Perfume Review: Theo Fennell

Beauty and the beast, elegance and skank- that is Theo Fennell's scent. Created by Christophe Laudamiel, the master of oddness...the kind of oddness that is hard to pinpoint and describe, Theo Fennell's perfume wraps shamelessly animalic notes in an exquisite organza veil of rose, orchid and lily petals delicately spiced with saffron. The beginning is fairly shocking: it is the smell of clean sweat, sex-right-after-a-shower kind of smell, fresh and dirty and compelling. The musky, cumin-y accord begins to subside as flowers emerge, lush, slightly powdery, piquant and softened by a nice dose of vanilla and sandalwood. From then on, skank plays hide and seek, a faun cavorting in rose bushes, now you see him now you don't. This animalic warmth adds to Theo Fennel an additional layer of richness, lending this modern composition a certain old-fashioned quality...and when I say, old-fashioned, I have in mind the classic grand perfumes of the golden era of perfumery: their extravagantly rich and obscenely dirty bases, their luxurious sillages...Refined, sensual, quirky, the perfume is stunning. I also admire the way in which the perfumer tied the scent to the brand. The fragrance will go perfectly with skulls made out of 18k gold and diamonds. Available at theofennell.com, £68.00-£1,775.00