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Frederic Malle (A new Direction)

post #1 of 19
2/2/13 at 8:30pm
Thread Starter 
So I guess this house decided to stop putting the perfumers names on the bottle and not make his/hers masterpiece with no restrictions to the most valuable raw materials. Basically, they are going to put chains back on the perfumers and they have to follow the recipes. They are going to make perfumes for celebrities and socialites that are a bit off beat and don't want a fat check out of it. I am going to miss the the perfumers name on the bottle. I am going to miss them having no restriction to what they want to make. I'm going to miss the whole concept to my favorite house. I hope when they make celebrity scents they keep it artistic as the rest of his line.
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post #2 of 19
2/2/13 at 8:39pm
Disappointing.

- - - Updated - - -

Disappointing.
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post #3 of 19
2/2/13 at 8:58pm
Wonder how this will effect the house?
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post #4 of 19
2/2/13 at 9:00pm
Where did you hear this information? Sad if true.
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post #5 of 19
2/2/13 at 9:08pm
Thread Starter 
My local SA at Barney's downtown Seattle.

- - - Updated - - -

http://www.cafleurebon.com/new-fragrance-dries-van-noten-par-frederic-malle-olfactive-menage-a-trois
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post #6 of 19
2/2/13 at 9:32pm
Interesting turn of events.
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post #7 of 19
2/2/13 at 9:36pm
Try reading a bit more widely - unless of course you're happy to have one SA'a comments plunge you into such a state of utter despair that you feel a need to share with all and sundry

I spent nearly an hour chatting with Malle a couple of months ago and his whole focus was on the perfumers he is working with - Ropion, of course, who he has a couple in the works with and also some new talent. It may be that the packaging has been changed a bit but he was laughing about how his marketing team had been chasing him to finish his latest one with Ropion for a Christmas release and he just said 'we're still not happy . . . maybe Spring'.

As far as the Dries van Noten collaboration goes, I don't see any reason why he shouldn't bring a third person into the equation and try something new. His relationship with this line goes back - before he had his own stores and wider distribution Dries van Noten was the first place to carry his stuff. If they want to get together and kick out a new perfume with real Indian Sandalwood in it I'm all for it.
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post #8 of 19
2/2/13 at 11:45pm
As long as they don't mess with mah Musc Ravageur, Freddy can do whatever he wants.
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post #9 of 19
2/3/13 at 12:18am
Three different musks? That says a no to me on that scent, lol.
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post #10 of 19
2/3/13 at 1:37am
Judging by Malle’s taste and the designers he is planning to collaborate with, it probably might not be another ‘celebrities disaster scenario’

Dries Van Noten is a very talented fashion designer, he started that bohemian chic in the late 90’s which still maintain a distinctive style though his designs today. Not many independent designers from the same era have survived. Helmut Lang pretty much lost it after Prada bought the brand. Same thing happened to Jil Sander. (seems it’s getting better now since her returned to the brand last year)

I’d like to see Neil Barett will be the next designer on the collaboration list.
Rick Owens perhaps? if Frederic Malle wanted his brand appareling to wider audience but who knows?
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post #11 of 19
2/3/13 at 2:14am
I think the 'FM par ... ' concept will be additional to the original concept, not a replacement.
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post #12 of 19
2/3/13 at 3:39am
Quote:
Originally Posted by megatropolis View Post

So I guess this house decided to stop putting the perfumers names on the bottle and not make his/hers masterpiece with no restrictions to the most valuable raw materials. Basically, they are going to put chains back on the perfumers and they have to follow the recipes. They are going to make perfumes for celebrities and socialites that are a bit off beat and don't want a fat check out of it. I am going to miss the the perfumers name on the bottle. I am going to miss them having no restriction to what they want to make. I'm going to miss the whole concept to my favorite house. I hope when they make celebrity scents they keep it artistic as the rest of his line.

Let's not jump to any conclusions just yet... This is a very fine house and it seems highly unlikely they would make such a radical shift like the one you are indicating. I am actually quite looking forward to the upcoming Dries Van Noten release, and the Ropion regular Malle line compositions to follow.
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post #13 of 19
2/3/13 at 3:49am
And yes, it's a separate 'diffusion line' approach.

Of course it is partly a commercial decision and will widen his market BUT the rationale Malle gives makes sense to me as a producer. He owns the Malle line and is the Creative Director / 'Publisher' in his words, who commissions a perfumer to work with - and he does work very closely with the perfumer, in the same way that Lutens works with Sheldrake, for instance.

As he puts it, this is a chance to bring a third party in - so he and the perfumer are working with a 'bespoke' style 'client' who has an idea of what he/she is looking for, at least conceptually . . . the difference here from other designer scents and celebuscents that Malle gets to pick the client. Why not? No-one wants to work in a vacuum all the time.
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post #14 of 19
2/3/13 at 10:23am
I am missing the perfumer's name on the bottle, though 3 names should be too much
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post #15 of 19
2/3/13 at 10:37am
Thread Starter 
I was just really passing information that I was told. People post on here rumors and situations that they only have clues about all the time. I am in no way shape or form trying to bash Malle, it is my favorite house. I was simply concerned they weren't going to make any additions to his main line. So you guys can relax and call off the fragrance swat team. I think ima get ready for the Super Bowl and wear Portrait of a Lady. Smell ya later!!!
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post #16 of 19
2/3/13 at 10:50am
Quote:
Originally Posted by megatropolis View Post

I was just really passing information that I was told. People post on here rumors and situations that they only have clues about all the time. I am in no way shape or form trying to bash Malle, it is my favorite house. I was simply concerned they weren't going to make any additions to his main line. So you guys can relax and call off the fragrance swat team. I think ima get ready for the Super Bowl and wear Portrait of a Lady. Smell ya later!!!

No worries and we all appreciate you passing on information. The one thing I learned over the years, SA's are sometimes just as clueless as used car salesman. They repeat rumors and innuendos all to often.
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post #17 of 19
2/12/13 at 3:05am
Some more news and first review here - it even addresses the 'names on the bottle thing'

http://graindemusc.blogspot.hk/2013/...-malle_11.html
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post #18 of 19
2/12/13 at 3:57am
Very interesting I see he described his new fragrance thus : "Dries Van Noten is a very delicate woody gourmand, folding a cinnamon and clove-sprinkled, vanillic speculoos cookie accord into milky-smoky Mysore sandalwood"

I hope it's not to sweet and the Mysore Sandalwood is prominent.
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post #19 of 19
2/12/13 at 12:06pm
I spoke with an SA who had sampled this offering and she said the Dries van Noten offering was underwhelming inasmuch as it wasn't as "distinctive" as the normal line.

However, I wouldn't be depressed about this, since I assume his normal line will continue to exist as it is (more or less) and he will probably still do things in this line, at least I would hope so.

The designer offerings will probably end up being--well, more "designer!"
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