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Post by Ainslie Walker
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The Aussie Fragrance Network Facebook Group gathered recently in the Sydney Botanic Gardens for a perfume picnic. With food, drinks, blankets, perfumes, bright pink umbrellas, games and excited chatter, it had the air of Mad Hatter’s tea party, yet exclusively for members of the olfactive underworld!!
Aussie Fragrance Network Picnic, Sydney + Photo Essay
Dedicated attendees flew in from Melbourne especially for the event (thanks Taeko and Richie) joining regular Sydney faces; Scott, Kerry, Simon, Willa, Michael, Tina, Claire, Alex, Rebecca, Sonya, Kerry and I. We each met new friends, caught up with old faces and fragrant cyber friends ‘came to life!’
Picnic rugs were spread and in the middle a huge banquet of foods lay, including homemade macarons, cous cous salad, cheese platters, dips, caramel slice, sandwiches, iced tea, watermelon drenched in rosewater, grapes, wine and juices. Suddenly out from well-packed cool bags the fragrances flowed around in anticlockwise direction starting and ending with Scott.
From vintage to unreleased offerings, many unavailable in Australia, niche, mainstream and everything in-between! Decants were swapped and Portia had generously donated some giveaways!
Taeko was hostess to a little “what fragrance is this” with 2 unlabeled vials. It was on the tip of everyone’s tongues and we finally guessed it to be Comme des Garcons 2 but by the time I left the other was still a mystery. (Did anyone guess it?)
Here’s what we smelt!! Count how many you’ve tried!!
4160 Tuesdays – Ealing Green
Amouage – Ubar, Fate Woman, Silver Cologne
Andrea Maack – Coven, Dark
Andy Tauer – L’air du Desert Moroccan, Loretta, Lonestar Memories
Aramis – 900, Calligraphy Rose
Atelier Cologne – Gold Leather
Bentley – Intense for Men
Biehl Parfumkunstwerke – GS02
Byredo – M/Mink, Flowerhead
Calvin Klein – Obsession for Men
CB I Hate Perfume – M2 Black March
Comme des Garçons – Series 8 Guerilla 1
Comme des Garçons x Monocle – 1 and 2
Criminal Elements – Blackwater Thistle
Demeter – Dirt
Diptyque – L’eau
Eight and Bob – Cap d’Antibes
Esteban – Baume Tolu
Estee Lauder – Super Cologne
Etat Libre d’Orange – Fat Electrician, Remarkable People
Etro – Gomma
Givenchy – Gentleman
Gucci – Gucci No #3
Imaginary Authors – Air of Despair, Bulls Blood
Jacques Bogart – Furyo
Jean Couturier – Coriandre
Jean Desprez – Bal a Versailles
Jean-Louis Scherrer
Kenneth Cole – New York
Les Parfums de Rosine – Twill Rose
Marc Jacobs – Mod Noir, Daisy Dream
Martin Margiela – Untitled
Mona di Orio – Rose Etoile de Hollande, Violet Fumeé
Montale – Taif Rose
Nicolai Parfumeur Createur – Le Temps d’une Féte
Olympic Orchids – Tropic of Capricorn
Ormonde Jayne – Qi
Papillion –Anubis, Tobacco Rose
Phaedon – Dzhari
Roads – Lights, Supernova
Robert Piguet – Futur
S-Perfume – Musk S
Serge Lutens – Sarasan
Smell Bent – Leathery
Tokyo Milk – Marine Sel, Dead Sexy
Versace – Blonde
Yves Saint Laurent – Rive Gauche
Why not try your own little perfume sampling and swapping picnic soon!!
Thanks to all involved, I had a blast and what a gorgeous setting!! xxx
All photos courtesy Kerri Clarke. Thank You.
A gathering of the olfactive underworld! I love it. What a great setting for spritzing too – no fear of annoying other customers at a cafe/restaurant.
How cool that people flew in from Melbourne too. Sounds like a really fab group.
I particularly love that you tested Ealing Green. I am in Ealing right now and I haven’t tried it yet 🙂
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Yes a really fabulous group! I took along the Ealing Green. I love it! So beautiful and balmy – you must try it 😀 It’s down at Fortnums in London xx
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It was a great day, Ainslie! Very fun and so lovely see everyone. Thanks for the article. wow… All those fumes! We are keen… 🙂
xx Tina G
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thanks, was great to see you!! xx
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It was really great to see so many smiles – what a lovely day! Note: lack of pink umbrella/parasol in the photos, as I was holding that over me while I snapped the pics!
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Ha ha! Thanks for organising! Next time we will snap the brolly!
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quite an interesting party…maybe one of these days, i would have such a one in Central Park, NY 🙂
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Yes! That would be a great location and I know quite a few perfume lovers in NYC! MAke sure to let us know when you are having it 😀
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it may be some time but you have given me a great idea
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PS: I don’t think all those photos are mine; not sure who else contributed…
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Hi love, the ones that are not yours were mine 😀 xxx Thanks again
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Such a hot day but there was wonderful shade and a cool breeze from the harbour (and always too much food and too many perfumes!). I was there but I only recall smelling a fraction of those strips. It does become overwhelming but how amazing that we can come up with a range like that by just bringing a few things each. On the day, I also smelled vintage Balenciaga pour Homme and Ho Hang Club and was given a few parcels of goodies from generous members happy to share their collections. Good times all round.
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Oh, and vintage Faberge Babe! Some strips were smuggled off site and never made it into print, Ainslie.
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