Fille en Aiguilles Eau de Parfum

The name means“Girls in Needles” – and pine needles at that, rather than chic“talons aiguilles” (stiletto heels)... But boys can roll around in them too: this is a decidedly non-gendered, atmospheric scent. Pine essence is a risky bet in perfumery: its medicinal, turpentine fumes conjure household disinfectants or cough drops and are particularly hard to tame. Serge Lutens, never one to shirk a challenge, opted for playing them up rather than tamping them down: the result is uncharacteristically raw, almost minimalist. In Filles en Aiguilles, the powerful resinous smell of pine is compounded by the camphor blast of vetiver and a wisp of gunpowder incense. Fruity fir balsam and the trademark Lutens candied fruit notes sweeten the blend without playing down its dark green radiance. A searing afternoon in Mediterranean pine groves or a Californian forest; a Buddhist temple or Christmas morning; the hale aroma of a lumber yard; a painter's studio strewn with turpentine-soaked rags...