How much is perfume a French artifact? - Page 2

Thanks! Amouage really have two different lines, the French-inspired one and the Arabic style -- I can't judge how classical the latter is because I don't have much knowledge of traditional Arabic perfumery. They seem to be determined to uphold the grand French manner, though in truth, something like Bertrand Duchaufour's Jubilation XXV is very modern compared to Lucas Sieuzac's Jubilation 25.

Their store is definitely at Place Vendôme, it's where I went and first smelled their Aoud Forest last year.

You had me quite alarmed by two earlier posts, Xaime! First the website seemed to be closed, then the address in Paris was not valid any more ???

Thanks to Zeram1, I felt encouraged to give it a try myself first thing this €-morning, and much to my relief Google found the Montale address for me and a nice picture too. It is the same address as before, of course. I also learned that Boucheron are right next door :-) !

Enjoy the new scent, JaimeB. One of the joys of this hobby is when the exciting box arrives and it's just like Christmas!

It really is a great resource and much more helpful than the US version. But a number of things concern me; a review of the documents show Ammar Atmah dealing with a Marley Montale in Paris, buying shipments of "Oud Cuir D'Arabie" etc and he did hold the trademark until the other Montale (Sylvia Fretier and co.) managed to get in canceled in favor of their claim. Fretier's Montale may be the dubious watchmaker you mentioned (they do have the Montale name for watches) They aren't the same companies (as evidenced by the opposition claim) so it makes me wonder if the new company will pick up the Montale line or let it die. Actually I just wonder what the hell is going on :P

I like this thread. I don't have anything to add right now, just to commend all the Basenoters contributing to this thread.

Contrary to the address of 26, Place Vendome, The Montale boutique isn't technically on the actual Place Vendome, but on the street that runs into the Place, a stone's throw from the north side.

I believe we have all done our best to clear a few facts regarding the houses of Amouage and Montale. I am now wondering if there is a fair of amount of agreement regarding their p e r f u m e s ?

Both Amouage and Montale have taken residence in Europe to compete in the high end section of ‘western’ markets with perfumes which are rich in high quality ingredients of oriental origin.

AMOUAGE - has usually been contracting reputed French noses to excel with new perfumes in the best of French traditions. They also produce true oriental perfumes, but these have so far been offered on Arabian markets only.

MONTALE’s set-up and intentions are far less clear. Fact is that they achieved a growing acceptance with high quality perfumes based on oud and other oriental oils, believed to be from natural sources mainly. These have little in common with the French tradition of making ‘orientals’; they remind us of Arabian Attars, etc. instead. They also have other lines which meet common expectations of western customers much better. But I get the impression that the French tradition of a three-phase-scent-development is vastly ignored. However, the wearer may feel more than compensated for that ‘loss’ by a few notes of top quality, good sillage and impressive longevity.

Back to French artifacts - a new tradition seems to have established itself in the second half of the twentieth century: it can no longer be overlooked that a shocking majority of older perfumes has either been shamelessly watered down, or 'modernized' without communicating this fact to their customers, sometimes to a point that we might as well speak of fraud. This has certainly thrown a dark shadow upon the newer, otherwise rather glorious, French tradition of making wonderful perfumes.