Darren Alan Perfumes Vrai Violette Review

Darren Alan Vrai Violette courtesy of the brand

If you catch a whiff of violets from the darkness of the shadow of man

it will be spring in the world,

it will be spring in the world of the living;

wonderment organising itself, heralding itself with the violets,

stirring of new seasons. ~ Craving For Spring, by D.H. Lawrence

Darren Alan of Darren Alan Perfumes

Is there anything that rivals the exquisite odor which the humble violet proffers – be it represented as a tender cosmetic kiss of powder, a deeply racinous presence, a ghostly blossom crouching in the undergrowth, the verdant limpidity of an aquarelle, a shimmer of glinting mauve-hued silver? As is the case with any olfactive entity, the violet is sometimes perceived as a polarizing note in perfumery. Those who are either ambivalent or dislike it express the opinion that it is out of date, out of fashion, the province of old ladies: grandmotherly, the scent of a withered bosom and faded dandies. I shudder at the thought. How can an innocent flower be so maligned, especially one with such a significant history? Artisanal perfumer Darren Alan of Darren Alan Perfumes is clearly an avid student of history who venerates his raw materials, as evidenced by his impressive neo-vintage aromatic output. His latest perfume of the month (June) Vrai Violette is an homage to the classical elegance of Vera Violetta, created by Henri Roger of Roger & Gallet in 1894. It is a work of art, a living, breathing reminder that the past has value and may often stand the test of time – as Vrai Violette (True Violet) does. Up until 1893, when German chemists Paul Tiemann and  Ferdinand Krüger discovered alpha and beta ionones, the Viola odorata was extracted from the fragrant Parma violet and its absolute was astonishingly costly, which only deepened its association with royalty and the aristocracy. The Emperor Napoléon’s first wife Empress Joséphine loved the violet best (he sent her a bouquet of them every year on their wedding anniversary), and so it came to be a symbol of his dynasty; in fact, Napoléon was affectionately known as Caporal Violette.

Sappho and Erinna in a Garden at Mytilene 1864 by Simeon Solomon, via The Tate and Wikipedia

Violets have charmed us for aeons. If we glance back over two and a half thousand years ago, we are reminded that the famed Greek poet Sappho, who lived on the island of Lesbos in the 6th C. BCE – mentions in her surviving work garlands of violets placed “on the slender neck” of a girl. The ancient Greeks claimed the violet as the official symbol of Athens because the Greek word for violet (ion) matched the name of Athens’ founder, and poets like Pindar immortalized Athens as the “Violet-Crowned City”. The Latin word viola was later employed by Christianity to connote the blessed Virgin – a symbol of humility and modesty. In the Victorian language of flowers (floriography), gifting them intended that the one who bestowed them would be forever faithful to their recipient. Violets were assigned meanings: A white violet symbolized innocence and purity, whereas a purple violet indicated that ‘thoughts were occupied with love’; yellow ones were thought to be representative of joy and light-heartedness. Queen Elizabeth, I wore water of violets, a fragrance created by her perfumer Ralph Rabbards, until the end of her days – and Queen Victoria (even though we have come to associate her with orange blossom) was so fond of her favorite flower that she mentions violets 105 times in her journals! Like the Tudors before them, Victorians used violets primarily in candies, cakes, pastries, and in everyday life. Violets were featured in hatbands, buttonholes and lapels, and were sold in the marketplace as nosegays on every corner. These blooms have been strongly associated with the crown chakra, the seat of higher consciousness and divine connection. Both traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine use violets to treat respiratory and cutaneous afflictions, as well as a general tonic. They are believed to possess cooling and anti-inflammatory properties.

Darren Alan Perfumes Vrai Violette ingredients courtesy of the brand (collage MC)

Darren Alan Perfumes Vrai Violette is one of the most charming violets I have had the pleasure of smelling – and considering how many violet-forward fragrances I’ve cherished and amassed over the decades, that’s saying something. I’ve not had the opportunity (as yet) to experience Roger & Gallet’s Vera Violetta, its inspiration – even though a favorite seller is in possession of one very rare flacon; it’s simply way beyond my means. I don’t intend to sound presumptuous, but the expertise which Darren offers us is so lustrous and nuanced that I can’t help but feel that Vrai Violette has to be representative of its namesake. Complex, sophisticated, and earthily floral, this parfum is dulcet enough to evoke a decided floralcy, but that is only the tip of the iceberg. I love the rooty aspect of its ionones, the crisp cucumber-y pellucidity of violet leaf, a floating watery world of pastel hues. Orris is a natural companion of choice here, a silvery mirror; ylang-ylang contributes a bananalike butteriness rendered as caressingly soft and complementary without overstaying its welcome. Its indolic nature is quietly haunting, and a perfect foil for the fascinating synthetic vintage deer musk accord and ambergris which ensue. Whatever trade secret constitutes Darren’s deer musk accord, it must have taken him a tremendous amount of time and effort to perfect – because it’s spot on. Several decades ago (before it was a big no-no, and such things were readily available, like Mysore sandalwood) I was able to purchase a small quantity of the real deal, so I have a frame of reference. The tender persistence of both musk and ambergris create an aura of mystery and beautiful ambiguity which I find mesmerizing. I don’t see how anyone could settle for relegating Vrai Violette to the past alone, because it is intemporal. A little ephemeral, a touch animalic, an earthly unearthly. I highly recommend trying it while you can, because Vrai Violette merits classic status.

Notes: bergamot, violet flower, ylang-ylang, violet leaf, orris, ambergris, vintage deer musk accord (synthetic)

Vrai Violette generously offered for review; my nose is my own…

~ Ida Meister, Deputy and Natural Perfumery Editor

Thanks to the generosity of Darren Alan Perfumes, we have a 10 ml bottle of Darren Alan Perfumes Vrai Violette for one registered reader in the USA. You must register for your entry to be counted. To be eligible, please comment on what interested you based upon Ida’s review, and where you live in the USA.

All images courtesy of the perfumer unless noted.

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Our reviews of  Darren Alan Perfumes X CaFleureBon Scarab Queen Vintage Novel, Trèfle, Dust and Clay, CaFleureBon X Darren Alan Lipstick Queen, Hekate. Darren Alan is also a contributor to our in-depth essays on Perfume Notes and Ingredients: Narcissus in Perfumery, Benzoin in Perfumery, and Cinnamon in Perfumery.

His Profile in American Perfumery here

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