'If the new Marni perfume were a person, it wouldn't put out until the third date'
I meant to write a column three weeks ago about my favourite new perfumes, specifically the signature scent from fashion house Marni, but I kept changing my mind.
This happens to me a lot with fragrance. I often love a perfume on contact. Then, when it doesn't seem to suit me, or changes slightly as the day unfolds, or when the hoopla of an impressive launch wears off, I become much more critical (like the time I attended the premiere of The Phantom Menace and got so swept up in the occasion that I stood and clapped at the end, only to realise in the days later that Jar Jar Binks was the most abhorrent creation since Nick Griffin).
Sometimes the opposite happens. When I first tried Marni, I thought, "Beautiful bottle, not for me", but I've since done an 180-degree turn. That's because Marni is slightly odd. At first it's lemony and sweet, with no apparent trace of flowers, but as it develops, it becomes spicy (a bit cardamom pod), woody and much sexier than it initially appeared (if Marni were a person, it wouldn't put out until the third date).
Marni is one of a few new perfumes to graduate from my workroom to my bedroom mantelpiece, where my personal-use scents reside. Here are the others.
Dolce & Gabbana The One Desire, £40.50,
A low-cut blouse of a scent, and all the better for it. A big, feminine white flower perfume that is a little bit filthy.
Marni for Women, £48,
Try for a whole day before you buy. It's well worth the wait.
Chanel 1932, £110,
Another lovely scent from the house's Les Exclusivs collection of high end perfumes. Summery, powdery and floral. Smells a bit like old-fashioned lipstick.
Miller Harris Fleurs de Sel Eau de Parfum, £65 (out April)
A warm, leathery floral scent with woody herbs and a unique saltiness. Great staying power.
Jo Malone Earl Grey & Cucumber Cologne, £38,
Whoever decided to put Claridges in a bottle deserves a firm English handshake. Charming, delicious and refined.
Reem Acra, £55,
Citrussy at first, then potent, complex and deep: this is not for the scent-phobic. The etched bottle is stunning.