“They grew weak as young maidens who have succumbed to the charms of a lover. Respected women ripped open their blouses, bared their breasts; men with members frozen stiff, fell down anywhere with a groan and copulated in the most impossible positions and combinations”

 

 

 

 

Just like Neil Morris I watched the movie, “Perfume-The Story of a Murderer”, and found myself captivated. After watching it Neil Morris was so inspired that he created the fragrance "Swoon" to capture the scene at the end of movie where the perfume that Grenouille (which means Frog in French) created causes everyone to fall into a "Swoon".

 

 

 

 

Thierry Mugler also created a coffret celebrating "Perfume- The Story of a Murderer”. These fragrances were developed by Christophe Laudamiel and Christoph Hornetz, known as Les Christophs, perfumers at IFF (International Flavors & Fragrances). There were 15 fragrances created to capture highlights of the movie. One of them was called Virgin No. 1 – Pure and Innocent – that's the scent the novel/movie calls for.

 

 

Young Woman Braiding Her Hair by Pierre-Auguste Renoir

 

 

“He did not love the girl who lived in the house beyond the wall. He loved her scent, that alone, and nothing else and only inasmuch as it would one day be his alone.”

 

 

 

 

This movie is based on a novel originally published in German as "Das Parfum" by German writer Patrick Süskind. I never read the book, but was completely captivated by the movie. The novel explores the sense of smell, and its connection with the emotional meaning that scents may carry. It is a story of identity, communication and the morality of the human spirit. It is a terrifying story of murder and obsession set in 18th-century France. Jean-Baptiste Grenouille has a unique talent for discerning smells that surround him, which he then uses to create the world's finest perfumes. But lacking any scent of his own, he becomes increasingly obsessed with capturing the alluring aroma of young womanhood. His obsession turns deadly as he murders 12 young girls. But he needs one more virgin in search of his "perfect scent", which he finds in a young woman whom his acute sense of smell finds in a private garden in Grasse. This story reminds me of many of us who love perfume, even though we would not kill to obtain the "perfect scent", I believe that many of us are always looking for the next best thing hitting the perfume market. It is an obsession we all share as perfumistas.

 

 

 

 

“What did people need with a new perfume every season? Was that necessary?”

 

 

 

 

As one with that obsession I had to try the newest creation by The Different Company "Pure Virgin".

 

Pure Virgin manifested itself from the idea of creating a perfume which would be "simply comfortable, fresh as a cotton shirt but also as elegant as a little black dress, an amazing sensual experience."

Céline Ellena is the perfumer behind this fragrance and this will be reportedly her last for The Different Company.

 

 

 Young woman with a Bouquet of Roses Francis Boucher 

 

 

“Or why should smoke possess the name ‘smoke’, when from minute to minute, second to second, the amalgam of hundreds of odors mixed iridescently into ever new and changing unities as the smoke rose from the fire.”

 

 

 

 

 

On my skin the fragrance makes its first appearance in the form of beautiful, sweet and light musk, but is quickly followed by an orchestra of a gentle white floral accord. While it holds there, at the clean musky floral theme, for just a fleeting moment; it dives happily into what I was hoping for, the ever so amazing and scrumptious sweetness of Calisson. Calisson is a divine gently sweet smelling and tasting gourmand French candy. The Calisson accord seems to be present from beginning to end. This nose pleasing, clean gourmand fragrance will surround you like a gentle breeze on a summer’s eve.

 

 

 

 

“And even as he spoke, the air around him was saturated with the odor of Amor and Psyche. Odors have a power of persuasion stronger than that of words, appearances, emotions, or will. The persuasive power of an odor cannot be fended off, it enters into us like breath into our lungs, it fills us up, imbues us totally. There is no remedy for it.”

 

 

We have one sample of The Different Company Pure Virgin to giveaway to one commenter. If you’ve seen both the movie and read the book Perfume- The Story of a Muderer leave a comment telling which version you like best. If you haven’t seen it, tell us what your favorite book to movie translation is. The draw will end on Wednesday April 20 at 9PM EST.

 

–Claudia Kroyer, Contributor