Aqua Allegoria Pera Granita
by GUERLAIN
Ingredients: bergamot, osmanthus, pear
The Aqua Allegoria series started brilliantly in 1999 with Mathilde Laurent’s Pamplelune, a fluorescent grapefruit that punched way above the weight of the Aqua series, intended as a cheap-and-cheerful alternative to Guerlain’s big releases. The whole point, which was to emulate Escada’s landmark Chiffon Sorbet (1993) by spreading a little happiness, was soon hijacked by LVMH’s impatience. The series was swept away by the fruity-floral tide and degenerated into a series of random topnotes, usually with a name like Tutti Kiwi or Grosellina, both duds.
I have a feeling that Thierry Wasser now has things under better control, because recent Aqua Allegorias, while in no way comparable to the early ones, at least perform as advertised. This Pera Granita is the sort of thing a 15-year old would wear to school, or an old-timer like myself would wear on a balcony overlooking the sea after a day at the beach: friendly, fizzy, fleeting, and altogether as inconsequential and cheerful as a fruit cocktail with an umbrella stuck in it. On skin, even the drydown smells nice, like spearmint gum. What’s not to like?
fugacious joy
