IN THE MOOD FOR NEROLI
—“If we want things to stay as they are,offers the perfect description of François Demachy’s fragrance, which bends the rules of cologne into a resolutely modern composition. Discernible without being overpredictable, fresh yet sophisticated, minimalist as well as structured, it packs a citrus punch as its opening gambit. We immediately recognise the cheerful notes of bergamot, sparkling mandarin, a juicy, sunkissed orange. Beneath this uncomplicated message lies a neurotic pursuit of perfection that tolerates only the finest ingredients. “Winter Quality” Concentrated Lemon, to name but one, is an ingredient so rare as to be exclusive to Dior. So much for the classics. The first seconds give way to the panache of what is ultimately a highly textured fragrance. Its inspiration — the opulent eighteenth–century balls that captivated Christian Dior — is evidenced by the unexpected roundness of neroli which, combined with mint leaf, reinvents the substance while respecting the form.
