Fragrant Waters

Photograph by Stefano bianchi FLOWERPOWER Since the days of the acqua mirabilis and the original fragrances from Cologne, there has been a heavy floral character at the base of most eaux de cologne. However, in the 1970s, fragrances started to get fresher, with a light, floral identity. They were symbolic of the flower power era and supported the idea of naturalism. It was Ô de Lancôme, which kicked off this trend in 1969. L’Eau de Roche (which later became Eau de Rochas) rose to fame in 1970. This refreshing fragrance had notes of mandarin, bergamot, jasmine, lily, iris, patchouli and frankincense. Today, L’Eau de Rochas is 40 years old and continues to be ageless, with its cult status. It has finally come out in a new avatar. Its bottle features wave designs and aquarelles by illustrator Aurore de la Morinerie. According to Jean-Michel Duriez, perfume maker at Rochas, “What set the fragrances in the 1970s apart is the importance of the floral base.” In 2010, Duriez released a fresher version of the fragrance, wherein he “reduced the citrus notes and added hints of ocean notes.”

HIGHTIDE The 1990s brought a new generation of fragrances, which featured ocean-mist notes, invented by perfume makers at the end of the ’80s. These were first seen in New West by Aramis, followed by Eau d’Issey (1992), which featured notes of freesia, cyclamen and lotus. This season, Issey Miyake’s signature fragrance features grapefruit and litchi notes. In 1996, Kenzo infused his men’s colognes with aquatic notes and his women’s perfumes with notes of water lily and reeds. The 2014 ephemeral new edition, Mirror, also features aquatic notes with a hint of melon. The new wave of ‘nautical’ fragrances concentrate more on floral notes, while the classic citrus notes have faded away. Acqua di Gio Essenza (Armani) is the first to use the specialised cascalone molecule. For the women, Acqua di Gioia evokes our love for nature with notes of crushed mint and freshly harvested lemons. Today’s eaux de toilette retain their signature citrus notes, but are infused with notes of peonies, water lily, blackberry, pear and violet leaf. L’Eau Tropicale de Sisley takes you to an enchanted garden of flowers: hibiscus, frangipani, Turkish rose and violet notes, blended with bergamot and ginger.

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AROMATIC COCK TAils The summer season calls for an über-cool attitude, and sporting a fragrance that is fresh and light is a great way to achieve that. If you’re tired of your old fragrance, maybe now is the time to take the plunge, change your perfume, smell different and surprise those around you. Don’t worry about those old wives’ tales, which say that oil from perfumes leaves stains on your clothes when exposed to the sun. This might have happened in the past, but nowadays, perfume makers keep this in mind while designing refreshing perfumes.

Maybe you could opt for a cocktail that is shaken, not stirred. Limon Verde, the new Aqua Allegoria by Guerlain to name a few. The signature ingredient here is green lime, which adds that much-needed zest. If you’re sensitive enough, you might even smell a hint of sugarcane and the aroma of a delicious caipirinha. If you’re into the sheer simplicity, the eau de toilette Sea by Chloé smells like a cross between the ocean breeze and a summer garden with its jasmine, apple tree and vetiver notes. We can’t help but wonder what direction eaux de toilette are going to take in the future. Michel Duriez envisages a technique of creating fragrances that issue from fruit juice. We will be waiting to see…and smell!