Strangers Parfumerie Les Mauvais Garcons (2019)
A gentleman stands near the curb, just outside the café. He looks aloof, uninterested and yet somehow, a little dangerous. His leather loafers are quite worn, but otherwise appear expensive. The pockets of his tweed jacket might contain something more interesting than merely a cellphone and cigarettes. The ghost of Jean Paul Belmondo in “Breathless”. Could a modern Jean Seberg be waiting just around the corner?
It’s highly unlikely that this fellow is a hired gun or proper rogue, though he certainly doesn’t appear to be an accountant either. The brunch crowd at the café sips mimosas without missing a beat, though something about our dapper friend seems askew. I’m fairly certain that he didn’t order the croque madame, and something tells me his motives are questionable.
All that’s keeping from this scene from proper film noir is an atonal score by Miles Davis. A screechy trumpet and some ominous piano chords would add some appropriate suspense. Truthfully, the gentleman in question is likely just a young history professor trying to project an image of worldliness. My instincts suggest otherwise, and it’s both amusing and unnerving to imagine where things go from here…
The explosion of niche perfumeries over the past decade or so has been incredible, making it impossible for even a dedicated fragrance addict to explore each in detail. I discovered Strangers Parfumerie late last year and began to familiarize myself with the work of Thai perfumer Prin Lomros. Largely self-taught, Prin has now developed several fragrance lines ranging from the affordable to things more exotic and expensive. I suppose the Strangers Parfumerie line represents his entry-level offerings, though the perfumes under this label are unique and whimsical in nature. I purchased Les Mauvais Garcons solely on the basis of the fragrance description - something I rarely do. Upon doing so, it was nearly three weeks before I received a small parcel postmarked in Bangkok, Thailand and wrapped in brown paper and twine. But this has been perhaps my most successful blind purchase - a remarkable autumnal fougere in shades of brown, gray, and green.
There is a juxtaposition of classical and modern sensibilities here that is really striking - traditional fougere notes, but pieced together in such a way that the fragrance feels entirely novel. The first half of the fragrance is dominated by hay, bitter lavender, and coumarin - almost akin to something Serge Lutens might have done. But there’s also a distinct dirtiness to Les Mauvais Garcons, reminding one of rich soil. I suspect this effect results from a melding of the tobacco and oakmoss notes. Moreover, there is a clear reference to smoked tobacco products. Imagine a lightly-used ashtray on a patio amidst the well-groomed patrons of a Parisian café. The wind swept aroma of freshly snuffed cigarettes mingles at arm’s length with the floral perfumes of female guests. Some may be repulsed by the idea of cigarette smoke as a fragrance component, but here it adds a depth to the finished product in the same way that wrinkles may add character to a human face. It gives the perfume dimension and dignity.
Les Mauvais Garcons has a circular evolution on skin. The herbal lavender that announces the arrival of the fragrance also signals its departure. But whereas the initial blast of lavender is edgy and volatile, the last hour or two spent with Les Mauvais Garcons is practically languid. The lavender now feels saccharine, plush, relaxed – as if the hard edges have been polished away by a laundry musk and a touch of vanilla. What started as intimidating has become approachable, almost intimate. There is a cosmetic twist beneath the surface that gives the perfume an androgynous allure. I’d argue that this perfume is ultimately less masculine than traditional fougeres, with a soul that is mysterious and subtle. Now that I think of it - it has quite a lot in common with Le Troisieme Homme by Caron, another gender-bending perfume.
The Strangers website indicates this perfume is temporarily discontinued, but due to return in the next year or two. I certainly hope so - and I hope Prin doesn't change it one bit. His fragrances are now more readily available in the US and I’ve been able to sample other fragrances from the Strangers line. But none are as charming as Les Mauvais Garcons. This is a perfume for bad boys (and girls) sewn from gabardine and silk. It seems to encourage us to get into trouble but requires that we do so in style.
