Perfume Review: Pierre de Lune By Armani Prive
Pierre de Lune (Moonstone) was my fragrance of the day yesterday, a rediscovered beauty (sitting neglected in my drawer for months), and a big favorite that I can’t believe I haven’t reviewed yet. Pierre de Lune is part of the Armani Prive collection which now consists of five scents (Ambre Soie, Bois d’Encens, Eau de Jade, and Cuir Amethyste being the others), and, if memory doesn’t fail me, Armani was the first fashion house that introduced the modern exclusive collection concept which in turn produced quite a following. The marketing materials tell us the scents were devised with only Armani himself and his friends in mind, in other words, not for mass appeal. The price wasn’t an object, and the distribution limited to select stores. The more I delve into the world of perfume, the less susceptible I become to “a good marketing story” preferring to smell and judge for myself. Pierre de Lune appeals to me for its fragrance alone (and the bottle, especially the cap!), and that will not change even if I accidentally find out Signore Armani prefers it as his bathroom freshener. Prive or not, it’s one of my all time favorite violet scents.
The most appealing thing about Pierre de Lune is the smooth balance of powdery flowers and soft woods. I often wonder why so many people (in my experience, anyway) shun powder. I suppose it’s easy to associate it with old-fashioned face powders but even then, if blended well, why is it bad? Violet, iris, cassie flower (or mimosa), and rose often fall prey to such irrational disapproval. Violet, iris, and cassie flower are exactly what makes Pierre de Lune unbelievably appealing in a modern, understated way. When I spray Pierre de Lune, candied violet and dewy iris practically shimmer on my skin, with cassie flower appearing languidly adding certain bitterness to the powdery aroma. As the scent settles, the floral notes meld with sheer, translucent ambery woods (which is achieved by use of belambre, a synthetic molecule with soft ambery-woody aroma). Pierre de Lune has family ties with such scents as Apres l’Ondee by Guerlain, Mimosa Pour Moi by L’Artisan Parfumeur, Fleur de Cassie by Frederic Malle. I reach for it when I crave contemporary minimalism with a dose of old-fashioned elegance.
Pierre de Lune is available at select Nordstrom’s, Saks, and directly from Giorgio Armani Beauty online.
Image source: giorgioarmanibeauty.com
23 comments May 6th, 2007