The Childlike Empress Falcour, Bastian Illustration by DenisM79 

Surely when it comes to perfume names there will be few more discussed in 2015 than that of Olfactive Studio’s new fragrance, Selfie.

“The childlike Emperess asks: "But where is this book?"

And he wrote the answer: "In the book."

"Then it's all a reflection of a reflection?" she asked.

He wrote, and she heard him say: "What does one see in a mirror reflected in a mirror? Do you know that, Golden-eyed Commander of Wishes?

-The Neverending Story by Michael Ende

 

Celine Verleure of Olfactive Studio and Selfie

 Creative Director Céline Verleure’s brand Olfactive Studio hallmark is fragrances inspired by art photos. The previous releases had the photo telling us a story as well as a text telling us how to perceive the photo, the story it tells and the perfume itself. This new release however, sees less information more self-exploration, in all senses of the word.  So for me, I welcome Selfie; it’s all up to me, the wearer. It can be what I like it to be.  In fact, for me personally, a non-selfie person, it feels like ‘Selfie’ takes more of a philosophical direction than its predecessors.  Instead of the photo on the boxes, there’s a mirror which can of course show yourself, as in a literal ‘selfie’, but it could also show ‘anything’ you want to be, or want your perfume to be. 

Atreyu at the Mirror Gate, seeing his alternate identity, Bastian (The Never Ending Story)

 I’m reminded of the famous contemporary fairy tale book ‘The Neverending Story’ by Michael Ende ). Carrying the magic pendant ‘Auryn’, inscribed ‘Do what you wish”, Bastian the anti-hero of the book, once inside Fantastica, changes his persona, and little by little loses himself. “The point is that this gate seems to be a big mirror or something of the kind, though it's made neither of glass nor of metal. What it is made of, no one has ever been able to tell me. Anyway, when you stand before it, you see yourself. But not as you would in an ordinary mirror. You don't see your outward appearance; what you see is your real innermost nature. If you want to go through, you have to — in a manner of speaking — go into yourself.”

Jasia as a child, the image she chose for her selfie "selfie"

So, could ‘Selfie’ be a selfie, an image of me by me, or it could be anything I wanted it to be, which in essence is exactly what a selfie is, or not?  Onto the fragrance itself. Its overall feel is sappy as in green leaves and resins running down the bark of a tree. It’s fresh as a walk in an autumn forest and a little sweet from spices and syrup.  First I smell a hint of ginger and star anise quickly followed and overtaken by a dripping elemi resin and the greenly sweet odor of angelica. Seeping through is, at first like smoke signals perceived from far away, then getting ever closer; incense. Not church like, but like campfire in the open. As the sweetness of the angelica fades, its role is taken over by the maple syrup, and the resins subside to make more space for a hardwood feel. To make sure it all stays modern and elegant as well as warm, there’s just the tiniest bit of lily in the heart, and a twist of cinnamon to point to the flowers spiciness rather than its somewhat astringent profile. In the base I mostly smell a well-behaved leather, a non-cloying, smooth sandalwood and still a bit of incense.

The overall feel is elegant and contemporary, absolutely sharable; it fits its name in as much as it can be ‘What you wish’. Cool and contemporary? Warm and nostalgic? Cosy and formal?

“In the golden mirror of her eyes, he saw, small at first as though far in the distance, a reflection which little by little grew larger and more distinct. It was a boy of about his own age; but this boy was slender and wonderfully handsome. His bearing was proud and erect, his face was noble, manly – and lean. He looked like a young prince from the Orient… …Bastian gazed at the image with wonder and admiration. He couldn't get enough of it. He was just going to ask who this hand-some young prince might be when it came to him in a flash that this was hisvery own self — his reflection in Moon Child's golden eyes. In that moment he was transported, carried out of himself, and when he returned, he found he had become the handsome boy whose image he had seen".

Selfie is my favourite from Olfactive Studio,  a House which continues to surprise. Thomas Fontaine has made an excellent Self-portrait, and Celine Veleure lets go of someone else’s  photographs, telling us ‘do as you wish’.

–Jasia Julia Nielson, Contributor and Author of The Sounds of Scent

Michelyn's Selfie

Editor’s Note: I am pretty sure I coined the term “smelfie”, i.e. our obsession with showing our fragrance of the day @Facebook, @Twitter, @Instagram, and our fixation with incessant photobombing photos with perfumers  and each other using our smart phones (of which on occasion I am guilty of doing).  Celine’s artistic vision has led to many best of CaFleureBon awards, and yes it will be hard pressed to find a fragrance name with as much buzz at year's end. –Michelyn Camen

Thanks to the lovely Celine Verleure of Olfactive Studio we have a  100 ml bottle of Selfie for any reader that is registered worldwide (you must do this, please). To be eligible, please leave a comment with what you enjoyed about Jasia’s review, what photo you might use for your “selfie” and your favorite Olfactive Studio Perfume. Draw closes 11/7/2015

We announce the winners only on site and on our Facebook page, so Like Cafleurebon and use our RSS option…or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume.