Luxe Calme Volupte

Luxe Calme Volupte is inspired by a painting by Henri Matisse of the same name, conveying the idea of longing for a place of sensuous calmness and offering a suspension from human angst. It’s a beautifully balanced rendition of a green, aromatic floral, with the warmth of resins at its core. Galbanum is the primary note to my nose, which creates this intensely green and vegetal feel, whilst also remaining dry and slightly earthy. The bitterness of this gorgeous note is elevated by a bitter orange, alongside vetiver and soft woods. The balance comes from an array of gentle, powdered florals as is always Francesca’s style, backed up by an array of vaguely tropical fruits which gives the scent a much needed boost of sweetness. It’s hard to say how this scent makes me feel, as it does not remind me of a specific place or emotion. Instead it feels like purgatory, as though you are suspended between both your dreams and your fears; ethereal calm surrounds you and offers an escape from the mundane. Utterly beautiful.

Luxe calme Volupte is abither great Creation by Francesca Bianchi. It is a bit different than her creations before... Fresher and brighter and less dense and Deep. It is a fragrance to enjoy during the daytime and, above all, during the Warner months of the year. The opening is a bit harsher, but very pleasant, plenty of Orange and Green notes. Then It begins to dry down into a very powdery perfume lead by the iris and the vetiver, olaying together over a soft balsámic and Woody bed. The performance is very good, as most of bianchi's perfumes, lasting more than 12 hours on my Skin. The projection is, however, a bit softer, very moderate and most of time close to the Skin, givin the powdery, creamy and earthy addictive character which defines this scent. It is directly in my wishlist! Scent: 10 Longevity: 10 Sillage: 6 Versatility: 10 Originality: 10 Global: 10

Yess, thank you reviewers below, this does indeed resemble Must de Cartier somewhat, a perfume my mum wore in the 90s. It has that juxtaposition of greenery and amber that is unusual in modern perfumes, but I love the combination of classic galbanum/leather chypre stuff with the dusty iris amber sweetness of the drydown. The tropical fruit (pineapple, a bit like Sex and the Sea neroli, to me) elements add a touch of playfulness/humour that was lacking in Must, though, which makes this feel wearable and modern. It's not a perfume to imperss others, particularly, but I feel like myself, unfiltered, when I wear it. Also: Birmane by Van Cleef and Arpels! but modern, with better ingredients & less syrup

I love this house. I was able to be present at the launch of LCV. FB is an autodidact storyteller perfumer who doesn’t shy away from a bit of naughtiness in her perfumes. Her quality is top tier. All her scents evoke a buttery thick texture, and have amazing performance. No cheapish synthetic bases here. The quality/ price ratio is very good. LCV is inspired by Must de Cartier. It’s an elegantly radiant green galbanum-iris over light but sensual amber with a tropical touch, combining late 70ies-early 80ies esthetic with modern perfumery. Performance is off the charts. I pulled the trigger and got a full bottle after finishing my sample. I’m telling you, green makes a comeback.

First impression: Maybe I am very suggestible or maybe I love when there is a story behind fragrances, and in this case I see the attractive painting of Matisse and the poem of Baudelaire. Francesca creates an ethereal fragrance that comes and goes with every movement or little breeze that passes, creating gusts of a magical summer sunset near the lake, citrus and pineapple fruit trees with creamy and clean flowers create some kind of delicious and intoxicating dessert, and which in turn joins the scene to recreate the PERFECT DAY, with a mixture of a naked, clean and slightly sexual feminine skin ... In short, a trip to an olfactory work of art!