Part V is here already and that makes me think I do have a lot of bottles… (See Parts I-IV here.)
Let us start with a line that was among my first to explore. Then last year in London I had the good fortune to meet Florian Pedemanaud who works for L’Artisan Parfumeur‘s Marketing and PR division and have him expertly lead me through the range. He is a true perfume lover and expert!
from left to right: L'Artisan L'Eau d'Ambre, Fleur d'Oranger, Mure et Musc extrait, Safran Troublant
I also have a bottle of Bois Farine that didn’t make it onto the photo, it was absent for decanting reasons. L’Eau d’Ambre is a lovely amber I get to use almost never these days – this is my second bottle – although it hails back to the days of amber wimpiness (yes, I had such a phase too). I guess having a lot of ambers has its drawbacks. Fleur d’Oranger is among the best orange blossom perfumes ever. Sadly it is limited edition. Mure et Musc extrait was picked up in a sale last year, it is lovely, although I’m not entirely sure whether I would not prefer the Eau de Parfum. And finally Safran Troublant, a misnamed Giacobetti creation, it is really no trouble at all, but pure pleasure to wear.
from left to right: Hermès Kelly Calèche, Eau de Pamplemousse Rosé, Un Jardin Sur Le Nil, Hermessence Vanille Galante, Osmanthus Yunnan, Vetiver Tonka, Un Jardin En Méditerranée, Rose Ikebana, Voyage d'Hermès, Un Jardin Sur Le Toit, Eau de Merveilles (limited edition bottle).
Ah, the House of Hermès… I have enormous respect for them. Hermès is one of the few independent family-owned luxury businesses left and everything they make is imbued with that special nimbus of high quality. They have Jean-Claude Ellena as their house perfumer and leave him every creative freedom. I honestly think that he must be the luckiest perfumer in the world. He has a unique position and opportunities not many perfumers in today’s industry have, but I’m sure many, many would love.
I am a big fan of Ellena’s work and my collection shows that. Here are all the reviews of Hermès perfumes, if you want to take a look. My favorites are Voyage d’Hermès and the new Hermessence Santal Massoia has me thoroughly charmed.
And finally here comes the British perfumery Ormonde Jayne. I happily own four bottles and couldn’t pick a favorite. Ta’if and Tolu are wonderful in the evenings, while Frangipani is a perfect mood-lifter and amazing in hot weather. Ormonde Woman‘s charm eluded me for the longest time, but when I finally fell for it, I fell hard. It is truly unique.
from left to right: Ormonde Jayne Ta'if, Tolu, Ormonde Woman, Frangipani
A few things are still missing from my collection, so keep an eye out for next weeks post, among others, featuring the works of the industries prettiest perfumer…
This week I had the pleasure of meeting a fellow fumehead and regular reader and commenter Sandra, who also lives in Vienna. It was a lovely meeting, and I’m happy having met somebody not only like-minded, but also incredibly nice.
We talked about a Mini-Sniffapalooza at Le Parfum in Vienna on a Saturday. Lady Jane Grey, Georgy, if you would like to join us for such a sniffing adventure, please email me, so we can set up a date that is convenient for all. Anybody else from or near Vienna who reads this, is entirely welcome too! Just shoot me an email!
How was your week? Any interesting encounters? Any wonderful new perfumes you fell in love with? I’d love to hear from you!
Have a great weekend!
Olfactoria's Travels 
I really enjoy seeing your fragrance porn. I would be happy with even half your collection. I am also glad that I am not the only one who started out an amber wimp, I am learning to love it now though. The perfumes I fell in love with this week are gourmand coquin and beige as I received decants of both this week, I also fell in love again with tonka imperial, I almost bought a fb of this last year in Paris but a sinus infection prevented me trusting my nose.:-)
Oh, Tonka Imperiale, I so want that one!
A sinus infection in Paris is bad luck indeed… 😦
It was a pure delight meeting you as well. I hope you have a lovely Sunday! We are holed up in the house, but warm. Thank you for your pictures. I love the Hermes and Ormonde Jayne perfumes in your collection. We have many similar likes.
That is a very practical thing that the two of us have similar taste! 🙂
What a consistently high quality collection! I sense you must have proceeded slowly and surely with your FB acquisitions, instead of jumping on any old apparent bargain as I did, many of which turned out to be expensive mistakes…
I haven’t tried that amber L’Artisan and wish I had never bought L’Ete en Douce, the only one I own! Safran Troublant, the orange one and one of the Figuiers might be my choices now.
And have your OJs been breeding on the quiet? I am sure there were only three the last time I looked! : – )
Thank you, I wish that were true!
Ormonde Woman joined us shortly before Christmas. 😉
I like “joined us”. The Ormonde Jayne bottles sound like surrogate family. Which, given the unhelpful attitude of certain actual members of your family to your writing interests, is just as it should be…; – )
Indeed! 😉
My bottles get a bit anthropomorphized (if that is a word!) I guess, but I can live with that slight eccentricity.
Instead of a crazy cat lady (I totally would and proudly too, but sadly I won’t have a cat ever again.), I might become a crazy perfume bottle lady. 😉
I LOVE this ‘porn’ – and thank you so much again for your generosity!!!!
You are very welcome, BF! 🙂
What a beautiful collection, Birgit!
When you’re done with all the scenes, will there be a curtain call?
No, Undina! No adding up allowed! You promised! 😉
It doesn’t have to be a close-up photo! Just a bird’s eye view 🙂
Fugeddaboutit. 😉
Oh well damn. OJ Frangipani is great in the heat you say? I had been planning on sampling the OJs later in the year, by which time it will be cold. Looks like I have to revise my plans.
Lovely post, thanks! I agree with Vanessa, you have been very careful and discerning!
OJ as a whole is better to sample in the warm season, since the majority are great summer scents in my opinion, only Tolu is better in winter. Ta’if, Orris Noir and Woman are great year-round.
Thank you for that compliment, I love to hear that!
I agree with all the other comments – you have a stellar collection. What strikes me in this one is that you have the lovely limited edition bottle of Eau de Merveilles. It’s so pretty! I’m wondering how many more installments we have in the series. I don’t think we have seen the Frederic Malles yet, have we?
I love that limited edition bottle too! It was a lucky ebay find. It also comes with a booklet including a story written especially for that perfume. Unfortunately it is in Spanish. 😦
The Malles will come next time… 🙂
Did your well meaning husband get you your FB of Angelique Noire yet??? It is close to valentines day and all. : ).
He did not!
But thank you for that comment, I’ll see that it goes to the right addressee. 😉
Once again nice view of your bottles. I recently recieved sample set of Ormonde Jayne perfumes, and not only that the presentation is really nicely done, also the perefumes are gorgeous. I’m having difficulties with decision which one not to buy :-(. So far I’m doomed. This is the perfume line I will have problems to resist. I’ll have to buy my lottery ticket more often or get some splittee who wouldn’t care about bottles. I want to have bottles. Ueeeeee.
Oh dear, another OJ victim. 😉
I see your dilemma, all perfumes are so eminently wearable but still special. I had a very hard time narrowing down my choices as well.
More gorgeous pics to pore over! I particularly love those Ormonde Jayne bottles. I really hope to do a u-turn on Ormonde Woman the way you did. It is so unique. I need to embrace the darkness!
I’ll be surprised if L’Artisan don’t keep the Fleur d’Oranger, it’s so very likeable (and my favourite orange blossom). I bet it’s been a good seller for them too. Safran Troubland smells gorgeous but because it is exactly the aroma of saffron rice it’s just too foodie for me to wear, unfortunately. I really liked Mure et Musc the one time I tried it.
Good luck with the Mini-Sniffapalooza!
Do you need a decant of Woman? I have more than enough. Just let me know!
Interesting that Safran Troublant is so foody on you. Well, that is maybe because I’ve never had saffron rice. 🙂
This series is like “Architectural Digest” for perfume lovers, each issue a mouthwatering wishfest. Love it.
What a comparison! 😀 Thank you!
I love to look at other’s collections as well.
Birgit, I think you have the best collection I have ever seen in my life!
(love Ormonde Jaynes). I think I might stop coveting the set and just freaking order it!!
Why, thank you, Olga! That is a wonderful compliment!
Order the OJ set! If you hate it (you won’t) there is surely someone to sell it on to.
Doubt very seriously I’d hate it — I have a bottle of Tolu and am thinking about a bottle of Frangipani as well. It’s the unsniffed samples that make me wonder how I can justify ordering more 🙂
I see. My unsniffed pile is insurmountable as well… sigh.
Sigh.
On the other hand, OJ is very unlikely to remain unsniffed! 😉
True. Lol. 😀
You and I almost have the same Hermes collection. We share Jardin Nil, Jardin Toit, Jardin Mediterranee and Voyage. I am planning to buy four 15ml bottles of Hermessences in the near future, but so far Hermes.com does not have the scents I want available.
Which Hermessences are that? My faves are Santal Massoia, Poivre Samarkand, Osmanthe Yunnan and Ambre Narguilė. (I already have Rose Ikebana. 🙂 )
I’d like to buy Santal, Vetiver, Ambre and one of the florals: Vanille, Iris or Rose. Maybe these are available at the Hermes store in Milan, or is the 4x15ml offer an online exclusive?
I’m sure you’ll get them in Milan! They are sold in all boutiques, not only online. Not every boutique lets you mix and match though, some only give you for of the same. 😦