Serge Lutens Bell Jars at Bergdorf?

Y’all heard that rumor? Sniffa attendees report that there were two bell jars at Bergdorf Goodman this last weekend — Un Bois Sepia and Bois et Fruits.  The other part of the rumor was that they won’t be sold in the bell jars, but will be in the square bottles with black labels, like the LE’s they send over, and they will run more than the LEs, like $180 for 50 ml.  No real news on whether it will eventually be all of them or a few at a time or what.  So what have y’all heard? And what do you hope for? 

Also, to all of you that recommended the Mariage Freres red tea candle… I should could will kiss you!  Perfection. Wonderful throw, perfect dry tea scent, not sweet, just perfect for fall.  I’m stocking up on all of their candles and burny things when I’m in Paris. My new favorite line. ♥

Anyone know where in the world Serena Franco of Ava-Luxe has gone?  I assume she’s either doing a site re-design and catching up on orders or she’s vamoosed, and it better not be the latter, just when things were getting interesting.  I’m hoping site re-design and back open for her annual sale.

Sin, with notes of black opium, amber, musk, and vanilla. This appears to be pretty much her signature musk scent, but she’s given it an interesting twist.  I’m not sure I know what black opium smells like — well, I’m pretty positive I don’t know what opium, black or otherwise, smells like. If I did, y’all may be reading a different blog like “How I escaped the opium dens of Five Points.”  Well, that’s the title I might use, even though there are no opium dens, that I’m aware of, in Denver — just your standard crack corners.  Regardless, this has another quality in it from the other notes that change her musk into something else, and the word “sin” fits it well enough, but it is sin that feels the pang of regret.  There’s a slightly seamy or wicked feel to it on the open, while staying beautiful, just something hurt and slightly raw rolling around beneath the surface.  It never settles into her creamy musk smell that I’ve come to expect of her perfumes centered around musk.  It’s interesting without being too weird, and I can see myself wearing this one quite a lot, even though my days and opportunities to sin, with or without regret, have decreased to almost nothing. 

She also has a Limited Edition for the holiday Season, Madeline, with notes of musk, woods, vanilla, fig, liquorice, milk, brandy, and spices.  This is definitely a holiday scent —  very gourmandy on the open, with a slightly figgy/musky backdrop.  March, you might include this in your fig obsession, it’s the sweet fig angle that I’m not sure you’ve covered yet.  This is really quite perfect for the holidays, which is one of the few times when I do appreciate something more gourmandy, but the drydown on this could work year-round.  It ends as a lovely musk with a liquorice tonality to it, sprinkled with just some spices. Once you get past the more foody aspects of the open, it’s got a very addictive quality that keeps you coming back to sniff.  This isn’t a masterpiece, like I think some of her perfumes are or are becoming, but it’s pretty great for holidays and is a very well done gourmand.

As I said when I reviewed Shisha a while back, Ava-Luxe is becoming an interesting perfumer, moving from the more basic body scents/smells into much more sophisticated fare that stands up on its own just as a perfume, with no “buts.”  While I won’t go into it in any depth in this post, Madame X is another interested scent she’s done recently –  sultry, naughty thing that really does scream slut with a heart.   If you have never tried something from her because you thought she was just doing lotion scents, I encourage you to give her a try.  She should be open again shortly, I would think, and the price point on her perfumes are great and even better if she’s doing a sale.

Last one for today is my personal favorite of everything she’s done — including the addictive Love’s True Bluish Light, which is a staple for me in body cream — Midnight Violet.  I am a total violet freak, and this comes the closest in feel to the original Caron Violette Precieuse.  Dry and smoky, with the ethereal sweetish violet smell floating all around it, but never taking it into a sweet scent. Notes of Violet, Blue iris,Orris, Earth, Black hemlock, Galbanum, Pink pepper, Cinnamon, Cedar, Sandalwood, Incense, Wood balsam, Moss, Civet, Cashmere musk.  It is dark and beautiful, and I need her to open back up so I can get it in the parfum too! I already have it in shower scrub, lotion and edp.  I NEED MORE!!!

So what’s your favorite Ava-Luxe scent, or have you not tried any?