Frédéric Malle has always called perfumer Sophia Grojsman a mother of modern perfumery, and at last, he had a chance to collaborate with her. His 16th fragrance, Outrageous is launched under Frédéric Malle's label for Barney's New York Co-op (see the photos from Outrageous launch on Getty Images). As Cosmetic World (vol xliii, no 31) reports, Malle noted that he "wanted an adrogynous, super sexy scent, something like a good pair of jeans." Outrageous includes notes of orange blossom, Caipirinha (lime, green notes, mint), clean laundry, green apple, amber and cedarwood. Finally, as Malle sums his project, "I dream of new molecules bringing scents that no one has ever smelled."
Outrageous will be sold exclusively at Barneys NY Co-op stores across the country starting in October. It will be priced at $110.00 for 3.4 oz (via Cosmetic World.)
Ethical Disclosure: Outrageous is made by IFF.
Clean laundry!? Outrageous!
Posted by: rutherford | August 14, 2007 at 20:03
'something like a good pair of jeans' "outrageous"? uh what??
Dahn Al Oudh Moattaq, JOY, 1000, Tubéreuse Criminelle, Rose de Nuit, French Cancan, Fracas, Black Oud, L 'Inspiratrice, Aldehyde 44... these are outrageous perfumes!
Posted by: Aline et Valcour | August 14, 2007 at 20:26
If he wanted androgyny, Sophia Grojsman seems like a surprising choice to me. Should be interesting to smell her take on his brief description. And I would especially love to read your impressions of the fragrance, if you find some spare time for writing about it :)
Posted by: Katie | August 14, 2007 at 23:38
R, the olfactive description makes it seem quite different from what it is. Not sure why those notes were picked for the press release.
Posted by: Boisdejasmin | August 15, 2007 at 10:34
Will Outrageous be part of the "regular" FM line-up, or is he starting a cheaper, Barneys Co-op only line? Looking forward to smelling it, and will just go ahead and ignore the green apple & clean laundry.
And just an FYI -- the Getty Images link didn't work for me.
Posted by: Robin | August 15, 2007 at 11:56
I am so excited about a new FM, and I admire Grojsman, but I can't say that note list appeals to me in the least. In sounds like you've tried it, V - how is it different from the press release description?
Posted by: Tigs | August 15, 2007 at 13:23
What is it with these European perfume companies 'selling out' to the US? First we had Creed creating Royal Ceylan which was a US exclusive. Now we have Malle doing the same thing. It's funny how people on the perfume forums throw up their arms in uproar because Lutens has a non export line, yet they don't realise that some European perfumers actually create perfumes specially for the US market which we can't get over here.
Posted by: Prince Barry | August 15, 2007 at 13:37
Fascinating. I assume the scent is, anyway, being Malle. Maybe the banality of the notes is the Outrageous part. It sounds like you smelled it, based on your comment. How is it?
Posted by: March | August 15, 2007 at 15:52
well, the notes don't sound terribly outrageous, but will have to wait until i sniff it to be sure. at least we have a barney's coop here - so i'll be able to without too much work. i get how a good pair of jeans can be considered sexy - when they fit right and you know it, you feel sexy. hope this scent makes me feel sexy the way musc ravageur does!
Posted by: minette | August 15, 2007 at 20:31
Aline, I am not sure if I would call those outrageous. They are dramatic, elegant, memorable, but not outrageous. Outrageous (in a sense I understand it) is more something like Secretions Magnifiques by Etat Libre d'Orange.
Posted by: Boisdejasmin | August 16, 2007 at 18:38
Katie, I can completely understand what you mean! I do like Malle's line in general, and this fragrance strikes very much in his general spirit. Perhaps, it is a bit more casual--a green orange blossom on a crisp ambery base. I like it very much, but of course, I am not a completely unbiased source (hence, no review will be forthcoming, just a news bite).
Posted by: Boisdejasmin | August 16, 2007 at 18:46
R, thanks! I fixed it. Outrageous is under Frederic Malle's name, a one-time deal for Barneys Co-op as far as I understand.
Posted by: Boisdejasmin | August 16, 2007 at 18:47
Tigs, see my comment to Katie. It definitely has the artisanal touch that characterizes other Malle's fragrances as a whole.
Posted by: Boisdejasmin | August 16, 2007 at 18:50
Prince, US market is big, one cannot get away from this fact. Plus, I am sure that it will be available online.
Posted by: Boisdejasmin | August 16, 2007 at 18:52
March, for an orange blossom lover such as myself, it is quite a discovery! I think that you might like it.
Posted by: Boisdejasmin | August 16, 2007 at 18:53
Minette, it is definitely not at all like Musc Ravageur, either olfactively or emotionally. It is more transparent, more adrogynous. And yes, the notes do not sound outrageous to me either.
Posted by: Boisdejasmin | August 16, 2007 at 18:55
I had heard about this at Barneys before, but the SA made a mistake and told me its top note was orange. So glad to hear that it's orange blossom instead! I might actually like this!
Posted by: Judith | August 17, 2007 at 08:03
you re right Secretions Magnifiques is the ultimate outrageous scent conceptually but I 'm thinking of JOY with and its sexual indolic notes due to high jasmine concentration. JOY in extrait (pre-Proter&Gamble) is more far more "outrageous" than any politically correct fruity floral on the market today.
Posted by: Aline et Valcour | August 17, 2007 at 14:22
Bandit by Robert Piguet. Now, that's outrageous. And Caron's Tabac Blond, of course.
Posted by: Julie | August 17, 2007 at 16:17