Monday, March 24, 2008

Thierry Mugler Mirror Mirror Series, Part II


Continuing our look at the Mirror Mirror series from Thierry Mugler available at Saks Fifth Avenue, today features the last three of the collection.

Dis-Moi, Miroir or Mirror Image by perfumer Fabrice Pellegrin:

Described as a "a lavish, nurturing floral fragrance melding Lily, Orange Blossom, and nurturing milky notes for extreme sophistication," Mirror Image stays close to the skin but offers a soft, sweet gourmand bouquet. Orange blossom and lily certainly stand out during the beginning stages, with those milky and "nurturing" notes underscoring the beautiful, sweet Spring blooms. It is this honeyed and happy stage of the fragrance that compels me to recommend it for Easter and/or springtime. The heart becomes a bouquet akin to fruity marshmallows, much like the sweet gourmand scents catered to the younger crowd. The marshmallow accord prompted my husband to say, "It reminds me of high school." An expert on fragrance, he is not. However he poses an accurate idea in that this fragrance can be considered quite young - not really sophisticated as the marketing description suggests. For fans of By Kilian Love or the difficult to obtain L'Artisan Framboise Tralala you will find something likeable here. Thankfully, the milky notes never turn sour as they provide a creamy anchor to the cheerful, candied flowers, much like a dash of cream adds richness to a cup of floral tea. It struck me as I began to write this review that the name might hold some significance in its description. For the other scents in this collection, I simply saw it as an unrelated embellishment. However in this case, the name does match the close to the skin quality of the youthful, candied yet slightly creamy Mirror Image. And for those of us who feel younger than the image in the mirror holds, this scent provides a refreshing reminder of our youth.


Miroir des Secrets or Mirror of Secrets by perfumer Domitille Bertier:

From the maker of Diptyque Tam Dao comes a scent unlike anything I have ever experienced. If you could see me right now, my nose would be wrinkled like a pug's. This is not my cup of tea at all, however forever munificent when it comes to perfume, I am able to find some redeeming qualities about it. The top consists of fizzy aldehyde, clarifying and uplifting in its happy nature. From what I understand, this is a naturally occuring aldehyde. Boy would I love to know more about the creation of this scent! Bittersweetness is the aspect of Secrets that has my nose bent out of shape. Once the patchouli and musk make themselves known after a few minutes of drying time, the fragrance takes on a peculiarly sour and bittersweet nature on my skin. I reserve bittersweet qualities for dark chocolate and certain spices I use in food. I rarely long to smell bittersweet. However, fans of patchouli and musk with a twist may find this fragrance worth a try.


A Travers Le Miroir or Through the Looking Glass by perfumer Alexis Dadier:

By far my favorite in the collection, this one took me by complete surprise. When I read the description as follows, "The opulent and utterly feminine tuberose, lavish and decadent, flirts with a warm, very masculine, woody accord and aromatic accents of absinthe. Subtle notes of wintergreen make the tuberose flower smells almost metallic," I expected something similar to Serge Lutens Tubereuse Criminelle. What I experienced was a metamorphosis of scent, from the earthy, slightly woodsy and seductive introduction, to the metallic and cold heart of tuberose, to the warm, ambery and soft finish. A spicy element also exists in the composition, reminding me of cumin softened by flowers, probably attributable to medicinal absinthe. On the whole it is quite lovely and beautiful, wonderfully unique and truly sophisticated. This scent longs to be worn by a femme fatale who is confident enough in herself to wear a fragrance so remarkably different from most.

After fully experiencing the entire collection, I applaud the house of Thierry Mugler for creating unique scents worth studying. Because of the price point I will not be purchasing a full bottle. However, I would love a decant of A Travers Le Miroir for special occasions!

(See previous post for purchasing information.)
Image of Truth's Mirror painting courtesy of http://dunedin.art.museum/

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