Eperdument (by Antonio Alessandria Parfums, 2016)

Today I'm wearing Eperdument, Antonio Alessandria's last work (his website is here).

When we met at Pitti Fragranze Antonio sprayed my arm with it, surprising me completely. I thought he'd never use such evident ozonic notes in any creation!

"Yes, actually I'm not fond of ozonic notes but... I needed to tell the sea journey of the bride inspiring my scent, and I could not do otherwise".

He then explains the theme of the fragrance, a story that belongs to his family, but that is similar to that of many other Italian families of the last century, and (unfortunately) also of many foreign families of today: "In the first half of the twentieth century thousands of people left Italy to reach other countries, in order to start a new life with more opportunities. Among these migrants there were thousands of young women who left their loved ones to go to America and marry a complete stranger".

Who knows what courage in the hearts of these young women! And how much hope!

"Oh yeah! Some time ago I saw a play entitled "The ship of the wives", which speaks precisely of these brides and their high expectations; they're on board a ship which is taking them to a new life, and although they have different stories, the expectation for a better future unites them and makes them loyal to each other. The bride in Eperdument is coming back to visit her old house, many years after she left, and finds those once-familiar smells. Eperdument is a story of love, rebirth and above all, hope. In the end, this fragrance explores just the feeling of hope".

And how did you decide to express it?

"With light. I tried to keep it as bright as possible".

And Eperdument in effects is immersed in a blinding light.

A handful of rich citrus and floral, sunny notes like jasmine and orange blossom are domesticated linking them to fresh and naive flowers like lily of the valley and hyacinth, with a subtle effect, delicate, almost virginal and still radiant, that I loved. In this accord fresh flowers join the musky base where an interesting note of fennel is used alongside ozonic notes, to strengthen them. The third accord, amber/woody is used with a structural function rather than aesthetic, because even in the final act of the fragrance (four hours and more in) flowers and musky notes continue to shine through: the scent gradually loses intensity but without ever changing mood.

It would be perfect on a bride the wedding day, but I enjoyed it even without veil and white dress: it's a sultry, exciting scent, able to make me smile for no particular reason.

Intensity and duration are more than satisfactory (for Antonio perfume has to be perceived soundly and long, and I cannot but agree).

While wearing Eperdument, I myself envision the bride before my eyes: a young girl with long hair; she is already dressed in white and is standing on the dock, waiting to see the ship that will take her away. She smiles, tense, turns to her loved ones who came to greet her; of course she is sorry to leave her mother and sisters ... but at the same time she cannot wait to start her new life. She doesn't know the man she'll get marred to, yet, but pictures he sent her portarayed him as a kind guy. Only if she's very lucky maybe she'll happen to return one day to visit her family, and she knows this very well, but she's all but sad. Today her new life begins. The future will certainly be wonderful, and this voyage will not be one-way.

(picture via Fragrantica!)