100ml

ETAT LIBRE D'ORANGE

THE AFTERNOON OF A FAUN

Name: THE AFTERNOON OF A FAUN
Brand: ETAT LIBRE D'ORANGE
Price: 190.00 $
Availability: OutOfStock

Eau De Parfum

Unisex

Sizes

Starting

$190

Description

THE AFTERNOON OF A FAUN by Etat Libre d'Orange is a fascinating aromatic spicy fragrance that truly embodies its namesake, drawing inspiration from Stéphane Mallarmé's poem and Nijinsky's scandalous ballet. It opens with a bright, dewy rose, quickly joined by a distinctive immortelle note that lends a unique, almost savory warmth, reminiscent of a subtle curry spice. As it develops, the scent deepens into a rich, mossy chypre, revealing layers of myrrh, leather, and benzoin that evoke the scent of worn wood or a cherished antique. This fragrance masterfully balances its green, earthy elements with a sensual, enveloping warmth, making it a compelling and memorable wear. Perfumer: Ralf Schwieger

Scent Profile

Aromatic

Spicy

Woody

Mossy

Chypre

Green

Leathery

Warm

Resinous

Floral

Powdery

Notes

Top Notes

Bergamot

Black Pepper

Cinnamon

Incense

Middle Notes

Rose

Immortelle

Orris

Jasmine

Base Notes

Myrrh

Oakmoss

Leather

Benzoin

About ETAT LIBRE D'ORANGE

État Libre d'Orange is a Paris-based perfume house founded in 2006 by Etienne de Swardt, inspired by the Orange Free State of his South African birthplace, embodying freedom, audacity, and independence from conventional perfumery norms. The brand is renowned for its provocative, subversive fragrances with unexpected compositions, ironic names, and high-quality ingredients that blend luxury with bold, passionate storytelling to challenge social boundaries and evoke personal expression. Its signature style prioritizes olfactory innovation over packaging, offering aspirational scents that are elegant yet irreverent, appealing to fragrance enthusiasts seeking originality and authenticity.

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Perfumer

Ralf Schwieger

Ralf Schwieger is a German perfumer born in rural Westphalia who studied chemistry before specializing in fragrance chemistry in Berlin and training at a perfumery school in Grasse. His career blends science and art, creating iconic fragrances for prestigious houses including Hermès (Eau des Merveilles), Yves Saint Laurent (Baby Doll), Marc Jacobs (Marc Jacobs Men), and niche brands like Frédéric Malle (Lipstick Rose) and Atelier Cologne (Orange Sanguine), earning recognition as a master perfumer and 'sculptor of scents.'

Reviews

5.0

Excellent6 reviews

ETAT LIBRE D'ORANGE

5.0/5 • 6 reviews

Community Insights

Reviewers often describe this fragrance as complex and unique, a modern green chypre that feels anything but aloof. It's noted for its intriguing blend of notes, particularly the immortelle, which can be polarizing but adds a distinctive warmth. Many find it to be a beautifully composed and addictive scent with good longevity and sillage.

Pros

Performance excellence: This scent offers good lasting power and sillage, often noted as longer lasting than many other fragrances from Etat Libre d'Orange.

Quality composition: Many find it to be a complex and unique fragrance, beautifully composed and addictive, adding something truly distinctive to the chypre genre.

Versatile appeal: It's considered equally suitable for both men and women, and performs particularly well during colder, autumnal days.

Cons

Specific limitation: The prominent immortelle note can sometimes resemble celery or curry, which might be off-putting for some wearers.

Situational drawback: This is not an easy fragrance to love immediately and may require some getting used to; it's highly polarizing and not recommended as a blind buy, especially in warmer weather.

Comparisons

Similar to a vintage No. 19 pure parfum: It shares a certain singed woods and burned coffee smell, but in a more appealing way.

Faintly similar to Fougere Bengale: It has a comparable approach to incorporating immortelle, but reimagined within a chypre structure.

Reminds reviewers of other ELDO scents: It sits between Hermann (less woody/fresh) and Attaquer Le Soleil (more complex and herbal, with similar projection/longevity).