Fall into Stars is the perfect name for such a sublime fragrance, housed in a modest and unassuming bottle - it really does feel like I can fall into this one. On initial spray it casts a bitter, sticky aroma with Peru balsam, pink pepper, bergamot and ginger - before developing a thick, waxy layer of henna flower and rose. Soon after, a soft and dry oud emerges - not particularly animalic or fecal in any way, but with enough unique nuance to indicate some degree of real oud in the composition. The base is also comprised of a leathery, smoky labdanum and smooth saffron, with subtle touches of a sweet, resinous amber accord in the background. This is a masterfully blended fragrance which is wonderfully smooth and lasts all day. To me and some others I’ve mentioned this to, it almost smells like hyperrealistic black olives at times which can be a bit weird. Overall however, this scent is beautiful and captivating, but not quite enough to justify £760.
I really find it hard to convey how much I love this fragrance. It's absolute magic, it's exemplary perfumery yada yada all that gushing stuff. In reality though it costs an absolute fortune and begs the question is any perfume worth dropping this kind of doe for? In a moment of weakness/stupidity....? Yes, I could be convinced. Obviously I'm not saying you are stupid if you buy this, because we all have our budgets and if you are a high roller then you can't get much better than this, truly. I mean there's plenty more expensive perfumes than this and if I had the money perhaps I would buy them all, but maybe I'd also drive a Ferrari and never wear the same pair of draws twice...? So there's that. The way it behaves on skin is amazing too. I mean initially I said about it 'filling a room' and being long lived on the strip and 'brutally strong' 'only one spray required' etc... but there's a clue in the expression there 'brutal' and that doesn't suggest a great perfume necessarily, certainly not what I'm looking for anyway. Fall into stars however only seems that way momentarily before settling into one of the most rewarding experiences only delivered by the very best perfumes in my wardrobe. I'd like to say this is only for special occasions but in reality I could wear it frequently and for any purpose and never tire of it's themes. I didn't quite know that straight away (like I said I thought it would be too strong) but wearing it today has cemented the positive feelings I had from first sniff. That first stiff is laden with oud, I mean characteristic, animalic, mild cheese, aged wood, fruits, dark booze it's a cracker and it just develops and develops. Crucially what Laudamiel has done here is make a modern seeming composition that has the heart of a middle eastern, oriental, oud attar, squarely front and centre. It has a honied depth which just keeps on giving. Then it shimmers into a gorgeous leather faceted, skin enhancement, with a huge amount of sweetness but never saccharine and no spikes from pink pepper or anything whatsoever in fact. The leather doesn't even bite, nor is it cliche smooth, you can't (at least I can't) smell any one particular material, it's a big rounded mass of a thing twinkling away like a fine cut opal or the stars the title has you falling into. Just feels like it might be a masterpiece. Thoroughly blown away by it... And being the cantankerous, misanthrope I am, I really didn't want to like it. I mean the flacon's looked average (they are actually lovely in person) the brand sort of came out of no where (don't they all?) what I mean is there's not the heritage story of a Nicholai for example. Also, I remember thinking 'she's pretty' at a lady in the pictures of the Strangelovenyc lab without realising it was Helena Christensen(!) Who is creative director. Not that it has any bearing but an interesting factoid I suppose. Also the sustainability aspect and choice of Oud as a focus may seem a bit passe now but having had a quick sniff of the other ones I can say that the quality and wonder carries through the line. The choice of Givaudan and specifically of Cool, renegade, perfumer Christophe Laudamiel was a wise one, as he seems to be teasing out the magic of oud and the other fine materials they have chosen to work with. I actually feel superior wearing it, not in a ego sense or flexing about opulent, pricey bottles or anything. I genuinely feel pity for others who don't (and really can't) smell better than me today. (wow that sounds patronising and needlessly competitive... haha) This is how I feel though, like greatness is emanating from my person. It's not fair. It's like taking an AK47 to a fist fight. If I come into some money I might buy the tiny bottle because Fall into Stars is too good not to. I think Oud lovers will like it's authenticity but I don't see it being a darling of the Attar crew. This is more about composition as as such will have a broad appeal. It's mesmerising, I am well and truly under it's spell. ps: Oh....Bless the lovely Tanja and Phine from Perfume Lounge in Amsterdam for giving me a precious sample of this stuff.
