Parfumerie Generale- Bois Naufragé

Pierre Guillaume of Parfumerie Generale had me at fig. Bois Naufragé is not his first fig perfume- Jardin de Kerylos, a happy shiny fig in a floral garden, has been around for several years. Apparently, Guillaume hasn't had his last word on the subject, so he created Bois Naufragé, last year's release. This is a salty, musky and melancholy perfume with a dream-like quality. I think I like it even better.

Inspired by a 1971 picture by photographer Lucien Clergue, “Nu au bois flotté”, a nude female body with driftwood, Guillaume achieved a similar sensuality in his perfume. There's something about the smell of a fig tree that takes you there instantly. Combined with a salty ambergris and warm skin, Bois Naufragé smells like late afternoon on the beach. The day is gone, the sun is low in the sky, smells, regrets and feelings are intensified as the breeze picks up. There's a faint hint of tanning oil from hours ago and clean musk. The sea is foaming at your feet, filling your senses with its aroma: airy and green. The fragrance is vegetal, not ozonic/aquatic or "fresh". It's romantic, sexy and heartbreaking in a way you used to know in your youth and even more so now, as you're looking back.

My only problem here lies with the cleanliness of the musk- it's a bit lacking in depth, probably as to not steal the show from the salty accord, but a little sweat in addition to the tears would have been nice here and give this Parfumerie Generale creation a better longevity. I enjoy every moment of Bois Naufragé but four hours is not quite enough for me.

Bois Naufragé by Parfumerie Generale ($95, 50ml EDT) is available from Luckyscent.

Art: Shipwrecked on the Sardinia island by Massimiliano Peana