Genviève (2007)
by Michael Storer

I tried Genvieve from a sample vial with just three little dabs with the wand that comes with the sample vial top. Three little swipes. What power there is in three little swipes! This stuff has "Sillage" with a capital S. I'd hate to see what havoc I'd have wreaked on the town if I'd have used an atomizer sample.

Michael Storer labels Genvieve with a little red sticker label. Later after I sampled this fragrance, I realized that the red suits this fragrance. Its spicy opening and sandalwood drydown really do seem "red" to me.

I did not like Genvieve's opening. Spicy. Oily. Heavy. It seemed like another boring floral for women. But wait!

Maybe 3 hours later, what is that smell? Why heavens, it's me! Every time I move my arm, I am surrounded by a cloud of Genvieve. The oily has given way to a smooth fruity spicy floral. I normally don't like florals, but Genvieve is not like other florals. Maybe it's the smooth sandalwood drydown that calms the florals and fruity boozy notes down. Maybe it's the civet that makes it a rather sophisticated (some may read this as "old") scent.

There aren't many florals I like, but I now count Genvieve as one of them. And purplebird is right, the wearing gets better.

Longevity is incredible. It's over 9 hours later, and I'm still swimming in a cloud of Genvieve. Three little dabs, folks.

22nd February, 2011.

I, on the other hand, love Genvieve and think of it as a "fruity floral" in the same way that Femme is a "fuity floral" or like Venezia was. It is not one of the innocent girlish scents that I have come to expect from that family. Not at all.

The animalic notes in Genvieve (ambergris, musk and civet)and the floral bouquet give this scent a sophisticated twist that is smoldering and yet cool, very sexy but somehow proper. I concur with Purplebird7 that Genvieve gets better as you wear it, but I don't find that the musk sweetens this scent as much as it deepens and develops it and adds a layer of adult knowing voluptuousnes that is usually missing in this category.

19th December, 2007.

There is a wealth of notes in Genevieve, but I mainly pick up a fruity floral, with raspberry and rose, sweetened by a nice musk base that is just animalic enough to make this more interesting than most fruity florals. It is good for a fruity floral, and it gets better with wearing.

26th July, 2007.

Give me Michael Storer's Stephanie -- that's the frag he tailor-made for me (a thousand thumbs up!!!).

Genvieve is not my style. There is an ambrette seed top that reads like pepper to my spice-fearing nose. There are roses -- a note I often shy from. And there are fruits (rhubarb, raspberry, peach). I always struggle to appreciate fruit in fragrances (just look at my wardrobe.

But let this be a lesson: Do not judge a perfumer's stock by just one fragrance. I've noticed other Basenotes members celebrating Genvieve's arrival. As little as Genvieve happens to suit me, Stephanie has more than compensated and stirred me to become a dedicated enthusiast of this perfumer.

SAMPLE FOR YOURSELF!

16th June, 2007.