Baghari by Robert Piguet, 1950

The current Baghari by Aurelian Guichard is an exercise in focusing loads of otherwise disparate elements toward the same end. To be clear Id like to add that its also a brilliant perfume. Youve got white florals, aldehydes, sweet resins, citrus fruit, musk, and vanilla among other things. But rather than any of these elements simply becoming the lead note at a particular point in Bagharis development over time, they move together to achieve this fragrances aim from the start, which is to smolder. We talk about perfumes having shape or telling a story. Well this bad girl has an intent. This scent doesnt want to you notice that its beautiful (though it is.) It wants you to see that it has desires. To me, the whiff of Baghari is the expression of a tendency toward arousal. No need to go further down a storyline here. Its about a state. Its also about appreciating delicate balances: animalic yet powdery, candied yet bitter, heightened but subtle, delicate and direct. Also I've just been fascinated with the use of aldehydes in Baghari. Instead of adding frill or gracenotes as they often do to florals, the aldehydes here seem to shear off both ornamentation and any rough edges. There is a roundness here that is similar in shape to, but not nearly as expansive as the lactonic quality of Gucci Rush. Rush comes at you. Baghari walks past you and you turn your head before you can think.