By Dane
The elusive Feu d'Issey - released, followed by horror, then re-released in a "light" version, further horror...gone forever. The price for a bottle of this stuff has sky-rocketed, and that's if you can even find it. Even the matching body products go for a fortune online. Alas, I came across a reasonably priced bottle and jumped at the chance, due in part to my obsession with the hard-to-find, but mostly because it's actually that good (although I was forced to buy a "giftset" in a hideous transparent pvc purse).
FdI opens with a strange, fruity bread-like note. Difficult to describe, but essentially it smells like peach pie that's about to go bad. The rotten fruit accord could also be interpreted as a musty prune-like odour...or even sour red wine. Some herbal elements are present, which makes the whole composition smell even stranger when combined with the milky floral elements. I'm not sure how it's possible for something to smell both creamy and salty/metallic at the same time, but FdI manages to do just that. The sweetness of the opening notes soon fades and a musky, woodsy note takes over. Subtle floral nuances continue through the life of the scent, namely rose and carnation. While very individual, reminders of Feminite du Bois (and the Bois series) from Shiseido/Lutens come to mind, and also some of the darker Rosine fragrances....only better.
The bottle is beautiful - an orange acrylic ball that (again) reminds me of a peach. Although the topnotes suited the colour scheme of the packaging, the rest of the scent brings to mind images of deep purple and black roses. A French industrial designer working out of Japan named Nicolas Gwenael designed the bottle (also known for designing the Gameboy Advance).
You probably won't come across a bottle unless you already own one, but if ever get the chance to smell it, don't let it pass you by. Prices are currently around $150-200 USD for a 50ml bottle online and will only get higher with time.
I wonder if this scent would have been more successful had it been butched up a bit and marketed for men? I guess that was the intention with the release of L'Eau Bleue...too bad they messed that one up.
Year: 1998
Perfumer: Jacques Cavallier
Notes: Bergamot, Coriander, Pepper, Rose, Tuberose, Lily of the Valley, Carnation, Cedar, Guaiac Wood, Amber
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