The newest non-export from Serge Lutens: El Attarine (September, 2008)
Description, written by Serge Lutens himself, from the press
release:
�In Arab countries, �attarin� means sweet-smelling, and
refers to everything within the realm of the �atar�: fragrance, heart, flavour
and essence.
There is no distinction between the olfactory and the
gustatory, until the moment when you decide whether to taste or smell.
This ultimate sensory expression fuelled my imagination with
visions of a captivated, captive love.
Taking many routes and rarely travelled paths; scent by
scent, I wove the fabric of my perfumery.
El Attarine is also a name, one of the world�s most
beautiful Koranic schools in Fez,
for a privileged few. Its beauty, matching that of the finest palaces and
mosques, contributed to the scent of a culture rich with emotion. From my
attarinian solitude, the fruits of my imagination were abundant.
Naturally averse to crowds, my route was predestined to be
solitary.
This vision, initially neglected, was eventually
reconsidered. It deserved closer analysis. And indeed, there was ground to be
covered! Conventional wisdom is not necessarily what I think is wise, nor where
I feel at home. I must therefore accept the decadences of luxury, even those
which may lead to excess!
Attarine is not a closed door. You cannot make a perfume
with only your nose. It is an accord born from a disaccord in the first person,
wide open to the imagination.
If you are expecting me in one place, I am already
elsewhere, if I am not there, I am already far away.
Truth creates beauty in its own image and is instantly
recognisable. It is not a question of being caught. You are already captivated.
Irresistible, I have captured this essence for your delight.
Today, I offer you gold, sun-drenched topaz, everlasting
flowers and saps.� | 
