If one were to take the English translation of Soir de Lune literally, a fragrance capturing a moonlit evening could only be mysterious and dark. Indeed, Dominique Ropion who created the fragrance for Sisley worked on the classical chypre theme, setting the radiant floral heart in the voluptuous duskiness of oakmoss and patchouli. Its smouldering form is shrouded in enough floral sweetness to temper the sensuality of hot chilli spicy, scandalwoody notes. Soir de Lune will seduce, yet it will not lend a clichéd sexy image to its wearer, and this is one of its most appealing qualities. Among the bubbly girly fragrances of this fall, Soir de Lune, with its alluring manly aura, comes as a pleasant surprise.The fresh top notes spill into layers of spices, interspersed with hints of rose that grow darker and richer as the fragrance dries down. The heart shimmers with floral nuances, exhibiting the chilly crispness of iris one moment and the honeyed sweetness of mimosa the next. The transition from floral opulence to woody darkness takes place in a harmonious manner, and when one finds oneself sinking into the raw silk warmth of the base, the sensation is nothing short of captivating.
Soir de Lune is the third fragrance of Sisley, along with Eau de Campagne (1974, Jean-Claude Ellena’s first commercial success) and Eau du Soir (1990). The result is a fragrance that befits Sisley’s luxurious image. It is an intoxicatingly olfactory version of a perfect underwear underneath a classically cut suit -its seduction comes from the confidence it instills. Perhaps the lingerie metaphor is not completely out of place, because Soir de Lune is reminiscent of rosy chypres like Agent Provocateur EDP. It features the same spicy fresh top, the rich rosy heart and the opulently dark chypre base. However, Soir de Lune’s composition is better balanced by the rounded heart, avoiding the sharpness that made Agent Provocateur rather challenging for me to appreciate. However, as the fragrance develops, it attains its own distinctive character of understated sensuality and elegance.
This magnificent fragrance in an exquisitely naif moon flacon pins you to the wall with its aromatic muscle. The first assault spices is like being mugged by your maiden aunt. Who would expect that such benign notes would pack such a wallop ? The quality of the materials is undeniable as the fragrance transforms into an airy flounce of blossoms. Soir de Lune includes top notes of fresh citrus, bergamot orange, mandarin, lemon, coriander, nutmeg, chilli pepper; mid notes of May rose centifolia absolute, mimosa flower absolute, jasmine, lily of the valley, iris, peach; base note of moss, musk, honey, sandalwood, Indonesian patchouli.
Let the magic begin !
