Well I guess I will keep the Serge thing going here since one of my Surrender to Chance hauls contained a sample of this 2011 release. I wrote at the time that it gave me the same feeling as Serge Noire. It’s a contemplative, meditative scent after you’ve gotten over the hit-with-a-flower-shop opening.
Looking back on that review brings home a fact of time passing. I wrote it in 2012 and the actual sample was sent to me by my Scent Twin, the late (and dearly missed) Gaia.
Notes from the surrender to chance, from where you can buy samples: chrysanthemum, with additional notes of gladiolus, dahlia, chamomile, peony, woods, hay, violets, incense and candied fruit.
Unfortunately I don’t see it on the Lutens Website but I do see some crazy prices on eBay. Let’s hope that (like Miel de Bois and others) that they are just behind held in the vaults waiting for another turn in the spotlight.
Did you ever try this one? Have a favorite that has just disappeared? Let’s discuss in the comments.
Images: My iPhone, Pexels
I want to try this, along with Jeux de Peau (you and Maya were so vehement about how awful it is I’m curious).
I got curious and went online hunting. It seems De Profundis is still available at the Paris store, bell jar only, as part of their Exclusive line and at regular prices. I checked because I’m pretty sure I saw it when I went to the SL online store a few months ago. Now the site doesn’t show any perfume for US online “visitors” at all.
Well that makes me happy. Not them cutting off the US, but that it’s still available.
De Profundis is one of my 2 Serge’s ( Daim Blond is the other). I always think of Lord Elrond’s conversation with his daughter, about how her life will unfold, should she choose to marry a mortal. Sigh.
I love Daim Blond. But you have to go steadily.
Heya Tom,
De Profundis is so gorgeous. I had a bell, never opened it and then sold it on. There’s a decant somewhere around here but as I’m in the middle of the big perfume downsize it could be anywhere.
As I go through the collection so many are now DCd. Some of the absolute best. Amoureuse by Parfums DelRae, the CHANEL Les Exclusive EdTs and EdCs from years ago, Cabaret by Gres, quite a few of the very best Amouages and my beloved Niki de Saint Phalle. It’s a hit list of brilliance. Has made me VERY mood De Profundis.
Portia xx
Niki de Saint Phalle! Now there’s a name from the past..
I have a bottle of the EdT… still sparkling!
Me too!
You’re both lucky!
Lucky you!
I checked and my De Profundis sample is gone. I will get another one and play with it some more. Like Dina C, I also love a melancholy scent. The empress of those, for me, is vintage Guerlain Apres L’Ondee. I would love a bottle of that crown jewel!
Apres L’Ondee for some reason didn’t work on me. I suppose no bad thing considering the number of theirs that do work for me.
Was it the real vintage? The last ones that Guerlain had out using the name didn’t smell like the original at all. If it hadn’t been labeled, I would not have guessed that’s what they claimed it was. Boring, uninteresting, and mediocre, imo.
That might have been the one..
Love Apres L’Ondee! We’re on the same wavelength Maya!
Yay! That is a very special perfume!!!
Ok, I’m off Guerlain hunting..
Ok I need to find vintage
Aww man! Another good one that I somehow missed out on! Rats! I love a melancholy, introverted scent especially for a rainy bad weather day when I’m indoors reading a good mystery and drinking my hot tea. I heard that Disney corporation, back in the old days before cable TV and streaming, had a strategy of rereleasing its famous animated movies every 7 years. (So the next batch of little kids could see them.) And then they’d go back “in the vault.” Wouldn’t it be great if Serge Lutens did that with old discontinued scents?
I would love that..
Beautiful review, Tom. I wonder if the website is being changed-I looked at it and it shows no fragrances at all, and there is a headline that says they’re no longer shipping to the US. I’m in Canada, and cannot see any fragrances. I miss The Non Blonde, too. I thought life would get better for all of us after the pandemic-doesn’t really feel that way right now. Cheers to brighter days. Thank you for the beautiful post.
I wonder if that’s a tariff thing? I did look and they will not ship fragrances to the US. Bummer.
I suspect it is that ridiculous, terrible tariff thing. We’ll just have to wait for it to be undone OR go to Paris to check out and buy Serge Lutens in person. Sigh……;)
Well I suppose we can wait. Unless I win PowerLooto I’ll just have to.
Same here.