Le Labo VIOLETTE 30 review

Le Labo VIOLETTE 30

Within the lexicon of floriography — the secret language of flowers meticulously preserved in Victorian-era texts — the violet evades easy explanation. Across history, violets have symbolized a delightfully paradoxical bouquet of meaning, standing for both burning passion and wide-eyed innocence, steadfast strength and poetic delicacy, measured wisdom and persistent optimism. VIOLETTE 30 is an ode to the undefinable contrasts in a single specimen. – Deborah Royer, Global Brand President & Creative Director, Le Labo Fragrances, Brooklyn, New York

Le Labo VIOLETTE 30 unassembled

Ein Veilchen auf der Wiese stand,
gebückt in sich und unbekannt;
es war ein herzigs Veilchen. ~ excerpt from Das Veilchen, poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (set to music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)

(“A violet stood in the meadow,

Unnoticed, humble, with bowed head;

It was a lovely violet.”)

The inimitable delicacy of Mozart wed to Goethe’s tender, unaffected poem emerges anew in Le Labo’s latest fragrant release, Le Labo VIOLETTE 30. A sample was sent me by the brand last week, (suggested by Michelyn– who knows how much I adore violets of any variety.) My modus vivendi has long been cribbed from the poet Alfred de Musset, in that I stalwartly believe that it is necessary to love many things so that I may learn which I love best. These include moss, ambergris, shadowy undergrowth, riotously effusive flowers of all sorts, profoundly troubling musks, animalic and leathery perfumes, anything suggestive of the forest – et al. I harbor particular fondness for the humbler flora – which includes the unassuming fragrant violet. Le Labo’s VIOLETTE 30 draws its inspiration from the white violet – the tiny fragrant viola blanda, which is the only fragrant northeastern violet, according to the New York Botanical Gardens.

Unsplash white violets

Scented violets have historically occupied a special place in our lives. The sweet-scented European viola odora was Napoleon’s and Empress Josephine’s favorite flower; every year until their divorce (Josephine was unable to provide an heir), Napoleon would present her with a bouquet of sweet violets on their wedding anniversary. Violets became a symbol of the Napoleonic reign – and when Napoleon died, his locket was found to contain a lock of Josephine’s hair and pressed violets. In fact, there exist multiple interpretations of the demure violet’s attributes: they have symbolized fidelity, modesty, and love since the times of ancient Greece and Rome (associated with Aphrodite and Persephone); they were emblematic of Athens. The violet has been likened to the suffering of Christ and associated with the Virgin Mary as well. Shakespeare employed them in the love potion he concocted in A Midsummer Night’s Dream – and they are depicted in the famous Unicorn in the Garden tapestries.

White violet accords are less frequently mentioned in perfumery, but they have been evoked in a variety of fragrances over the years. I have searched for a white, violet absolute, and the rare sources I encounter are very vague, leaving me feeling skeptical because of their reluctance to divulge methods of extraction. What is more likely is that a reconstruction of their fragrance involves the crisp limpidity of violet leaf absolute and the inclusion of ionones (among other fragrant materials). White violets’ fleeting, ethereal charm can be attributed to the singular nature of ionones: they are perceived as ephemeral because the small receptors in our noses are temporarily desensitized after our initial sniff – but once these receptors recover, we are able to experience their aroma once more. Some of their nuances include a sweet, powdery presence, mild earthiness, and a wistful verdancy.

One of the distinguishing characteristics of Le Labo VIOLETTE 30 is its polished subtlety and ethereal, almost otherworldly temperament. VIOLETTE 30 opens with the clarity of a brisk violet leaf and violet accord wreathed in aldehydes: bright, watery, and verdantly floral. The ensuing trajectory of this fragrance is a particularly seamless one; it feels as if each element has been chosen for a reason, without any single note vying for your attention. The astringency of white tea is artful; it provides a sort of olfactory canvas, with its sweetly floral/woody/herbaceous tone. It’s remarkable how soft-pedaled the potential heavy-hitting fellow components are. One might expect cumin to grandstand in most fragrances – but here she is wispy instead, much like the unusually mellow burnishing of saffron. Likewise with amber and patchouli, which assume a weightlessness not traditionally associated with their employment in perfume. This gossamer touch extends to incense as well; we are aware of its presence, not overwhelmed – and rose is her companionable self, smoothing the perfumed path as she rounds out any potentially sharp edges. The most pronounced aspects of VIOLETTE 30’s drydown correlate with cedarwood and guaiacwood base notes. Terpenic cedar conducts itself as the backbone it is, and guaiac is leveraged with a gentle hand in order to infer a subtler smokiness than we often encounter

Le Labo VIOLETTE 30 is a surprising scent for the brand – a bit of a departure from the weightier fragrances with which we associate it. I applaud its delicacy. As the perfume lingers lightly upon the skin, it becomes a tenacious skin scent over time. One may apply it more liberally as a result – and experience its lovely initial impression, of which I’m very fond.

Notes: white violet, aldehydes, rose, white tea, incense, cumin, saffron, cedar, guaiac wood, amber, patchouli