Let’s Talk About It: “Fragrance Exclusives” 2015 Guerlain Ne m’Oubliez Pas (Thierry Wasser) ~Perfume Review

fashioneditorial plum

Make-up by Dick Page – Photography by Michael Thompson – Allure Magazine

Plums are ripe here in the Pacific Northwest, USA.  Today I begin my annual plum extravaganza, picking, washing, pitting and preparing this year's bumper crop of fruit.  Hours of work are ahead of me but at this moment, before the dawn of what will be a very hot and sunny day, before I tire of the scent of plums, I am enjoying a spritz of a gorgeous plummy fragrance, last year's Guerlain exclusive, Ne m'Oubliez Pas.

68 CHAMPS ELYSEES GUERLAIN BOUTIQUE

68 CHAMPS ELYSEES GUERLAIN BOUTIQUE photo Guerlain.com

In September 2015, Guerlain aficiando writer "Monsieur Guerlain" had this to say about NMOP: "For the first time ever, Guerlain releases a perfume whose availability is strictly limited to the Champs-Elysées boutique … At a time when everything is attainable online and made to reach the maximum number of consumers, Guerlain wants to make a statement about exclusivity and hard-to-come-by luxury." – monsieurguerlain.com

Guerlain-Exclusive-Fragrance-Experience-with-Marie-Line-Patrycafleurebon-trunk-show-tour

Guerlain Exclusive Fragrance Experience (photo CaFleureBon 2011)

The notion of exclusivity in fragrance has always been a problem for me.  Owning a bottle that not just anyone can purchase is simply not my style.  In fact, I like to imagine that I am unique, just like everyone else!  And – as far as scent goes – we ARE all unique. Personal chemistry, last night's dinner, location on planet earth, atmospheric pressure, humidity and yes, even age, will help to create a personal scent profile and effectively modify whatever fragrance we apply to our skin.  The more I understand olfaction the more I realize that every one of us is a "scented exclusive".

With that in mind you might be wondering why a plum pickin' anti- exclusionist is spritzing last year's Guerlain exclusive.  Just how did I get a hold of that fragrance, anyway?

Guerlain - Ne M'Oubliez Pas Perfume

Photo of Ne m'Oubliez Pas GUERLAIN from Monsieur Guerlain monsieurguerlain.com

Last year a dear perfume pal received Ne m'Oubliez Pas as a gift.  She decanted 2 ml from her treasure and sent the sample to me.  Understanding my aversion to traveling and preference for purchasing online, my friend wanted me to experience this Guerlain exclusive without the hassle and expense of air travel or of  "going shopping". I will remember her thoughtful, generous gesture long after every drop of  "Forget Me Not" (which is Ne m'oubliez pas translated from the French, and ironically the flower has no smell) is gone.

ne me oubliez pas vintage lipstick

Jean Guerlain and vintage Ne m'Oubliez Pas lipstick circa 1870

Jacques Guerlain created the first Ne m'Oubliez Pas perfume in the 1920s and named it for the company's 1870 revolutionary tubed lipstick.  In 2015 Thierry Wasser composed the new version of the fragrance.  My first impression of NMOP is of cool, not quite ripe plums, infused with dusty, honeyed immortelle, cinnamon and the sweet, nutty mint of cardamom.

The Roses of Heliogabalus 1888, by Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema.

The Roses of Heliogabalus" (1888), by Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema. “

As the fragrance retreats to the skin NMOP is rescued from the realm of gourmand desserts by a touch of cumin. The spicy rose combination that develops reminds me of advieh, a Persian culinary seasoning. Ne m'Oubliez Pas warms up as it dries down, evolving to a sparkling bouquet of roses, carnation and immortelle.  The spices remain in place as the fragrance fades to a memory of vanilla, amber and oakmoss. Despite the kick of cumin, NMOP is well behaved and gentle, lasting about six hours on skin and longer on clothing.

femme-rochas-early-1980s-bottle

Photo of Rochas Femme by Dawn Spencer Hurwitz for her collaboration with Michelyn, the fragrance  Reveries de Paris

I love NMOP but have no desire to fly to Paris and pay 500 euros for the gorgeous 125ml bottle of extrait.  The reason?  As I said before, exclusivity is not my thing.  Also, I already have 100 ml of MNOP's first cousin, vintage Edmond Roudnitska's masterpiece Rochas Femme PdT, pre the super-cumin reform of 1989!  Not quite as pretty as Ne m'Oubliez Pas but very similar and comfortingly egalitarian.

word exclusive

What do you think of fragrance exclusives?  Be honest!  There are no right answers.  After all, "…there are as many Ways as there are hearts of men." – What Befell the Three by Murad Shami retold by Idries Shah, 1967. 

Gail Gross – Weekly  Contributor

Gail will be exploring different fragrance topics on a monthly basis

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

+ 62 = 64

11 comments

  • Rae Lynn says:

    There are pluses and minuses to an exclusive fragrance. If you can afford it, then it gives you a special “in”. But, if you cannot then you can only covet it. I agree that everyone’s own personal aroma effects perfumes. They can smell totally different depending humidity and even laundry soap.

  • Claudia says:

    I sometimes think the hype does not warrant the price being charged. I guess what can be upsetting is when “Exclusives” are exclusive for a period of time and then released in the regular line of the perfume house. And just because it is exclusive does not mean it will smell wonderful …..:)

  • Sun Fontaine says:

    I don’t I’m one to seek out an exclusive fragrance for the sake of exclusivity – because … well, just because. Who would even know that one possessed such an exclusive fragrance, you know? I don’t think exclusivity adds any intrinsic attractiveness to a fragrance. That being said – I have been known to occasionally and regrettably fall in love with not widely accessible and absurdly overly expensive things and sometimes I will sacrifice to obtain these things. 🙂 (I might have an ombre burberry prorsum scarf that matches NMOP like they were made for each other…)

  • Maya says:

    I think fragrance exclusives are usually nothing more than a sales gimmick used to create demand and justify exorbitant prices.

  • fazalcheema says:

    I have mixed opinion. When the fragrance exclusives are marketing gimick (it is rather easy to tell) I don’t even pay attention. This Guerlain is def. one such limited edition release. On the other hand, when there are legitimate reasons such as seasonal supply of ingredient or a release to mark a special occasion, I don’t mind.

  • tiffanie says:

    I don’t feel an urgent need to chase them, but location-specific or exclusive products can be wonderful. It is an unexpected thrill to find myself in a new place where I can experience something I did not know about and is unavailable anywhere else. But I won’t buy something I don’t like just because it is hard to obtain. What makes it fun is the serendipity of time, place, and pleasure.

    I recall fondly that when I traveled with my family as a child, my favorite souvenirs were the small things that I could not have experienced anywhere else. Gummy bears from Germany, Flake bars in the UK, and Pocky sticks from Japan were charming treats before so many things could be ordered online or bought at my grocery store. Hand made clothing or jewelry bought on vacation could make happy memories endure too.

    But, I have to admit, I recently passed up an opportunity to smell Ne m’Oubliez Pas, and after reading your enticing review, I’m feeling the “ooohhhh” of longing that comes with exclusivity. Well played, Guerlain!

  • Cynthia says:

    Interesting topic. I, too, am a little suspicious that the hype is to create a higher price point. Having said that, if I loved the limited edition perfume and could afford it, that woldn’t stop me from owning it. I especially appreciate your paragraph on why scents smell different on all of us.

  • JenD says:

    I too dislike exclusivity for the sake of exclusivity. The idea that something is more worthy because not just anyone can have it is not one that I subscribe to. I don’t know that I would refuse to buy something specifically because it was an exclusive if i had the opportunity, but I certainly would not seek something like that out.

  • merlina says:

    I own NMOP and I think it is one of my best purchases, I don’t find it expensive at all considering it is extrait and I like it so much. Living in Europe is not difficult for me to ask someone going to Paris to bring me the bottle 😉 btw, it doesn’t remind me Femme , perhaps they are in the same family but I prefer Ne m’oubliez pas 😉

  • RinB says:

    My ideas about exclusives very nearly match your own – in fact, I couldn’t have thought of a better way to put it than to say we are all ‘scented exclusives’ 🙂 That being said, I wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to smell these scents; I love experiencing new things, even at the risk of potential unfulfilled longing.

  • Lauren says:

    I feel the same way. I am not really into the whole exclusive thing – with anything really. I don’t want to pay extra or go out of my way for a product when there is probably a similar product that is more readily available.