The Bois d’Iris fragrance by Van Cleef Arpels. The house Van Cleef Arpels is undoubtedly one of the most renowned on the Place Vendôme in Paris. Indeed, before turning to perfumery, the house had already proven itself extensively as a jeweler.
A symbol of luxury par excellence, the house Van Cleef & Arpels has left behind a most sumptuous legacy. A star of jewelry, the brand successfully ventured into perfumery. Today, the house Van Cleef & Arpels is just as renowned for its jewelry creations as for its fragrance creations. Bois d’Iris was launched in 2000 and is part of the Collection Extraordinaire by Van Cleef & Arpels. This collection highlights one noble ingredient per fragrance. Here, iris takes center stage. It is paired with woody notes.
Emilie Coppermann, at the heart of Bois d’Iris for Van Cleef & Arpels
It is to the talented perfumer Emilie Coppermann that the house Van Cleef & Arpels chose to entrust the creation of Bois d’Iris. After studying chemistry, Emilie Coppermann joined the prestigious perfumery school in Versailles, ISIPCA. Particularly drawn to woody scents, Emilie Coppermann proved capable of creating great compositions. Influenced by the personalities of other perfumers such as Jean-Claude Ellena, Dominique Ropion and Nicolas Mamounas, Emilie Coppermann developed and created a style entirely her own. Emilie Coppermann is behind such notable olfactory successes as L’Ange Noir by Givenchy, Black XS for Her by Paco Rabanne, and Brit Sheer by Burberry.
Bois d’Iris, the scent of driftwood warming in the sun
Bois d’Iris opens with a pairing of sweet notes and olibanum, lending it an ultra sensual quality from the very start. Olibanum is an aromatic gum resin, and is above all a variety of incense. Olibanum is extracted from the Boswellia tree. Since antiquity, the resin has been burned and used as incense. Olibanum also has a spiritual history, having been burned during religious and funerary rites. In perfumery, olibanum is highly prized. Its gum resin is obtained by extraction from the tree. It is then steam-distilled to yield olibanum essence. Olibanum releases spicy, lemony, resinous, balsamic and sweet tonalities. Then, the heart of Bois d’Iris combines iris, driftwood and vetiver. Also known as the blue gold of perfumery, iris is one of the most expensive ingredients in the perfumer's palette. In perfumery, it is the rhizomes (the flower stems) that are used. Unfortunately, their extraction process is very long, delicate and costly. The use of iris as a fragrance and as a face powder dates back to the era of Catherine de Medici, who introduced iris to the court. In olfactory compositions, iris releases very powdery tonalities, but also floral, green and slightly woody ones. Then, the heart of Bois d’Iris turns ultra sensual, combining vanilla, labdanum, myrrh and ambergris. Rectangular and heavy, the bottle of Bois d’Iris resembles all others in the Collection Extraordinaire by Van Cleef & Arpels.