Hermès Un Jardin Après La Mousson (2008) {New Fragrance}
Hermès after Un Jardin En Méditerranée (2003) and Un Jardin Sur Le Nil (2005) will launch the third of the Jardins series in May of 2008 titled Un Jardin Après La Mousson (A Garden After The Monsoon). It was inspired by the Kerala region in India in that period which follows the upheaval of the monsoon. Hermès stress that instead of going for a spicy interpretation of India, in-house perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena decided to bring out the cooler, quieter facets of this country which seems to be doing a comeback in perfumery if you think of Rose Kashmirie, Sahlini, Kenzo Amour Indian Holi...
Ellena went to travel to Kerala several weeks after the monsoon season to capture the sense of nature's renewal. His composition unsurprisingly seems to prolong his reflection on spare, fresh textures.
According to WWD,
"Though Kerala is a region renowned for its spices, Ellena eschewed hot spicy notes in favor of cooler vegetable notes such as cardamom, coriander, pepper, ginger and ginger flower. He also included a vetiver accord of his own creation."
"The eau de toilette will be available as 100- and 50-ml. sprays, priced at 83 euros, or $122 at current exchange, and 60 euros, or $88, respectively. The fragrance's ancillary line includes a body lotion and a bath and shower gel, priced at 39 euros, or $57, and 33 euros, or $49, respectively, for 200 ml., as well as a body mist for 42 euros, or $62, and a dry oil for 40 euros, or $59, both 100 ml.
A gift set containing a 100-ml. fragrance, a scented home decoration and a book by journalist Sarina Lewis, published in eight languages, including Malayalam, the language of Kerala, will be sold in Hermès boutiques and select department stores for 115 euros, or $169."
Added: Please see our review of Un Jardin Après La Mousson
didn't patou's jean-michel duriez do a sweet, not spicy, take on india, with his sira des indes? his interpretation is rich and creamy - like a wonderful dessert.
have not been a fan of ellena's more recent scents, so i'm not looking forward to this as much as some.
Oh yes! Let's not forget Sira des Indes, a delicious take on an Indian dessert.
I think it's always interesting to sniff his creations, even if it is not your cup of tea. Just as a way of seeing how his work evolves and what kind of ideas he came up with.
But I can understand that if you have identified a vein of inspiration in his work that you don't really like, then I don't think this one will be very different.