Parisienne by Angela Flanders

*****

Year: unknown

Notes: rose, vanilla, musk

Comment: Parisienne is part of the Collection Noire / Eau de Parfum review

"Stylish and elegant, like the legendary city itself."

Parisienne claims to be a stylist and elegant fragrance, but starts out smelling more like... rhubarb and custard boiled sweets...

The rhubarb aspect (which one assumes to be the rose) soon dies down and allows the custard aspect (or the vanilla accord) to dominate. Resting on a bed of musk, it's essentially a creamy vanillic gourmand with a tender animalic flourish. Based on the comparison to this classic confection, it's very well-executed, but, with regards to the source of its inspiration, it fails miserably.

Having visited Paris at least a dozen times, no matter how romantic the location, rhubarb and custard (let alone rose and vanilla) is the last olfactory association that springs to mind. And as for the aromas encountered while walking along the Seine...

Providing moderate sillage and average longevity, it would be advisable to ignore the conceptual backstory and simply enjoy it for what it is.

Cashmere Noire by Angela Flanders

*****

Year: unknown

Notes: iris, heliotrope, amber, cedar, Tolu balsam

Comment: Cashmere Noire is part of the Collection Noire / Eau de Parfum review

Described as a fragrance that "encapsulates the fabulous warmth and luxury of precious cashmere", Cashmere Noire is definitely delicate, smooth and silky, but it's also disappointingly insubstantial.

Commencing with a blast of alcohol, what soon emerges is a discreet and slightly powdery floral musk aroma. But the underlining (and noticeably artificial) body lotion accent, which prevails for a significant proportion of its lifespan, turns out to be more off-putting than its timid demeanour.

Most of the notes are very subdued, but one can identify some cedar peeking through during the drydown. And even though the faint amber and balsamic whispers impart a comforting creaminess, it's only discernible when smelt close-up to the area of application.

On the whole, it lacks sufficient presence and fails to capture one's attention. With moderate lasting power and minimal projection, it's best suited to those who enjoy clean non-intrusive scents, but without the overt citrusy or laundry freshness.

Ambre Noire by Angela Flanders

*****

Year: 2010

Notes: spices, tobacco, amber

Comment: Ambre Noire is part of the Collection Noire / Eau de Parfum review

Originally sampled with no real expectations, Ambre Noire is a commendable rendition of amber.

With a flurry of spices and an underlying pipe tobacco chord, the composition is raw, dark, sensual and exotic. Ambre Noire's closest point of comparison would probably be Serge Lutens' Ambre Sultan, but with the spices and tobacco replacing Ambre Sultan' herbaceous slant. Exuding an oriental warmth, it's also dry in its general demeanour, with a noticeable boozy nuance running throughout.

Unfortunately, as it further evolves, it becomes less engaging. The amber settles down and allows the tobacco to co-exist with it on an even keel, resulting in some of its splendour being lost. With a juxtaposing creamy and earthy drydown, the tobacco continues to pulsate alongside the amber in relative unison.

All in all, it's definitely one of the better 'off the beaten track' amber scents. But, even for an Eau de Parfum, its tenacity and sillage are both modest. If it had more substance, one would have enjoyed it a lot more.

Oudh Noire by Angela Flanders

*****

Year: 2007

Notes: spices, juniper berry, tobacco, oud, cedar, guaiac wood, patchouli, vetiver

Comment: Oudh Noire is part of the Collection Noire / Eau de Parfum review

"A desert camp at night, woodsmoke, leather, a drift of tobacco." (sic)

With a somewhat musty and boozy opening, Oudh Noire is a very strange creature indeed. Possessing a dark woody earthiness, the oud plays a minor role, with smoky accents and some juniper being more discernible at first. There's also a petroleum facet evident, during this rather bewildering stage.

As it develops, it's slightly sweet and emits a subtle feral aura, amidst all the woody accords. Beyond that, it's a vague and musky cocktail of woods, with the cedar, patchouli and vetiver being the more identifiable players. However, as time passes, there are still subdued yet persistent undertones of smoke and, what appears to be, a very dry cacao note.

Like the rest of the collection, with possibly the exception of Ambre Noire, the given name is rather misleading (even though the alleged star note is usually present one way or another). And while Oudh Noire is an original woody effort, it's certainly not an oud extravaganza.

As always with this house, both staying power and sillage could have been better.

Figue Noire by Angela Flanders

*****

Year: 2006

Notes: candied fig, coconut, tuberose

Comment: Figue Noire is part of the Collection Noire / Eau de Parfum review

For a fig fragrance, Figue Noire doesn't resemble the aroma of this fruit in the slightest...

It opens unnecessarily tart and sweet, with the tuberose overwhelming everything else. Paired with a fermented fruit accord, which has been steeped in lashings of honey, it's more of a peculiar fruity-floral rather than a dense and dark fig creation. By the time the composition reaches the drydown, it's far less astringent with fruity-floral flourishes that are much better balanced.

With average longevity and moderate sillage, anyone expecting what the name implies will be disappointed.