Laine de Verre by Christopher Sheldrake for Serge Lutens 2014

/ australianperfumejunkiescom

Woo Hoo!

Always a little frisson zings through me when I read of a new Serge Lutens. Living on the other side of the world from most of the fragrant action I usually get my sniff on through samples or splits and so I have in my hot little hands a decant from Surrender To Chance, have you seen their New Perfume Releases page? Broken down into the last couple of months of release, it means you can tell as soon as something new hits the store, excellent if you are living in a fragrant backwater.

Laine de Verre by Christopher Sheldrake for Serge Lutens 2014

Laine de Verre Serge Lutens FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Citruses, aldehydes, musk, woody cashmeran molecule

So loads of people not loving this one. Usually I don’t read reviews before I sniff but a way back in November 2013 I was introduced to Laine de Verre by Denyse at Grain de Musc and then caught Victoria’s post on Bois de Jasmin both of whom were interesting for the differences in their wear story. Because they had such different experiences, these two women I revere, it caught my attention though I did not feel that this would be a fragrance that I could like, or love. So my sample is here, it’s a beautiful sunny 20C in Sydney and I have been out sunbaking. Time to try Laine de Verre or Glass Wool.

Laine de Verre Serge Lutens Rockwool WikipediaPhoto Stolen Wikipedia

Whoa! Cold, sharp, sparkling. The moment I spritz I think “This is what the palace in Disney’s Frozen would smell like.” CLEAN! Stainless steel spoon on tongue. Brand newly finished cycle on the dishwasher after all the heat has gone. It doesn’t stay this shiny for long, maybe 20-30 minutes, then something a bit feral crawls out.  All clean, angular, reflective lines and an antiseptic clean hiding filth, well not filth but something jarringly unclean.

I’ll give you an analogy, sometimes after a huge day out on holidays you run back to your hotel lobby and have to use the toilet immediately because you’ve been out all day. So you walk into this frigid, antiseptic and cover fragranced toilet, everything is immaculate. As you sit down to use the toilet up huffs a whiff of your humanity, you aren’t dirty or anything more than a bit sunburned and slightly sweaty but in this arctic smelling environment you are a surprise. All the while though you can still smell the UBER clean bathroom smells. Does that register?

Laine de Verre Serge Lutens Hotel Toilet WikiCommonsPhoto Stolen WikiCommons

So I originally spritzed Laine de Verre at around 5pm tonight, it’s now midnight and there is a lingering metallic musk with a dash of rubber that is both interesting and slightly freaky. It’s very close to the skin but I smell completely other and quite inhuman, I imagine this to be the smell of a humanoid robot trying to pass for life. Though I can’t imagine spritzing this regularly I will keep the sample and see if the mood does take me. Do I like it? Only on an intellectual basis, it doesn’t move me towards it. Actually it might be a good scent for giving the stay away vibe…

Laine de Verre Serge Lutens space PixabayPhoto Stolen Pixabay

LuckyScent has $110/50ml
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $5/ml

Did you try Laine de Verre? Lover or hater? Is Serge Lutens a house you feel fits you?
Do something nice for yourself today, something simple like walk for 10 minutes in the day to enjoy the weather if it’s good, or under an umbrella if it’s rubbish. Maybe spend 10 minutes pulling weeds in your yard or cleaning out your fridge. I always feel good after doing any of these.
Portia xx

 

20 thoughts on “Laine de Verre by Christopher Sheldrake for Serge Lutens 2014”

  1. Hi Honey. Tried it. Hate it. I prefer to chew my fibreglass. Just going to see Robert Zimmerman. He’e performing at an old castle up in the middle of nowhere. Bussi.

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    • BOB DYLAN Is performing near you?
      Cool.
      Yes, I would have guessed you wouldn’t like Laine de Verre Val. I’m not sure if I like it either but it is so freaky that I can’t stop putting it on me to live it again.
      I can’t imagine wearing it out the door but I find it fascinating.
      Portia xx

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  2. I never got on with that other SL scent – what was it called? – L’Eau Froide maybe? – in a similar bottle, and don’t hold out much hope for my liking this one either. I didn’t get on with Byredo Mink either which was also on the chilly side. Thanks for doing the research though! I love a bathroom analogy, obviously. 😉

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    • YAY!! Nice to see you Vanessa. HA! I am glad that someone noticed my story, it struck me as a perfect correlation and I hoped someone would get it.
      Portia xx

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  4. I enjoy many Lutens: my beloved Chergui, cozy Fumérie Turque, the sexy Boxeuses, Ambre Sultan, Clair de Musc, Fleurs de Citronnier, Sarrasins… even sweaty Arabie and that gorgeously pink fest Rahat Loukhoum. But I must admit this one does not tempt me at all. Chilly and metalic is so not me! And as a child I painfully hurt my hands playing with fiberglass from a dismanteled fridge…

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    • OW That would have hurt dreadfully. Solanace. Yes, I think Lainne de Verre is not most people’s cup of tea. Yet bravo to Serge for following his dream and another bravo to Shisedo for letting him. It’s nice that there is a place in the world for boundary pushing towards art.
      Portia xx

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    • Arabie is sweaty on you? So weird. When I put it on I smell like a scented candle store in the fall. No sweat, just that general fall fragranced candle smell.

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  5. I like quite a few of the SL fragrances but I didn’t get on well with Laine de Verre. I love your bathroom analogy and that’s so spot on. “Giving the stay away vibe” – hmmmm, that might come useful on some occasions… Should I use it like a bug spray?

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  6. I love the name for some reason but I know the perfume isn’t going to be something I’d wear. I have yet to try it and I’m in no hurry to do so.

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    • Heya Poodle,
      yes, the name is so evocative I can feel the fibreglass scrunching.
      When you get to it I’d love to know what you thought.
      Portia xx

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  7. I love the bathroom story Portia! Such an enjoyable read!

    The Vetiver story was good too, didn’t know it was used for soil erosion. xo

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    • Thanks Anna,
      If you look up Vetiver you will see that it is capable of taking ruined waterways beck to habitable and yes for soil erosion too, loves salt and sand and can grow anywhere. It’s quite the thing right now.
      Portia xx

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  8. The bathroom analogy is going to stick in my mind and resurface every time that I see it! I didn’t try it on skin, but really didn’t like it on paper . . . Hmmm, it is just perfume so maybe I should give it a go?

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    • Hey there Daisy,
      Great to see you. I hope you’re well and happy.
      Sorry if I’ve bastardised a moment for you but give it a go. Laine de Verre is interesting.
      Portia x

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