Decoding Chypres theme
You can order all perfumes featured in this theme as a pack of samples.
In this theme
For changeable seasons may we suggest trying chypre. A versatile perfume style that has both fresh and warming nuances; something we need in Spring when the weather requires a coat one day and a t-shirt the next.
Chypre is a classic perfume recipe that is over a century old: with citrus openings (often bergamot), a balsamic base with labdanum and crisp oakmoss vibes on the side.
Since 1917 when Coty released their iconic Chypre, perfumers have experimented with this style many times over. There are classic retro chypres as well as reworks that focus on specific building blocks. Chypres can vary from fresh to animalic and may include floral, gourmand, fruity lactonic and other twists.
This edit features perfumes illustrating the beauty of the classic chypre architecture and some exciting contemporary interpretations.
A proper retro execution of the chypre style. One aspect that makes Savitri very retro is the complexity of the formula and the choice of natural rare ingredients. Contemporary fashion and tastes dictate much simpler, delayered recipes with synthetics. The chypre logic is also there: citruses and aldehydes, oakmoss as well as the dark civet and incense drydown.
In Chypre Shot all the focus is on the classic chypre effect; created by the citrus, oakmoss, dark balsamic resin combination. The perfumer throws in a delectable coffee and cardamom duo for a gourmand twist.
This perfume illustrates what happens in a chypre when there is more focus on the sugnature balsamic tones of the chypre recipe. Enfanta en Flor is dedicated to Spanish leather, historically treated with labdanum to make it waterproof and to add its signature aroma (lengths one had to go to before branding was even invented). This perfume is an authentic leather chypre.
In this perfume all the focus is on the citrus opening of classic chypres, with almost no screen-time dedicated to resins and oakmoss (creatively replaced with ginger and spices). However, it might be interesting to recognize that citrus block of the chypre recipe on its own so it’s easier to detect and savor it in more complex blends.
In Revenge authentic vintage ingredients have been arranged in the genuine retro way. Anna Zworykina produces micro batches of olfactive experiences rather than spray-douse-and-go perfumes in the modern sense of the term. If you are curious what a fashionable lady might have been using on her furs in the pre-synthetics era – Revenge is an excellent reproduction of the first half of the 20th century chypre glamor.
A classic chypre with a fruity lactonic (aka milky) twist of peach.
A chypre updated for the 21st century's pace of life. There is a bold rose-tobacco intrigue at the core and fancy chypre references around it: bergamot, herbs, moss aldehydes, and lactonic fruit.
This perfume illustrates what happens in a chypre when there is more focus on the balsamic part of the recipe. Larmes Du Désert, ‘tears of the dessert’ - an allusion to precious incense resins to be found in the sands and shores of Levant: benzoin, labdanum, myrrh and more. This perfume is great for sensing that signature balsamic nuance of any chypre.
