|
One whiff of Idole de Lubin and you’re
traveling on the "African Queen" with
Bogie and Kate, the scent of rum and
smoked ebony permeating the air as you
head for Lake Victoria.
Originally introduced in 1962, Idole de
Lubin was reformulated and relaunched in
2005, when former Guerlain creative
director, Gilles Thévenin, took over the
house of Lubin. One of the world’s
oldest and most illustrious fragrance
houses, Lubin was founded in 1798,
serving as the official perfumer for
European royalty throughout the 19th and
20th centuries.
According to Thévenin, "Lubin fragrances
have their own character; they have a
strong personality" - and there’s little
question that Idole de Lubin, the
house’s first 21st-century fragrance and
the 466th from the house, is as
assertive as it is seductive. The
bottle, created by Serge Mansau, evokes
the sail of a felucca, a wooden boat
traditional to Africa, with a carved
African mask as bottle stopper.
Idole de Lubin opens with cumin,
saffron, and bitter orange in a cloud of
rum. Think of it as Bogie’s breakfast,
with Kate fanning the air. Yet in the
jungle heat, the rum burns off, leaving
a sugary, smoky sweetness - and by
drydown, as evening falls, Kate has
succumbed to the leather and sandalwood
that closes in around her as Bogie
hovers near.
Idole de Lubin’s perfumer was Olivia
Giacobetti - and her touch with such
dominant components is equivalent to
witnessing Kate tame Bogie in the
jungle. "Set the jungle on fire," says
Giacobetti - and that’s exactly what
will happen to your heart while under
the spell of Idole de Lubin.
PRICE: $120 / 75 ml
LINK:
Idole de Lubin |
