Fugue

Fugue is a beautiful soft heliotrope forward scent with an accompanying orchestra of lovely bergamot, mandarin and iris. These are the notes that really stand out to me in the development of the fragrance. The fragrance opens with a musky heliotrope and bergamot and then develops further with the addition of the other notes, finally drying down with nice woods and vanilla. The sandalwood is soft and really lovely. I can barely smell the cedar at all, but it does a good job of balancing the pineapple note. I was afraid the fruity note would ruin the mix, but it does not. It just adds a tiny bit of 'je ne sais quoit' to lift the scent and keep it from being too musky. The jasmine and lily of the valley also brighten the floral mix. I have recently discovered the Esther P. brand and I can attest that these fragrances are really well done and true niche quality. The company is based in Grasse, and the nose has the French perfumer DNA in her veins. Fugue to me is a beautiful cross between Malle's En Passant and Malle's L'Eau d'Hiver. Both of the Malles have always seemed to me to be missing something. Esther P's Fugue has found that perfect balance. Highly recommended for lovers of heliotrope, lilac, iris and other purple floral beauties.

Fugue is beautiful. More floral than oriental, clean and pleasant but not too crisp, powdery but never soapy, warm instead of cool and green. It recalls another scent I have smelled in the past but can't put my finger on (S. Poncet Eau Eternelle, perhaps?) but doesn't quite smell like any other. Fugue is very traditionally feminine, with a pleasant touch of sweet fruits complementing the flowers, and a warm oriental-musk vibe supporting the structure. This would be a perfect daytime and office scent, with a pleasant arm's-length sillage and persistence to last through a workday. Very nicely done and one more for the wishlist.