Your favorite incense or minimalist fragrances?
Do we have a new category of perfume developed since the turn of the century? This new category defies the labels we now have for fragrance, in my opinion. They are not oriental, but sort of, and they are not wood, but are made of woods. Some call them incense, but many don't really smell of traditional incense at all. They are described as minimal, transparent. natural and very subtle. These minimalist frags include the wearer as part of the experience because they become a part of your aura more so than traditional fragrances which seem to be apart from the wearer. Their subtlety often causes muddled reviews because people almost don't know how to tune in their senses to pick up all the subtle nuances.
In Perfumes, The Guide Luca Turin states, "One day, time permitting and dramatis personae willing, I will trace back to its origins the startlingly novel and beautiful style of perfumery exemplified by Mark(c) Buxton's CdG2W and Bertrand Duchaufour's Timbuktu." Turin goes on to say that apparently Buxton began this style first with Anthracite Homme in '91 four years prior to Duchaufour's first "incense" but the two worked together during the 90's where they solidified this new style. Turin also gives CdG props with "all credit to Comme des Garcons for giving this deceptively minimalist style a space in which to take root and flourish . . .".
Buxton and Duchaufour created many greats in this style for Comme des Garcons, L' Artisan, and many other houses as well. Other noses have joined this trend too and many houses now try to add to the "incense" category with their own versions.
This category is what got me intrerested Basenotes in the first place when I discovered CdG Kyoto and Avignon. What are your favorites in this incense/minimalist/transparent/woody style?
Do we have a new category of perfume developed since the turn of the century? This new category defies the labels we now have for fragrance, in my opinion. They are not oriental, but sort of, and they are not wood, but are made of woods. Some call them incense, but many don't really smell of traditional incense at all. They are described as minimal, transparent. natural and very subtle. These minimalist frags include the wearer as part of the experience because they become a part of your aura more so than traditional fragrances which seem to be apart from the wearer. Their subtlety often causes muddled reviews because people almost don't know how to tune in their senses to pick up all the subtle nuances.
In Perfumes, The Guide Luca Turin states, "One day, time permitting and dramatis personae willing, I will trace back to its origins the startlingly novel and beautiful style of perfumery exemplified by Mark(c) Buxton's CdG2W and Bertrand Duchaufour's Timbuktu." Turin goes on to say that apparently Buxton began this style first with Anthracite Homme in '91 four years prior to Duchaufour's first "incense" but the two worked together during the 90's where they solidified this new style. Turin also gives CdG props with "all credit to Comme des Garcons for giving this deceptively minimalist style a space in which to take root and flourish . . .".
Buxton and Duchaufour created many greats in this style for Comme des Garcons, L' Artisan, and many other houses as well. Other noses have joined this trend too and many houses now try to add to the "incense" category with their own versions.
This category is what got me intrerested Basenotes in the first place when I discovered CdG Kyoto and Avignon. What are your favorites in this incense/minimalist/transparent/woody style?
