Niche Perfume – Fille en Aiguilles by Lutens
Explore the Feminity of Nature Through this Forest Fragrance
Oct 23, 2009
In the last few years there has been a growing interest in boutique perfume. Smaller producers can take more risks as they do not have to cater to the mass market. For those new to niche perfume, Serge Lutens makes a great place to start. Fille en Aiguilles was released this year and provides a heady introduction to his creativity. It could be worn by both men and women.
Review of Fille en Aiguilles by Serge Lutens
Fille en Aigulles is a ‘fougere’ (woody) fragrance with strong green notes. It contains pine needles, vetiver (a grass native to India), incense, spices and fruits.
The top note (smelt on initial application) is of purple autumn berries without the sweetness; the pine tempers the more sugary aspects of the fruit, giving it a richer, deeper emphasis. Later, the spice and incense become more prominent and the wearer becomes intoxicated.
This perfume is reminiscent of the wild, rich scent at the heart of a forest. Women have traditionally been associated with plants (gathering food while men hunted), and Lutens is revealing the femininity of nature in this creation.
Meaning of Fille en Aiguilles
The title of the perfume is a word play. Fille en Aiguilles literally means ‘girls on needles’ in French, giving rise to the image of young women cavorting in stiletto heels (talon aiguilles). By linking these visual pictures to the scent of pine needles, Lutens interlinks the sensuality and fertility of women with that of nature.
Interestingly, pine is evergreen, suggesting that this fecundity is not limited to starting a family. Instead, it encompasses feminine creativity in all its forms, as a general approach to life.
Indeed, the title brings to mind the idiom ‘de fil en aiguille’ (from needles to thread). One thing does lead to another in seduction, in nature and in life as we get older – and scent plays a central role in all these things. Fille en Aiguilles symbolises the fertile Mother Earth in all women.
Biography of Serge Lutens
Serge Lutens is one of the world’s top perfumers. Born in Lille, a visit to Morocco awakened his interest in perfume. ‘Before my arrival in 1968,’ he said in an interview in Bois de Jasmine, ‘this fifth sense was largely fallow for me...by the end, smell was united with the other senses.’ In 1970 he went to Japan, which developed his interest further.
Lutens is also an artist and photographer, famed for his beautiful pictures in advertisements for the fragrance and beauty house Shiseido. His first fragrance for the company was Nombre Noir in 1981. Les Salons du Palais Royal Shiseido began in 1992 as a showcase for Lutens’ olfactory talents, and is highly regarded for its innovative perfumery.
Other Perfumes by Serge Lutens
Les Salons du Palais Royal Shiseido has produced a wide variety of fragrances which are not categorised by gender – indeed Lutens pioneered the concept of unisex fragrance long before Calvin Klein’s CK1. Fans of ‘fugeres’ such as Fil en Aiguilles may also like to try Cèdre, which combines smoky cedarwood and tuberose.
Lutens has also created Tubéreuse Criminalle, an interesting new take on the flower. He is particularly renowned for his floral A La Nuit, which combines three types of the finest jasmine in the world.
The bestselling fragrance of the house is Ambre Sultan, a rich, creamy amber which aims to capture the intimate scent of a woman. It attracts and repels in equal measure.
 |
