Violet meets Space: Commes des Garcons - Stephen Jones

There's a funky new 'fume on the streets.  And it endeavors to stamp itself as different in everything from its packaging to its marketing to its olfactory presence.  And, by joe, I think it's working.  

Packaging:  It's like a hat in a hat box...you know, the kind with the netting, that goes with your tailored suit?  (That's suit with a skirt, as in old time Dior?)  And I've got to say--as one who has a few of those hats lying about just for fun--I like the packaging.  I generally don't go for kitsch or gimmick...unless it is well executed and/or relevant to what smell is inside.  As shown in photographs, at least, this one is working for me.  I'll need to go find a real bottle and report back.  

Marketing:  The copy says "a new perfume directed by Stephen Jones and produced by Commes des Garcons.  Many perfumes have an "artistic director" or some such, and a "nose" who actually creates the thing.  But being so upfront is not typical (we know that this is how the Goutals work, but don't often hear about it in general).  I understand "producers/artistic directors/directors" from film & theater.  I have no idea how influential Comme des Garcons was as "producer," and the influence of a given producer on the "product" you see on a movie screen will vary.  So does the "product" they bother to attempt -- think Cubby Broccoli with a Bond film, Merchant Ivory with a costume.  Nor do I know how strongly Stephen Jones affected the juice.  But a director's influence will vary, too -- but for a sense of difference, check out Franco Zeffirelli vs. Baz Luhrman doing Romeo and Juliet.   That said, clearly somebody had a vision, and something of a statement was carried out.

Perfume:  Violets.  Meteorites.  Magma.  Yup, OsMoz lists a "meteorite accord" up top, and a "magma accord" in the base.  I think what CdG is calling "meteorites," I am smelling as "ozone."  And magma in my nose is dry dirt.  But you know what?  They're there.  From my sniffing notes:

The first thing I note is that on a day when I have a few collected samples in front of me, ready in their mailers, it is the CdG SJ that offers a hint of scent when I take it out of its mailer.  And again, a bit more so, when I take the vial out of its protective little sealed bag.  By the time I circle back around to try to open the vial--which was, btw, quite tightly stoppered, and required a little extra english to get it open--I have tantalizing little mini-hits coming my way.  And what has been suggested by these successively increasing hints turns out to be true of the opening:  potent. true violet. dirt. skank. and...space???something air and beyond.

Emphasis at the top on dirt, air, and odd skank.

But, everybody...doo-loo-doo-doo...here comes the sun...well, violet.  So what breaks through isn’t all bright, high, and sunshiney, but rather pure, natural, green/purple, lowish down, and refreshing/comfortable.  It’s coming.

Now, almost an hour in, I have a most interesting violet on my wrist.  It is pretty tightly woven with other elements...something green, something dirt, with that odd ozonic skank dancing about ever so lightly (so lightly that I’m not sure I would have caught it as such had it not been such a prominent voice in the opening).  I’d really like to go out smelling like this...reactions might include “Nice...what?,” which I like to think of as a way to describe me.  ;)

Good heavens, 1 1/2 hours in, I put my sniffer up...a hint of...soap???  Try again...ah, it seems that was a cumulative impression...when I break it down, it’s everything from before, but it’s like when the vegetables start breaking down in the soup...certain spots in the pot are a little bit of everything.

What does it all add up to?  A perfume that I like in my head, but am trying to figure out if I connect with emotionally.  Obviously, if I'm asking, the answer so far is no.  But this might be a "learn to love it" situation...and while some immediate grabbers, like Chergui, have remained on the love list, others were merely passing infatuations.  I will come back to this sample...and am pretty sure a decant will be ordered.  Full bottle worthy?  Not sure yet, though if you are a bottle nut, this one's a good 'un.  Freaky juice fan?  This doesn't have the asphalt & rubber you can find hiding in Creed Love in Black (yeah, I KNOW, weird to hear that kind of thing from Creed), but then again, it develops, speaks, and hangs on more strongly than the Creed.

I'll be exploring other violets for the next few months, still on the search for the perfect one for me.  But you should try this; it might be the perfect one for you.

Notes per OsMoz:

TOP: violet leaves, meteorite accord, clove

HEART: violet, rose, carnation, jasmine, heliotrope

BASE: magma accord, gaiac wood, cumin, vetiver

My Kind of Violet (Les Nez, that is...), no--rats!--drydown happens

Hoo-ha!  My sample of Les Nez "The Unicorn Spell" arrived today.  I'm still in the midst of drydown antics, but oh my, I did enjoy that dirty (and I mean dirt here, as in earth, not skank) dark shadow opening.  It's turning into a relatively common candied violet, but so much more interesting this way.  I am entertained.

We'll have to see if I decide to move beyond the sample, but I am entertained.  And I really don't mind the idea of having a Choward violet on my wrist.

As for the Geir Ness "Leila" on my other wrist, well...let's say I have done my duty to marital fealty and sampled the Norwegian scent.  It's clean-flowery enough, but I think it is supposed to be a shower gel.  Or scent for hair gel.  

.....

Yup, it's Choward on the left, '80's hair product on the right.  Drydown happens.

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And a couple of hours later, it's barely there, that violet, but back to having a hint of dark, and has largely dropped the candy.  The Leila is like a middle of the road Yves Rocher perfumed shower gel.