Van Cleef and Arpels Collection Extraordinaire Moonlight Patchuli - Eau de Parfum Unisex Fragrance

Patchouli bathed in moonlight

Iconic patchouli essence is one of the most captivating scents in a perfumers palette. Rooted in the ground with its powerful, slightly camphoric aroma, here this ingredient reveals an unprecedented glow: that of a radiant crescent moon at midnight. Perfumer Sonia Constant uses this interplay of dark and light to express the complexity of patchouli. Originally from Indonesia, the plant first renowned in England before being exported to France in the 19th century. At the time the most precious fabrics were scented with its dried leaves, which had a fragrance so powerful that they could protect cashmeres and silks during long boat crossings. Often used as the backbone of the most sophisticated perfumes, this material is always synonymous with elegance when worn on the skin. More recently, patchouli has become available in a variety of subtle fractions extracted in a way that preserves the plants exotic woody power. This irresistible scent of the undergrowth captivates men and women alike.

A wood as silky as suede

Perfumer Sonia Constant dreamt of a patchouli as soft as a caress. To transcribe the sensation of moonlight in the black of night, she paired pink peppercorn and bergamot in the top notes to form a radiant halo around the dark wood. They are followed by Bulgarian rose, powdery iris and the suede accord which bring a leathery, fruity facet to the trail. “I wanted Moonlight Patchouli to allow lovers of this material to rediscover it while enticing those unfamiliar with its scent,” confesses Sonia Constant. “That is why I used dizzying quantities of noble materials to give the patchouli a quite innovative leathery, fruity expression.”