Industrial; Where The River Runs

There is many a song in celebration of a river, its winding nature, its sense of freedom, its relaxed go-with-the-flow attitude or how it effortlessly makes its way to the sea. Both the river and the sea are subject to perfume inspiration lately. British niche line Floris has launched River Dawn, a new unisex fragrance in its By Request series, whilst Niche line Orto Parisi has launched Megamare, a new fragrance.

the Avon River (starts its course in the Cotswolds in the UK and as it joins tributaries merges and makes its way to the sea) is maybe not everyone’s initial starting point for a fragrance but it was Edward Bodenham, Perfumery Director at Floris, recently said this of it:-

‘ I recently walked along the banks of the Avon near Bradford Upon Avon. It’s a part of the world that for me encapsulates a huge amount of the beauty of our country. Interestingly our perfumer, Penny Ellis, who worked with me in creating this fragrance is a keen river swimmer who has swum sections of the Avon during these colder months which gave her huge inspiration when composing the scent’.

Its starts out vibrant and sparkling with green floral aldehydic set against a hint of apple blossom, followed in the heart, with crisp and fresh springtime florals like hyacinth and snowdrops with added orris and galbanum The base moves into soft notes of sandalwood and anise. The perfume is a reflection of the flow and movement of the river from lively and graceful as it moves through the early morning meadows that surround it, drawing down to the river bank itself with its soft earthy orris and galbanum. Its base is the power as it reaches its climax and arrives at the sea. All the way through it is the English countryside at every moment of the day from dawn until dusk it.

Think of an early spring morning walk when the sun lifts its head after sleeping through much of winter. Its when the first scent of spring fills the air; or even the early morning air not polluted by the comings and goings of the day. An addictive fragrance that is unisex it caresses and a sniff on someone’s neckline will entrance as will the silage left trailing as a wearer walks by. It captivates as only nature can and will take you to the river’s edge if you have been lucky enough to grow up or visit such divine spots especially the River Avon the hero of this sonata.

Floris has released River Dawn, a limited edition fragrance of only 200 hand-poured bottles.

So now the river has arrived at the sea what can we smell and sense next? Probably the most enigmatic of all perfumers Alessandro Gualtieri, who has bought out a perfume with the inspiration of the sea, of cold, of green of salty sweetness. His latest fragrance Megamare is an aromatic-aquatic unisex fragrance inspired by the aromas of the sea. Now Gaultier never discusses his notes as he only wants for people to smell his juices and decide for themselves what they feel smell engage with.

He is a true eccentric, born in Puglia the son of a butcher, who dislikes doing interviews but when he does boy is his presence and his scents felt. No small character, he produces truly individual fragrances in an increasingly packed marketplace.

His initial brand was Nasomatto, with which he created one of the greatest ever Jasmine fragrances (Nuda). But he moved on from this to create his very personal vision. The Orto Parisi Line is a collection that this nose did as an almost personal project and he has explained it as such:-

“This project is my garden I have planted fertilized, cultivated and harvested. Orto Parisi states that our body is experienced like a garden and its smells are truly a mirror of our soul.

This project I wanted to dedicate to him that partially has inspired me. First I thought of his biography, but while writing it I got bored, realizing I never read biographies myself.

The idea rooted from the fact that he, my grandfather Vincenzo, used buckets to collect both his needs that timely ended up fertilizing the garden. In his garden hovered an air of infinite.”

So what of the new fragrance? The expanse of the sea, the freedom; its all and nothing. It recalls an infinite peaceful silence and endless stormy sounds. And as he says:-

“The sea takes you to the shores of new lands,
and calls you to meet down there –
Through the salty layers towards the deep, pristine prayers.
The wholeness of the sea doesn’t need an explanation.”

The unisex fragrance in a glass flacon is topped off by a textured metal cap with greenish markings as though it itself has tossed in the wild seas. The fragrance launched in April 2019.