They were among the most exciting discoveries for me at this year’s Esxence in Milan: Love is coming … Chapter II and Azhi Ardara by The Different Company. Two fragrances that could hardly be more contrasting at first glance: one is greenish, shimmering and freshly natural, the other mystical and mysterious. Both tell of love, sensuality and the power of seduction in their own way.
The Different Company was founded in 2000 by perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena and designer Thierry de Baschmakoff and is now under the creative direction of Luc Gabriel. The brand is considered one of the first modern niche fragrance houses and combines artistic freedom with a clear, often minimalist aesthetic.
Love is coming … Chapter II
The name is a bit unwieldy and I’m also not quite sure what Chapter II is supposed to be about, because as far as I could research, there is no predecessor fragrance to which Chapter II could refer. Be that as it may, Love is coming … Chapter II is about a “lush garden full of herbs, flowers and fruits and vegetables ripened under the sun”.
Perfumer Mathieu Nardin composed the fragrance from quite unusual ingredients: Tomato and paprika meet blackcurrant, geranium, lavender, Damask rose, ambergris, musk and sandalwood in the eau de parfum. This unusual and dazzling composition of fruits, flowers, woods and vegetables is probably also the inspiration for the beautiful bottle, which features a color gradient from pink to yellow and green to a warm orange-brown.
What does Love is coming … Chapter II smell like?
Love is coming … Chapter II opens with a greenish and fresh scent. The aromatic notes of tomato leaves – I can actually smell the leafy green rather than the fruit – meet the characteristic nuances of paprika, resulting in an extremely exciting and unusual melange accompanied by blackcurrant. Geranium and rose underline the green accents and add refreshingly airy, delicate floral facets. In the finish, I perceive crystalline, light musk and creamy ambergris, which round off the composition in a harmonious way.
When is the best time to wear Love is coming … Chapter II?
Love is coming … Chapter II is a spring-like, summery fragrance that breathes exciting olfactory nuances into the color green. Vegetables meet fruits, woods and flowers to create a modern, transparent and at the same time special unisex fragrance – ideal for the warm season and almost any occasion. Rather restrained and calm, finely and balanced composed, this eau de parfum convinces me all along the line.
Azhi Ardara – The Different Company
The second fragrance also leaves me somewhat at a loss as to its name. Azhi Ardara sounds like something from an ancient legend – and that’s exactly how it seems to have been conceived. In ancient Persian, the term Aži or Azhi means “dragon” or “snake”, while Ardara appears in Irish as a place or personal name. In combination, however, The Different Company seems to have created its own world of legends here: According to the brand text, Azhi Ardara is the dragon from Mount Abgalion that transformed into a woman and thus became the essence of the fragrance of the same name. Perfumer Émilie Coppermann was responsible for the creative realization of the eau de parfum and used the ingredients pink pepper, cardamom, bergamot, cashmere wood, raspberry, bourbon vanilla, vetiver, ambergris and sandalwood.
What does Azhi Ardara by The Different Company smell like?
Azhi Ardara starts off extremely fruity with tart, ripe raspberry, which is soon joined by the dry spiciness of pepper and greenish-fresh cardamom. Soon, subtly earthy, creamy vetiver and the soft woody nuances of cashmere wood provide smooth, flowing facets that soothe the fruity, spicy nuances of the opening. The vanilla brings dark, smoky accents to the composition, which finally fades slowly and gradually.
What makes Azhi Ardara special?
The new Eau de Parfum Azhi Ardara by The Different Company is a fruity, spicy-woody fragrance with expressive raspberry nuances that are picked up by cardamom, pepper and vanilla and harmoniously rounded off with warm woods. Apart from the strong raspberry note, the creation is quiet, calm and restrained overall. A modern unisex fragrance that can be worn all year round for almost any occasion.
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