Technique Indiscrete “For Them” – A Fragrant Effort To Help Japan

By Olfactoria I wrote about this perfume on my blog when it was first announced. Now that I received my bottle (the Number Three of 1000, I am proud to say) I want to review it here, for I hope to reach a larger audience that way. And “For Them” certainly deserves a large audience. Technique Indiscrete is a Parisian niche-brand founded by Belgian perfumer Libertin Louison. Louison started out in Fashion and then found his true calling in Perfume; he was trained at Cinqiéme Sens in Paris. His line includes perfumes, candles and cosmetics. Soon after the catastrophe in Japan, Libertin decided to dedicate 1000 bottles of perfume, originally created for another cause that fell through, to the financial aid of Japan. 100% of profits from those bottles go to the survivors of the coastal town of Minami Sanriku that disappeared in the Tsunami. For Them is a lavender cologne done in a classic, old-style way. It opens with a strong blast of lavender that is not harsh like lavender can sometimes be, but smooth and well-rounded. It soon softens considerably into a comforting, calming scent that reminds me of vintage lavender water. One whiff of it transports me to visions of fresh air billowing white curtains, lavender-fields in the sun, fresh linen, and elegant fin-de-siècle parties in the countryside. For Them provides a short, but intense trip into a delightful past. It is a romantic perfume for me, very sophisticated in its simplicity, elegant and refined. Perfect for men and women For Them is a lovely surprise. I bought it unsniffed of course, since the fragrance itself was not my first concern here, but I couldn’t be happier with how it smells. I would promote this here in any case, since I believe it is a great idea worth supporting, but I can honestly say, I like this perfume a lot and would wear it even if it did not have the added benefit of being a way to show help and support to the people of Japan. I have nothing like it in my (extensive) collection, and so I think it is a lovely and worthwhile addition. Of the thousand bottles 927 are still unsold, let us change that! On the Technique Indiscrete website there is a counter, I’d love to see it go down further with the help of PST readers. At 35€ for 50 ml it is not expensive at all, but this is money truly well spent! Libertin Louison said “On est un seul peuple.” – We are one people! We live this truth in the perfume community, where we have formed friendships and relationships regardless of geographical realities. Please step up and support this cause Libertin Louison initated. It feels great being able to help while smelling gorgeous!

Sparkling Darkly: Paname Paname by Technique Indiscrete

By Marina Technique Indiscrete calls Paname Paname their "re-interpretation of the chypre family". I would say, it is more of a homage, to the family in general and to Edmond Roudnitska's branch of it in particular. What makes it a chypre is the properly done, rich yet dry, somewhat pungent base, which smells...well, like a chypre! Not a "chypre". The real thing. What makes it reminiscent of such masterpieces of Roudnistka's as Femme, Diorama and Diorella, and especially the latter two, is the beautiful contrast of the simultaneous brightness (due to the presence of fresher top) and carnal darkness (due to the abundance of cumin) of Paname Paname, on an expansive yet graceful floral background. To quote Capote, "its eyes sparkle with dark deeds". A chypre of this kind evokes in my mind a seemingly cold and prim beauty with a dark secret. A woman wrapped in fur, with nothing under it. There is at once elegance and dirtiness about the blend that I adore. Technique Indiscrete lists "apple cake" among the notes, and possibly this addition of a gourmand accent is what makes the scent "a re-interpretation" for the creators. Luckily for me, I get no cake and just a tad of rather abstract fruitiness. I say luckily, because I prefer my chypres classic, not re-interpreted. Available at techniqueindiscrete.com, EUR 150.00 for 100ml.