Tom Ford Private Blend- Musk Pure

If I were in Tom Ford's place, I'd smack his marketing/PR team. And also fire them. You'd think they'd learn a lesson or two from the way his Private Blend was launched. It took more than a year for the line to get the serious attention (and often love) of the perfume community and for serious buzz to start generating among those who test, wear and buy more than one bottle a year. When the White Musk collection was released there was already serious interest, but it wasn't leveraged in a meaningful way. It took ages before samples were available, forcing Tom Ford fans and other sniffers to test all four perfumes at the counters. We sprayed and almost immediately lost track of what wrist and inner elbow had each fragrance, mixing up the names and missing the delicate nuances of the scents in the general chaos and department store air. Most reports and impressions from the first weeks were: "meh". People moved on and lost interest.

By the time samples became available the White Musk collection was no longer the newest, shiniest thing on the counters and the momentum was lost. It's a shame, really, because as I've been slowly discovering, this collection is worth our attention.

Musk Pure is a variation on a familiar theme. Uncle Serge had already created a powdery soft iris-musk blend in his Clair de Musc. Tom Ford's idea is very similar, which might be why I'm still wavering on a full bottle- do I need a butchier Clair de Musc? Musk Pure has a creamier heart and it feels a little less powdery, especially at the start of the scent's development. It dries down quite sweet on my skin and more feminine than the peppery opening suggests, so I doubt those who object to CdM on grounds of over-fluffiness would fall for this one. However, it has a more sensual feel that suggests "sexy" more than "pretty", so lovers of musks are urged to give this Tom Ford another try.

Musk Pure from Tom Ford's Private Blend ($190, 1.7 EDP) is available from select department stores as well as at Tom Ford boutiques around the world. My samples came with various purchases at Bergdorf and Saks in NYC.

Photo by F.C.Gundlach, 1962

Tom Ford Private Blend- Bois Marocain

I can try and analyze Bois Marocain from TomFord's Private Blend until you and I are blue in the face and bored out of our mind. We can be cerebral and talk about the notes, their meaning and ponder if Mr Ford has got a case of Serge-envy, Tauer-envy or whatever. We can snark and say that even if he did, the perfumer who actually created Bois Marocain for him is obviously not as talented as Andy Tauer or Chris Sheldrake. It will be true. The thing is, in the end of the day and as much as I'm not smitten or highly impressed, Bois Marocain smells quite nice on my skin.

Basically, it's a super-resinous incense. Part of it smell very cold and pine-like, other parts make me think I'm sniffing glue. The dry-down is less synthetic and much warmer. It makes me think of nice frankincense-myrrh blends, dark, woody and a little sweet. I find it easy to wear and enjoy what's left on my skin even after 12 hours. The problem is something I hesitate to call a lack of soul, so maybe over-conceptualizing, over-thinking, trying too hard... you choose. It feels more like an idea than an actual fragrance story.

Bottom Line: Encence Flamboyant (Goutal) is a better take on this.

Bois Marocain ($180, 1.7oz) and the rest of Tom Ford Private Blend line can be found at top department stores and Tom Ford boutiques around the world.

Photo of a Moroccan wood door: bladitour.fr

Tom Ford Private Blend- Urban Musk

I had a hard time deciphering Tom Ford's White Musk Collection when it first came out last year. I enjoy the entire Tom Ford Private Blend line and love many of the perfumes, but Ford's habit of mass releases is making the sniffing and choosing too overwhelming. Every time I played with the testers at Saks or Bergdorf I ended up forgetting which was which. Add to that the general softness of these scents that gets lost in the department store's air, the fact they all require several sprays to show their true selves and develop right and you get a very confused blogger. It was only when I got larger decants of the four White Musks and started giving them my full attention that things started falling into place for me.

I have no idea what Urban Musk means. Did Tom Ford mean the funk of the NYC subway? The smell in the East Village the night before garbage day? The unwashed hair of some the hipsters in Williamsburg? Where does an urban musk even come from? I mean, after the Mystery Of Musk project I've definitely broadened my musky horizons and learned to identify the feeling of musk, but I can't describe any of it as "urban". Still, there's something about Ford's Urban Musk that's a bit angular, less fuzzy, maybe.

I might be anosmic to some of the musk molecules used in this fragrance. I smell it, but at times the core drifts away from me and then comes back. I feel like I'm missing a piece of the composition, even though I greatly enjoy everything that's around it. I like the floral opening. It's a somewhat abstract jasmine, maybe a bit too synthetic but the whole man-made industrialized feel might also be part of the urban concept. Most of the perfume as I perceive it is about honeyed sweet musk. Any strongly barnyard/animalic aspect is lost on me here. Then again, part of the reason I adore musky perfumes is because they tend to smell cuddly and soft on me, as my skin neutralizes any beastly aromas. The same goes for honey. Miel de Bois is nothing but loveliness for me (note to self and to scent twin- let's try layering MdB and MKK and see what happens), while some people describe it in litter box terms.

While Urban Musk never veers far from skin level, its longevity is very satisfying. I get whiffs of its vanilla and leather dry-down 12 hours and more after application.

Is it a must-have for musk afictionados? I can't say. Sample first to make sure you actually smell all of it and enjoy the entire journey, even if it was sort of meh at the store. Give Urban Musk some air and time before dismissing it. I'm glad I did, even if I definitely don't need a full bottle of this one.

Tom Ford Private Blend, including the White Musk Collection, is available at Tom Ford boutiques worldwide and top department stores. $180 for 1.7oz.

Photo of Natalie Wood in the 1950s from theniftyfifties.tumblr.com

Tom Ford Private Blend- Champaca Absolute

Is Champaca Absolute the big  fruity floral in Tom Ford's Private Blend line? Yes and no, I guess. The floral heart notes take center stage and they are accentuated with sweet round plums and a plum liqueur. But, really, this is not something that belongs in a pink bottle on Sephora's shelves. The first blast is very alcoholic and boozy. Something between Armagnac and a plum brandy. It reminds me of the smell of the Slivovitz my father's Bulgarian cousin has brought when he visited many years ago. I couldn't decide back than if it smelled good or not, but it's much easier this time. Champaca Absolute smells really really good.

The flowers (jasmine, violet, orchid, champaca) are blended into a single accord of prettiness.It leans to the tropic side, a little loud and exuberant, but after wearing it enough times and learning to listen I've begun to smell the softness that lies underneath. It feels like a layer of silk, not quite powdery and not quite sweet- I guess that's the steamed rice quality of champaca. I have yet to find it when wearing Ormonde Jayne's Champaca which I like well enough, but Tom Ford's version works better on my skin for one reason or another.

Maybe it's the base. Champaca Absolute dries down rich and sweet. After four or five hours it becomes a full blown oriental, even though the floral accord is tenacious enough to still be hover and appear here and there, especially in the heat. I can't say I get the promised marron glace note, but there is quite a bit of sweet creaminess to satisfy my sweet tooth.

Champaca Absolute, like the rest of Tom Ford Private Blend perfumes ($180, 1.7oz), is available from Bergdorf Goodman, select Saks, Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus locations and their online stores.

Art by the wonderfully talented Kirsty Mitchell 

Tom Ford Private Blend Lip Color- Bruised Plum

I usually take more time to review a lipstick- I prefer to test over several days, meals and weather conditions, but I've been getting so many emails and requests about the new Tom Ford lipsticks so here it is. I pre-ordered this one after a visit to the Tom Ford counter at the Saks 5th Avenue NYC store (my local Saks doesn't have Tom Ford). I swooned over the presentation box with all 12 shades though I could certainly live without Ford's oversexualized promotional image. Seriously, Tom, sometimes a lipstick is just a lipstick. And since your potential customers are ladies who know luxury and can afford $45 for one tube, maybe you should rethink how you approach them.

But all the Tom Fordiness aside, we are talking makeup here. The current colors go from the palest beige to deep brown. There are some Betty Draper worthy reds and several pinks. I tested a few and ended up with Bruised Plum, which as you can see is a red-based purple. It was the only one that really looked flattering on me. I certainly hope for more shades in the future.

The texture is very soft and smooth and the pigment is intense. Despite the softness and the comfortable feel of the lipstick it is not moisturizing, so I prefer to wear it over either Chantecaille or Sensai lip base. The color holds very well, doesn't transfer to my water bottle and stays on without feathering for several hours. I know there's a hint of shimmer in the tube, but it doesn't appear on the lips except as a hint of brightness. The look is actually almost matte after a few minutes, which adds to the drama and retro vibe.

Bottom line: Tom Ford is the only man who can make an Estee Lauder lipstick look and feel exciting.

Tom Ford Private Blend Lipsticks ($45) are available at select Tom Ford counters and online from Bergdorf Goodman.

All photos are mine.

Tom Ford Grey Vetiver

Grey Vetiver, Tom Ford's 2009 masculine release, is an attractive and intelligent scent. It had to be, since it was launched into a market that already has several vetiver perfumes that are considered classic. Most vetiver fans own more than one (or six) of them, so seducing us isn't that simple. We've already experienced the bracing (Vetiver Extraordinaire, Route du Vetiver, Turtle Vetiver), the light and uplifting (Guerlain, Racine), the dark (Sycomore, Encre Noire) and the unusual compositions (Vetiver Oriental, Vetiver Dance). Tom Ford had to offer us something that was still missing.

And he did.

While the opening notes are familiarly citrusy and bright and you can't miss the grapefruit , this is not a new variation on the classic Guerlain theme. The scent quickly takes new direction, first with spicy and herbal notes (most noticeably sage), playing the warm and cool game vetivers often do. From green to wood and back, but Grey Vetiver has a certain mellowness, making the ride smoother and more calculated. But to me the big story here is the orris. It's not quite powdery and not earthy carrot-like as some can be. It feels like the orris note fills the gaps and spaces between the green and woody patches, giving the scent incredibly soft. It makes you listen and pay careful attention.

The drydown is also not your average vetiver. The official notes speak of oakmoss, but as much as I try, I can't smell any. I doubt any perfume from the last couple of years that is intended for mainstream retail has enough oakmoss in it to make a difference. What I do smell here is an incredible dry amber. The salty resinous kind, not the garden variety powdery vanilla.

Tom Ford's interpretation might be the easiest to wear among the vetiver colognes in my (well, the husband's) collection. It has no jagged edges or any semi-objectional notes. It's clean and modern enough to befriend the younger (but discerning) crowd, just as it has what it should appeal to those familiar with the classics, men and women alike. I bought a bottle for my father after testing it myself a couple of times. Got a mini which the husband and I used for a while before going for a full bottle.

Grey Vetiver by Tom Ford ($85, 1.7 oz EDP) is available from most department stores- basically you can find it everywhere Black Orchid is sold, including Sephora, which is probably your best bet for a free sample.

Photo of Anderson Cooper: cnn.net

Tom Ford Private Blend- Italian Cypress

Tom Ford had famously said that Italian Cypress, one of his Private Blend perfumes, was conceived as an homage to 'a seventies gentleman … that you never see any more,’. You don't smell many scents like that, either.

Italian Cypress is a very polished fragrance. It has a sense of purpose from the very beginning and it's clear it was composed in order to impress and seduce. It's cool- both in attitude and in the air it gives. The top notes are green and herbal with a hint of spice. When I wear it I smell a hint of sweet cinnamon, but I suspect it's a skin chemistry thing- on my husband, the rightful owner of the bottle- it's all green, all the time.

I love a good cypress note. Eau d'Hadrien in its original, pre-IFRA days used to have a beautiful cypress emerging from under the crisp and tart citrus, smelling like an afternoon nap in a cypress grove somewhere warm and beautiful. Goutal's Hadrien is (was. Nowadays it's just a poor excuse of a scent) a lot more casual, though. Tom Ford's interpretation of the note and the Mediterranean garden is more elaborate and refined. It's sweeter, spicier and dries down into an incensy, mossy wood that speaks of Italian landscapes just as much as of sophisticated dining rooms where witty conversations, laughter and beautiful people are in abundance.

I bought the bottle for the Blond, who fell in love with it the first time he tested Italian Cypress at Bergdorf, but I wear it happily myself. I know that some women might find it too masculine, especially if they never enjoyed wearing sneaking spritzes from old bottles of the original Ralph Lauren Polo (in the green bottle. My dad went through countless of them. I helped). All that green stuff works well to cut the heat on a summer day, but I like it year-round. The drydown is especially stunning and almost chypre-like, the way very few scents, masculine or feminine, dare to be nowadays.

Italian Cypress as well as the other Tom Ford Private Blend perfumes ($180, 1.7 oz EDP) are available from Tom Ford boutiques around the world, select Saks and Nordstrom locations and, of course, Neiman and Bergdorf.

Photo of Alain Delon (I just made my mom really happy): stirredstraightup.blogspot.com
Photo of Italian landscape just outside Viterbo is mine. Taken with my first digital camera in 2003. I miss Italy.

Tom Ford Private Blend- Japon Noir

Japon Noir is my husband's favorite fragrance from the Tom Ford Private Blend Series. It definitely smells better on him than on my skin, but if you ask me, I prefer him in Italian Cypress or Bois Rouge, which I find a lot more interesting.

It's not that there's anything wrong with Japon Noir (other than the name. I see neither the Japanese connection nor anything noir in this scent). It's very friendly to my nose and I like it quite a bit. I'd probably be thrilled and highly impressed to smell it on just about any random man. It's just that Japon Noir smells so classically masculine. The same thing could be said about Bois Rouge, but I personally find it darker, thicker and more worldly than Japon Noir.

The green-tinged spicy citrus opening says "man" as soon as it's applied and keeps things on the light side, despite the smoky patchouli that is the heart and soul of this scent. If you ask me, the rumors about jasmine, leather and amber are greatly exaggerated, though the vetiver is there, before the patchouli covers it. These promised notes only wake up when I layer Japon Noir with other perfumes from the Private Blend. Tuscan Leather, Amber Absolute and Noir de Noir all play very well with it. I especially like the last combination, because it gives the rose a whole new meaning.

Bottom line: The husband smells great.

Tom Ford Private Blend ($180, 50 ml) scents are available from Tom Ford boutiques around the world, select Saks and Nordstrom stores and Bergdorf Goodman. Samples can be purchased from The Posh Peasant and The Perfumed Court.

Photo by Nina Leen for Life, 1954

Tom Ford Private Blend- Neroli Portofino

The last couple of days here were on the gray, dreary, freezy, slushy side. The lawn in my back yard is covered with a thin layer of icy snow and every venture outside requires layers and a winter coat. Some would opt for those cozy, cashmere-like scents. Sometimes I do, too, but not today. Instead, I decided to indulge in sunshine and memories of faraway places.

Neroli Portofino from Tom Ford Private Blend feels nostalgic. It has many of the characteristics of a classic cologne- the sharp bite of citrus, the white blooms of an orange tree, the almost-but not quite sweetness. You've smelled it before in many versions, but probably not in this intensity, because Neroli Portofino succeeds in bringing forth a vivid image of sunny, happy places in the Italian Riviera.

I've been to Portofino years ago on my honeymoon. I don't remember orange trees, but I do remember pines almost touching the water, the clean smell of the sea, the less clean smell of frito misto (deep fried seafood) from every tratoria and the color of the Italian sky in mid-September.

There's something very much alive in Ford's Portofino. It's not a complex scent and doesn't have layers of deep meaning or anything lurking in its folds. What you smell is what you get, and it's full of joy and much stronger than just about any other neroli-citrus cologne in this genre- it lasts on my skin for at least six hours and lingers on my clothes and the cats' hair (my Lizzy who constantly snuggles with me lately has been smelling divine the last couple of days).

There's no musk or powder in the drydown (and absolutely no similarity to Serge Lutens Fleurs de Citronnier). Instead, there's a touch of ambery sweetness which I smell more strongly on Lizzy than on myself, balances and solidifies the perfume and keeps it from evaporating into the nothingness of too many light colognes.

This is not my favorite neroli- that title belongs to the discontinued original Neroli from L'Occitane, of all places, which is sweet, intense and attention-grabbing. I also don't feel the urge to get a $180 worth of juice in a full bottle, but I have no doubt that had a bottle of Neroli Portofino appeared in my possessions, it would have been used happily. It's fun, easy to wear and free of gender restrictions. It just is, like the trees, the boats and the water.

No cats were harmed in testing and writing this review.
Photo from some Italian tourism site. I forgot to save the source.

Makeup At Tom Ford's NYC Event

Julianne Moore and Madonna show what red lipstick can do last night at the NYC screening of Tom Ford's movie, A Single Man.
Gina Gershon, whom I love (saw her in Bye Bye Birdie recently, where she played Spanish Rose. The girl can sing!) chose a decidedly less glamorous look for the same event, but her expressive eyes and perfect eyebrows sort of make up for it.

And, just because, here's Nick Rhodes from Duran Duran. Nobody did eye makeup as well him in the 80s. Looks like he's toned down the look, but I still have a soft spot for Nick and the guys.

Photos: Faded Youth Blog and Socialite Life

Tom Ford Private Blend- Black Violet

Black Violet from Tom Ford Private Blend is an odd one. Maybe because it's not what one usually expects from a violet scent, or perhaps it's because Black Violet doesn't smell particularly "black", though it's not a bright scent by any means. Also, it's a bit more understated and restrained than the other Private Blend perfumes that tend to make more of a statement.

Black Violet has an almost familiar wood-citrus-something green opening, that calls to mind too many men colognes. I almost dismissed it the first time I tested the fragrance, because it was just not interesting enough. But the richer and thicker notes arrive quickly, though strangely enough- I smell them more on my wrist than when applied to my neck or cleavage. Go figure. The violet is not what I expected (it's neither candied, rosy nor Guerlain-like) and is quite muted and leafy. There's nothing frou-frou or girly about this interpretation. Then comes a fruit-patchouli accord, something that can be (and we've certainly seen enough examples, like Calvin Klein's Euphoria) heavy-handed and vulgar, but not here. This fru-chouli is a bit jammy but not cloying and works to add body and texture to an otherwise sheer scent.

Black Violet's drydown is surprisingly quiet. It's resinous, mossy (some call it a chypre, but I wouldn't go that far. This Tom Ford creation smells too modern for that. If you want a chypre go for Moss Breches) and smooth. It loses the perfuminess and morphs into an abstract "smells good" veil that hangs at skin level. I can barely smell it after three hours, but I've discovered that my clothes and sheets retain quite a bit of the drydown and smell wonderful, in a modest, unassuming way.

Tom Ford Private Blend perfumes ($180, 1.7 oz) are available from top department stores as well as from Tom Ford boutiques around the world. I bought the limited edition set of the original 12 scents (Black Violet was one) at Bergdorf. Samples can be purchased from the Perfumed Court.

Art: Black And Violet by Kandinski.

Tom Ford Private Blend- Velvet Gardenia

Smelling Tom Ford's Velvet Gardenia, one understands how some of the Private Blend scents started as ideas and experiments for the creation of Black Orchid. I adore Black Orchid. It's lush, thick, and has layers upon layers of gourmand and earth notes wrapped around the floral heart. The EDT version, Voile de Fleur, is more about the gardenia, only in a cleaner, simplified way. Velvet Gardenia, on the other hand, is something else.

If you're familiar with JAR's Jardenia, you've met the other side of this lovely flower. The cheesy over-ripeness, the hint of decay, dirt and unwashed bodies. It's somewhat melancholy and reminds one of the inevitable death. Velvet Gardenia doesn't go quite that far and doesn't really play with mortality thoughts, but there is more than a hint of the flower just past its prime, together with some of the earth caught in the plant's root.

Velvet Gardenia isn't the easiest scent to wear and would probably put off someone expecting a pretty, floral-tropical perfume. It doesn't always behave on my skin, and warm weather brings out a harsh metallic note that bothers me. On good days, though, it dries down into a gorgeous sweetness that makes me want to dive into my own pores and remained cocooned in it forever. Serious gardenia fiends would be smart to check it out, especially if Jardenia isn't in your budget. If you like it, you'd better stock up, as Velvet Gardenia is one of the Private Blend fragrances that is being phased out.

Tom Ford Private Blend scents ($180, 1.7 oz) are available from top department stores and Tom Ford boutiques worldwide.

Image: Gardenia In The Dark by Georgia.Peaches on Flickr.

Tom Ford Private Blend- Amber Absolute

I didn't get Amber Absolute right away. My first couple of testings made me regard this Tom Ford Private Blend creation as a dumbed down version of Ambre Sultan (Serge Lutens). It lacks the challenging parts: the kitchen herbs from the opening and the chewy feel, but it's still a dark amber with very little (if any) powder involved, and a woody heart. For a while I only used it for layering and enhancing softer scents that could use a darker backbone, and experimented with combining Amer Absolute with other ambers (nothing to write home about).

It was actually the pairing with another Tom Ford Private Blend favorite, Noir de Noir, that allowed me to fully appreciate the beauty of Amber Absolute. Unlike the dazzling pyrotechnics of Ambre Sultan (which I still consider the best in its category), Ford's amber is polished like a smooth stone, but warms up gradually into a resinous incense that makes it glow from within.


There is no real connection between the amber accord in fragrance and the Baltic stone, but I can't help but think of vintage Lithuanian jewelry made with only half polished amber chunks that were kept in a vintage hand-painted lacquered box (I have a feeling my mother is the only one who knows what I'm talking about here. And maybe those readers who hail from the same part of Europe). It has an Old World beauty without feeling dated or retro in any way, and the sweetness is restrained enough to be utterly wearable by men. As long as they really love amber, that is.

I'm still rocking the roll-on from the 12 mini bottle set of the original dozen Tom Ford scents, but the way I'm going I'll need a full bottle ($180, 1.7 oz at Bergdorf, Neiman Marcus and select Saks and Nordsrom locations) sooner rather than later.

Fashion photo by George Hoyningen-Huene for Harper's Bazaar, 1940. Photo of lacquered Russian box from some eBay auction.

Tom Ford Private Blend- Noir de Noir

Noir de Noir from tom Ford's Private Blend was not a love from first sniff on my part. My first thought was "too rosy, too boozy". I first tested it on a warmish day, when it promptly went sour on my skin, as too many rose scents tend to do. I got the saffron note, but there was nothing dark or mysterious about it, and definitely no "noir", except a resemblance to another black scent I can't wear, Montale Black Aoud.

It was a while before I felt like testing Noir de Noir again, but eventually I got it. While it's as rosy and boozy as ever, on cold days there's no sourness whatsoever, while all the dark notes appear and envelope me in a black velvet cape that is closer to Ford's Black Orchid with its chocolate-earth theme than to a traditional red or pink rose perfume. Compare this broody, secret garden-worthy scent to something sunny and uncomplicated like YSL Parisienne, for example, and it's hard to believe both explore a similar main note.

There's something about Noir de Noir that makes it the ultimate rose scent men can wear. Maybe it's the oud (agarwood) and patchouli combination, maybe it's that earth and stone aspect. In any case, as far as I'm concerned, it's another great beauty in the Tom Ford line, and at least this winter I plan to enjoy it thoroughly.

Noir de Noir and the rest of the Tom Ford Private Blend fragrances ($180, 1.7 oz) are available from top department stores and Tom Ford boutiques. Samples can be purchased online from The Perfumed Court. If you come across the box set of 12 minis, I highly recommend it. That's the one I bought last year and it has allowed me many wearings of each scent.

Photo from outdoors.webshots.com.

Tom Ford Private Blend- Oud Wood

Today's theme is serenity, and nothing promotes it better than a serious wood scent. Oud Wood from Tom Ford's Private Blend has the familiar dark, astringent punch of oud without being too thick or difficult. It's still quite cerebral, but the perfume's demands from the wearer are minimal before it yields to one's body chemistry. The result, after the first refreshing blast of peppery top notes, is much smoother than many other oud scents, for better and for worse.

I'm not a big Montale fan, because too many of their ouds are lost to me in a sour rose. Tom Ford's creamier interpretation is a better match for my skin, and I admit to fantasize about a full line of Oud Wood body products. Sliding into a hot bath scented with an Oud Wood oil would have been heavenly, though it might just be my weariness speaking. In any case, there's something very satisfying in Oud Wood's drydown, which has far less to do with the actual oud note and a lot more with a somewhat sweetened wood-tonka bean blend.

Oud Wood is generally considered a masculine fragrance, as are many oud scents. The sharpness is, indeed, the opposite of what's normally accepted as feminine. Not that I've ever let these ideas stop me from wearing a perfume. However, to my nose, this is such a mellow and friendly oud that I'd recommend it to any woman trying to figure out her relationship with this note. It's a good introductory oud before one moves on to try the truly magnificent ones, like By Killian's Pure Oud.

Oud Wood and the rest of the Tom Ford Private Blend perfumes ($180, 1.7 oz) are available from Bergdorf, Neiman Marcus, some Nordstrom locations and Saks NYC store, as well as from Tom Ford boutiques. I bought the limited edition box set of the original 12 scents in mini roll-on bottles.

Photo of agarwood (oud) trees from somewhere on the 'net. I forgot to save the source.

Tom Ford Private Blend- Purple Patchouli

Today's edition of "What was Luca Turin smelling?" is brought to you by Purple Patchouli from Tom Ford's Private Blend. Labeled in The Guide as a "harsh floral" and declared a green chypre "with a rasping floral accord reminiscent of those sticky spring blooms that smell halfway between fish skin and honeysuckle", it was probably not the biggest seller of the 12 original Private Blend perfumes. But not because of any fish skin issue, if you ask me. Purple Patchouli's downfall was most likely that it smells like a real perfume of yore- a dark, big flower looming behind a sweet leather screen. For some odd reason, people don't want to smell like this, and that's a very sad thing.

I don't know about patchouli. I don't smell much (if any) of it in Purple Patchouli. But it sure smells purple. While I agree with Dr. Turin about a chypre leaning, it's definitely not green when I wear it. It's sweet, but doesn't cross the line into candied violets, and have I mentioned this perfume is dark? There's certainly an image of a weird and exotic flower, a mutant orchid ensconced in a beautiful leather case. It's elegant, noticeable and feels very feminine, though I'm sure some men can pull it off. For me, it requires a hat and a matching nail polish. This season's Vendetta from Chanel comes to mind.

Purple Patchouli is one of several scents from the Private Blend line that are being discontinued . It is still available ($180 for 1.7 oz, $450 for 8.3 oz) from the top department stores.

Photo by Richard Avedon for a Harper's Bazaar fashion spread titled Ultra Violet, 1958.

More About The Discontinued Tom Ford Private Blend Perfumes

Apparently, I was wrong.

When I first confirmed the news about Tom Ford discontinuing several of the Private Blend perfumes, I mentioned I wasn't buying the statement about the changes being planned from the very beginning. I was wrong, as you can see in this WWD article from February 2nd, 2007. In the interview, Tom Ford himself says:

"The scents that are successful will stay; others, we'll edit out"

Basically, the entire Private Blend has always been on a probation of sort. The good news is for Tobacco Vanilla fans- this one isn't very likely to disappear any time soon. The bad news is that we, as a focus group, have failed poor Moss Breches and didn't buy enough bottles to keep it alive.

I'm not sure how I feel about the whole thing. The husband and I had a lively discussion about it. He finds the concept and Ford's statement refreshingly honest. I see it as more than a little cynical. Crazy perfume people tend to describe their favorite lines and scents in romantic terms of art and vision. We've read too many Serge Lutens interviews, I guess. But we mustn't forget that perfume is also a big business and both Tom Ford Beauty and the Private Blend were developed and backed by Lauder money. And Lauder, unlike Uncle Serge, is here to make serious buck.

Bottom line: If you're a Purple Patchouli fan, you might want to consider getting that big 8.3oz bottle, as I hear that one is a goner, too.

How do you feel about this issue? Please share your thoughts.

Tobacco Vanille -Tom Ford Private Blend

While I could not find any official sales numbers for Tom Ford Private Blend, it's probably safe to guess that Tobacco Vanille is the biggest hit in the collection. It's hard to go wrong with tobacco leaf, spice notes, tonka bean, tobacco flower, vanilla, cocoa, dry fruit and sweetwood sap (famous last words, I know), and this scent is very easy to love (and wear).

Tobacco Vanille is sweet, of course. And boozy, but not as much as Guerlain's Spiritueuse Double Vanille. It seduces with its richness, shows a lot of depth and thankfully stops a few notes shy of comfort scent territory- it's inviting, but not snuggly. My skin showcases more of the dry fruit and woods, both saturated with a delicious vanilla liqueur and just a hint of faraway smoke. The man of the house has a skin chemistry that brings the tobacco forward. And that's probably the secret of Tom Ford's success with this perfume: it works equally well on most, changing its character with the wearer. It can be masculine or feminine, but it remains quite sexy.

Creating a rich vanilla fragrance is a good step on the road to selling lots and lots of bottles. It's a safe bet, but one can't really fault Tom Ford for making this choice with at least a couple of his Private Blend perfumes (the other one is Amber Absolute). After all, we know what happens to perfumes that don't sell.

Tom Ford Private Blend perfumes ($180 for 50 ml) are available from the better department stores around the world and at Tom Ford boutiques. I own the 12 pack of mini roll-ons that was sold last year. It has proven to be a good buy.

Art: Ana At The Bar by Fabian Perez

Tom Ford Private Blend- Bois Rouge

Since upcoming changes in Tom Ford's Private Blend line have been confirmed, and Bois Rouge seems to be one of the endangered scents, I figured it's a good time to discuss it, before the perfume goes to the eternal perfume counter in the sky.

Why hasn't Bois Rouge become more popular? Browsing the various discussion boards doesn't bring much, which is a symptom, for sure. The few comments I've managed to find refer to its masculinity- some even suggest women should avoid it altogether, unlike most of the other Private Blend scents that are more eagerly shared. It might have something to do with the top notes. There's a sharp spiciness there that is almost meat-like. It's not cumin, but something pungent that could have come right out of a spice rub. It reminds me a little of the opening notes in Encens Epice (from Italian niche house Il Profumo), and similarly, settles down quickly, in this case into a dense woody substance.

From that point on I start to really enjoy the ride. Someone on Basenotes (I might be mixing the forums) said that only very butch women can carry Bois Rouge. This statement amused me to no end, of course. I definitely see and smell the masculine notes here, but it's a smooth and dapper scent, not heavy boots and flannel shirt, so wearing it on my (very feminine, thankyouverymuch) skin has a special charm. I get a slightly burnt patchouli, some leather and this covert sweetness, which one needs to really get close in order to smell. It's lovely.

There's something a bit naughty in wearing Bois Rouge. Maybe because I'm not supposed to go there, or maybe it's the fragrance itself. Of course I like smelling it on a man, but I adore borrowing it for myself, like burying my nose in the jacket of a sophisticated, well-traveled (but clean) man.

Photo of John Hamm as Don Draper on Mad Men from AMC

Tom Ford Private Blend- Discontinued Scents

Rumors have been circulating for weeks now about the possibility that several of Tom Ford Private Blend scents being discontinued. I've contacted the company and received a reply:

"The strategy for Private Blend has always been to add and remove scents as the collection evolves."

Since 2009 has seen the launch of eight new Tom Ford Private Blend scents (not including Grey Vetiver which is part of the regular line), it looks like changes are afoot there. While I couldn't get a confirmation which perfumes are on the chopping block, it seems that several stores overseas have already removed Moss Breches, Bois Rouge and Velvet Gardenia.

I don't know if I buy the claim that the Private Blend has always meant to have scents come and go. It's more likely that they simply get rid of the ones that underperformed. I can't really see Tom Ford axing the best sellers. In any case, it's quite sad and I wish Ford would learn a lesson from Uncle Serge, who has a more interesting strategy of moving perfumes between the export and the exclusive lines.

Image: my butchering of a photo from Bergdorf Goodman.