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Wednesday, September 05, 2007

Perfumes for Imaginary Encounters. Second Installment

A couple of months ago Mr. Colombina came up with a little game, in which he randomly chooses famous people and we name (or, in his case, describe) perfumes we would wear if we were to meet them. Today is Part 2.

Anais Nin. Mr. Colombina thinks a musk would be fitting for an encounter with a writer famous for her erotic stories. The one story that immediately (although vaguely) comes to my mind prominently featured a fur coat, which was worn during... um, anyway... my first instinct is to go with Zibeline by Weil.

Louis Pasteur. "Something milky", virtuously chooses Mr. Colombina, perhaps forgetting that pasteurization inhibits fermentation not only of milk but also of (table) wine thus preventing it from going sour. I would honor the great scientist by wearing Ginestet Sauvignonne.

Nefertiti. "Something floral and really exotic, like the smell of an unknown flower in a rain-forest" is Mr. Colombina's perfume of choice. I would opt for Patou Que-Sais Je?,wearing which makes me feel as if I have been embalmed ...in a good way.

Socrates. "Hemlock!" immediately proclaims Mr. Colombina and I can't help but agree. Thus I would wear Ormonde Woman, which famously features black hemlock.

Charlemagne. Mr Colombina chooses "incense". I, overwhelmed by the idea of meeting the Father of Europe, choose the majestic and mysterious Caron Or et Noir.

Audrey Hepburn. Mr. Colombina's mind works in the most unexpected ways; when he thinks of Hepburn, he thinks of Belgian underground during WWII, spies and of leather. I think I would go for a Givenchy scent, but not L'Interdit, as I wouldn't want to commit a faux pas and wear the same scent as Audrey herself. So I'd wear Le De.

Cyrano de Bergerac. Although, as a (stereotypical) male, Mr. C would not (knowingly) wear a rose scent, he thinks it would be fitting to wear one to meet this romantic hero-for-all-seasons. I can't help but agree and would wear Czech & Speake No 88.

Mozart. Mr. Colombina thinks he needs something "flamboyant, wild, strong and pungent". Apparently there exists a Mozart perfume (maybe even more than one), but I haven't smelled it. I have, however, tasted and loved Mozartkugeln, and I would wear Montale Chocolate Greedy.

William Wallace. Mr Colombina wants "a smell that captures the morning dew, Scottish hills, grass and peat". Which I must say is a perfect description of what I would want to wear too and which more or less describes Cumming The Fragrance.

Monica Bellucci. In this theoretical world we are in, Mr C would want to seduce Bellucci, and so he wants to wear "maybe something leathery but offset by something citrusy, not too fruity". I also can't help but admire the fair Monica, and, to honor her sultry beauty, would wear a heady, languid, sinful white floral, perhaps Tubereuse Criminelle. And in this theoretical world we are in, who knows whose perfume would attract her more, mine or his.

24 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I like this idea! Hmmm, I love all your choices, but I have a few ideas myself:

Anais Nin - why, Anais Anais perfumed bath oil of course - the sultriest version of this otherwise innocent fragrance.

Louis Pasteur: Something that makes me think of barns and straw, therefore cows: L'Artisan Dzing!

Nefertiti: Amouage Ubar - then I might stand a chance of being noticed in the presence of a woman who eclipsed all others with her beauty.

Socrates: He was a great teacher more than anything, so CB I Hate Perfume In The Library.

Charlemagne: Something with great gravitas and austerity befitting his royal status, but I like it too - Montale Greyland. He can share if he wants.

Audrey Hepburn: There is no sense even trying to compete with her, so I would have to wear something I feel very secure and feminine in: Rochas Absolu.

Cyrano de Bergerac: I like men with big noses, so something light, flirty and romantic: Guerlain Chant d'Aromes.

Mozart: Another ingenious composition, Rance' Josephine

Willam Wallace: As rough and tumble as they come, he needs something to soften him up - Lady Caron should do it.

Monica Bellucci - see Audrey Hepburn above, but change the perfume to Lelong Pour Femme and add a dash of inferiority complex on the side.

2:06 AM EDT  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I just want to stare at Audrey in bewonderment....

4:47 AM EDT  
Blogger Marina said...

D,
Love your choices and the reasoning behind them! And I must try that Ubar!

6:43 AM EDT  
Blogger Marina said...

Lee,
Yeah, me too :-)

6:44 AM EDT  
Blogger lilybp said...

Brilliant post! Short comment:)
(starting school today)

7:38 AM EDT  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thanks for the fun read. I love that you & Mr C as a couple are fluent with the language of scent & well versed in history. And now I want to sniff Tubereuse Criminelle more than ever.

8:03 AM EDT  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

fun as ever! I admire all your choices and I must say that Mr. C's choices prove that you're an excellent teacher :-D.
*sigh* if I only could love Tubereuse Criminelle...
and better late than never: congrats on your new L'A. job!! I cannot help myself but wonder - do you work in a perfumerie (like Ina does, I believe) or is it a different kind of job?

9:55 AM EDT  
Blogger Marina said...

Judith,
I hope you have a great, great year!!

12:13 PM EDT  
Blogger Marina said...

Divalano,
I am fluent, he is versed, so it works well :-)
TC is a must-smell!

12:14 PM EDT  
Blogger Marina said...

Tina,
And he is a brilliant if reluctant student :-)
Come to New York and you'll see where I work!! ;-)

12:20 PM EDT  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Louis Pasteur: what about Ava Luxe's Milk? Smells exactly like condensed milk. And I heartily approve your choice - the beloved M. Pasteur was a great advocate of wine as a medicinal beverage and recommended drinking up to a litre a day. As a dreadful old lush I am very thankful for his guidance even if I can't manage to take all my medicine every day.

As for the divine Cyrano, I have such a crush on him (especially as played by Gerard Depardieu) that I'd have to break out my Iris Poudre to give that nose of his something to get excited about. Ah for an evening with Cyrano, IP, a LBD and lots of M. Pasteur's prescription...

12:37 PM EDT  
Blogger tmp00 said...

I love these kinds of posts...

2:01 PM EDT  
Blogger Marina said...

Dear Anonymous,
For an evening with Cyrano, IP, a LBD and lots of M. Pasteur's prescription sound fabulous!! Love Depardieu too!

2:19 PM EDT  
Blogger Marina said...

Tom,
I am so glad you like!

2:19 PM EDT  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I love these kinds of posts, too. I thought "makes me feel as if I have been embalmed ...in a good way" [see Nefertiti] was priceless.

2:37 PM EDT  
Blogger Marina said...

Existentialist,
Opium makes me feel like that too, but not in a good way :-)

2:40 PM EDT  
Blogger NewKidOnTheBlog said...

I quote … from Wikipedia …

In 1940 the Germans invaded Holland. During the war Hepburn adopted the pseudonym Edda van Heemstra, modifying her mother's documents because an 'English sounding' name was considered dangerous. This was never her legal name. The name Edda was a version of her mother's name Ella.

By 1944 Hepburn had become a proficient ballerina. She secretly danced for groups of people to collect money for the Dutch resistance.

Hepburn's uncle and a cousin of her mother's were shot in front of Hepburn for being part of the Resistance. Hepburn's half-brother Ian van Ufford spent time in a German labour camp.

Love,
Mr.C.

2:52 PM EDT  
Blogger Marina said...

Wow, Mr C, you impress me with your knowledge all over again! :-)

4:12 PM EDT  
Blogger NowSmellThis said...

Great picks, all around! And never knew any of that about Audrey Hepburn.

4:19 PM EDT  
Blogger heather said...

Wearing a hemlock scent to meet Socrates? That reminds me of Bill Hicks' comment about all the Catholics wearing crucifixes when Jesus returns to earth. Seems like a crucifix would be the last thing Jesus would want to see!

As always, a wonderful post, Ms. Columbina, the apex of which is the lovely Monica Bellucci. I'm working on a post that involves her, perfume, and cigarettes and have become so enamored that I'm jealous to see her picture in another blog! I think I'd wear the scent of Merit cigarettes smeared on the walls of a Paris bordello if I thought it would capture Monica's attention. Even in the bad way.

I admire you and Mr. Columbina (and little miss Columbina) for indulging each other in the same fragrant habit. My husband, too, is being brought into the world of the perfume lover, a world I'm sure he never imagined prior to meeting me and my sprawling collection of smells.

Cheers!

4:20 PM EDT  
Blogger Marina said...

R,
me neither! :-)

5:20 PM EDT  
Blogger Marina said...

Heather,
That's a good point about hemlock :-)

5:20 PM EDT  
Blogger NewKidOnTheBlog said...

Glad to inform you about Ms. Hepburn.

WWII also has some interesting perfume-related stories.

I can not attest to anything more than "alleged" ties but ...

(according to: ...
http://www.trinitynews.ie/articles.php?tn=2&issue=4&id=101)

The German occupation of France from 1940-44 put the development of Paris’s own haute couture to a halt. It was the start of British and American fashion as both countries were forced to develop their own manufacturing industry, styles and cultivate their own designers.

Coco [Chanel] was forced to close her boutiques in 1939 and served as a nurse during the Second World War.

The Hotel Ritz remained her home even during the Nazi occupation of Paris, during which time she was criticised for Anti-Semitism, homophobia and for having a controversial affair with Nazi officer and intelligence agent Hans Guther Von Incklage.

Subsequently she was forced to go into exile in Switzerland until she returned in 1954 and was able to continue her career, paving the way for fashion today.

Coco Chanel escaped imprisonment and public humiliation. Her main biographer Wallach has hinted that this perhaps can be attributed to Winston Churchill who had been a close friend to her, early in her career.

2:17 PM EDT  
Blogger Marina said...

Mr C,
Yeah. I heard that about Coco. have been meaning to get a good bio of hers for a long time.

2:19 PM EDT  

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