ONDA
Onda is fire and earth.
(ONDA, as seen by Andy)
Whoever has worked with Vetiver knows how tricky this natural delight is to use in perfumery and how versatile it is. Vetiver can be made all green citrusy, it can be woody or you can stay close to what vetiver is: The fragrance derived from roots.
Doing so means you are brave, very brave indeed as this is probably the hardest vetiver based fragrance to come up with. I know a perfumer who did so, very successfully. Vero’s vetiver is a brave scent, as it follows a vetiver line that is hard to master: A powerful, earthy, woody, slightly woody, smokey scent. The trick -I think- is her combination of the vetiver root fragrance with spicy scents such as ginger and corriander. Adding a fire to the composition. This, together with a powder line that is just a hint of a powder, just enough to balance the earthy vibrance. There is a rich, warm leather-smoky undertone that links the heat and grounds it. On the skin is develops and jumps forth and back, like flames reaching out, hot first, then warm and comfortable, and finally melting with my skin to last overnight and follow me into dreams of true and good life, an embracement at a cosy fire place.
Yes, ONDA is a masterpiece, and maybe it is time to leave your lover on the banks of the Seine, and get out of Paris, back to your little country house in the Bretagne, where you work in the garden, enjoying the scents of fresh earth, your grand father’s house, where you snuggle up to your memories, at the open fire place sipping at your cognac, in a dark night.
ONDA: Designed by Vero Kern. For the time being, ONDA is only available in Switzerland and neighbouring countries from veroprofumo. Sales to the US is anticipated by mid 2008.
And tomorrow….RUBI! The W.-factor’s favourite…stay tuned.
May 31st, 2007 at 6:34 am
Earthy vetiver with ginger and coriander–sounds hot and delightful. I hope it wouldn’t make me feel guilty about not doing my gardening work.
There is such a strong Tauresque quality to Tauer fragrances. Vero’s fragrances sound quite different from one another–but is there a character that identifies them all as hers (even if you can’t verbalize it)? I can put a fragrance on my arm, hold it under Mr. DH’s nose, and get the response “Andy Tauer” or “Not Andy Tauer” as the case may be! :-) Greetings to you from Mr. DH.
May 31st, 2007 at 6:39 am
Оуу, Yes dear Andy I very much wish to taste it. You perfectly represent perfume. This present - true literary essay.
May 31st, 2007 at 7:07 am
Dear Maria
Oh, yes , there is a Vero quality to Vero’s perfume that I can feel. I wanted tomorrow, with the last review on her scents, mention this on the side. There is a “Veronesque” feel to her scents that is hard to describe, maybe it is their transparency quality… you know: even a rather dark scent like her earthy vetiver is transparent like a piece of a dark mountain crystal. Maybe it is the way she picks ingredients (quality! and naturals) and restrains herself from overdoing the compositions. In a sense, her compositions are densely woven, but nevertheless light. No heavy velvet, rather silk.
Dear Vladimir
Thank you very much. Greetings from Switzerland, in a train, in the middle of a green spot in Europe.
May 31st, 2007 at 7:39 am
Very much looking forward to Vero perfumes being available in the States! I’ve been away from the computer a few days, working. I was sorry to miss the drawing, but have really enjoyed catching up on your posts. Andy, it’s such a pleasure to read your reviews and to read about Pico - how very cool that you showed him rocket launches to the moon!
May 31st, 2007 at 11:57 am
How exciting these sound…
I’m such a vetiver fan, have been since I was small.
Mlle. Vero must possess singular gifts..
Would you mind sharing a photo of her?
P.S.- I promise , I won’t cheat on you with her, Andy.
Really.
Ich bin eine treue Hund…[let’s hope I got that right !]
May 31st, 2007 at 1:21 pm
Vetiver has me at rapt attention!
I appreciate the fact that she has been obviously working with good quality natural ingredients and with a sleight of hand that accounts for the silk rather than heavy velvet effect you have been talking about. It’s so easy to be heavy handed sometimes…
Thanks for yet another wonderful and interesting review.
May 31st, 2007 at 3:28 pm
Dear Gina
Glad you did not miss the posts (but sorry that you missed the quiz…). There is one more review coming… stay tuned!
Dear Chayaruchama
they are exciting and far beyond the ordinary. I remember when I sniffed a trial version of the KIKI and found it was finished but Vero would keep on working on it for more than a year to reach a fragrance that really approaches perfection. She is very passionate and very patient, a rare combination, indeed! And finally: You got it right, but almost (It would be Ich bin ein treuer Hund..). Well, then we share something. Me, I am loyal dog too. But, please, feel free to eat from the other side of the fence ;-) Vero will appreciate!
Dear Helg
there is more to come…tomorrow we have yet another highlight. By the way: Your Jasmin posts are wonderful. I have to come and leave a comment on your site. It IS fabulous what you are doing.
July 5th, 2007 at 11:45 am
Hello
Great book. I just want to say what a fantastic thing you are doing! Good luck!
G’night