This post is about to get a lot more personal than I ever thought it would. I am frankly quite uncomfortable with the idea of being a subject of online voyeurism. I don’t have a personal Facebook account, twitter, or blog. When I agreed to write the Müdd blog, I took to it easily because I have a lot of information about the magazine that I can share, but I never really thought I would be sharing anything about myself, per-say.
I enjoy getting a peek into the minds of fellow bloggers, they keep their posts kinda visceral, and when I was in College my roommate’s girlfriend was a member of a community of online writers that were all brooding and indie (you had to actually apply to become apart of the community and write about your fav bands/films, and the like, in order to prove your “alternative” status. I tried to join, suffice to say they saw through my rouse, as I have never been alt/hip/cool in the Queen West sense — I didn’t really want to become apart of it all, I was just curious to see if I could break the hipster code, I could not). I became addicted to this online community, a real forerunner for the blog genera as it was more of an online diary than anything else. It has occurred to me that I loved this escape into the minds of such an open voice of people because I am so instinctually private. I am not a “sharer” of personal info, and there are many topics of conversation that I was always taught were “private” and not to be shared in public. I literally cringe when asked very direct personal questions, and it has taken years of my closest girlfriends wearing me down to actually share all the “feelings” I have.
SO, what does this have to do with the Fashion world you say? Well I recently found out about a new fragrance by Aramis, and I found myself starting to well-up with emotion. This October the house of Estée Lauder will be releasing Aramis “Impeccable”. It is aimed at a sophisticated, mature audience of men that wants to express, and I quote: “power, courage and intellect”. It is a “black-tie fragrance” with Black Pepper, Citrus Zest, Juniper Berris and Moroccan cedar wood. It is a limited edition fragrance available in 110 ml Eau de Toilette. The inspiration of it and the bottle design comes from a perfectly tailored tuxedo. Here is a shot of the bottle:
I haven’t thought about this brand in ages. My grandfather wore Aramis while I was growing up. From what I understand he wore Aramis since it first came out in 1965, until now. It contains essences of bergamot, cumin and jasmine. Blended with notes of patchouli, amber and musk, Aramis is a formal fragrance. I rarely come across this scent anymore. Scent is our strongest link to memory, and this smell is so deeply tied up with my grandfather that a whif of it can bring waves of emotions. Occasionally I will pass it on the street, or in a store, and I will stop in my tracks, and it will make me want to see my grandfather so much it hurts. He is a true gentleman. Perfect manners, impeccably dressed and the very strong silent type. His office was a gentleman’s den; dark paneled wood, and brocade fabrics and leathers, and, before I was born, filled with the smoke from the 2 packs of Winston cigarettes he smoked every day. He drank chivas, and his name might as well been Don, à la Mad Men if it hadn’t had been Sam (there’s that Mad Men reference for me again!, single syllabic men’s names really convey a sense of power for me, watching Don is like watching my grandfather, and it really fuels my obsession with the series, I think). Old age and poor health have robbed him of his memories, but it could never erase his most basic personality characteristics, his habits. He brushes his full head of distinguished white hair into a stylish side part. He dresses formally in Brioni, Canali or Façonnable outfits and he usually pairs it with some too cool for school Versace wraparound sunglasses and tasseled loafers, he wears this kind of outfit to go to the movies. Before he leaves, his aide splashes him with some Aramis.
I don’t know if this new scent can ever compare or live up to the original for me, but it is something I am willing to wear myself, as an homage to my grandfather, the man that he is and was.
xoxo
Amanda