Wait! Don’t go away! I promise I don’t plan to ask you about each of the dozens (hundreds?) new brands that appear on the market. But there are a couple that seemed more special, so I want to learn what you think about those.
Saturday Question #254:
Have You Tried Any Aphorismes Fragrances?
If yes, which ones? Did you like them? If no, are you curious about them?
A bonus question: Do you have any favorite perfumes by Dominique Ropion?
My Answer
I don’t remember how I came across the news about Dominique Ropion having launched six perfumes in his own new brand, Aphorismes, but unlike most of the new launches, this one attracted my attention.
All my life, I have told stories, many stories. Today, I am adding a new chapter. These six perfumes encapsulate the essence of my craft as a perfumer, the territories I have continuously explored. These essences, I see them as concentrations of life, designed to evoke delight and invite each person to tell their own story. They are invitations to embody emotion, sent to those who will wear them.
– Dominique Ropion
While I can’t say that Ropion is my favorite perfumer, I have several favorite perfumes created by him. And, in general, I think that if anyone, someone like him, after all the years creating perfume for others, deserves to have his own brand.
I haven’t tried any of the perfumes in this new line – A Rose is a Rose, Crazy Garden, Encens Insensé, Innocent Tuberose, My Clémentine and Oud à l’Amour. Currently, they are available from the brand’s store in Paris and from Jovoy. The brand’s site is “coming soon.” I am curious and will even consider paying for the discovery set when/if it becomes available.
My favorites created by Dominique Ropion: Cacharel Amor Amor (don’t have it any longer but used up a couple of bottles), Calvin Klein Euphoria (have never bought a FB but used up a couple of decants and regret not getting it when it was released first), Frederic Malle Portrait of a Lady (still have the original bottle and enjoy wearing it) and Une Fleur de Cassie, and my latest additions to the collection, Olfactive Studio Rose Shot, Iris Shot and Violet Shot.
How about you?
Undina's Looking Glass 
I haven’t tried any of the Aphorismes fragrances yet. However, I do have a few Dominique Ropion creations that I enjoy.
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Even without knowing who the nose behind it was, I was curious to try Babycat but haven’t come across it. I should try again.
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No, but I would like to try a discovery set from Aphorismes. Victoria from @boisdejasmin tried the fragrances a couple of weeks ago at the Aphorismes boutique and she liked the tuberose one the best. She reported that they were all well done, but none of them really wowed her. Those are my feelings general about M. Ropion’s creations, all expertly done, but none of them have really captured my heart.
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I didn’t that see Victoria’s post. I’ll find it, thank you for bringing it to my attention.
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Hey Undina,
Thank you. I’ll try and find the store while in Paris next month. At least I can give you a quick sniff summary of what they are like.
I’m also an Amor Amor fan, have bottles of Costume national So Nude, DIOR Dune, Malle Geranium Pour Monsieur, Givenchy Amarige and Ysatis, Nuit d’Issey PH and Kenzo jungle Elephant. That’s quite a showing and broad range.
Portia xx
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Here you go: 27 Rue Marbeuf, 75008 Paris, France
Or you can try Jovoy. We’ll be waiting on your impressions! :)
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Thanks Undina.
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I also read about these on Bois de Jasmin. I can’t say they sparked my interest. Other lines founded by perfumers themselves that I’ve sniffed have either been pandering to fashion (Oud & Beastmode) or have somehow been lacking. Possibly they’ve needed art direction.
As for my ownership of Ropion scents, I own or have owned bottles of Dune, which he coauthored, Safari, Ysatis & travel sizes/decants/luxe samples of Carnal Flower, POAL, Une Fleur de Cassie & YSL Babycat.
More noteable is that he has composed some of my most disliked fragrances & flankers Flowerbomb, LVEB, What We Do in Paris is Secret, Soir de Lune & Euphoria.
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Great answer. I, too, hate LVEB, but I like Euphoria.
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Same here.
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Me too. I have a tiny bit of Euphoria left from an older bottle. The recent formulation feels so watered down by comparison. I also have POAL for special occasions. Haven’t tried any Aphorismes.
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As I mentioned, I liked Euphoria. Other than that, I haven’t tried any of your nemeses (including LVEB or any flankers – yeah, I was that disinterested :) ), so I don’t have any bad associations. But i think there’s something in your idea about missing art direction.
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Nope, haven’t tried nor am I interested in trying yet another new line of perfume. Think I’ve reached saturation point. DR has created some fabulous and fearless frags though. I have or have had quite a few of his creations. A few standouts for me are Ysatis, PoaL, Carnal Flower and Kenzo Jungle l’Elephant. I’ll forgive him for LVEB.
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I wouldn’t mind trying any number of new lines if I could just go to a store and sniff them. But buying samples… Sometimes, but less and less frequently.
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Haven’t tried them, but now I’m intrigued! I wonder if the Jovoy store in London has them. I love POAL, so I’d like to try this new rose.
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Never heard of Aphorismes, but I do like some of Dominique Ropion’s work. I wore Ysatis back in the day, though I probably wouldn’t now. One offbeat scent of his I liked was Ego Facto Poopoo Pidoo(!)on account of its rice note, and admire several of his FM creations, though they don’t necessarily wear well on me.
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PS I liked Euphoria too, which I discovered at the start of this hobby…
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