The iris flower in all its purple and white glory.
Orris root drying in the hot Tuscan sun. Image via alcademics.com
A handful of the fragrances mentioned in this post on the counter at our boutique on SE Division Street in Portland.
From time to time we are going to be exploring a different raw material and the fragrances that feature said material. This will hopefully be an ongoing series and, as we grow, we will delve ever-deeper into the void. We begin this series today with one of my personal favorite raw materials, iris. So as you know, the iris is a flower. The varieties used in fragrance are Iris germanica and Iris pallida. One of the things that makes iris such an interesting material is the fact that perfumers aren’t interested in the flower of the iris but the rhizome. The iris bulbs (known as orris root or simply orris) are harvested, cut, cleaned, dried and aged for a period of three to five years. Only after aging does the material reveal its beautiful aroma. Steam distillation of the dried rhizomes produces a thick, oily material known as orris butter.
The laborious nature of the harvest and production of orris butter helps to explain the material’s high price (orris butter from Florence goes for over $30,000 per kilogram) but its intoxicating aroma has made it a staple in fine fragrance for over a century. Due to its prohibitive cost, it was only used sparingly but recent developments have allowed fragrance chemists to artificially age orris root causing orris butter to drop in price and enabling perfumers to use the material in new and interesting ways. Moreover, the discovery and development of dozens of synthetics with iris-like qualities have dramatically expanded the perfumer’s palette leading to more iris fragrances than ever on the market.
Described variously as earthy, rooty, buttery, powdery and bread-like, the aroma of orris root is simultaneously unusual and beautiful. Below I have included a list of fragrances with dominant iris notes. Please comment below and let us know which iris fragrances you love and what you think of this material.
One of the earliest photos of the space that would become Fumerie Parfumerie.
"2016 was destined to be the year my dreams came true."
Tracy and André look on as contractor Gregor Myers works on the space.
The fragrance wall nears completion behind the bar.
The former exterior of Fumerie before the remodel with its former paint job: brown, taupe and Cuban orange.
The finished exterior of Fumerie. The custom sign and window art were hand-painted by local artist Craig Brown. Photo: T. Tsefalas
"The space itself couldn't be more perfect."
The finished interior of Fumerie is warm and inviting, just as Tracy Tsefalas envisioned.
A comfortable chair and Luca Turin & Tania Sanchez's Perfumes The Guide—can you think of a better afternoon?
Tracy and André unpack product two days before the soft opening.
For years I have indulged in brief moments of delight, imagining the setting of my fantasy fragrance boutique.
The color palette and overall tone would be one of comfort and refuge. The lines would be simple and clean. No overcrowded cases or shelves would obstruct one’s view of the beautiful packaging and bottles. The carefully chosen fragrance selection would be the focal point of the small, intimate space.
Tracy and André survey the progress of the bar in the freshly-painted space.
A sliding library ladder was always an essential element; it has been one of my desires since childhood. The general essence of a library—whether a private den or a grand library with endless rows to discover—was at the heart of my vision for Fumerie.
Selecting a fragrance is such an intimate experience, one that can be enhanced by a positive exchange with a specialist, who serves as a guide through the process of fragrant discovery. The addition of a classic wooden bar seemed a perfect fit for this hands-on exploration of fragrance. Just as a bartender serves as a confidant of sorts, so too does the fragrance specialist in uncovering the customer’s wants and desires in the arena of fragrance.
2016 was destined to be the year that my dreams came true. It was time to move forward and realize my vision of a fragrance boutique centered around the artistry of fragrance and dedicated to honoring those who spend their lives creating these olfactory works of art. Our decision to focus on niche and independent fragrance houses reflects our desire to focus on creativity and innovation. In the current world of perfumery, niche and independent houses represent the creative core of the industry. They fearlessly release unique and remarkable fragrances in a market increasingly saturated with endless imitations.
The space itself couldn’t be more perfect. Housed in a 1919 brick building, our intimate 500-square foot boutique has everything I wanted. A cozy and welcoming space? Check! Thick, floating wooden shelves? Check! A library ladder (evoking the charm of Audrey Hepburn in Funny Face)? Check!
The bar is the heart of Fumerie Parfumerie—a place for perfume aficionados and beginners alike to come together and indulge in the finest fragrances in the world.
Through endless hard work and with the assistance of close friends and loved ones, Fumerie opened its doors on February 23, 2016. My vision is finally a reality and I am thrilled to share it with everyone seeking unique, quality fragrances in a setting that feels like a warm embrace. Welcome to Fumerie Parfumerie—the way fragrance shopping was meant to be!
Congratulations to Robyn C. You won a full bottle of Les Indes Galantes by MDCI. Thank you to everyone who participated. Be sure to sign up for our April 2016 giveaway. You can enter by navigating to the Giveaways link in the navigation menu or by clicking here. Good luck!
Our grand opening took place on March 8, 2016. We had planned for a three hour event and hoped for a good turnout. We were delighted to discover just how excited the fragrance community was to have us in town. We were completely packed from 6:00 pm until nearly half-past 10:00 pm. Below we have posted our favorite pictures of the grand opening. Thank you so much to everyone who attended. We are so thrilled to be here and so grateful for the warm welcome!
As a young girl I remember being completely transfixed by Picasso’s first major effort in printmaking, The Frugal Repast. As the rest of my family wandered the cavernous halls of the Miami Art Museum, I stood alone in motionless awe, experiencing for the first time the transformative power of art. Years later I was to have a similar experience. This time, however, the catalyst was not a print, but a perfume. Thus began my love affair with fragrance—a journey that began with few drops of liquid from a slate-black bottle.
If you're a fragrance lover you see the terms all of the time: eau de toilette, eau de parfum, eau de cologne. But what exactly do they mean? When someone says a perfume is "oil-based," what does that mean for you? What is a pure perfume? Why do perfumes cost so much money for such a small amount? The answers may surprise you.
Our Grand Opening is on Tuesday, March 8th. We are excited about sharing the beauty and artistry of our carefully selected niche lines with everyone. We will have a fragrance raffle, refreshments and snacks, personal fragrance consultations and fragrance sampling for those who wish to explore a particular scent a bit further.
