Serge Lutens Bas de Soie

By Marla So do you like the warm, North-African amberfest Serge Lutens, or do you prefer his cold, austere, Northern European perfumes? I know this is a rather simplistic division- it’s just a question I asked myself when I visited his boutique at the Palais Royal for the first time. Ah, purple, my favorite color! I own Chergui, which I wear only in the hot, dry weather of the Alpine autumn, and Rousse, which, being a redhead, I think of as a signature scent, and a lot of fun to boot! But beyond the Land of Serge, I prefer cold scents, mean and green, such as Un Jardin Sur le Nil, Niki de St. Phalle, Bel Respiro, and the original Cristalle. So I proferred one wrist to sample Forreau Noir, and the other to try Bas de Soie. A mere 10 minutes later, I’d already bought the aptly named Bas de Soie. Like silk, it’s cold yet warm, smooth yet nubbly, and thoroughly sensual. The soaring top of Bas de Soie is dark green with galbanum, and neon purple with hyacinth and aldehydes. The galbanum is ashtray-free, by the way, perhaps one of the new slimmed-down, or synthetic galbanums. The icy facets of iris dominate the scent, with some discreet soapy notes, and a little powder. The heart is quite sweet, though they told me I wear Bas de Soie much more sweetly than most (aaah…). The drydown is a soft and subtle skin scent of musk, light powder, and whispered florals. This is an elegant, icy perfume with a tender heart. It’s perfect for refined evenings but wears beautifully during the daytime. Serge Lutens has been playing with cold, restrained compositions for a few years now, but I think with Bas de Soie, he really hit home. Fortunately, it will not be a boutique exclusive, so we will all be able to try this new creation of snow and crocuses. If you would like a chance to try a sample of Bas de Soie, let me know which are your top 3 Serges!