Painting Kim English

Imagine two lovers moving slowly, arm in arm through an endlessly warm and bright morning. They are the last ones awake, and reluctantly so – the rest of the world has already arisen and begun to greet the day.  The air they travel through is dry, and moves through their clothes slowly and heavily, leaving heady trails of luxurious and decadent spices that ignite their appetites for both a sumptuous meal and each other. This is the tableau that Julien Rasquinet and  Creative Gerald Ghislain of Histoires des Parfums present with their latest launch Fidelis from the Édition Rare series of perfumes.

Fidelis is the “rose gold” in Histoire’s trio of gold-themed perfumes, which also includes Rosam (white gold – rose and citrus, combined with sandalwood and oud), and Veni (yellow gold – cinnamon, cardamom and carnation).  Fidelis starts out with a stunning cardamom oil note that hearkens back to Veni’s warmth and complements it with coffee, cumin oil and rich saffron. All of these opening notes muscle up together and announce themselves with tremendous confidence on the skin – I don’t think I’ve worn another fragrance with such a grand opening before. 

Xaro Xhoan Daxos’ palace. The Patio della Reina – Ernst Koerner

There’s no soft citrus, no gentle aquatics here – you know immediately that you have entered an absolute palace of a perfume.  Gerlad Ghislain and Julien Rasquinet have blended these normally sharp and astringent tones and shaded them all down so that only their underlying warmth remains, and such warmth!  Fidelis exudes the same ethereal, bread-warm and inviting embrace that your own bedsheets do in the morning when you dearly need to sleep in. 

 

Rudolf Ernst

And just like the luxury of sleeping in, Fidelis takes a deliciously long time in getting on with its development – it drifts through that sirocco wind of saffron and cardamom for several minutes before finally deigning to announce its heart – finally allowing the spices to shift into a soft rose and raspberry second act.  And here again in the heart notes, Julien Rasquinet is a complete master of theme – the floral and fruit notes are tuned to the same warmth and frequency as the spices.  The rose is neither feminine nor girlish, and the raspberry is not sticky or candied; it’s more the memory of the fruit than its taste – both of these notes create a deeply-saturated carnelian wash that emanates from the heart of Fidelis and further warms your already humming skin. 

Al-Husn Souq, Salalah

The drydown is also slow to arrive – Fidelis absolutely luxuriates in how slowly it allows itself to unfold.  But here the spices return, trading the heat of cumin and cardamom for the drier, earthier feel of Laotian Oud and patchouli.  Amber is also present, but not as forcefully as in other scents – it’s far in the background, more a sweet icing than anything.  Fidelis is loyal to its leisurely-paced exploration of dry spices and how welcoming they are when shorn of their sharp demeanors. 

Ludwig Deutsch, Egyptian Priest Entering a Temple, 1892.

This expansive slowness that Fidelis offers throughout its development is key to appreciating its uniqueness, as Fidelis is a powerhouse perfume. This is an Olympic scent in terms of strength, and has overnight longevity. Sillage is above average so a very judicious application is all you will need. All in all, Fidelis is an expansive, languorous and opulent perfume.  It unfolds in a near-millennial expanse of time on the skin, and has an inner confidence and depth that will floor you in its presentation.  And for cardamom fans, it is absolutely essential.  Julien Rasquinet in collaboration with M. Ghislain has proven himself to be quite adept in building perfumes of enormous presence; all with distinct personalities and messages to deliver. 

Pam Barr, Senior Contributor

Art Direction MC

Notes: cardamom oil, guatemala coffee, saffron, cumin oil, rose absolu, raspberry, patchouli, amber, oud laos

Disclaimer:  I received my sample from Histoires de Parfums.  Opinions my own.

Gerald Ghislain Fidelis and Julien Rasquinet -photos from M.Ghislain and M. Rasquinet

Editor’s  and Writer’s Note: Julien Rasquinet of IFF created the much lauded  Iris Cendre for Naomi Goodsir and Masque Milano Russian Tea.  Three  very different perfumes, in temperature and mood, but all are stunning examples of both M. Rasquinet at the height of his art. 

Art Direction MC Histoires des Parfums Édition Rare Fidelis was released November 2015

Thanks to Gerald Ghislain and Histoires des Parfums, we have a worldwide draw for a registered reader for 2 oz bottle of Fidelis. To be eligible, please leave a comment with what appeals to you about Fidelis, where you live and your favorite Histoires des Parfums perfume.  Winners will be announced on 1/17/16.

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