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Hermès perfumes

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Hermès perfumes 10 years ago
Let's use this thread to discuss Hermès.

Fashion website WWD.com writes that perfumer Christine Nagel will be joining Jean-Claude Ellena at Hèrmes Parfums to "to begin a process of transmission of the philosophy and creativity of Hermès Parfums, thereby establishing the way for a happy succession when the time comes".

Other news: Now Smell This reports that Hermès will do new editions of "Eau d'Hermès", "Calèche", "Équipage", "Amazone", "Rocabar", "Hiris", "Rouge Hermès" and "Bel Ami". One such a new edition is already available in France: "Bel Ami Vétiver". No doubt Christine Nagel will be involved with some of these new editions.

Any thoughts?
Last edited by Sleuth on 16.12.2013, 17:33; edited 1 time in total
10 years ago
I'm sure Christine Nagel is more than fit for the job! As for Hermès' current selection, where should I start? Apart from "Eau des Merveilles" which I didn't like, they are foreign ground for me.
10 years ago
Sleuth:
Which Nagel perfumes do you like or dislike? Personally I divide Hermès into "pre-Ellena" (the older ones above) and "Ellena". Eau des Merveilles is a bit of an exception, being modern but not by JC Ellena.

I bought JCE's book, a year in the life of, and thoroughly enjoyed it. My husband is devoted to Terre D'Hermes. I love Kelly Caleche, Sur de Nil and APLM. Narcisso Rodriguez For Her is much loved by friends and I think it's a Christine Nagel co-creation. Where will they take us before Mr Ellena fades into the west?
10 years ago
I just hope that the next step isn't capitulation to the forces that be at LVMH. Hermès need to retain an independent identity in order to continue on with integrity. LVMH has already ruined so many formerly beautiful perfumes...

Rolling Eyes
10 years ago
Sherapop:
I just hope that the next step isn't capitulation to the forces that be at LVMH. Hermès need to retain an independent identity in order to continue on with integrity. LVMH has already ruined so many formerly beautiful perfumes...

Rolling Eyes
Hear Hear! I ran a poll with FB friends to find out what they liked and if they thought about what synthetic ingredients were in their perfumes. They know nothing! LOL, really. It's all marketing and mirrors.
10 years ago
I wish I liked Hermes, but everything smells very masculine to my nose - I have owned a few and have ended up swapping them away. Recently I tried Sur le Toit, Sur le Nil, and En Mediterranee… just too masculine smelling on me. I like some of the men's line on men though…. Very Happy
10 years ago
valandria:
I wish I liked Hermes, but everything smells very masculine to my nose - just too masculine smelling on me. I like some of the men's line on men though…. Very Happy

Even "24, Faubourg"? That's my all-time favorite...
Cool
10 years ago
Sherapop:
valandria:
I wish I liked Hermes, but everything smells very masculine to my nose - just too masculine smelling on me. I like some of the men's line on men though…. Very Happy

Even "24, Faubourg"? That's my all-time favorite...

And how about "Calèche"? Another beautiful chypre, feminine and classy.
10 years ago
Sherapop:
valandria:
I wish I liked Hermes, but everything smells very masculine to my nose - just too masculine smelling on me. I like some of the men's line on men though…. Very Happy

Even "24, Faubourg"? That's my all-time favorite...
Cool

Yes Sherapop, even 24 Faubourg. I had a big bottle of it and it just went flat on my skin. I tried wearing it for a year and it just ended up smelling like all woods on me. I thought it would be my thing since I adore amber, too.
10 years ago
Epimedes:
Sherapop:
valandria:
I wish I liked Hermes, but everything smells very masculine to my nose - just too masculine smelling on me. I like some of the men's line on men though…. Very Happy

Even "24, Faubourg"? That's my all-time favorite...

And how about "Calèche"? Another beautiful chypre, feminine and classy.

I have not tried Caleche. I would like to though. The Merveilles weren't good on me either - after about 6 different Hermes attempts, I'm a bit skiddish.
10 years ago
valandria:

Yes Sherapop, even 24 Faubourg. I had a big bottle of it and it just went flat on my skin. I tried wearing it for a year and it just ended up smelling like all woods on me. I thought it would be my thing since I adore amber, too.

Wow--"24, Faubourg" is a big voluptuous floral perfume! Is there a chance that you had a fake? Your experience sounds rather strange...

Confused
10 years ago
Hermes is one house I want to investigate further. So far, I've not found one I dislike.
There is actually a decent array of testers in one of my local department stores but usually by the time I've arrived at them, I've no available skin left. I have 24, Faubourg; Caleche and Jour d'Hermes are on the wish list; Voyage is on the "like - sample again" list and Terre d"Hermes was a winner but not preferred to Montale's Red Vetiver (which is similar but lasts a lot longer). I loved Kelly Caleche when I first tried it a few years ago but it has been bumped off the short list by stronger leather and rose fragrances sampled since.
The Jardin and Merveilles series are the next to be sampled more attentively.
looking over the list, I realise I've not tried any of Christine Nagel's compositions although there's certainly quite a portfolio there.
10 years ago
Triffid:
Hermes is one house I want to investigate further. So far, I've not found one I dislike.
There is actually a decent array of testers in one of my local department stores but usually by the time I've arrived at them, I've no available skin left. I have 24, Faubourg; Caleche and Jour d'Hermes are on the wish list; Voyage is on the "like - sample again" list and Terre d"Hermes was a winner but not preferred to Montale's Red Vetiver (which is similar but lasts a lot longer). I loved Kelly Caleche when I first tried it a few years ago but it has been bumped off the short list by stronger leather and rose fragrances sampled since.
The Jardin and Merveilles series are the next to be sampled more attentively.
looking over the list, I realise I've not tried any of Christine Nagel's compositions although there's certainly quite a portfolio there.

I know I love Doblis. I haven't ever smelt it but I know I love it. I wear Apres La Mousson at the sound of the first Basmati rice grain falling from the jar. I love Kelly Caleche for the smell of the finest gardening gloves, the ones that Marie Antoinette wore, not the ones that we, my dear Triffid, wear in our endeavours. Rumour has it that Yardley's Citrus and Wood is a knock off for Terre D'Hermes. God bless the Union Jack. Jour d'Hermes didn't score with me but 24 Faubourg is magistral, or whatever the buzz word is of the moment.
10 years ago
The Hermessences are also quite nice and well worth sampling...
Cool
10 years ago
Sherapop:
The Hermessences are also quite nice and well worth sampling...
Cool
I'll have to try further afield for those but I shall put them on the watch list.
Omni, love the Doblis comment. Reading notes and reviews, I fancy I would love it too, though the name does remind me of a dead horse. Jour d'Hermes is rather simple and linear, I admit, but I found the combination of grapefruit and sweet peas quite delightful and it really lasts. I've currently satisfied my "fresh zinger" warm weather craving with Prada Infusion d'Vetiver so the Hermes is some way off.
10 years ago
*takes notes* Cool
10 years ago
Being curious whether Christine Nagel has a specific style, I browsed through some interviews. The most enlightening one was an old one, in French, that I found on aufeminin.com. Here's a quick translation:

Her favorite perfume:
Féminité du Bois de Shiseido! 'I would give 5 years of my career to create it... Obtaining this femininity of wood is as sublime as bold'

The natural raw material that inspires her the most:

'The skin! I'd love to have filled jars of odors from people I love to compose perfumes. My dream: reproduce the warmth, texture, mystery, short, full range of the olfactory sensations of the skin...'

Her first encounter with fragrance:
'When I was 10 or 11 years, I realized that Borotalco, an Italian talc for babies that my mother used for my brother, was my first perfume and I had recorded its smell in my young olfactory memory'

Her last major hit:
' L'Eau Torride de Givenchy. A beautiful adventure that is built on a real complicity with Givenchy and Pablo Reinoso, the designer of the bottle. This is my first approach of the “warm-cold”... An exciting track!'

How would you define your style:
'The game of oppositions fascinates me. Married contrasts and paradoxes is my thread. This translates on the masculine aspects of flowers, the use of the female side of the wood or the juxtaposition of scathing spices and opulent flowers'

What is the personality that matches your image of femininity and for which you would like to do a fragrance:
'It's the curiosity I feel for some characters that stimulates me. For example, I was captivated by reading "The smell" by Radhika Jha: creating a fragrance for someone who speaks so well about odors is an idea that inspires me.'

What is her vision of the scent of tomorrow:
'I wish I could invent a perfume that changes according to the moods and reflects our State of mind. It would reveal our intimate Alchemy according to hours or situations...'

Interview from Elle June 3rd 2002
10 years ago
Oh Sleuth, move to 221b Baker St. Bravo, some revealing threads there from Christine Nagel. Thanks muchly
10 years ago
Bingo. Bulls eye. Thanks Smile
You read my mind! 10 years ago
How timely! I just had a crazy thought a few days ago---for 2014 I will focus on learning and appreciating the house of Hermes. Next stop is a FB of "Voyages", but after that I will go on a purely academic adventure of the entire available Hermes collection. So exciting! Cheers!
10 years ago
Or you could smell them before the FB Smile

Maybe the "jardins" would be interesting starting point. "Un Jardin sur le Nil" is considered the best. Really a lot of garden-like stuff is going on. Because of the mango it's more of spring/summer scent. The other jardins are more all year round. There's also a peppery one called "Un Jardin après la Mousson". Please report back Smile I would especially like to hear what you think about the old ones, Bel Ami Vétiver and the hermessences.
10 years ago
I can't say I am too excited at the Nagel news as I have not been a fan of her compositions. That said, maybe there is hope if some of Ellena's influence rubs off on her.

As for Bel Ami Vetiver, I am particularly excited to smell that one... I am a little apprehensive after reading the vetiver used is sweet, similar to that of Vetiver Tonka (representing the rare occurrence of a vetiver composition I dislike). Still hopeful though...
10 years ago
My favorite Nagel composition is Theorema. I wish it was still in production.

As to Hermès fragrances, Eau des Merveilles and Elixir des Merveilles are both staples in my wardrobe. I would hate to be without either of them, but I absolutely adore Eau des Merveilles, and wear it quite often. I also love Un Jardin Sur Le Nil, but I have to say I don't wear it as much. Mostly in spring.

I have only sampled several from the Hermessence line, but I can say that I enjoyed most of them.

I'll be watching to see what new things come out of Hermès!
10 years ago
Sherapop:
I just hope that the next step isn't capitulation to the forces that be at LVMH. Hermès need to retain an independent identity in order to continue on with integrity. LVMH has already ruined so many formerly beautiful perfumes...

Rolling Eyes

Hermés is not linked to LVMH.
The CEO of LVMH, Bernard Arnault tried to acquire Hermés and still holds his Hermés stocks, but the French regulation already prevented the acquisition to support family firms.

I speculate that Christine Nagel could be the JCE´s successor.

While I really respect and admire JCE, most of his creations are not for me (The hermessence collection is way overrated and overpriced IMO).
10 years ago
"Terre d'Hermès Eau Très Fraîche"

Good idea, or a bad idea?
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