Odeur Du Théâtre Du Châtelet Acte I

Imagine you’ve walked into a dressing room of an old theater after a show, but you’re 20 minutes too late. Everyone’s already left. There are days-old roses from the week's past performances strewn about, makeup and hairspray, applied hours earlier, still linger. Other people’s perfume, too. And a day-old cold coffee sitting in a styrofoam cup on the corner of the dressing table. The building is creaky, full of old wood, heavy velvet, and a bit of dust. This is Comme des Garçons Odeur du Theatre du Chatelet Act 1. And it’s my current obsession. I hate the initial opening, which lasts for a mere 60 seconds. This rather instant enemies-to-friends transformation only makes me all the more obsessed with it. It swiftly turns nostalgic, familiar, soft...it’s an apparition. The presence of humans without a single person in the room. With all this in mind, it can be applied to other scenarios. Such as a visitation the day before a loved one’s funeral, after everyone has left. It's the same lingering hairspray, the same mixing of perfumes reserved for special occasions, the same abandoned half-drunk cold coffee and flowers, all in a building that has hosted its share of human experience. But this isn’t unappealing to me — it only further enthralls me. Odeur du Theatre softly, gently encapsulates my most glamorous, exhilarating moments, to my most heartbreaking. This apparition, this ghost, is a guardian angel, perhaps. (All of this, and it's absolutely beautiful on skin.)

At first spray I was unsure, though intrigued, especially by a pronounced cumin note on my skin. but now I know.... I'm obsessed with this scent. I don't get any true coffee notes at all but maybe there is something of the idea of forgetting about your coffee in the corner of the room because you have been distracted by the all the raw and different kinds of beautiful people bustling around backstage. half made up, half dressed, all the girls perfumes unified by the humidity of the room. You sweat under a wig, and your secret crush is eating an orange very very far away. Once it dries down it smells to me like an memory of the extreme seriousness and decorum of teenage sexuality projected over my current age and wisdoms. Like looking back and understanding that it was lighter than I ever could have known, but still being able to remember vividly how serious it felt, and sacred. The initiation into the pleasure of mixing in with other people often starts in after school activities like theater, or dance class. Anything where there is a call to sync your physicality to those around you--i find that here. That vague suggestion of other bodies, breath, and chemistry but without the development into action. Sweet innocent sweat that I can't stop pressing my nose against to smell. I need a full bottle now!

Breathtakingly lovely. Imagine you are anywhere in francophone continental Europe, but for specificity's sake, let's say you are in Genève sitting in Auditoire de Calvin. You are sitting alone late morning with a coffee stain on your shirt and your eyes closed, thoughtfully meandering after you have lost track of your prayer. As you are ruminating on the senselessness of life, you are taken aback as you smell N°18. However, it takes time to open your eyes as you try to resolve whether you think it is the EDP or EDT. As you open your eyes, all you can glimpse are the few seconds of a woman clad in Chanel Tweed quickly exiting the room and leaving a sense of serenity. Odeur Du Théâtre Du Châtelet Acte I is a space of historical contemplation alongside wafts of fleeting rose, tepid coffee, and sweet sweat. A must-have––my wife's signature scent.

I used to spend a lot of time in theatres and I think this captures that old dusty, dry scent really well. It’s not a romanticised depiction of greasepaint and sparkle, not the night of a premiere in the least. This is the work and rehearsals, the joy of access to an old space. I did need the title to prompt me and it’s a subtle scent but no less interesting for being so. Unsurprisingly the black pepper and coffee are the most discernible notes but that said the impact of the fragrance is a sensory evocation of place so nothing shouts loudly. The coffee is more cafe than roasters for example. I wear this for me, it’s not a big projector. It’s totally abstract and unisex and sits amongst CDGs best offerings of experimental perfumery. I have no idea who it is for but it’s definitely for me. Not every day but I’m glad I have it.

I went to London yesterday to DSM in the hope of trying all 5 new fragrances. I can never tell from the notes which one I’ll love but I always go for unique and weird, which is why I love this brand. I assumed it would be one of the clash series but as soon as I smelled this - oh my god. I fell in love. It definitely smells OLD. Old and full of memories and feelings and hopes and dreams. It took me years to realise that I fall unconditionally in love , and fast, with any perfume where ambrette is the main player. I can definitely smell it in this, it’s some zingy ethereal smell to me. This scent is sharp but fresh, long lasting, unisex, unique. It gives me images of old times (I’m sure that’s the marketing - theatre etc) but yes, my new favourite. 200ml bottles, well worth the price IMO.