Miller Harris Fleur Oriental

This is quite simple, really. I like Fleur Oriental because I love Shalimar. It has a very similar vanilla-amber base that I find delectable and easy to wear. While this Miller Harris creation from the Classic line is not a substitute for vintage Shalimar in all its glory, it is a modern take on this very classic theme and would appeal to fans of well-crafted powdery scents that aren't too sugary.

The original  Fleur Oriental EDT version has a significant floral body, and I get plenty of carnation and heliotrope. If it were a classic Guerlain the perfume would have also featured a violet note, making it more feminine/ethereal/old-fashioned (choose your point of view). Instead, there's some musk here that keeps Fleur Oriental from going all feather boa. I've never tried the pure parfum formula of this Miller Harris, and now I'm kicking myself for not trying (and buying) it when it was around. I have a feeling that it would have been just the thing for me.

Instead, I tried the new(ish) limited edition Eau Parfumée version. The name is misleading because it's not an EDP concentration. The Eaux Parfumée (created for the four classic scents that include, other than Fleur Oriental, Couer de Fleur, citron Citron and Terre de Bois) are actually cologne-like, which is why they come in 200ml bottles. In Fleur Oriental's case, there's a distinct difference in the note balance. It's much less floral and has quite a bit of citrus in the opening. Personally, I prefer Shalimar Light or even the less tenacious Eau de Shalimar, because it's rounder and lasts a lot longer on my skin, but Miller Harris has done this genre justice and Fleur Oriental Eau Parfumée is still a pleasant summer alternative (and far better than the most recent Shalimar EDT you find at Macy's).

Miller Harris Fleur Oriental ($95, 50ml) on all its versions, body products (the bath oil sounds heavenly) and candles is available from MiN NY (including online, but the 117 Cosby Street store is a must-visit if you're in the area). Luckyscent also has it, but they only seem to stock the larger 100 ml size. I've gone through several samples of the EDT that came with various purchases. The EP samples was sent for my consideration directly from Miller Harris.

Images: fashion illustrations by David Downton

Miller Harris is coming back to the US in July

An email directly from Miller Harris in London has confirmed that the disappearance of the line from our shelves was, indeed, because of distribution issues. The good news is that it will be back in July. While it doesn't look like Miller Harris perfumes are going to be as widely available as before, MiN New York (117 Crosby street) will soon have them in stock and they have a very decent looking e-commerce site (minnewyork.com).

Image: Miller Harris Facebook page

Takashimaya closing sale and a possible Miller Harris issue

The closing sale at Takashimaya started on Monday. Everything is 40% off, including fragrance and cosmetics. From the way things looked today, only three days into this sale, I doubt there's going to be much left after the weekend. The housewares floor is already nearly empty and it's almost impossible to find a complete set of anything. But we're not here to talk about napkin rings, right?

 Some perfumes are already sold out, but as of Wednesday afternoon there's still quite a bit left (apparently perfume is less popular than scarves and table linens). A partial list:

Yosh
Keiko Mecheri (Loukhoum is already sold out)
Neil Morris
Ineke
DelRae (Bois de Paradis might already be gone)
Mona de Orio
Esteben (some are already missing)
Santa Maria Novella (stock greatly depleted)
Histoire de Parfums
Ulrich Lang
Caron (a bunch of the EDTs in fancy leather atomizers)
Fragonard (Grain de Soleil and a couple of others)
Ramon Molvizar

Home fragrance tip: While there are still quite a few reed diffusers on the entrance floor (mostly Antica Farmacista), if you go up to the Bed & Bath department (5th floor), there are several other brands (including Takashimaya's private label).

Leaving the store for the very last time was very sad. I'm thankful for the bargains I found, since everything I bought are items I wanted and planned on buying anyway. But it will be a long time before anything even remotely comparable to Takashimaya will open again in our area.

In other not good news, I wanted to check and confirm an unsettling suspicion that something was up with Miller Harris. If you check online, the US e-commerce site is closed (it's a fairly recent development. Last time I checked it was in February and everything looked normal). Furthermore, both Saks and Bloomingdale's no longer carry the line (I hear some Bloomie's stores are selling what's left at discount). A visit to Saks 5th Avenue flagship revealed the Miller Harris counter is gone completely. It used to be the only place you could find the Nouvelle Edition range other than online.

Luckyscent is sold out of several Miller Harris perfumes and there's no date or information when (or if) they're coming back. The same goes for MiN New York- almost everything is already out of stock. A quick Google search shows many online discounters now offer them, so it seems like full stocks were dumped everywhere. Prices aren't all that attractive, though, and some of these sites look a bit too shady for my liking. It's not that I suspect these bottles are fake- Miller Harris isn't that popular of a brand counterfeits would bother imitating. I just don't trust sites with names like dirtcheapperfumes4u (not a real one, but you get my point) with my personal or credit card information.

The thing is that Miller Harris main UK site looks alive and well. It's updated for spring and the e-commerce is operating. So I suspect a US distribution issue, the kind we've experienced with MPG before the house made its comeback to our shelves. To some this up and before an online rumor begins- Miller Harris is alive and possibly well in the UK, but at the moment there is no official and legit retailer in the US (the list of stockists on the website is clearly outdated- they only list Bloomingdale's and Saks locations).

Photo by Alfred Eisensstaedt, 1940, life.com

Miller Harris Geranium Bourbon

I bought my bottle of Miller Harris Geranium Bourbon because a) my scent twin did and b) I really really liked it. Both facts were a bit of a surprise considering the simple and not so appetizing (to me/us) list of notes: cassis berries, lemon geranium and Turkish rose. Geranium is a popular rose sidekick, but this Miller Harris creation focuses on the geranium as the star which is what makes Geranium Bourbon quite original and interesting.

Every spring I plant regular geranium as well as other varieties such as rose and lemon. I love their aroma, but very few perfumes manage to bring it to life in a wearable way. I've heard that some find Geranium Bourbon difficult and I know what they are talking about- I find that there's a shrill lemony note that is very aggressive when I spray the fragrance. However, just like with several other Miller Harris perfumes, dabbing eliminated any rough edges. All MH bottles come with the spray pump on the side and you can choose not to use it with no extra hassle. I wish more perfume houses would take this approach.

Another interesting aspect of Geranium Bourbon is the play on the "fresh" theme without going in the scrubbed clean direction. The freshness is of an early spring day, dewy green leaves and and stems and a sunny balcony. And despite the light atmosphere, it is still a real perfume with a full body and an eight hour staying power. The richness of the heart notes might have something to do with the red rose note, which normally would bother me, but not here. Despite the obvious floral direction of the perfume, it is actually quite unisex and should not scare even  the manliest men.  It's a lot more airy than you'd expect and there's something very modern about the composition, but I doubt it's as simple as it seems at first sniff.

Geranium Bourbon ($140, 100 ml) is available from Luckyscent and BeautyHabit. The line used to be sold at Sephora, Saks and Bloomigdale's, but it has entirely disappeared from the first two and is currently on clearance at the latter (very few items left). At the same time, this scent as well as most of the others in the regular line can be found at many online discounters, a telling sign for trouble.

Art: Red Geraniums by Marcia Baldwin

Miller Harris Terre de Bois

Terre de Bois by Miller Harris must be one of the most harmless vetiver scents I know. It's not bitter or dirty, it doesn't sting or bite and it's served under an easy to swallow citrusy top note. The opening is probably the most aggressive part of the scent, though, because once the more herbal parts fade away, we are left with a soft woody scent, faded greens and a feeling of an overcast day.

Even the vetiver is soft here, thus it makes for a kinder, gentler morning scent. It's doesn't push me to get in gear and start moving. Instead, I feel like drinking my tea while sitting by the glass doors watching the squirrels chase each other all over the naked trees. This softness is what probably makes Terre de Bois a gateway to vetiver scents, especially for women who find most of the genre's classics too masculine. It's perfectly unisex and my only two complaints about this Miller Harris creation is that it's a bit too inoffensive and doesn't last as long as I'd like. I never get more than three hours out of it, even when I spray liberally, and the perfume's quiet nature can sometimes feel too bland.

Miller Harris Terre de Bois EDT ($110, 3.4 oz) is available from Luckyscent, Saks and Bloomingdale's. BeautyHabit also carries it and I just saw today that Terre de Bois and a handful of other scents are on sale there. It can also be found for less than retail price at a handful of online discounters (Google is your friend), and The Perfumed Court sells samples.

Photo by Declan McCullagh.

Miller Harris Fig Amere

I love living in the NY metro area. We have everything and can find the best of the best from any category of items- food, fashion, culture and more. The one thing we don't have is figs.



I have a thing for figs. A huge thing. I can eat and eat and not stop until they are all gone (so does my mom. We've been known to polish off lbs upon lbs of ripe figs). The little plastic containers of six shriveled figs I buy from Whole Foods never ever come close to the real thing, but I still get them and inhale. The best figs I ever ate were in Castel Gandolfo, Italy. We were staying at a hotel overlooking Lake Albano. There were several old and beautiful fig trees on the hotel grounds and one of the employees hand picked and brought me a bowl. I was sitting outside, smelling the air, the figs and taking in the view while eating my favorite fruit. It couldn't get any better than that.

Fig Amere by Miller Harris is as close as it gets to that September afternoon in Castel Gandolfo. It's green and dry at the top, like smelling the tree and the clean air around it. There's no hint of the milky coconut note that is often paired with figs (not that I mind. I like coconut), so it's a bit less foody than expected, at least for the first hour or so of the scent. The sweetness arrives later, in the form of woody amber. My skin probably amplifies this facet, to an almost vanilla-like drydown. I adore it, of course. On a different chemistry I suspect the cedar would be more prominent, so Fig Amere can work as a masculine.

While the perfume has a modest sillage and will not announce one's arrival, the staying power is impressive. I get 16-18 hours easily, from only three sprays. While I could bathe in my bottle, there's no need for it, as the scent is really strong enough. But I just discoevered that they also make a Fig Amere body lotion, and that might be a must-have for me.

Miller Harris Fig Amere ($140 for 100 ml) is available from the top department stores as well as at Luckyscent/Scent Bar.

art: Three Figs by Craig Stephens
photo: view of Lake Albano from Hotel Villa degli Angeli by me. Sadly, the hotel has built a modern and fugly convention center on most of what used to be their garden. The magnificent fig trees are no more.

Miller Harris L'Air de Rien- Dirty, Dirty Girl

When Miller Harris launched L'Air de Rien in 2006, some of the discussion around it was about the muse for its creation, 60s sex icon and singer Jane Birkin. But when the hype dies down and people seem to forget or stop caring about the information in the press releases or the celebrity interviews that accompany such event we are left with the juice.

Does it matter that Jane Birkin did not wear perfume until Lyn Harris created L'Air de Rien for her (funny, I thought she'd smell like what's left of patchouli oil after three days), or that Birkin wanted to smell like old houses, chests of drawers and her brother's (hopefully clean) hair? Is this another case of us buying a perfume because we cannot afford the other luxury item associated with the celebrity, the Hermes Birkin bag? Is any of the above even relevant when trying to assess a fragrance?

I don't know if I can answer any of this. what I do know is that I didn't get to try L'Air de Rien until about a year and a half after its release (another case of so many perfumes, so little free skin). Once I started testing it, I knew I was going to need it. I have a thing for musky skin scents with a hint of a dirty, dirty girl. Rumor has it that there's vanilla and maybe amber in the composition, but for once this is not what my skin and nose are telling me.

I get a lot of dry, polished wood here, quite similar to one of the notes in Chene by Serge Lutens. This part is almost prim, austere and masculine. But the musk makes it a lot more human, cuddly and quite tactile. You'd want to touch the skin that radiates L'Air de Rien.

I've learned that if I spray it, the scent becomes a bit disturbing. It has so much personality I feel haunted. But when I dab it, the perfume melds with my skin and becomes part of me. I have to say, it's a very pleasant sensation.

This clip is of , a duet by Jane Birkin and Beck is cool (and despite what Luca Turin says, her music is worth checking out):

Photo of Jane Birkin from mooninthegutter.blogspot.com

L'Air de Rien ($160 for 100 ml) is available from Luckyscent and Saks 5th Avenue, which is where I bought my bottle, but if you're lucky, FragranceNet sometimes have it in stock and there's always a coupon code available for them. Just Google.