Back in February, which at the moment feels like another lifetime, I was invited at Jovoy for the launch of The Art Deco Collector line, the latest project of Alexandre J created in collaboration with perfumers Amelie Bourgeois and Anne Sophie Behaghel. We had a fantastic time, journalists, bloggers and customers of Jovoy all together listening to the perfumers and Amelie Jabban, Alexanfre J.'s global brand manager, talk about their inspiration for this amazing new range of fragrances.
Alexandre J. is a perfume brand with an abundance of inspiration, creativity and lust for precious materials plus the desire to tell magnifiscent stories that keep you engaged and entairtained while your nose wanders through their fragrant creations. When Jovoy reopens its doors again I urge you to visit them so you can too have a look at their collection.
The Art Deco Collector line pays homage to the roaring 20's and the groundbreaking behaviours that came with it. Slender figures, travel, women dressed with trousers, short hair, drinking, smoking and partying was the new norm. This revolution is expressed through the 6 perfumes of the collection that are already bestsellers and many of them out of stock already!
THE MAJESTIC JARDIN
THE CHERRIES & THE HOOKAHS
The inspiration: "Constantly seeking new excitements, the socialites of the day were delighted to discover the exoticism of the East and Asia. Endless parties take place in cedar-lined gardens, where cherry blossoms flutter in the smoke from the hookahs."
Top notes: Almond, Bitter
Heart notes: Cherry flower, Cherry, Black pepper
Base notes: Vanilla, Virginia cedar, Patchouli, Narghile
Cherries drenched in smoke, sweet, sticky and with a dash of booze, when I first tried it, it reminded me of a smoked bourbon/ cherry cocktail I'd tried some time ago. It's deliciously mysterious and one of my favourites!
THE MAJESTIC MUSK
THE POWDERY MUSKY
The Inspiration: "The Majestic Musk evokes the elegant and exuberant woman of the roaring twenties. The first fragrances with synthetic notes mingle with the smell of powder compacts. Influenced by Slavic glamour, women are smothered in furs, their pale complexions enhancing their beauty."
Top notes: Pink peppercorn, Bergamot
Heart notes: Juniper, Elemi, Heliotrope
Base notes: Iris, Sandalwood, Tonka bean, Suede
Elemi is one of my favourite ingredients in perfumes and here it's giving a lively touch to the soft, sweet and cudly musk. It's a very comforting fragrance, laid back, beautiful and elegant.
THE MAJESTIC OUD
THE SMOKY OUD
The inspiration: "With the emergence of jazz, cabarets are the most popular places to see and be seen. Artists rub shoulders with intellectuals, and Josephine Baker becomes the star of Parisian nights. The Majestic Oud recalls these sensual nights, a fragrance tinged with fruity patchouli wrapped in sumptuous oud."
Top notes: Bergamot, Lemon, Blackcurrant, Raspberry, Apple, Melon
Heart notes: Sage, Patchouli
Base notes: Amber, Musk, Oud
Like walking into a club around midnight in full swing, Majestic Oud combines raspberry with oud masterfully; a tart fruity bite to an otherwise very smoky, earthy and woody fragrance.
THE MAJESTIC AMBER
THE SOLAR ROSE
The inspiration: "The Art Deco era is also when the great perfume houses launched their first soliflores. The Majestic Amber pays homage to these creations with a radiant and feminine rose. Its petals, like yellow fruits caressed by the sun, give it its beautiful golden amber colour, like the flamboyant decor of yesteryear."
Top notes: Grapefruit, Peach
Heart notes: Rose, Davana, Tonka bean
Base notes: Vanilla, Ambroxan, Patchouli, Toffee
An icredible fruity rose fragrance, sweetened by vanilla and toffee, it brings a playful and mischevous character to a classic rose scent.
THE MAJESTIC VANILLA
THE SWEET MASCULINITY
The inspiration: "The Majestic Vanilla pays tribute to the first oriental fragrances of the 20s. Emancipated women display a certain masculine style in the intimacy of smoky boudoirs. A reflection of this "boyish" style, The Majestic Vanilla blends feminine notes of fruit and vanilla with the resinous masculinity of labdanum."
Top notes: Cinnamon, Bergamot, Mandarin
Heart notes: Galbanum, Tonka bean, Peach
Base notes: Musk, Labdanum, Patchouli, Vanilla, Amber wood
A vanilla fragrance to please non-vanilla lovers; smoky, smouldering and earthy with a fuzzy peachy hint while remaining flirtatious and fun.
THE MAJESTIC VETIVER
THE AROMATIC BREEZE OF THE FRENCH RIVIERA
The inspiration: "The Majestic Vetiver harks back to the laidback lifestyle and the creative energy of the French Riviera. It is in this Mediterranean setting that Gatsby's story was written, and that the first chypre perfumes appeared. Like a whisper of Belle Epoque, The Majestic Vetiver delivers a delicious scent of woody vetiver tinged with an aromatic breeze."
Top notes: Basil, Cardamom, Grapefruit
Heart notes: Coriander, Liatrix
Base notes: Oud wood, Vetiver, Suede, Labdanum
Woody, breezy and laidback like a long summer vacation with no end. It's green, fresh, herbal and soft with a touch of salt on the tip of your tongue, while the drydown is soft, earthy and warm like late August summer nights.
The Art Deco Collector line is available on the Alexandre J. website and Jovoy in Mayfair (just online at the moment due to Covid-19)