This has been my latest purchase...and from what I recall, my only purchase so far this year (ouch!) As I've noted in some previous posts, things haven't exactly been exciting in the perfume world, and instead of filling the blog up with dreck about nothing, I'd rather post only when I feel inspired.
Saffron is a favourite note of mine, yet for some reason I've held off on buying ST until now. This is the "little black dress" of the L'Artisan line (or black leather jacket if you're a guy). Simple, wearable, timeless, and you never tire of it. When it comes to buying something exciting, however, the wardrobe basics are far from it. Why my brain works this way, I'll never understand...I'll shell out hundreds for some ridiculous Lutens thing that is brilliant, but will be worn only once or twice, yet it takes a huge effort for me to acquire the most obvious. I have no doubt I'll wear Safran Troublant until the bottle is empty, and probably never appreciate it as much as the unwearable and unusual.
The orientals in the L'Artisan line are terrific - transparent, luminescent, and yet still warm and comfortable. The simple structure of medicinal saffron and creamy, woody vanilla makes ST both warm & cuddly, yet ever-so-slightly edgy. A wardrobe necessity for everyone in my humble opinion...now stop waiting for an excuse.
Year: 2002
Perfumer: Olivia Giacobetti
Notes: Saffron, rose, vanilla, sandalwood
pic - Moroccan saffron field
From far off Australia many thanks for your informative, stylish blog. I have followed it for some time and have sensed your growing sense of frustration with the fragrance industry. Certainly I will continue to "watch" in my feeds and continue to reference your archives for your eloquent, piquant reviews. Best wishes. Norman.
ReplyDeleteFor me too, Safran troublant has been a kind of "countdown" love. I always smelled more potent l'AP fragrances, and ST seemed too demure. I've bought Narcisse, Dzongkha, Passage d'enfer, ..., until I realized I had a crush for Safran Troublant.
ReplyDeleteFor me it feels like the birth of Venus of Boticelli. All sensuous, warmth, and gilded.
And even I know better the weaknesses of the perfume. That saffon is a synthetic compound, that the santal could be better, and the rose more in a real bulgarian rose fashion, I still feel speechless with ST. It has a strange bound with my soul (how mawkish!).
It never smells the same. Sometime I crave for it, sometime I don't care.
But most trully, I've detected there are parfums that kind of aromatherapeutically irritate me ("une rose" Malle, "Ubar" Amouage), but Safran Troublan always soothes me, even when it's not each time rollercoster pleasure for the nose.