Deconstructing Eden
Deconstructing Eden
88 votes
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
The violet leaf and mandarin zest combination arrives with almost shocking immediacy—a green, slightly bracing burst where the citrus provides raw brightness whilst the violet leaf contributes an almost soapy, herbal edge. Within the first minutes, you're conscious of its restraint; there's no expansive floral bloom, just a quiet, somewhat austere verdancy.
By the first hour, freesia and orris root emerge to soften the opening's harshness, introducing a delicate powderiness and an almost skin-like creaminess. The poppy bud settles into the composition's centre, lending an quietly drowsy quality—the fragrance becomes increasingly introspective and hushed, as though it's turned inward. The violet leaf remains as an anchoring green thread throughout.
The base notes assert themselves gradually and without fanfare. Teakwood dominates, bringing a dry, nearly austere woody quality, whilst amber and musk provide barely-perceptible warmth rather than comfort. That murky "sludge" note deepens into something faintly earthy and damp, creating a finish that's contemplative and slightly melancholic—less a satisfying conclusion and more a quiet fade into autumn shadow.
Deconstructing Eden's Autumn '15 (Fougère Version) occupies a peculiar liminal space—neither quite a classical fougère nor a straightforward floral, but something altogether more restless. The violet leaf and mandarin zest opening establishes an almost herbal clarity, with that particular green-edged tartness of citrus pith rather than juice, whilst the violet leaf provides an earthy, slightly peppery foundation that prevents the opening from veering into sweetness.
What distinguishes this composition is the tension between its constituent parts. The freesia arrives not as a creamy indolic presence but as a counterpoint to the orris root, which contributes a subtle, almost powdery iris-like quality. The poppy bud—a distinctly unusual heart note choice—adds something quietly anodyne, nearly narcotic, without ever becoming heavy or suffocating. It's here the fragrance becomes contemplative rather than celebratory.
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3.7/5 (139)