored away.

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EDITORS’ LET TER

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he Niche Collection IV showcases new launches and introduces fresh faces on the scent scene. It has been curated by The Perfume Society at an unprecedented time in our lifetime when travel is just a dream, and may remain so for some time, for many of us.

But fragrance, happily, has the power to whisk us through time and space – without having to be quarantined when we arrive. So: we invite you to open your box and prepare for take-off.

You can close your eyes and voyage to Venice, via opulent The Merchant of Venice Imperial Emerald, from a fragrance house which has done much to remind us that perfumery as we know it today has its roots in that city. Alternatively, explore Venice’s magic via a trio of creations from just-launched Storie Veneziane by Valmont: Bright Poppy, Jazzy Twist and Storie Veneziane Rosso I – one fragrance from each of their three beautiful collections.

Award-winning Australian perfume house Map of the Heart share their pulsing White Heart V.7, an invitation ‘to experience love in all of its forms’, while carnally sensual Histoires de Parfums 1969 time-travels us back to ‘an erotic year’, the time of the sexual revolution. (Clever stuff, perfume. It can move us through time as well as space, with one breath.)

Experimental Perfume Club Fig / Neroli is a scent that conjures up hot afternoons in baking Mediterranean sunshine. But as the sun sets, we think you’ll want to reach for party-in-a-bottle Tocca Liliana, Lalique Velvet Plum (a cashmere wrap of a scent) – or perhaps the shareable Jeroboam Vespero, specifically created for urban night owls.

Maybe you’re missing the excitement and vibrancy of New York? Well, Strangelove meltmyheart is a sumptuous Oriental, laced with dark chocolate, straight from the city that never sleeps.

Masque Milano Times Square transports us to Manhattan’s vibrant, beating heart – a place of billboards, theatres and buzz. (And wherever you are – or long to be – who wouldn’t want to try ‘a molecular cocktail of joy and happiness’, delivered here by JUSBOX Cheeky Smile?)

Last but not least, we are delighted to showcase citrus-Chypre 4160 Tuesdays Meet Me On The Corner. The corner may be pretty much as far as many of us physically travel, this summer – but we believe that such is perfume’s power, this box will convey you around the world in 80 sprays.

JO FAIRLEY & LORNA MCKAY, CO-FOUNDERS

PS We also invite you to get creative, and photograph your box. Post it on #Instagram, tagging us @theperfumesociety – and if we repost your picture, we’ll send you a voucher for another Discovery Box!

The Perfume Society

theperfumesociety

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416 0 T U E S D AY S MEET ME ON THE CORNER FR AGR ANCE FAMILY: CHYPRE TOP NOTES: lemon, mandarin, mandora, clementine HEART NOTES: magnolia flowers, magnolia leaves, sandalwood, bergamot BASE NOTES: oakmoss, musks, patchouli, styrax

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416 0 T U E S DAY S MEET ME ON THE CORNER

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his is a Seventies redux but not as you know it. Rather than simply recreating the fragrances of the era, Sarah McCartney, perfumer and founder of 4160 Tuesdays, has done something far more complex: she has introduced a 1970s scent into a modern context and imagined what it would smell like. And the result is, frankly, spectacular.

The melodic, dreamy combination of patchouli, styrax and sandalwood take us to a time before the Internet; a time of slower living, long thought, and idealist intention setting. But we do not get lost there – the nostalgic best of that age is dovetailed with the dynamism of our time. Citrus freshness and soft, glow-y magnolia bring a sunlit contemporary aura to this fragrance, keeping it light, bright, bouncy and onward-looking. McCartney compares it to the excitement of driving an original Mini, but with the effective engineering of a new model, which we think sums it up brilliantly.

Founded in west London in 2011, 4160 Tuesdays is a micro perfumery that creates its fragrances in small batches of 50-200. Each is made with purpose, love and a real passion for the craft, which comes through in the final fragrances… We’re longtime fans.

@4160Tuesdays

@4160TuesdaysPerfume

SMELLING NOT ES:

E XPLORE 4160 T UESDAYS MEE T ME oN T HE CORNER On what type of holiday would you wear this scent?

For you, at what point does it smell contemporary, and when is it more nostalgic?

What do you see yourself doing when wearing this fragrance?

If this scent was a celebrated female from the 70s, who would it be?

Which three words best sum up 4160 Tuesdays Meet Me On The Corner for you? Retro? Cool?

Modern? Over to you…

£85 for 50ml eau de parfum 4160tuesdays.com

@4160Tuesdays

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E X P E R I M E N TA L P E R F U M E C L U B FIG / NEROLI FR AGR ANCE FAMILY: FRESH GREEN TOP NOTES: orange blossom, fig, vetiver, petitgrain, basil, iris, cedarwood, benzoin

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E X P E R I M E N TA L P E R F U M E C L U B FIG / NEROLI

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he freshness of this fragrance – its crisp and crunchy herbs alongside juicy fruits and their fragrant blossoms – excites us. But what excites us even more are the infinite possibilities that come with this phial of eau de parfum. Because Fig / Neroli, as invigorating and exquisite as it is on its own, is part of a bigger idea at the Experimental Perfume Club – an idea that allows you to build your own fragrances. It is one of six scents that are infinitely wearable in their own right – in this case, whisking us to the Mediterranean and sun-drenched summer days – but are also designed to be mixed and matched to create a signature scent.

Two are top note accords (including this Fig / Neroli) are fresh, immediate – and colour coded in yellow for simplicity. Two are (pinklabelled) middle note accords, all soft and vibrant florals. And two are blue-labelled base accords, which bring the woody, earthy, warm fixative notes. Wear one top and one middle; two middle and one base; or one of all three — the choice is entirely yours and the options of experimentation (almost) endless. (Read about them in-depth on their website – or ours.)

SMELLING NOT ES:

E XPLORE FIG / NEROLI Which notes would you instinctively want to layer with this accord?

What do you feel about building your own fragrance?

You’re wearing this on a summer’s day, to lunch. Where in the world are you?

Beyond that, what story or narrative do you think this fragrance tells? Why? Which three words best sum up Experimental Perfume Club Fig / Neroli for you? Exciting? Crisp?

Clever? Over to you…

From £28 for 8ml eau de parfum experimentalperfumeclub.com

We love it when we come across genuine innovations in the perfume industry and in our opinion Experimental Perfume Club – established by Grasse-trained perfumer Emmanuelle Moeglin from her workshop in East London – really is one of them. Enjoy!

@experimentalperfumeclub

@experimentalperfumeclub

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H I S T O I R E S D E PA R F U M 19 6 9 FR AGR ANCE FAMILY: GOURMAND TOP NOTES: peach, fruits of the sun HEART NOTES: rose, white flowers, cardamom, clove BASE NOTES: coffee, chocolate, white musk, patchouli

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H I S TO I R E S D E PA R F U M 1969

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econd to listening to the music this fragrance is, we think, the closest we’ll ever get to being at Woodstock. It’s evocative of peace and love in almost magical ways. Juicy peach and sun-ripened fruits offer an immediate embrace that sort of fizzes with ecstatic optimism… if such a thing as a solar rainbow existed, this scent has captured its essence. Delicately spiced white flowers then join the party, dancing around like spellbinding nymphs, enchanting us with their rose-heightened heady floral scent. And just as we slip into a peaceful and sublime state, those hedonistic seductresses patchouli and white musk waft in, whispering of free love, sexuality, and revolution.

Gérald Ghislain, founder of Histoires de Parfums, is a self-proclaimed seeker of sensory pleasure, and this is evident in his perfumes.

Each is dreamed up, as the name suggests, with stories in mind. Be it historic or mythical characters, novels, revolutionary texts, poems, music, art or letters – all of Ghislain’s creations are inspired by and tell tales, which we think gives them a personal, almost voyeuristic sense of intrigue. In 1969, it is (perhaps more than just a little) frisson of rapturous rebellion… whatever next?

HistoiresdeParfums

SMELLING NOT ES:

E XPLORE HISTOIRES DE PARF UMS 1969 Does this fragrance transport you to a music festival, and if so, which?

What landscapes and skyscapes does this fragrance conjure up?

Does this scent shift your state of mind?

What songs come to mind when you smell this scent?

Which three words best sum up Histoires de Parfums 1969 for you?

Free? Sensual? Light-filled? Over to you…

£80 for 60ml eau de parfum ab-presents.co.uk

@histoiresdeparfums

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JEROBOAM VESPERO FR AGR ANCE FAMILY: WOODY TOP NOTES: bergamot, apple, pink grapefruit HEART NOTES: cedarwood, geranium, leather, jasmine BASE NOTES: patchouli, amber woods, musks

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JEROBOAM VESPERO

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ome fragrances just conjure up a character, a personality, with one spritz – and this is one such fragrance. Of course it can be worn by women. (And we love to discover how fragrances are expressed on the skin of different sexes.) But we can somehow see the Vespero man clearly: well-dressed, he cuts a fine figure in a perfectly tailored, nonchalantly worn suit. Leather, geranium and cedarwood capture his cool-but-warm character: dapper, sophisticated, easy. He’s convivial, as the medley of skin-scented musks conveys – but also a natural night owl, happiest when enjoying a stroll down lamp-lit city streets, en route to the heady and comforting atmosphere of his club.

Vespero started out as a bit of an experiment – a passion project for Jovoy founder François Hénin and respected perfumer Vanina Muracciole – which turned out to be more successful than either had anticipated.

In common with all Jeroboam’s creations, Vespero is scent based on their shared love of musks, with Jeroboam’s own exclusive ‘enigmatic musk’ accord featuring in every fragrance as a signature.

SMELLING NOT ES: E XPLORE VESPERO

Who do you know that epitomises this fragrance?

What other personalities do you imagine when you smell this scent?

You’re walking down a street in the dark, wearing this. Which city are you in?

What music should accompany this scent? Why? Which three words best sum up Jeroboam Vespero for you?

Masculine? Daring? Enigmatic?

Over to you…

£90 for 30ml eau de parfum harveynichols.com

Monsieur Hénin is known for his wit. And one of the things that makes us smile about this perfume house – aside from the sheer delight of the scents themselves – is that in contrast to the ‘Jeroboam’ name, the fragrances come in go-anywhere, beautiful 30ml spray flacons.

@jeroboamparfums

@jeroboamperfumes

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JUSBOX CHEEK Y SMILE FR AGR ANCE FAMILY: WOODY TOP NOTES: Iso E Super, Ambrocenide HEART NOTES: Ambroxan, Ambercore BASE NOTES: Cashmeran, Amber extreme

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JUSBOX CHEEK Y SMILE

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ere at PSHQ we’ve (more than once) been close to a trance state when experiencing some of our favourite, most hypnotic fragrances… but none quite like this. For Cheeky Smile is not about gauzy smoke and white flowers whipping you up into a happy delirium; it’s about something entirely different: Acid House music. (Which is a fragrance first for us, too.)

But how deftly it has been done. The scent is composed entirely of synthetic notes – a nod to the synthesis behind Acid House’s own compositions – with Iso E Super and Cashmeran weaving in their sensual, skinlike magic, bringing to mind a packed-out, love-filled rave in high summer. The music’s signature repetitive beats, meanwhile, have been interpreted oh-so-cleverly with amber in varied forms playing on repeat throughout the top, middle and base of this scent.

For the creative duo behind Italian fragrance house Jusbox, every one of their scents is inspired by sound, as they believe that perfume and music both ignite the senses in an intuitive way. And so Cheeky Smile is a truly fun, contemporary fragrance that has been designed to tap into our inner rhythm, help us to release unbridled joy, and remind us not to take life too seriously.

@jusboxperfumes

SMELLING NOT ES:

E XPLORE CHEEKY SMILE Does this fragrance bring to mind any specific music memories for you?

Knowing this scent is synthetic, what (if any) differences do you think that makes?

What colours does this fragrance bring to mind?

What mood does this perfume put you in? Why? Which three words best sum up Jusbox Cheeky Smile for you? Fun? Escapist? Joyful? Over to you…

€180 for 30ml eau de parfum jusbox.com

@jusboxperfumes

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L ALIQUE L E S C O M P O S I T I O N S PA R F U M É E S V E LV E T P L U M FR AGR ANCE FAMILY: ORIEN TAL TOP NOTES: nectarine, mandarin, pink peppercorn HEART NOTES: orris, tuberose, osmanthus BASE NOTES: Suederal, heliotrope, patchouli, Cashmeran

LALIQUE L E S C O M P O S I T I O N S PA R F U M É E S V E LV E T P L U M

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alling all free spirits – especially those with a penchant for the finer things in life – this fragrance is for you. It is, somehow, precisely plum-coloured velvet in a scent. An instant plume of sumptuous plummy purpleness envelops you, as vivid iris and tuberose cast their mesmerising, sweet-powdery spell. A brief interlude of osmanthus and then we’re back, into a sort of luxurious psychedelia, as heliotrope and patchouli take hold. Synthetic cashmere and suede notes then combine to bring an outrageous softness to the proceedings, making you feel as if you’ve collapsed into the most come-hither velvety sofa imaginable, which promptly insists you recline on it rather like a blissed-out cat.

Velvet Plum manages to feel refined while also feeling wild and free, and this clever balance is reflected in the fragrance’s juxtaposition of synthetic and natural notes – something that runs through all Lalique’s Les Compositions Parfumées fragrances. The collection is inspired by the fact that the brand’s founder, crystal artisan René Lalique, was one of the first people to mix precious gemstones with glass for greater artistic freedom and innovative results. And today, this maverick spirit is evident in the house’s accomplished fragrance creations.

@LALIQUE

SMELLING NOT ES:

E XPLORE VELVE T PLUM If this transports you to a nightclub, in which city are you dancing?

Do you find this contemporary – or in what other era can you imagine this fragrance?

What other sumptuous textures does this scent bring to mind?

Who else do you know that would suit this fragrance?

Which three words best sum up Lalique Les Compositions Parfumées Velvet Plum for you?

Heady? Dreamy? Luxurious? Over to you…

£190 for 100ml eau de parfum lalique.com

@lalique

MAP OF THE HEART W H I T E H E A R T V. 7 FR AGR ANCE FAMILY: FLOR AL TOP NOTES: lavender, aldehydes, cardamom HEART NOTES: umeboshi, frankincense, gardenia, cistus BASE NOTES: oudh, cypriol, vetiver, balsam, sandalwood

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MAP OF THE HEART W H I T E H E A R T V. 7

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right white light – evoked through sparkling aldehydes and the purity of the gardenia flower – shines out from this fragrance with such potency that it almost takes our breath away.

It’s a euphoric, elevating light, one that tells of revelation and discovery; of rebirth and second chances; of the transformative and healing power of new love.

But love is a double-edged sword, and this duality slowly becomes apparent, as tart, sharp, red Japanese umeboshi fruit takes hold, weaving a beautiful complexity throughout the scent, underscored by frankincense and resinous woods.

This is, we feel, a love story playing out in olfactory form — not an easy thing to convey, but White Heart V.7 does it with conviction and elegance, and leaves us wanting more…

Narratives are evidently something that Map of the Heart does extremely well, and this is because its founders, filmmakers Jeffrey Darling and Sarah Blair, love to tell stories. Having worked with vision and sound all their careers, they wanted to try out other forms of sensory storytelling, and thus Map of the Heart – a perfume house that taps into the vitality, desires and aches of the heart – was born.

@mapoftheheart

SMELLING NOT ES:

E XPLORE MAP OF T HE HE ART WHIT E HE ART V.7 Which love stories does this fragrance bring to mind? Why? Against which filmic landscape could you imagine wearing this?

For you, what changes as the scent evolves?

What other notes, for you, depict the notion of love?

Which three words best sum up Map of the Heart White Heart V.7 for you? Romantic? Complex?

Filmic? Over to you…

£150 for 90ml eau de parfum harrods.com

@mapoftheheart

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MASQUE MIL ANO TIMES SQUARE FR AGR ANCE FAMILY: WOODY TOP NOTES: glossy lipstick accord, hazelnut HEART NOTES: osmanthus, tuberose BASE NOTES: sandalwood, guaiac wood, styrax

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MASQUE MILANO TIMES SQUARE

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o describe Masque Milano Times Square as exciting is an understatement. It is as close to New York City-in-a-scent as we have ever experienced. But let’s be clear — it doesn’t literally smell of NYC, but rather the fragrance captures the city’s frenetic, dynamic heartbeat; its idiosyncrasies; its glamorous vulgarity juxtaposed with expensive refinement.

Glossy lipstick lures us in – bright, sweet, synthetic and enticing – but as you get closer to the heart of this fragrance it is pure class. Tuberose and osmanthus conjure up a polished beauty in an exquisite form-fitting cocktail dress, while the dry-down of resinous woods is her perfect complement: an old-school gent in a precisiontailored suit (we think that yes, it’s basically Carrie and Mr. Big).

When the duo behind Masque Milano first plotted out their fragrance collections, they did so like an opera, the idea being that their creations would tell the story of life in four acts. This, Times Square, is from Act I, a sub-collection of scents that draw their inspiration from life’s early experiences and formative journeys.

@masquemilano

SMELLING NOT ES:

E XPLORE MASQUE MIL ANO T IMES SQUARE Which other fast-paced cities does this fragrance make you think of?

What sort of colour palette does it inspire? Brights? Neons?

Neither?

Which of your own travels have shaped you as a person? Why? If this fragrance were in a movie, which would it be?

Which three words best sum up Masque Milano Times Square for you? Dynamic? Contrasting?

Refined? Over to you…

£120 for 35ml eau de parfum fortnumandmason.com

@masquemilano

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S TO R IE V EN E ZI A N A BY VA L M O N T PA L A Z ZO N O BIL E BR I GH T P O PP Y FR AGR ANCE FAMILY: FLOR AL TOP NOTE: bergamot HEART NOTE: jasmine BASE NOTE: cedarwood

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S TORIE V ENE ZIANA BY VAL MONT PA L A Z ZO N O B I L E B R I G H T P O P P Y

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almont is a name familiar to connoisseurs of luxury skincare, a prestigious brand with a knack for creating cult beauty products. But soon, Valmont – or more precisely, Storie Veneziane

by Valmont – will be a name that is equally familiar to perfume-lovers, with the unveiling of three distinct fragrance collections.

An avid storyteller and art collector respectively, Sophie Vann-Guillon and husband Didier Guillon are the driving forces behind Valmont. With Sophie’s distinguished background in fragrance, perfume was their next natural step. Combining years of experience in the beauty industry with a love of art and narratives, the couple wanted to bring to life the city of Venice, where they have a palazzo home. Its history, spirit, artisanal heritage, and the attitudes of its people are captured in three glorious collections.

The poppy is an odourless flower, but in this scent it represents a delicate vibrancy, a pop of pure joy. Its optimistic symbolism is entirely appropriate for a scent that positively tingles with life: fresh and aromatic bergamot blows out any cobwebs, while dreamy jasmine and cedar wood bring pleasure and warmth in equal measure. Part of the six-strong Palazzo Nobile eau de toilette collection inspired by emotions, sensations and soulfulness, Bright Poppy is inviting us to live and enjoy life to its absolute fullest. And we accept.

@Valmontofficial

SMELLING NOT ES:

EXPLORE BRIGHT POPPY What emotions or sensations does this scent provoke in you?

Does this fragrance make you feel introspective and soulful, or extrovert?

Does this indeed transport you to Venice – and if not, where?

What do you make of the lighter EDT formulation as it evolves on the skin?

Which three words best sum up Storie Veneziane by Valmont Palazzo Nobile Bright Poppy for you? Hedonistic? Soulful? Happy?

Over to you…

£136 for 100ml eau de toilette harrods.com

@valmontcosmetics

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S TO R IE V EN E ZI A N E BY VA L M O N T COLLEZIONE PRIVATA JA ZZ Y T WIST FR AGR ANCE FAMILY: GOURMAND TOP NOTE: black pepper HEART NOTE: magnolia BASE NOTE: chocolate

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his perfume is personal; you can feel that from the outset. Storie Veneziene by Valmont Collezione Privata, dreamed up by Sophie Vann-Guillon, is a trio of eau de parfums that serve as love letters to the sisterhood – each a celebration of a different type of womanhood – and Jazzy Twist is an ode to the woman who won’t be pinned down.

Indeed, you can feel her the minute the first rush of black pepper hits you: impetuous, warmblooded, and spirited. The unfurling heart of magnolia then underscores her femininity mingled with an elusiveness, a need for freedom, while the decadent, chocolate-sweet drydown tells of mischief yet to come. We like her already.

SMELLING NOTES: EXPLORE COLLEZIONE PRIVATA JAZZY TWIST Where does the woman this fragrance embodies come from, do you think?

If you captured your own femininity in three notes, what would they be?

Which movie star(s) does this scent bring to mind?

In your mind’s eye, how would the personality of this perfume dress?

Which three words best sum up Valmont Collezione Privata Jazzy Twist for you?

Free? Womanly? Irreverent? Over to you…

£230 for 100ml eau de parfum harrods.com

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S TO R IE V EN E ZI A N E BY VA L M O N T ROSSO I FR AGR ANCE FAMILY: FLORIEN TAL TOP NOTE: pink pepper HEART NOTE: damask rose BASE NOTE: oudh

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ew cities are as rich as Venice for artistic inspiration, which is why Valmont have created not one but five extraits de parfum in its honour, within the Storie Veneziane collection.

Each is designed to capture a specific geographical area of the city. This, Rosso I, pays tribute to the tranquility of the San Francesco della Vigna cloisters: a soft, sumptuous, crimson accord of pink pepper, rose, and smoky oudh that tells of contrasts: passionate yet peaceful, old yet new, energised yet still. And it doesn’t stop there: the Storie Veneziane collection is dedicated in its appreciation of Venice. Each of the largest, 100ml size flacons features a handblown Murano glass mask, together with locally sourced leather stitched into its cap, reflecting the desire of the duo behind this collection to tell a Venetian story in its entirety.

SMELLING NOTES: EXPLORE STORIE VENEZIANE ROSSO I What time and place does this fragrance transport you to?

How well, in your opinion, can scents tell stories?

What sort of fine jewellery would suit this fragrance?

What novels does this scent bring to mind? Why? Which three words best sum up Valmont Storie Veneziane Rosso I for you? Beautiful?

Evocative? Timeless? Over to you…

From €290 for 50ml extrait de parfum lamaisonvalmont.com

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S TR ANGELOV E M ELT M Y H E A R T FR AGR ANCE FAMILY: ORIEN TAL TOP NOTES: ginger, bergamot, mandarin, fennel, artemisia, magnolia HEART NOTES: oudh, dark chocolate, ylang ylang, nutmeg BASE NOTES: sage, absinthe, sandalwood, orris butter, musk

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STR ANGELOVE M E LT M Y H E A R T

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t’s fitting that Helena Christensen is creative director of Strangelove, because the brand’s fragrances – not least meltmyheart – have much in common with a supermodel: perfect proportions, beauty, rarity, and a certain something that you just can’t put your finger on.

In this case, perhaps, it’s the considered play on fresh, familiar and accessible notes like bergamot, mandarin and magnolia against those which are more rare and very much revered in perfumery, like orris butter and oudh. And then, just when you least expect it, unpredictable piques of dark chocolate and absinthe; warm, inviting, risky. You know you love it; you know you’re drawn to it; you know you could become completely obsessed with it…. you’re just not sure why. Much like an intense and enduring love story, this composition juxtaposes the known with the yet-to-discover, and we’re hooked.

SMELLING NOT ES:

EXPLORE meltmyheart What famous romances does this fragrance make you think of?

If you’ve visited New York, what corner of this city might it conjure up for you?

Warmed by the skin, how does this intense concentration evolve throughout the day?

What emotions does this scent stir up in you? Why? Which three words best sum up meltmyheart for you? Romantic?

Intense? Unknowable? Over to you…

An ultra-niche brand, Strangelove was founded in New York City by Christensen and Elizabeth Gaynes, working with genius maverick perfumer Christophe Laudamiel. It was born out of an obsessive love of perfumery, and unusually for a fragrance house, Strangelove formulates some of its fragrances as 100% perfume oil. That’s as pure and precious as perfume can be – and the tiniest amount will linger for hours.

@strangeloveny

£295 for 10ml perfume oil harrods.com

@StrangeloveNY

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THE MERCHANT OF VENICE IMPERIAL EMER ALD FR AGR ANCE FAMILY: Florien tal TOP NOTES: bergamot, mandarin, pink pepper, iris HEART NOTES: ylang ylang, rose, lily, lily of the valley, tuberose, orange flower BASE NOTES: amber, vanilla, benzoin, white musk, patchouli

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THE MERCHANT OF VENICE IMPERIAL EMERALD

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pulence and exoticism are what The Merchant of Venice does best, so when the house creates a fragrance inspired by the regal beauty of the peacock, our expectations are high. And, as we might have expected, TMOV has not disappointed.

The shimmering emerald green and lapis blue of this majestic creature’s feathers have been captured in a big, bold, resplendent floriental symphony. Mirroring the moment the peacock fans out its ballet-dancer-like plumes, the elegant softness of white flowers combined with ylang ylang and rose comes pirouetting in, preceded by a brief burst of citrus and powdery iris. And much like the spectacle of the strutting peacock, this scent draws us in and mesmerises – faceted and beautiful at every twist and turn.

Imperial Emerald is part of the Murano Exclusives collection – a line of concentrated perfume formulations housed in Murano glass flacons, inspired by centuries of Venetian tradition, and intricately decorated to reflect the precious perfumes therein. Venice is, clearly, at the heart of this house, a continual source of inspiration for the Vidal family who founded The Merchant of Venice, and who are blessed to call the watery city home.

SMELLING NOT ES:

EXPLORE THE MERCHANT OF VENICE IMPERIAL EMERALD Which other historic or ancient cities does this fragrance transport you to?

What colours and textures come to mind when you spritz this scent?

What aperitivo do you see yourself sipping while wearing this?

How does the perfume’s concentration develop over time?

Which three words best sum up Merchant of Venice Imperial Emerald for you? Decadent? Old world? Artisanal? Over to you…

£250 for 100ml eau de parfum harrods.com

@themerchantofvenice

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TO CC A LILIANA FR AGR ANCE FAMILY: Flor al TOP NOTES: peach, neroli, bergamot HEART NOTES: lily of the valley, peony, gardenia BASE NOTES: sandalwood, musk, benzoin, patchouli

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TOCCA LILIANA

I

t’s the mid-Nineties, and a small group of girlfriends are on an adventure, travelling, seeing the world. They love life, friendship and wanderlust in abundance, and the more women they meet along the way, the more this grows. Liliana, for instance, is vivacious.

Like something from a Scott Fitzgerald novel, her sparkling otherworldly charm lights up a garden party, while the twinkle in her eye tells you that, once the sun has set, her joie de vivre will carry her through the revelry of the night until dawn. She is all at once happy peaches, delicate white flowers, fragile-but-beautiful peonies, and sultry musk.

SMELLING NOT ES:

Liliana is just one of the Tocca ‘girls’ that the brand’s founders discovered (and subsequently channelled into scents) on their travels. Some are real, some fictional and inspired by their journeys; all are created with the same sense of passion and love for the sisterhood. Even the name Tocca – Italian for touch – speaks of the impassioned, hands-on approach of this brand, and we love it. Once you find your Tocca avatar, you might stay with her for years. Or you might grow and evolve into another – that’s your journey to uncover.

What would be the soundtrack to this scent?

E XPLORE TOCCA LILIANA Do you see yourself reflected in Liliana? If so, how?

What style of dress would suit this scent? How would you accessorise it?

In future, in which country do you imagine having life-changing adventures?

Which three words best sum up Tocca Liliana for you? Liberated?

Adventurous? Irreverent? Over to you…

£68 for 50ml eau de parfum libertylondon.com

@tocca

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