Rendez-Vous!

So I was forwarded the sample by a pal and when I first applied it I thought.... what in the untrained, poorly made, indy bollocks is this? It's barely in the realms of existence and what is there smells....very odd. Give it a moment though and a haunting olfactory experience started to unfold, This perfume is majestic! Who is Sonia? What garage perfumer made this? Because they are a legend! Then I realised ohhhhhh this is the Antoine Lie one my friend had been telling me about with the gunpowder and rhubarb! Well...like I said it starts with this back swell of nothing and then flickers of sharp mineral tingle, and pops of flinty fireworks and diffuse, clean smoke and then a growing iris that is ghostly and aerated rather than rich and fatty, but settling at a sort of suede place eventually. What is so intriguing is what Rendez Vous! doesn't do. The Rhubarb note is not the usual tart trope you get in many perfumes based on rhubarb these days but rather just hints at the same effect. So much subtlety here. Is this for iris lovers? No, there will be iris perfumes you like better no doubt, I think this one is for hardcore perfume fans and probably Antoine Lie fans as well because in terms of it's effects, and approach to progression, it reminded me of some of his other works like CdG Girl, and even Secretions magnfique. A wierd but wonderful perfume I don't think everyone will get on with and that's fine, in fact that's probably a sign of genius, I have to say I've not smelled anything like it, so it's certainly ticks the innovation box. Update 25/11/25 Okay so I wrote the above before I'd actually worn this for a day, yes I know that is a cardinal sin, but in my defense I had tried it on the back of my hand and on a strip twice so I thought I knew what this was all about... but not quite. If anything the wearing experience has added to this perfume not subtracted so don't worry. The main takeaway was he sheer weight of the base giving a gummy, jellied amber effect from benzoin (and probably labdanum & vanilla) now I know this is the standard stuff of an amber accord but in certain ratios in combination with the very suedey iris accord it's just created an extra dimension to this perfume as if I didn't think it was brilliant enough.

A truly intriguing scent! It opens with a distinct yet impressionistic note of gunpowder (smoky, ashy, and metallic) which almost immediately sets Rendez-vous! apart from most other iris fragrances. It feels like Antoine Lie’s managed to blend powdery orris butter and ashy/heavily textural aldehydes in such a way that it creates an olfactory impression of smoke that's cold, metallic, silky, "silvery", yet soft powdery makeupy and at the same time botanical. The ionone/irone facets anchor this as a 100% iris scent, yet it remains very unconventional and artistic. Trying to be as descriptive as possible, this smells like a combination of Panthea Iris (but sharper, less fruity, and far more austere), Dior Homme Intense (the amberwoods and the slight, make-upy suede) and the scent of unburned matches. As a concept, it reminds me of Naomi Goodsir's modern style a bit, but it's definitely different from Iris Cendre's strong suede character. It definitely feels cinematic, perhaps like a 1970s noir film about modern vampires (or maybe I've just read too much vampire fiction lately). It’s fascinating, sensual and cold. However, the drydown is far more easily comprehensible as it develops warmer and sweet amberwoody nuances around the whole orris theme become more prominent. Aka, it goes closer to DHI's realm (or, as others have noted, maybe it's closer to Belle Âme, but without the ginger soap overload), while still doing it's own thing on the side. Overall, I think it's thought-provoking, unique yet manages to be wearable (tho not sure how much I'ld wear this myself?). A great piece of perfumery right there. And, in today's world where perfume price tags seem to mean nothing, it's "logically rated" at 150€ for a 50ml.

Rendez-Vous! by Sonia Seiff An intellectual people always dawn to iris. It feels like stereotype but it just repeat pattern I face. A person with certain structure of thinking. Nor good or bad, it just didn't really feel fun to me. But enjoyable than people who prefers Mysore sandalwood. As main palette of choice. Thats boring. But we definitely need them. My iris friend introduce this to me. Rendez-Vous! another lately fragrance construct in something feel like a skin. The main inspiration is black and white nude picture. Portrayal seems erotic but the execution is really nice. A cream white powder with certain warmth. A warm ambient from human breathing in silent air. Textured powder feels effortless and slight Funky. Nude and Naked and it definitely a clean skin scent. I think this is definitely something out-done in late fragrance. For daily use. A vibe of Air de Rien or Sex and Jasmine. But this is pristine, clean and old modern museum. Than something I would repeatedly wear. You know, a typical people enjoy a chaos and gay bar. Something Lifeful. Might come back for a revisit.

Dusty composition, with the gunpowder, which smells like concentrated burnt matchstick heads and leather, center stage. The leather note is like the leather note in Dior Homme Parfum or Black Knight by Francesca Bianchi. The rose and iris offer great support and the finely dispersed, tangy rhubarb adds a beautiful lift. Perfect for Angelina Jolie in Mr & Mrs Smith

A classical, boozy, spicy amber balanced with the addition of modern smoky woods. It feels dark, like sipping a mysterious, floral whisky late at night. Interesting. A glamorous perfume for winter evenings. The opening is intensive iris, both waxy and powdery, with a brightening, orangey citrus — rhubarb is listed — and woodsmoke from the guaiac in the base. There's more going on than the listed notes. There's a spicy aspect, like star anise, and I don't recognise peony as the floral dimension, it seems more like rose and frankincense. The benzoin when it arrives is thick, almost juicy, providing plenty of warmth to subdue the guaiac. It's overlaid with a subtle metallic note — gunpowder — which could be incense again, but the aromachemical kick suggests akigalawood. There's a hint of transparent patchouli to it. I may be wrong. Whatever the composition the floral and metallic facets of Rendez-vous! recede as it settles down to a boozy, comforting, vanillic benzoin suffused with soft iris and guaiac's woody smoke. A polished creation and worth sampling by those looking for a sophisticated, smoky, woody statement amber with a darker, moody dimension.