A Scandal has emerged at Jean Paul Gaultier! Jean-Paul Gaultier is a designer who loves to revisit great classics and bring a distinctly offbeat edge to them. He never hesitates to blend genres in each of his shows and to establish a thoroughly erotic mood on the most prestigious Haute Couture runways.
The world of perfumery and that of Haute Couture both belong to the realm of luxury. As such, these are highly compartmentalized universes in which many abide by the dictates of society and marketing. Yet certain designers stand out as small-scale rebels and never fail to surprise. Among them, Jean-Paul Gaultier is regarded as one of the most atypical figures of his generation. Each of his creations is therefore highly anticipated. The house has now just presented a new perfume named Scandal. So does this new fragrance truly live up to its name? Is it as atypical as its bottle suggests?
Olfastory’s review
A gourmand formula boldly twisted by Jean-Paul Gaultier
Scandal is a perfume presented to us as a chypre, honeyed fragrance. In other words, it fully rides the current trend for gourmand perfumes. Presented this way, the task seems fairly easy and not particularly inventive. Well, think again! In reality, Scandal is a highly bold perfume that lacks nothing in creativity. Indeed, it reworks gourmand character in a resolutely modern way. It dares unprecedented combinations and places honey at the center of its composition, a rare enough choice to be worth noting. What is more, while most gourmand perfumes appeal to a rather young audience, Scandal is truly the perfume of a woman who owns her identity and lets her femininity and sensuality express themselves candidly. Her romanticism and seductive side come through in the presence of gardenia, a white flower that is both airy and opulent. It highlights all the splendor of the Jean-Paul Gaultier woman. Her strong character, meanwhile, comes through in a breath of patchouli, an ingredient known for its tenacious, earthy, camphoraceous quality. This ingredient also helps reinforce the elegance of this fragrance.
Scandal and its striking bottle
Beyond its highly enticing formula, it should also be noted that the Jean-Paul Gaultier bottle proves highly original. Nevertheless, its resemblance to the bottle of Revlon's Head Over Heels perfume should be pointed out right away... Some may regret this choice. Yet it must be acknowledged that this reinterpretation is far more successful than the original, and we therefore cannot hold it against the iconic Jean-Paul Gaultier. The whole plays on numerous contrasts while still displaying a surprising harmony. Thus, Scandal rests on a transparent base while its cap is entirely opaque. Its base is made of glass, but its cap is made of metal. Its lower portion is fairly classic, while its top is entirely unexpected. The whole pairs a soft pink juice with silver-toned metal. It seems that only Jean-Paul Gaultier had the ability to achieve such a balanced result despite it all. This perfume's visual exceeds all expectations, so it comes as no surprise to see a woman tumbling backward directly into this lovely container.