Pourpre d’Automne

Pourpre D'Automne was originally created in 1924. Its bottle had painted flowers and was designed by Lucien Gaillard. With the revitalization of Maison Violet, it was the first perfume to be revisited, practically, of obligatory form. The new version was completed in 2017 and brought the talent of Nathalie Lorson (who also signs the other two relaunched fragrances). Its official composition lists notes of violet leaf absolute and orris root, making way for a heart with notes of tree moss and absolute of Bulgarian rose, resting on the base that brings benzoin and musk. In addition, the fragrance features a fruity accord, which conveys nuances of peach and plum. Pourpre D'Automne is one of those floral perfumes that has color, smell and sensation. It is like the purplest of the violets on the window or of the satin ribbons, forming a gigantic bow that holds the silk paper, of soft lilac color, that surrounds the most beautiful of the flower bouquets. On the skin, there is a mixture of innocence with impulsivity, showing an initial floral side that is sweetened by the fruits, with a slight powdery evolution of the iris. It’s being a long time since I did not feel a fragrance with this natural content of violets (the flowers, not the leaves) to the point of remembering the cologne my maternal grandfather wore (manufactured in Portugal by the classic Saboaria and Perfumaria Confiança). As if this special olfactory memory was not enough, the fragrance never seems to lose its strength and it is as if the flowers lasted for more than a week in a beautiful jug, scenting the environment incessantly. And that is reflected on the skin and also in the surroundings, something that I had to manage in the second time I wore it because I was forced to reduce the number of sprays due to its huge projection. Although it is a revisited fragrance, Pourpre D'Automne carries a classic aura, completely different from what is in the current market. It's like watching an old movie starring Elizabeth Taylor and not getting mesmerized by the violet color of her eyes. At that time, there were not so many special effects, but the quality of the productions was impeccable, just like in the perfumery. At Maison Violet autumn has color and smell: it is Pourpre D'Automne.

What I like about this perfume is that they didn't limit themselves to reproducing a vintage recipe. The plum and peach accords give it a more modern appeal instead of letting someone smell 'old'. Violet definitely dominates the whole fragrance and one could say this is a mono-thematic perfume. But it wouldn't be Maison Violet if it didn't have a violet perfume as a flagship. I agree that in the current panorama of modern scent this is quite unique and nowadays there isn't usually a lot of focus on violets as the main accord, instead they're used as a support for other leading notes like iris or some other flower. The gourmandy notes makes the violet smell like candy or liqueurish. Reminds me of violet syrop that is frequently sold in France. Although I did say the fragrance smells updated it does carry a certain degree of timelessness too. The moss is practically unnoticeable and the scent is very light and powdery. For this reason it leans feminine but the brand labels it as unisex and confident men can certainly pull it off. The sillage is consistent over time which attests to the quality of the raw materials.

Beautiful beautiful classic iris and violet combination. Violet leaf adds a slight green and dewy tinge. This is more natural smelling florals, calm, serene. Misia is more chalky, resinous and makeup-y. Pourpre d'Automne is more effortless, Misia is more sophisticated, she is like the older sister of Pourpre d'Automne who went to Paris, started using makeup, even wearing bold red lipstick and got herself cultured. While her slightly younger sister Pourpre d'Automne is still dreamy, naive and haven't adopted philistine traits.

Pourpre d’Automne opens lipsticky and waxy, with hints of fruity sweetness in the background. What I love about this it becomes very dry, earthy and plum-y as it dries down. Yes it is powdery in a sense that is is chalky but not talc-y if that makes sense. Very familiar but has unique nuances. My other favorite is Un Air d’Apogée with it’s tobacco iris goodness. Very long lasting and the sillage on this one is gorgeous and projects a little loud for at least the first few hours.

Fantastically gorgeous violet/iris potion. Elegant violent lavender melange floating on an mossy wood base. A bit of peachy plum adds a bit of warmth with a touch of natural vegetal sweet. A bit of rose swirls throughout and enriches the floral complexity. A sweetly resinous base is smooth without being overly heavy. Gentle musk adds a touch of sensuality while the oakmoss casts a shadowed mossy veil that prevents anything from going into gourmand territory. I love this.