Encounters is a 2023 release from luxury niche perfumer Francesca Bianchi, who treats perfumery as "an intellectual process," inspired by "the power of what it means to be human, by the wish to connect with people’s inner life, the desire to spark an emotion in them and make them feel at home in their own bodies, offer solace, or just a quick fix for a bad day." Encounters is an Woody Spicy scent with an aroma profile of amber, woody, citrus, balsamic, oud, aromatic, musky, powdery, and animalic notes.
Top Notes
Iris Butter, Rose, Angelica, Cinnamon
Agarwood (Oud), Ambergris, Benzoin, Peru Balsam, Castoreum*, Sandalwood, Cedar
From Francesca Bianchi:
Accords: Iris with Oudh facet, Spicy Woody Oriental
Mood: Assertively hedonistic, Mysterious and Luxurious
Pyramid:
Bergamot, Orange, Cassis, Lavender, Coriandre
Iris Butter, Rose, Angelica, Cinnamon
Ambergris, Castoreum*, Oudh, Sandalwood, Cedarwood, Benjoin, Peru Balsam
*No animal-derived ingredients have been used
The fascination of contaminations
I have always been fascinated by contaminations from different cultures, giving birth to new forms – called syncretistic, eclectic: to me, a new deviant marvel.
I remember my enchantment for the exotic and mysterious Pseudo-Arabic scripts in the halos of some Renaissance painting focused on a quintessential character of Christian culture and yet contaminated by a reference to the Arabic culture.
Or the incredible syncretistic forms such as Greek or Roman temples transformed into Christian Churches, or the Indo-Islamic architecture, merging two cultures in a new language.
Encounters, the fragrance
I wished to render this obsession of mine with Encounters, thanks to a combination of two iconic ingredients from East and West, Iris and Oudh – a moment of contact from whom a new creature originates.
You will find the sophisticated refinement of Iris butter, with its soft and mysterious powderiness; a material which develops in the soil to then generate the most lyric among flowers.
And you’ll find Oudh, a material born out of an infection of the Aquilaria trees, which then produces one of the most mesmerising and complex odor in the perfumery range of ingredients.
Iconic material: Iris Butter
The Iris is an iconic flower in the Western culture. It is the symbol of the city of Florence – in the countryside of whom one of the most important areas for the cultivation of this flower has developed.
The Fleur de Lys has also been a symbol for the French Kings since the 12th century.
And countless times you can find iris in paintings throughout Western History.
Iconic material: Oudh
Oudh is an iconic ingredient of Eastern culture due to its crucial significance. Derived from an infection of the Aquilaria tree, it’s native to South and South-east Asia, and parts of the Middle East.
Used for spiritual and religious purposes, it is believed to help elevate the spirit and create a sense of calm and connection to the Divine.
Considered one of the most precious material in perfumery for its intense and complex aroma, it’s woody with leathery, animalic and smoky facets.
Note: Samples are sold by the 1ml. You may purchase up to 2ml. Samples of 1ml or less will come in a glass vial with a dabber. Samples larger than 1ml will come in small glass spray bottles. All samples will be consolidated unless expressly requested otherwise.
INGREDIENTS
Alcohol Denat.,Parfum, Alpha-isomethyl, Ionone, Limonene, Linalool, Benzyl Benzoate, Geraniol, Benzyl Cinnamate, Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol, Coumarin, Cinnamal, Eugenol, Citral, Benzyl Alcohol.
Fragrance Vault is an official stockist of Francesca Bianchi,
*Castoreum accord is not animal derived.
