Hello Fragrance Friends,
You may or may not know that my partner is an electrician, or sparky as we call them in Australia. I had longed for today’s fragrance for ages, just because I thought it would be funny to have in my collection. I grabbed a decant and drained it in record time so then I decided it was absolutely and utterly FB worthy. Every now and then Parfum1 has a 20% off sale and when they had one recently I was all over it like a rash, and here is one of my purchases. Sadly they no longer have stock of
Fat Electrician by Etat Libre d’Orange 2009
Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Vetiver, olive leaves, marron glaces, vanilla, opoponax and myrrh
From the ELdO site: His beauty would have been his greatest asset. A midnight cowboy, his splendor was consumed in the service for others. Now, a fat electrician in New Jersey, he is cursed with the memory of his glory days. Because all beauty carries within itself the knowledge that it cannot last…
Well, there is a LOT of online discourse about the names and backstories of the ELdO range. My opinion is that it’s fun and harmless story creation at its best. I don’t know the people involved but they seem silly and naughty, not afraid to push a boundary and are creating engaging perfumes that are essentially wearable, with a couple of notable exceptions. Here are my imaginary before & after Electricians, he he he!
Before Photo Stolen 24SevenElectrics
How does Fat Electrician smell? On my skin it opens all diesel and woods, which they say is the vetiver, dirty and dark with a greenness and balsamic sweetness all smooshed in together. There is also a metallic tang that reminds me of the years we used to take LSD, that initial metallic almost blood-ish taste as you chew your cardboard. OMG! I just physically shuddered at the memory. Imagine wearing Tam Dao in a mechanics garage, yes? That’s Fat Electrician.
Fat electrician has quite a bit of space between the notes, interestingly it feels both dense and light and bears absolutely no resemblance to my electrician or his ass crack. I get earthy, dirty vetiver and some slight softening and sweetening as the fragrance lives. The resins are not really getting much of a workout today though. Perhaps the cool air does Fat Electrician no favours, I get less growth and the story is far less interesting that in the 20+ celcius weather where it blossoms beautifully. Looks like I’m going to have to put this baby into the return to wear at Spring box and relegate it to the back of the cupboard. DamnIt! I was hoping for a fabulous winter extravaganza with Fat Electrician.
Photo Stolen LaurieFlower
Later the same day: WOW! There is a definitely fresh hewn wood with beeswax polished, finished products and some smoky charred wood nearby. I’m about 3 hours in and suddenly Fat Electrician has started to give me its beauty. In the cool air the life is extended by HOURS! and the release is slower and way more interesting. BRAVO ELdO.
Further reading: PerfumeSmellin’Things and I really like the ambivelence of EauMG’s review too
EtatLibreD’Orange currently has 69€/50ml with FREE WORLD SHIPPING!!
SurrenderToChance starts at $4.75/ml
Where do you stand on the ELdO range? Are you outraged or amused by their names and stories?
We hope to see you tomorrow,
Portia xx
To be honest, I think they’re brilliant. It’s so lovely to see a brand that dares to puncture holes in not only its own image, but the prentensions and ballyhoo of what a perfume house should be. And more to the point, their offerings are hugely diverse, extremely creative and usually beautiful! I love not a few of them…;)
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I’m so glad you like their work Sheila. I have only tried a few but all of them have impressed me. They’re also well priced for niche which I love too.
Portia xx
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I agree with Tarleisio. I think they are brilliant, too. Their price point is almost a bargain compared to what we are seeing today. I’ll admit that I purchased their Putain des Palaces because of the name. However, I really do like it and without fail, whenever I wear it I get loads of compliments. I need to try more of them. Thank you for the review! xoxo
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I should have read your comment before I wrote to Sheila. The prices are really good, especially when Parfum1 has a 20% off sale like this week. How can you resist?
Portia xx
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I think they’re charming. Along with Brent Leonesio’s Smell Bent . I love me some Elegahnce, dahling…but it’s also nice to Just. Have. Fun!
xoxoA
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TOTALLY Musette. They are both really fun, and though this fragrance lark can have me moaning and writhing under its olfactory smell I’m still glad to see really great scents with a bit of fun. It takes more than a name and some silly ad copy to stop ny purchase.
BY THE WAY I love you.
Portia xx
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I’ll find humor wherever it pops up, especially in the Palaces! Your “after” photo has convinced me to try Fat Electrician too. Is he shocking? Will he curl my hair? I’m happy to read that the Fat Electrician works both summer and winter, since here in the PNW we are never really sure what season it is.
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He may shock you and cut your hair. He may just help you to smell GORGEOUS!!
Portia xx
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Imagine trying to chose which ELdO to wear whilst on a trip. I can picture a total freakout.
Hahahahaha. xxx
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HaHaHA! Yes, especially if you had bought the great big sample pack!!
I think I’ll try it….
Portia xxx
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Not without me.
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I’ll be with you next year
Xxxx
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I like a lot of ELDO scents. I bought the big coffret but Fat Electrician is not part of it. Like This is a favorite of mine too. I don’t get offended by ad copy or perfume names. Unless someone directly insults me I’m hard to offend. Life is too short to let ad copy offend me.
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Totally with you Poodle. Only if they insult my intelligence with lies.
Portia xx
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Tam Dao in a mechanic’s garage? Brilliant, Portia! I can literally smell that. The next time I revisit this, I will be sure to compare my mental scent portrait with what I actually smell!
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Thank you BaconBiscuit212
Please do come back and tell me if I got it right. Are you well? It’s very nice to see you drop by.
Portia xx
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I will! The phrase is so evocative, it is irresistible!
Am doing okay, just coming off of a tiring semester and preparing to go job-hunting ;-( But looking forward to posting more and keeping up better with friends!
Always nice to drop by, Portia! Even if I don’t get to comment as much as I would like, a post from APJ is one of the highlights of my day 🙂
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You are sweet. Thank you. Good luck with the job hunt too.
Portia xxx
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I’ve just bought a tester set for £20 and you get 19 samples and £20 off a full priced bottle 🙂
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