The last of the Vilhelm Parfumerie Fall 2016 collection has been released. I have admired all three of these perfumes as they show a brand expanding their offerings with intent. Creative director Jan Ahlgren and perfumer Jerome Epinette have collaborated well and this collection shows the working relationship is top notch. With the latest release Dirty Velvet they finish 2016 on a high note.
Jan Ahlgren
M. Ahlgren has been treating us to olfactory interpretations of his favorite places in Paris. With Dirty Velvet he was inspired by his preferred hotel in the City of Light, Villa D’Estrees. The hotel itself sits on the edge of the Latin Quarter where the Sorbonne and many other universities within Paris are located. The conjunction of college life within one of the great cities of the world almost always produces a section of the city which is lively. Not sure why M. Ahlgren likes this part of Paris so much but Dirty Velvet captures the vibe of the Quartier Latin.
Jerome Epinette
M. Epinette starts off with pomelo which provides a muted tartness that sharpens its focus over time. It leads into a rich tobacco leaf. This is the deeply narcotic with a hint of menthol kind of tobacco. M. Epinette then matches a fig accord which focuses mainly on the ripe fruit with sparkles of green. This is a rich opulent accord that becomes even better as sandalwood and vetiver come into play. The sandalwood provides a dry woody platform for the tobacco and fig to rest upon. The vetiver picks out the threads of green making them more prominent. The final piece of the puzzle is a salty skin accord. This is where it all stays together for hours.
Dirty Velvet has 10-12 hour longevity and moderate sillage.
I have tried four Vilhelm Parfumerie releases this year. I have enjoyed this minimalist architecture M. Ahlgren and M. Epinette have created. It allows for well-chosen raw materials to stand out. This is a technique M. Epinette has become very adept with. Dirty Velvet is my favorite of this year’s offerings because it goes deeper than any of the previous releases I’ve tried from Vilhelm Parfumerie. Once it comes together, about an hour in, the final mix is just a pleasure to be surrounded by.
Disclosure: this review was based on a sample provided by Vilhelm Parfumerie.
–Mark Behnke
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