Created by : Bernard Chant
Date : 1969
Genre : Citrus leather
Concentration : eau de parfum
Save perhaps Ernest Beaux, is anyone better at making leather scents than Bernard Chant? There is? Well I haven’t met him! Of course, I haven’t met Bernard Chant either but when it comes to leather fragrances, no one comes close… imagine Aramis, Cabochard and Azurée… a citrus leather marvel that waters the mouth and just smells luxurious! But this leather isn’t the grey leather of Cuir de Russie… it’s the sepia-tinged variety bringing to mind traditional woody notes instead of iris.
Azurée’s opener is leather from the word “go” with veins of bergamot and other citrus notes… perhaps orange. Jean-Daniel, my favourite SA, kept sniffing the scent strip saying, “there’s something floral in there… what is it???” Turns out his nose was correct with listed jasmine in the topnotes and rose in the middle notes, according to the Estée Lauder website. Bottom notes are patchouli, moss and amber. It didn’t surprise me to see patchouli in there… Bernard Chant also being the creator of Aromatics Elixir, another patchouli-based beauty!
Azurée is rich, distinctive and unapolagetic. When I got to work on Friday and a colleague asked me what I was wearing, I knew that this one would move to my top ten in very short order. So if you like to be noticed, this one’s got throw!
Falling in love again,
Never wanted to.
What am I to do…
I just can’t help it.
Wearing Azurée, Marlene Dietrich’s closing lyrics from her iconic 70s concert tour came to mind… not only because Marlene Dietrich is EXACTLY the kind of woman that would have worn Azurée but also because I was just absolutely smitten with it. Not available in Canada (anyone at Estée Lauder reading this???) Azurée was a gift from my sister who purchased it on a recent trip to New York City. My precious bottle comes from Macy’s.
Gender-bending Azurée can be worn by both men and women… on a man it would smell sensual. On a woman it would smell sensational. And so my love affair with all things Lauder continues.
I’m ending this post with Marlene Dietrich singing a Pete Seeger tune that is as relevant today as it was 40 years ago.
Have a nice week everyone!
Top image : 1950 photo of Marlene Dietrich by Milton H. Greene
The Perfume Chronicles 
Dionne
/ May 1, 2012When I started reading this, I wondered, “How did Normand get a hold of this? I was told it wasn’t available in Canada,” which of course was followed by an “ohhhhhh.” If I ever get stateside, I’ll be trying this.
Normand Cardella
/ May 1, 2012We should petition the courts! Well maybe that’s a bit drastic. But if you do make a trip to the US, absolutely give this one a try.