Friday, August 29, 2008

Evening Edged in Gold by Ineke : Perfume Review

After having already spent almost a decade in Europe, residing and working in England, The Netherlands and France, the Canadian-born Ineke Rühland’s heart found its true calling in Versailles, where she trained at IPSICA to become a professional nose. Currently, Ineke lives and works in beautiful San Francisco, creating her Abécédaire, the alphabet of perfumes. After A, B, C and D, the alphabetical collection’s most recent addition is, of course, the letter E, in the form of the absolutely stunning Evening Edged in Gold.

Few perfumes manage to inspire me already from the first sniff, most actually inviting introspection and careful consideration along with inarticulate murmurs of appreciation rather than coherent speech, but Evening Edged in Gold delivered its beautiful message with such lucidity that I found myself instantly describing it, singing its praises, to the nearest available ear – a stunned salesgirl. Today, hopefully with less crazed urgency, but certainly with just as much passion, I wish to describe its beauty to you.

The opening is heartbreakingly gorgeous, the fragrant osmanthus besieging heart and senses alike with its beauteous accents of fresh apricots and jammy plums with unparalleled erotic intensity, until they can but succumb. The fruity aspect is deep, dark and slightly abstract in nature, like the scent one would find upon opening an antique wooden cupboard used for keeping fruity liqueurs and preserves. Soon, the mellifluous intensity of the fruits recedes, giving way to creamy, exotic floral notes tinged with a mild cinnamon scent and rounded with the earthy, spicy yet sweet aroma of saffron. And although I hardly need any more coaxing to fall in love with this scent, seeing as I am already in its thrall, what comes next truly seals the deal: a beautiful, ever so slightly bitter note of suede leather starts rising from the skin, buttery soft and subtle, with absolutely no inclination towards aggressiveness. The inclusion of this note reveals the genius of this fragrance: In a perfume so romantic, so chic and sophisticated, so wistful of an erotic ideal under the twinkling of the stars and the sweetly yellow light of the moon, in creeps the very unorthodox scent of leather, seemingly uninvited. But you will have to believe me when I tell you it works like magic! Instead of drawing attention to itself or the perfume, it brings all the attention back to the wearer, for it magically emulates the feel of the skin itself, tricking the mind, breaking the boundaries between the perfume and the body’s own skin-scent. The result? Beautiful depth and a certain muskiness that create the illusion that the soft fragrance is being exuded by the wearer herself. To me, this translates as the feeling of owning the perfume, making it mine, instead of it wearing me. These feelings, as peculiar as they sound, are echoed in SweetDiva’s blog as well, making it clear that Evening Edged in Gold weaves a particular kind of magic...

Ineke Fragrances are available for purchase on the official website and perfumistas located in Belgium and the Netherlands can find a comprehensive list of points of sale near them on the International Brand Services website.


Images: www.ineke.com


11 comments:

Unknown said...

Interesting experience you are having with this one. I have a sample of it too, but I must say I wish I got your opening, not that I get a bad opening, but I am an osmanthus lover. For me this becomes a strangely beautiful creamy aquaeous floral and like you tinged with spices and suade. Ineke definately came up with something unique.

Ines said...

Wow Divina! You described this one so well I could almost imagine the way it smells. :-) I am definitely going to have to find a way to try this one out and see if it smells this wonderful to me.

Anonymous said...

This sounds amazing! Can you tell me if this is in any way seasonal?

Christine

Divina said...

So no osmanthus at all in the opening for you? (Do you also get a little pepperiness from osmanthus frags by the way, or is it just me? Something I didn't notice the one and only time I smelled the blooms, but consistently find in frags with the note) As for water-y notes, I don't find them at all in this one! I pretty much doused myself yesterday, I am now in the total infatuation stage w/ this one, when every time I catch a whiff of it in the air I am like "What is this wonderful smell? OH! It's me!"

Divina said...

Hi Ines! I am planning to send packets w/ samples to several people sometime in the coming week, so if you like, send me your addy in an email and I'll make you a sample from my bottle :)

Divina said...

Christine, due to its wonderful 'melding with your scent identity' feel I get from this gorgeous fragrance, it seems to me that it is perfect for not only every season, but also every time of the day. It is really beautiful. This is one of those scents one could use very successfuly as a signature, always smelling beautifully of it. Of course, the first time I smelled it I immediately pictured a light summer's eve, one slightly chilly evening I might add, that might require a beautiful light stole over a summer dress. But having lived with it longer now, I realize it is a perfume that feels so personal, it is appropriate for all hours and all seasons.

chayaruchama said...

This is one of the few that truly sing for me-
In spite of the intense sweetness.

Divina said...

Chaya, I bet this smells wonderful on you!! By the way, it doesn't manifest itself as very very sweet on me. Judging from your comment about sweetness and Jen's own about certain aquaeous nuances (which I don't detect either), I am starting to think that this is a scent that smells strikingly different on different people... Very interesting.

PinstripedZebra said...

I just love the bottle! So classic but also modern, wonderful design.

Also naming your perfume 'E' is interesting. Makes me think of carbrands, Mercedes especially!

//Z

ginamused said...

i read your blog for the first time today, and i just loved this review. i had previously read other reviews that had piqued my interest in this fragrance, but your description has given me that desperate, unsettled feeling that i know won't go away until i sample. thanks for the great writing. gina

Divina said...

You know, such a beautiful compliment not only warms my heart, it positively makes my day! Welcome to Fragrance Bouquet, and I hope you will become a regular here!

Hugs,

Divina