Laboratorio Olfativo - Mandarino
A Journey to Italy by Jean-Claude Ellena
“I am what one might call a happy pessimist. Some days I am overwhelmed by ‘spleen,’ as Baudelaire called it, a nice word that encompasses dejection, boredom, melancholy, and restlessness. All I have to do is decide to cross the border into Italy, only an hour and a half from my home; then I am happy. That country smells of happiness. It simply must be true, because northern Europeans have been coming there for centuries to spend their holidays.”
The long duration of this tradition is clear proof that Italians are happy, and they know it. An Italian wants to convert people immediately, to talk loudly to sell his coffee, cheese, pasta, and fruit, especially his citrus fruits. He loves life! Besides the coffee, which is bright and not at all bitter, a characteristic of Italian culture, there's a side to Italians that's more American, or perhaps it's the other way around. The cheese wheels are the size of millstones, the pasta comes in all colors and shapes, the lemons look like rugby balls, the oranges like soccer balls, and the tangerines are as big as pumpkins.
Bergamot is different; it comes from Calabria, not China like other citrus fruits. For a long time, bergamot peel flavored second-rate teas to make people believe they were first-rate. An Italian named Giovanni Maria Farina, who became a German citizen, made it the main ingredient in his eau de cologne. He made a fortune spreading joie de vivre to the courts of Europe, then to the capitals, then to the countryside. My grandmother was Italian, from Piedmont. One always returns to the love of childhood. After traveling through Piedmont, Lombardy, Veneto, Liguria, Tuscany, Marche, Campania, Apulia, Calabria, and Sicily, as well as ten other regions, it seems to me that there is no such thing as 'public opinion' in Italy. There are personal opinions. Perfume shops and perfumes are for individuals, not for everyone. There are no grand imperial brands with glitz and glamour, just small, elegant shops where the customer is king or queen and where one can have their heart's desires fulfilled.
Since I only know how to create with pure joy, with a blade of grass in my mouth, I wanted to create an Eau de Cologne that sings of Italy, of joie de vivre, cheerfulness, citrus fruits that are like sunshine in winter. The first one is called: Mandarino.
"It's the most cheerful of all citrus fruits. When I want to give my fragrance a radiant smile (which I do often), I use mandarin essence. The advantage of colognes is that they're perfect for layering fragrances. Mandarino Parfum Cologne was created to be both simple and sophisticated. It can be worn alone, but it also complements any other fragrance, giving it just the smile you need on a special day. Plus, it's long-lasting. So smile! You've been scented." —Jean-Claude Ellena
© Out of love for fragrance ( hb )