Van Cleef & Arpels has launched a new fragrance line– I have not tried this yet but am going to the minute I return from Asia (am so happy to be home right now!).  I am a floral girl and love sweetly scented perfumes!  Collection Extraordinaire is inspired by the exquisite Les Jardins jewelry collection and is a reinterpretation of six extraordinary gardens with perfumes that pay tribute to nature: Gardénia Pétale (Gardenia Petal), Orchidée Vanille (Vanilla Orchid), Lys Carmin (Carmine Lily), Muguet Blanc (White Lily of the Valley), Bois d’Iris (Iris Wood) and Cologne Noire (Black Cologne). The fragrances, detailed at the jump, are $185 each for 75ml and are available exclusively at Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman and Van Cleef & Arpels boutiques.  If you’ve tested this, tell me what you think!

Gardénia Pétale (Gardenia Petal)

A symbol of faithfulness and sincerity, the gardenia is a

captivating white flower, exquisite and unafraid of its sensuality.

Opulent and warm, gardenia intoxicates the senses and makes heads spin

with a touch of freshness that dries down to leave the majestic flower

in all its tantalizing glory. The perfumer was inspired by the scented

breath of the gardenia, choosing not to emphasize its fruited,

white-flower but instead to concentrate on its petals. An enveloping

and very feminine fragrance based on floral lightness.

Orchidée Vanille (Vanilla Orchid)

In Asia, exotic orchids are often associated with the idea of

beauty. The luscious bean of one of these orchids, the vanilla

planifolia, nestles within an elegant black sheath. Discreet yet

sensuous, it is mild, smooth and intoxicating. The perfumer wanted to

create a vanilla fragrance that was not too sugary, but sweet like a

candied almond. Joyous fruity harmonies magnify the floral heart and

melt within multi-faceted vanilla, tender and warm, cradled in dreamy

musk. Feminine and sensual, absolute and b ew itching.

Lys Carmin (Carmine Lily)

Regal yet pure in the symbolic language of flowers, the lily blooms

with exuberance. This majestic blossom is accompanied by a

distinguished fragrance and clothes itself in a powerful scarlet red.

The perfumer worked to preserve the carnality and spiciness of the

flower, luminous but reinforced with spicy notes (pink peppercorn,

cinnamon, “red” notes). A proud, majestic, sensuous fragrance.

Muguet Blanc (White Lily of the Valley)

The symbol of friendship, Lily of the Valley is decked with bells to

celebrate spring, and announces the ren ew al of a season with

tenderness and beauty. The perfumer wanted this fragrance to be very

simple in appearance, with an immediately recognizable olfactory

signature. He surrounded the flower with handsome musks, including

exceptionally high-quality nirvanolid. The scent is feminine, modern,

green and joyous, celebrating la dolce vita with delicacy and

freshness. A beautiful ingénue dressed in tenderness.

Bois d’Iris (Iris Wood)

Precious exotic woods are accented with a vibrant salty note,

recalling ocean sprays that splash over driftwood warming in the sun. A

soft and elegant note of lightness manifests itself through a beautiful

powdered iris, bringing to mind the lands of Tuscany. Surrounding this

majestic iris, the perfumer has composed a woodsy yet “wet” fragrance

by accenting the sensual aspect of the warm notes of myrrh, labdanum,

incense and ambergris. An atypical and enchanting woody scent.

Cologne Noire (Black Cologne)

Legendary eau de Cologne has been a part of perfume history for

centuries, and its most beautiful qualities can be exceptional. Cologne

Noire was created from an array of spices centered around black pepper

to give character and power to the cologne. This spicy harmony was

refreshed with hesperidin notes: bergamot, neroli (bitter orange) and

mandarin. The perfumer’s goal was to instill this cologne with a n ew

tone, a n ew effect and modernity. Precious and original, a chiaroscuro

fragrance with spicy accents.