Dear Shaded Viewers,
To inhale Parfums Quartana’s forthcoming scent, FOREST OF THE GOLDEN DREAM, is to step into a realm where antiquity collides with modernity, where myth and science are not adversaries but co-conspirators in an aromatic tapestry. The latest olfactory narrative by this Fragrance Foundation Award-winning house—already lauded for its Ierofante perfume—does not merely aim to adorn the skin, but to alter one’s existential state.
For a robust sum of $215, to be exact, this perfume—available for pre-order now—makes the lavish promise of transformation. As if to underscore this alchemy, each bottle arrives with a complimentary 10ml travel size for a limited time, a vial of liquid transcendence in pocket format.
Developed over a span of eight years and guided by IFF’s master perfumer Celine Barel, the scent unfolds like an enchanted manuscript—its chapters penned by Joseph Quartana, the brand’s Founder and Creative Director. Drawing inspiration from his own healing experiences and the ancient rituals of Egypt, Greece, and Rome, Quartana’s perfume achieves a luxuriant symbiosis, layering historical gravitas upon contemporary flair.
The fragrance doesn’t just arrive; it announces itself with an accord pyramid as complex as any Greek epic. From the crown notes of Guatemalan cardamom oil and Pink Pepper CO2 to a heart filled with French mimosa and Canadian fir balsam, the perfume’s composition delves into ancient and exotic botanicals, culminating in a root of coolwood, moss, and patchouli.
Upon application, FOREST OF THE GOLDEN DREAM seems to transport its wearer to an otherworldly forest, where the boundaries between the real and the ethereal are deliciously blurred. “Here we can ‘kiss the gods’ and draw divine inspiration from them,” Quartana posits. And he might not be exaggerating. At its core, the scent aspires to entelechy—an Aristotelian notion about fulfilling one’s complete potential.
It is arguably the first fragrance aimed to serve not merely as a cosmetic accessory but as an elixir for spiritual communication. Crafted near the original site of the Woodstock Music and Arts Festival, this aromatic tale weaves the wisdom of ancient wellness with the efficacy of modern science.
Adding another layer to its manifold identity, the perfume will be accompanied by a short film by award-winning director Rob Barriales, scored by Michael Zodorozny of the electro-punk art band Crash Course in Science. Just as the fragrance aims to blend the visible and invisible worlds, the film will strive to visualize its ineffable spirit.
Parfums Quartana seems determined to defy boundaries, as evidenced by its plans to relaunch its Les Potions Fatales line in eco-conscious formulations. But with FOREST OF THE GOLDEN DREAM, it has, in essence, formulated a potion for the 21st-century seeker—a supercharged iteration of aromatherapy that pleads for our sensory, if not spiritual, immersion.
As Quartana himself suggests, the veil between the terrestrial and celestial narrows here. Whether we credit the meticulously sourced oils or the Aristotelian philosophy is perhaps less important than the end result: a fragrance that doesn’t just scent the air but changes it. And maybe, just maybe, us along with it.
Later,
Diane
