LVERS – New Masculine Fragrance

The scent of the sun is a sensation. Soothing and strengthening, it is an extract of energy: a perfume of opportunity and enhancement.

In his first involvement in a fragrance project for Louis Vuitton, Pharrell Williams asked Jacques Cavallier Belletrud to capture the light which is the essence of into a highly crafted men’s fragrance for a global community collectively uplifted by the warmth that radiates from the sun.

LVERS was conceived through a creative dialogue between Pharrell Williams and Jacques Cavallier Belletrud and crafted in the Louis Vuitton creative atelier at Les Fontaines Parfumées in Grasse, France.

For this new collaborative opus, the Master Perfumer kept a cross-generational approach at heart, involving in the creative process Camille Cavallier Belletrud, perfumer at Louis Vuitton and member of the creative studio, who was trained at the Maison under the mentorship of the Master Perfumer for many years, cultivating the DNA of the house.

Founded in the Men’s Creative Director’s philosophy of sunlight as a metaphor for love and a source of life and motivation across human experiences, it echoes the question posed upon his arrival at Louis Vuitton: What will you do when the sun shines on you?

Distilled into Eau de parfum, the original idea has to take new form. «The theme of sunlight that lit up Pharrell’s debut show on Pont Neuf in June 2023 inspired us to convey photosynthesis in scent. It may sound abstract, but if you look at life, photosynthesis is the starting point for everythingJacques Cavallier Belletrud says.

LVERS conveys in fragrance the figurative yet familiar scent of the sun illuming the skin, energising the vitality of nature, and giving life to the organisms that surround us. With olfactive alchemy, the Master Perfumer transforms the abstract scent of sunlight into earthly matter. Observing the science of photosynthesis, the Maison’s expert identified the notes that emanate from nature as a result of the vitalising power of light: the luxuriance of leaves caressed by rays; the evaporating nectar of freshly grown grass; the warm earthiness of tree trunks expanding under the forest sun. Within the study, pure and ancient natural substances are unearthed.

Galbanum, the mythical resin of the Ferula plant rarely used in modern-day fragrances, is revitalised and refined from its wild, vegetal state. Like a diamond in the rough, the centuries-old scent is cultivated into delicate green notes, creating the sappy and spicy core of the LVERS bouquet. It is grounded in the bottom note of cedarwood. Extracted from second-hand wood from carpentry, the oil’s deep woody sensibility establishes the indefinable but recognisable olfactic sensation universally associated with the forest. Harmonised with the creaminess of sandalwood, it sets an earthy but elegant tone for the fragrance, energised by the clean crispness of ginger. The composition is raised by the fruity, zesty top notes of bergamot, gently announcing the galbanum in a figurative illustration of the early rays of sunrise. Echoing the therapeutic force of the sun, each of the LVERS ingredients is rooted in age-old cultural practices connected to notions of healing. In Ancient Greece, galbanum was employed as a curative remedy, while in Ancient Egypt, cedarwood oil was used as a means of preservation and to ward off evil spirits. In Eastern medicine, sandalwood is a key component alongside ginger, widely known for its health benefits. Across cultures, bergamot has been considered a tool for both mental and physical renewal. The healing powers traditionally linked to the ingredients infuse LVERS with a holistic air: the idea of fragrance as an elixir of well-being; a spray of sunlight distilled in a bottle.

Fashioned in the cylindrical signature silhouette of Louis Vuitton’s Les Parfums, the LVERS flacon reflects, refracts and imitates the sunlight. A prismatic finish electrifies the glass structure coloured from within by a golden jus, evoking the bright effect of sunlight gilding the skin. Introduced alongside the fragrance, a travel case and a fragrance trunk – which holds three bottles – are crafted in the green Damoflage motif. Central to the creative expression of Pharrell Williams at Louis Vuitton, the graphic splices the Maison’s heritage Damier pattern with camouflage, a signifier in the personal style lexicon of the Men’s Creative Director.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Louis Vuitton
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Jo Malone – Earl Grey & Cucumber Is Back

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Great news for all Jo Malone aficionados. The gorgeous Earl Grey & Cucumber scent that was first launched as part of a limited edition collection in spring 2011 is now part of the line.

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This beautifully crafted fragrance is inspired by the thoroughly British tradition of “High Tea” – the mid-afternoon ritual that’s such a sought after experience in London’s most prestigious hotels. Where Earl Grey tea is accompanied by petite, wafer-fine cucumber sandwiches. In this inventive and unconventional cologne, the top notes burst with bergamot – the same ingredient that gives Earl Grey tea its distinctive, fruity aroma. Its then that you discover the crunchy, counterpoised with the sweet base of beeswax, vanilla and musk. Ravishingly reviving.

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Available now as Cologne 30ml (CHF 68.00) and 100ml (CHF 130.00).
In Switzerland exclusively at Jelmoli Zurich and Globus Geneva.

To create your bespoke scent, spritz and layer with Grapefruit for instant freshness or with Nutmeg & Ginger for warmth with a spicy vibrancy.

LoL, Sandra

EarlGreyCucumberPhotos: Courtesy of Jo Malone

Get Golden Skin – Scented and Shimmering

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I love to have a subtle shimmer on my tanned skin in summer. Personally speaking, I think that it makes you look so much more radiant. Therefore I would like to introduce you to two  newly launched products that are beautifully scented while leaving your skin with the perfect golden glow.

Roger Gallet takes you on an olfactive journey into the Andalucian gardens of the Alhambra in Grenada under the orange trees of the Generalife Palace. Capture the vibrant sunshine, as well as the freshness of the leaf and the fruit, the softness of the flower and the fresh sensuality of orange wood.

Top notes: Bergamot, mandarin and orange
Middle notes: Ylang, orange blossom and coconut
Base notes: Cedarwood, vanilla and musk

120069-03-rogeretgallet-gamme-sublime-orEau Sublime Or Bois d’Orange CHF 59.60 (100ml)

Inspired by the luxurious gardens of the Alhambra, Eau Sublime Or takes you on an exotic olfactory journey. Once sprayed – citrus fruits from Italy refresh and delight, revealing themselves a few minutes after spraying, floral & feminine heart notes of ylang, orange blossom and coconut flower are sublimely sensual. The final touch of glamour & chic – delicate flecks of gold settle on your skin in a subtle shimmer, beautifying the skin with radiance.
Does not stain clothing.

Crème Sublime Or Bois d’Orange CHF 34.90 (200ml)

An indulgent beauty ritual of summer glamour, illuminate your skin with Crème Sublime Or. Enriched with a cocktail of 6 nourishing oils (Macadamia, Argan, Camelia, Primrose, Sesame and gentle Almond), this luxurious body cream with a delicious and enchanting fragrance, moisturises and softens your skin for lasting hydration. Its delicate flecks of gold give a subtle illuminating effect. Rich but non-greasy, quickly absorbed by the skin. No parabens. Dermatologically tested.

For store locations, please visit the Roger Gallet’s homepage.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Roger Gallet

La Table d’Edgar – A Feast for the Senses

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During my stay at the fabulous Lausanne Palace & Spa, I was invited to an olfactory and flavorful feast for the senses at the famous Table d’Edgard, the Michelin-starred and the newly appointed 17/20 points Gaultmillau restaurant.

Edgar & rojaTwo magicians: Chef Edgar Bovier and “Nose” Roja Dove

Famous perfumer Roja Dove and chef Edgar Bovier had created a dinner in which ingredients Roja uses in his perfumes were integrated in the different courses. As you smell and taste with the same primitive part of your brain, this experienece was outstanding, causing orgasmic explosions on your tongue. I was very lucky to sit next to Roja who explained me carefully which food I had to taste first while smelling the ingredient of the perfume.

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Soup

Taste: Asparagus soup with light foam / Spices and pink pepper

Vetiver

Smell: VETIVER iconPink pepper
Season yourself with the scent of pepper! It is all about that spicy twist.

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Taste: Shrimp on a bed of rosemary-confit citruses / Bergamot jelly 
Balsamic reduction / Roasted pistachio

Scandal pour homme

Smell: SCANDAL pour HOMME Bergamot
It takes 150.000 kg of the fruit to produce 1 kg oil. The best bergamot oil is one of the most luxurious products in the world.

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Taste: Green pea-stuffed fresh morels / Orange jus

Innuendo

Smell: INNUENDO iconOrris
You smell a paradox, the freshness on top and underneath the powdery. Orris is a term used for the roots Iris germanica, Iris florentina, and Iris pallida. It takes six years to make that material and it costs three times the amount of gold.

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Taste: Spice-roasted sea bass / Light zucchini mash  
Saffron and basil shellfish jus

Diaghilev

Smell: DIAGHILEV iconLemon, orange and saffron.
The spice just adds warmth.

Dessert

Taste: Tonka bean and ivory chocolate mousse / Macaroon finger and Madagascar vanilla ice cream

Smell: DANGER icon– Tonka bean and vanilla
Oriental perfumes are about tease and promise.

I hope that you have enjoyed this tasteful post. It was one of the most outstanding gourmet menus I have ever tasted.
If you are interested in the perfumes, I kindly invite you to contact the Lausanne Palace Boutique via e-mail: laboutiquedupalace@lausanne-palace.ch.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht, Stills: Courtesy of Roja Dove

Meet Roja Dove at Lausanne Palace Boutique

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Meet ROJA DOVE, one of the most famous noses in the world.
Born 1957 in Southeast England, his career in perfumery began in 1981 when he joined the French perfume house Guerlain, working there for 20 years before leaving to set up his own companies RDPR and then Roja Parfums.

Dove, the fragrance connoisseur’s connoisseur, is probably the world’s most quoted perfume expert and was the first person to use the term HAUTE PARFUMERIE, when he opened in 2004 the Roja Dove Haute Parfumerie on the fifth floor of Harrods. Within one year, Cartier, Caron, Jean Patou, and Guerlain followed.

Roja with me

I was very honoured to meet Roja Dove personally at the beautiful La Boutique du Palace in Lausanne, Switzerland (which belongs to the Lausanne Palce & Spa hotel), the location of the newly opened second Roja Dove Haute Parfumerie. The collaboration was born from a dream and a passionate encounter between Emeline Gauer (see photo on top) and Roja himself, offering a selection of pure and rare fragrances, among them, of course, Roja Parfums.

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When you enter the boutique, you enter a world of pure luxury, a one of a kind, sumptuous and exuberant experience of the best of the very best in the world of scent. Set amongst beautiful vintage furnishings, mirrors, silk and crystal, you can immerse yourself in the sensory heaven of fragrance as it should be: lavish, luxurious, sensual, decadent and daring.

Enjoy the photos and the interview with Roja Dove in which you will learn a lot about the world of perfumery, what makes you truly sexy and the creative process behind it.

La Boutique

Roja, how did you start Roja Parfums? What is your idea behind the brand?

I had dinner with a very close friend. We were talking about different brands. She was laughing and said: “You always get the essence of a brand”, and she continued, “It is a shame that you don’t do it with your own.” I asked her what she meant by that. “Everywhere in the world, I see your name in articles written on perfume. But as a consumer how do I buy into your world if I don’t want to spend £25.000 on a bespoke scent?” That was the catalyst to launch Roja Parfums.

I called a group of friends that all work in business but not in perfumery. They came up in a think tank of what is Roja Dove, what is the perception, the reality and what should Roja Dove be. What came out of it was everything that people perceived of me: Uncompromising, quality, the nose, authenticity and theatre.

We decided that those were the pillars that the brand should be about and we started on it. Regarding the packaging, I liked the idea of the white. It is the most decadent and luxurious thing in the world, that doesn’t look decadent and violet is my favourite colour. Inside you get the idea of understated luxury, with a surprise, the little theatre-like curtains. I wanted to be different and reach a fine level of aesthetics.

Roja Dove it is not a brand for everybody, not that I wanted it to be. It is a truly luxury product. Every single aspect is made by hand, like the boxes and the carrier bags. The liquid is filled into the bottles by hand in England, even the labels are applied manually.

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RD4

How can I imagine the process to create a perfume ?

The way I trained is old-fashioned and I still think that this is the proper way to do it.

Let me get you started on the opposite, the gas chromatography. Anything that smells can be put in a mashine that breaks down the oils or the perfume. Like this, the chemist can see analyze the formula. But you can only do it succesfully with a scent that has a lot of synthetic materials.

The reason why is the complexity of the natural components. Let’s take jasmine for example which has approximately 900 different molecules in it to make the one scent that is jasmine. Behind the 900 main molecules, there are smaller ones that nobody has analyzed yet. We don’t know what they are. They are the subtlety of nature. Nevertheless, the chemists can isolate some of the big molecules. From jasmine alone, there are 300 isolates which are extracted. Many of which are used in the perfumery. But there are still 600 left to be discovered. All the subtlety behind that we have no idea what it is.

Interesting to know is that the discovery of natural isolates in 1882 among others allowed modern perfumery to begin. It gave us new materials from a natural source to use. The natural isolates were the world’s first synthetics, because synthetic just means to make things from something else. They gave us new fantasy notes, which, when you smelled them, were absolutely new, providing us with originality.

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Gas chromatography allows us to analyze a fragrance formula. If you take  for example a perfume like Escape by Calvin Klein, that has a material in it which is called calone made by Pfizer. It is a molecule with one single structure without any subtelty. It doesn’t have 500 or whatever components; it is one thing. The same material you will find in L’Eau d’Issey. The more synthetic a perfume, the easier for the chemists to look into the structure on the gas chromatograph and to analyze the formula.

The most perfumes made come from a handful of small houses, such as IFF, Givaudain and Firmenich. The reality is that often they don’t need to perform the gas chromatography, because they do most of the formulas.

The way I work is before gas chromatography. I always start very unusually, with the name for the perfume. I am sitting in the garden  drinking tea with my partner Peter and we both will write down names we can come up with. Then, we go to the trademark lawyer to check on their availabilty. Once we have the name, I begin the next step. The way my palette of fragrance is made, I think, nobody has ever looked at perfumes before.

I believe very strongly that each of us tends to like fragrances from one family and not the others. The problem with marketing is that people hear the brand name or see the imaginary and believe that two perfumes are different which they are not. Let’s look at Gucci Envy, monochrome, urban, the advertising is about a very passionate couple. In contrary, Estée Lauder’s Pleasures shows a woman in a field with poppies. Because of the imaginery and the opposite brands, the customer thinks that one is sexy and one is romantic. But those two scents are actually not even similiar, they are nearly identical.

How I approach my perfume collection is that I try to make a very balanced palette. I don’t think anybody has ever done that with smell before. We have just launched the range in July 2011, the palette isn’t a balanced one yet, so this year we will have a lot of launches to complete it in the end of the year. Whatever we add to it, is just an addition.

RD5

We have three floral sents. Scandal, a white floral, heavy, powderising. Innuendo, a powdery floral. Reckless, an aldehydic floral.

I knew that I needed a fresh floral and created Mischief, which is a fabulous word. Mischievous – You know that you are up to no good and hope that you are not caught but it is just a flower.

RD6

After the name, I have to work on a structure. How should this perfume be? Something a little bit naughty and simultaneously a freshness with it. This is my creative process.

Generally you find freshness in perfumery  through three or four main roots. You either take the citrus materials, the aromatic materials like herbs (often combined), certain flowers that are fresh like lily of the valley or hyacinth, or you get freshness in the base of a perfume through galbanum and  violet leaf.

I didn’t want it to be that typical green, not a citrus perfume. Quite unusually, I put the freshness in every area of the structure and I also used a natural isolate, which comes from jasmine, called dihydrojasmonate, very citrusy smelling that lasts and lasts. In general a freshness diasappears very easily, with Mischief it stays on. The animalic notes are hidden, that is the mischief in the perfume, it has a little sexiness there without being intrusive.

Danger was created, when I was working on the oriental facette. I wanted to make a very particular type of oriental. I didn’t want a typically avowedly vanillic, I didn’t want a perfume that smelled like Shalimar, Dior Addict, the big vanilla perfumes. Most people’s idea of oriental perfumes is that they are enormous. I wanted an oriental perfume, that had a loft of finesse and  all the softness, that wasn’t a clicheé. The name was chosen because it is not dangerous for the person wearing it, it is dangerous for the person smellling it on the wearer. They wouldn’t realise that the vanilla is a aphrodisiac and this jasmine contains indole.

Indole is a natural occuring molecule, a natural isolate, found in all scented white flowers. Interesting to know is that we actually don’t smell with our nose, we smell with the primitive part of our brain. The rational part will think that it is jasmine. The subconscious part picks up on a different message. You have to bear in mind that the sense of smell is the oldest sense in living organisms. It is developped to fulfill three functions, to escape danger, to pick up food and to find  a mate. The indolic note will make  you think of one thing and one thing only, sex! The human race produces indole. It comes out on the skin and is collected by the root of the hair chaft. Therefore hairy men seem to be more virile. When you smell Danger on a woman, your brain picks up the aphrodisiac vanilla and the indolic note of jasmine. Can you see how dangerous the perfume is now?!

The reason for the name Scandal is because of the white flowers. The jasmine of Grasse is so expensive, it has the highest proportion of indole in it. If the customer knew what was going on in his brain, it might cause a scandal.

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Do you have some signature ingredients that you love and always use? Which one is the most expensive material?

In every perfume, I use a little vanilla and a little jasmine, always bergamot, either neroli or orange blossom, always rose de Mai, jasmine from Grasse, it is my signature. Ambergris costs £100.000 a kilo, I use a little in all of my work, it is my favourite raw material.

Your own favourite scent?

I am most proud of Diaghilev and Vetiver that will hopefully endure through history.

Enslaved is probably one of the most complicated formulas which makes the perfume uncommercial. Customers appreciate its level of sophisctication that can hardly be found anywhere else.

RD1

Which one is your bestselling product?

The Aoud is the number one bestselling product since July 2nd in Harrods. We have the third largest brand in Harrods. All my products sell for the best reason in the world: People love the smell!

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Have you ever thought of launching body products matching your perfumes?

The problem is that we could never make them commercially. Most companies will never use the same formula for the body product as they use for their fragrances. Therefore most body products never smell like the original perfume. I think the idea of matching body prodcus is amazing but hard to achieve on my level of quality.

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And what about your scented candles?

I spent two and  a half years doing the candles. They were the most difficult thing I every made in my life. When the patchouli candle was launched, I had the same in my house. It didn’t burn properly and I took them all of the market immediately.

To make jasmine oil, you have to take the flower which is picked by hand. You need  5mio flowers to make a kilo of oil, 200 hours of labour. People don’t realise the work behind this and natural oils are rarely used for scented candles. In my candles, the oil you smell is the same as you smell in my perfumes. I use at least 10% of rose de Mai which is so rare. I don’t knwo anybody who does it. Even the people in my company sometimes think that I am mad.

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You were with Guerlain for 20 years. Why did you leave?

In Guerlain, it is very important to say, the perfumes are always a work of the Guerlain family. During my time there, it was sold to LVMH in 1994 which was fine, I like change. But I didn’t like a lot of things personally what happened to the firm, they were outsourcing perfumes which made me leave.

Now Guerlain is back in safe hands because Thierry Wasser is a great perfumer. It went through a phase that I didn’t like, but I had a marvellous time there and wouldn’t change a scrap of it.

Where can you buy Roja Dove in the world?

At the minute, you can only buy Roja Parfums in Harrods, Lausanne Palace Boutique and Tsum in Moskow. We will open in Saint Petersburg, Abu Dhabi, Dubai and later in the year in Hong Kong. The perfumes have a cult status, we supply 2/3 of the royal family in the Middle East already.

Personally speaking, I could have talked forever with Roja. He is so captivating and eloquent. His perfumes are amazing. Enslaved is my absolute favourite. He gave me a piece of advice for life that has absolutely impressed me because I had never thought of it like this before:
“Smell makes everyone equal, no matter the age, weight, height or race. Perfume will always remain loyal to you!”

If I whetted your appetite, I recommend visiting this jewel in Lausanne or to contact the shop directly via e-mail: laboutiquedupalace@lausanne-palace.ch.

LoL, Sandra

RD 6Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Jean Paul Gaultier – New Fragrances

L'eau JPG

For Spring 2012, the “Jean Paul Gaultier Classique X Collection” has launched a lighter variation:

“Jean Paul Gaultier Classique X Collection L’Eau” which has peony and orange blossom accords and top notes of bergamot zest along with neroli, vanilla and iris.

This time the legendary bottle is transparent and dressed in calligraphy to better reveal the crystalline soft pink fragrance.

Limited Edition “L’Eau” Classique, Eau de Toilette 100ml, CHF 107.-
Available now.

 

Kokorico

I love Jean Paul Gaultier’s new fragrance for men “Kokorico”.

Fig leaf, patchouli, cedar, cocoa and vetiver together exhale pure masculinity with a feminine accent.

A striking trompe l’oeil bottle, a man’s face when viewed from the front that turns into a sexy and virile torso in profile.

Kokorico Eau de Toilette, 50ml (CHF 85.-) / 100ml (CHF 117.-)
Kokorico After Shave Lotion 100ml (CHF 77.-)
Kokorico After Shave Balm 100ml (CHF 52.-)
Kokorico Shower Gel 200ml (CHF 40.-)
Kokorico Déodorant Stick 75gr (CHF 36.-)
Available now.

 

And here is a little teaser of what is coming next:

CL AND LM_SUMMER 2012_VISUAL LD
Jean Paul Gaultier’s new limited edition 2012 summer fragrances “Urban Jungle”
which will be in stores in May 2012.

Classique Summer 2012 (for women) opens with fresh notes of clementine from Sicily, rose and orange blossom. Exotic flower of ylang-ylang forms the perfume’s heart note together with petals of jasmine, lily of the valley and white iris, while the base notes are oriental and warm with amber, vanilla and fresh musk.

Limited Edition Classique Summer Eau de Toilette, 100ml (CHF 84.-)

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Le Male Summer 2012 (for men) begins with fresh aromatic accords of lavender, mint and cardamom. The heart exudes green – it contains notes of green leaves and grass. Vanilla, sandalwood and musk complete this composition.

Limited Edition Le Male Summer 2012, Eau de Toilette, 125ml (CHF 80.-)

The signature bottles in the shape of male and female torsos and their can boxes are decorated with vivid design inspired by safari, an urban jungle, tropical leaves, flowers and vines.

Can you smell summer already?

LoL, Sandra