Premiere: 2009 Size: 100 ml Gender: Men and Women Notes: Bergamot, lemon, neroli, african marigold, bucchu, violet, jasmin petals, cyclamen, black amber, musk, vetiver, moroccan cedarwood.
Bal d'Afrique is inspired by Paris in the late 1920's, when the city was infatuated with an idiosyncratic and fantastical vision of African culture, music and dance. Paris embraced the fabulous Josephine Baker as its muse and so does this enigmatic and playful scent. Drawing on the euphoric mix of the avant-garde and exoticism that fueled the artistic life of the city, Jerome Epinette has created a fragrance with the exuberant sensuality of La Baker herself. A vivacious blast of sunny citrus with just a pinch of spicy marigold makes a suitably dramatic entrance, leading to a brew of green bucchu, sheer and aqueous cyclamen and sweet violet. At center stage is the ever-bewitching vetiver, earthy and spicy, and smoothed with sweet amber and warm musk until it becomes velvety and almost edible. An extra soupçon of growl is provided by cedar wood, but the overall effect is less voracious man-eating tiger and more of a mischievous tiger cub – sweet and adorable, but it still has claws. Bal d'Afrique is warm and embracing with a purring, cozy quality that has us at its mercy. Be careful, this one is addictive.
