Well, today was the start of the Jubilee bank holiday weekend here in the UK, which means a four-day break and lots of festivities to mark the Queen's diamond jubilee, a 60-year reign as monarch. I can't say I'm complaining. Of course, this being England, the weather has now changed from gloriously sunny to much cooler and damp, which is par for the course for any holiday on the muddy isle!
I've had a bit of a quiet time this week, perfume-wise. I've worn perfume of course, but haven't really felt too inspired to write or note much for some reason. Yesterday I wore two perfumes from Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier, Eau des Iles and Parfume D'Habit. The first is essentially a green coffee, herbal and woody fragrance, while the second is a woody-leather, to my nose. I find both of these MPG creations very complex, very masculine and, if I'm being honest, quite difficult to wear. If you don't like them, be warned: they both stay around a long time on skin.
I'll say one thing about all the MPG masculine fragrances I've tried, which include the two above as wells as Santal Noble and Iris Bleu Gris, and that is that they are uncompromising masculine. I don't generally like to genderise perfume, but I do find these ones very much like this.
What's interesting about Jean Laporte, the man who first founded L'Artisan before starting MPG (and now sadly no longer with us) is that I don't find much of a link, or bridge between the style of L'Artisan and MPG, in terms of actually fragrance. Aesthetically yes (both houses seem to have a quality, vision and integrity to me), but the perfumes don't seem inspired by the same person, although this could just be my personal perception.
What also interested me is I read that Jean Laporte was the founder of Sisley.
I agree that both these perfumes are rather masculine, especially Eau des Iles which comes of as a bit of a powerhouse. MP&G seems to have a "back to basics" approach in comparison to L'Artisan Parfumeur. This doesn't mean that the perfumes are simpler, on the contrary. They just feel to me like thicker, with more obvious ingredients, making more of statement with the use of ingredients. If you wanty to find analogies between the two lines you should try some of the feminines. Eau de Mure is an obvious relative to Mure et Musc but also the Muskissime trio (Rose, Sanguine and Fraicheur) will bring L'Artisan creations to mind.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting that Jean Laporte was involved with the founding of Sisley. M. Laporte certainly employed Jean Claude Ellena in the 70's to do some perfumes for L'Artisan because Jean Claude says so in his book, but then Jean Claude also did Eau de Campagne for Sisley in '76. Did J. Laporte employ him again one wonders? As to the similarities between Maitre and L'Artisan there are some, Vanilia is very close to Fleur de Comores in the MPG line. Your previous commenter is right, the closest match -ups between the lines are among the feminines.
ReplyDeleteMemory of Scent, you're right, I should try the feminines and to be fair, I haven't really. so that's on my 'to do' list, should I ever get round to it!
ReplyDeleteBlacknall, thanks for corroborating this evidence (sorry for the sad 'audit' speak!) and as I replied in the first instance, I stand accused of not having explored the feminine fragrances.
ReplyDeleteMichael, you understood the MPGs alright, as far as I can smell. They're complex, and they are take no prisoners masculine, so you're not accused of anything except having a good nose. I must say, I smelled them and preferred them to the feminines for years myself. I really liked "Parfum d'Habit" but am a leather addict, and seldom find anything dark enough in the feminine fragrances to suit me.
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