Serge Lutens Cracheuse de Flammes

Source: Premiere Avenue. [Photo cropped by me.]

Source: Premiere Avenue. [Photo cropped by me.]

I’ve already shared my overall thoughts regarding the new Serge Lutens’ Section d’Or fragrances, so I’ll skip any introduction for Cracheuse de Flammes, and get straight to the review.

Like the others in the line, Cracheuse de Flammes is an extrait de parfum. The name is an unfortunate one, in my opinion, when translated. “Cracher” is the French verb for spitting, so the name essentially means “Female Spitter of Flames.” Spitting is not exactly what I like to think about when wearing an incredibly expensive perfume.

For once, Serge Lutens’ official description actually does mention a note and something specific about the scent, namely the fact that it includes roses:

Seduction is a weapon, the flames a language. I breathe the fire which ignites her passion! And in this war of fire, all that remains of the woman, the rose in this instance, is a burning passion.

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Serge Lutens Renard Constrictor

Renard Constrictor via Premiere Avenue. [Photo cropped by me.]

Renard Constrictor via Premiere Avenue. [Photo cropped by me.]

I’ve already shared with you my feelings about the totality of the five new Serge Lutens fragrances, so I’ll skip any introduction for Renard Constrictor and get straight to the review.

Renard Constrictor is a pure parfum or extrait that was presumably created by Christopher Sheldrake, and its name translates to “Fox Constrictor” (which my mind unfortunately insists on reading as “Boa Constrictor”). The official description that is quoted on Premiere Avenue talks about furry animals, but says nothing concrete about the scent itself:

The memory is but fleeting, it refuses to remain in my conscience.
Like a timid furry creature, it retracts at a caress. It is a fear that stifles the hero.

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Serge Lutens, Section d’Or Fragrances & Some Personal Thoughts

In an ideal world, perfume should lift you, move you, and make you happy. You don’t expect it to send you into a funk, fill you with overwhelming sadness and a tinge of despair, particularly not when the perfume comes from one of your favorite houses, from a brand justifiably celebrated the world over for its visionary brilliance, and from a man who you respect and admire above all others. Unfortunately, sadness and feeling depressed are precisely what ensued when I tried the remaining three new Section d’Or releases from Serge Lutens. I wish that were dramatic exaggeration or hyperbole, but it is not.

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Serge Lutens L’Haleine des Dieux (Section d’Or Collection)

Source: Pinterest.

Source: Pinterest.

“Weird. Perplexing. Why this?!” That pretty much sums up my reaction to much of L’Haleine des Dieux, one of Serge Lutens‘ new luxury parfums in his Section d’Or Collection. Are you familiar with “The German Shepherd Head Tilt” when they’re trying to understand what you’re saying? That was me with L’Haleine des Dieux for the first three hours, not only in terms of trying to understand the notes I was smelling or where they could possibly come from, but also why such a concoction existed in the first place and how anyone could ask $600 for it.

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