Givenchy Part 3

La Collection Particulière

Givenchy, like most other large firms, now has a range of fragrances designed, I suppose, to appeal to those who want to live dangerously with a semi-niche perfume without forgoing the reassurance of a large French brand. I imagine these ranges must also be a creative outlet for perfumers who’ve just been in a dungeon for months working on the 176th iteration of a major launch and are taken to the prison yard for a breath of fresh air, left alone by the guards for half an hour, and told to enjoy themselves. The roster of perfumers involved in this Collection Particulière is impressive, including Nathalie Lorson, Marie Salamagne, Fabrice Pellerin, François Demachy and Olivier Cresp. There are fifteen fragrances to date, helpfully labeled by perfumery category in the store display, each given pre-printed smelling strips. Some of these are one-liners or nearly so, brief essays in one particular substyle of niche perfumery, made to show the self-taught and naïve “how we do it in France.” Others are serious fragrances. Overall, the collection is unexpectedly good and of high quality, albeit not cheap. I might be tempted to buy one or two.

For paid subscribers: short reviews of Garçon Manqué, Enflammé, Fantasque, Accord Particulier, Sans Merci, Coeur Fou, Trouble Fête, Téméraire, Oiseau Rare, MMW, Foudroyant, Désinvolte, Equivoque, Faux Semblant and Noctambule.