{"id":7227,"date":"2007-07-27T13:50:35","date_gmt":"2007-07-27T18:50:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nstperfume.com\/2007\/07\/27\/the-end-is-here-a-scented-dialogue-%e2%80%94-monsieur-balmain-old-new\/"},"modified":"2014-11-16T09:25:53","modified_gmt":"2014-11-16T14:25:53","slug":"the-end-is-here-a-scented-dialogue-monsieur-balmain-old-new","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nstperfume.com\/2007\/07\/27\/the-end-is-here-a-scented-dialogue-monsieur-balmain-old-new\/","title":{"rendered":"The End is Here: A Scented Dialogue \u2014 Monsieur Balmain, Old & New"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Balmain<\/p>\n

Setting<\/span>: A crowded perfume cabinet in the Pacific Northwest.<\/p>\n

Main Characters<\/span>:<\/p>\n

Monsieur Balmain (\u201cMonsieur\u201d): the original Pierre Balmain<\/a> fragrance for men;<\/p>\n

Monsieur Balmain (\u201cMB\u201d): the reformulated version of Monsieur Balmain.<\/p>\n

Monsieur \u201cawakes\u201d and is startled to see a new, bright yellow bottle standing next to him on the perfume shelf.<\/p>\n

Monsieur: Excusez-moi monsieur<\/em>, we have not been introduced. Could you turn just a bit\u2026. What? Is this a joke? MY name is Monsieur Balmain, yet \u201cMonsieur Balmain\u201d is written on your garish bottle! Imposter!<\/p>\n

MB: Calmez<\/em>! You\u2019re too old for such excitement! Your label will fall off or, worse, you\u2019ll start leaking! My name is Monsieur Balmain, and I\u2019m the new you.<\/p>\n

Monsieur: The new me? TOO OLD?! This is outrageous! What would Germaine think!?<\/p>\n

MB: Germaine? Who\u2019s he?<\/p>\n

Monsieur: MADAME Germaine Cellier<\/a>! \u2014 one of the greatest perfumers of all time! She created me in 1964. Who\u2019s your perfumer?<\/p>\n

MB: I have no idea. Monsieur: Let me smell you. Spray!<\/p>\n

MB: Pssssst.<\/p>\n

Monsieur: (inhaling deeply) I can barely detect your scent; spray a little longer s\u2019il vous plait.<\/p>\n

MB: Psssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssst!<\/p>\n

Monsieur: I smell we\u2019re related, but you are so \u201cfresh\u201d\u2026perhaps a bit TOO fresh?<\/p>\n

MB: Not fair! Let me smell you!<\/p>\n

Monsieur: Ah, my screw cap is sticking\u2026uh…um\u2026there we go! I am not a spray; come close and sniff my neck.<\/p>\n

MB: (Sneezing) Not necessary! You\u2019re so strong I can smell you over here! And, no offense, but I\u2019m usually not attracted to old perfume bottles, so I\u2019ll pass on the neck sniffing!<\/p>\n

Monsieur: IMPERTINENT! I was not suggesting any layering! We\u2019re related after all!<\/p>\n

MB: Okay, okay! I apologize. Let\u2019s see (inhaling) \u2014 I smell lemon\u2026fruit\u2026citrus fruit\u2026something lemony<\/em>\u2026.<\/p>\n

Monsieur: You only smell LEMONS? I am made of many essences: bergamot, lavender, basil, jasmine, lemon grass, ginger, carnation, cyclamen, oak moss, cedar, musk, leather, patchouli and, yes \u2014 lemons.<\/p>\n

MB: I smell lemons.<\/p>\n

Monsieur: Apparently, you have a clogged nozzle. I am vibrant and complex<\/em>! Lemon does dominate my personality, but it is an authentic, deep, warm lemon. I smell of whole lemons simmering in sweet syrup flavored with lavender, basil, Thai lemon grass and ginger, stirred by a spoon of precious cedar wood, with jasmine blossoms floating on the surface of my golden liquid! I quench the \u2018thirst\u2019 of perfume lovers searching for an immortal perfume!<\/p>\n

MB: Such florid talk! As for \u201cimmortal perfume,\u201d pardonnez-moi<\/em>, monsieur<\/em>, I hate to be the one to break the news, but you were sort of discontinued in 1990. Nineteen-ninety was my birthday. I am \u201cyou,\u201d only better\u2026I mean \u2014 \u201creformulated!\u201d<\/p>\n

Monsieur: Discontinued! Reformulated! Holy Pierre! Mother of Germaine! Pourquoi<\/em>?<\/p>\n

MB: You needed updating! Carnation<\/em>? Lavender<\/em>? Fusty!<\/p>\n

Monsieur: Fusty? Tell me what you\u2019re<\/em> made of Monsieur 1990!<\/p>\n

MB: I still have bergamot, cedar, ginger, oak moss and all things lemony-citrusy (citron, petitgrain, bitter orange, lemon verbena) \u2014 but I\u2019ve been given a boost of mint, rose, pepper, nutmeg, rosemary, thyme, sandalwood, vetiver, sage and amber. If you are a warm pot of spiced lemon syrup, I am a sparkly, fizzy, ice-cold pitcher of lemonade, spiked with sprigs of fresh mint and rosemary, topped not with a garnish of cooked, limp jasmine flowers, but with a few sprinkles of nutmeg. I am SO refreshing and beloved in summertime. I\u2019ve been told my heart notes produce a lovely violet aroma after a few hours on the skin.<\/p>\n

Monsieur: Violet! And you deem lavender<\/em> and carnation<\/em> fusty?! I grant you one thing, you do smell summery (aside: if a bit artificial), but people wore me year round; my scent withstands cold weather and layers of clothes. I am season-less. Or was<\/em>\u2026.<\/p>\n

MB: How much of you is left?<\/p>\n

Monsieur: Hardly a quarter of a bottle\u2019s worth! I am on the verge of extinction I suppose. Even you must find it sad that I, the Original Monsieur Balmain, have almost disappeared from the world, or shall I say, suffered the indignity of \u201creformulation?\u201d<\/p>\n

MB: Don\u2019t be sad! All things change. All things end. Right, Kyoto? I do<\/span> love Zen poetry!<\/p>\n

COMME des GAR\u00c7ONS Kyoto: Actually, I prefer comic books.<\/p>\n

Monsieur: How depressing it all is! The Balmain perfumes used to be so fabulous. I wonder how many of my \u201cfriends\u201d remain and how they smell today. Pierre would die, again<\/em>, if he saw your packaging! You look like you belong in an Easter basket! Zen, indeed!<\/p>\n

MB: Don\u2019t be rude! You\u2019re dressed for an evening out in Paris; I\u2019m dressed for casual Friday in Miami.<\/p>\n

Monsieur: Enough! I have a head-note ache! I must rest. I heard Kevin say he is wearing me tomorrow and now that I know I cannot be replenished, I must prepare myself for the \u2018loss\u2019! The loss of self!<\/p>\n

MB: Sleep well old thing. (To Comptoir Sud Pacifique Th\u00e9: I\u2019m sure when Kevin said he\u2019d be wearing Monsieur Balmain tomorrow he meant me! Love your orange bottle by the way.)<\/p>\n

Comptoir Sud Pacifique Th\u00e9: Thanks, but don\u2019t be too smug \u2014 you ARE 17 years old. I was discontinued before my 10th birthday!<\/p>\n

MB: Kevin sure can pick \u2018em!<\/p>\n

Possibly of interest<\/h2>\n
Balmain Rose de Soie ~ new fragrance<\/a><\/div>
Destin de Balmain ~ new fragrance<\/a><\/div>
Balmain Cuir Elysees ~ new fragrance<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n

Read the rest of this article »<\/span><\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\"Balmain<\/p>\n

Setting<\/span>: A crowded perfume cabinet in the Pacific Northwest.<\/p>\n

Main Characters<\/span>:<\/p>\n

Monsieur Balmain (\u201cMonsieur\u201d): the original Pierre Balmain<\/a> fragrance for men;<\/p>\n

Monsieur Balmain (\u201cMB\u201d): the reformulated version of Monsieur Balmain.<\/p>\n

Monsieur \u201cawakes\u201d and is startled to see a new, bright yellow bottle standing next to him on the perfume shelf.<\/p>\n

Monsieur: Excusez-moi monsieur<\/em>, we have not been introduced. Could you turn just a bit\u2026. What? Is this a joke? MY name is Monsieur Balmain, yet \u201cMonsieur Balmain\u201d is written on your garish bottle…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[709,710,711],"class_list":{"0":"post-7227","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-perfume-talk","7":"tag-balmain","8":"tag-germaine-cellier","9":"tag-reformulations","10":"entry"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nstperfume.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7227","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nstperfume.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nstperfume.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nstperfume.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nstperfume.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7227"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/nstperfume.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7227\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nstperfume.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7227"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nstperfume.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7227"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nstperfume.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7227"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}