My entire life is about perfume. From the moment I wake up, till the late hour when I go to sleep, I constantly sniff and smell and process the fragrances that surround me. They are my best friends and the love of my life. To me, perfume is the purest form of artistic expression. It is both the most abstract form of art, capable of communicating without words or visual aids, and the most immediate.
This form of art allows me to embrace life with all my heart, because it speaks eloquently of loss and joy, doubt and truth, despair and inspiration, earthly lust and transcendent divine. Perfume challenges me every day, thrills me, fills me, moves me, and softens my heart. It releases streams of emotions in me that I did not allow to come to life in the past.
So, yes, I am passionate about perfume but I am also addicted, which is an altogether different ontological box set. Addictions, despite the fact that they seem like normal human yearnings, they are more about desire than attainment. In the addicted mode, the emotional charge is in the pursuit and the acquisition of the desired object not in the possession and enjoyment of it.
One particular brand is constantly haunting my dreams because, every now and then, they bring to life stunning gems of perfumery, activating my all-consuming addiction for outstanding scents. Pure Distance is one of the most exclusive perfume houses in the world, which offers only pure perfume extract, putting passion and energy into the making of fragrances “with soul and signature”.
Founded in 2002 by Ian Ewoud Vos, this power house has been the expression of elegance and sophistication along the years, working with contemporary perfumers in London, Paris and New York (the famous axis of eternal beauty and luxury). It took seven years of meticulous preparations before Jan Ewoud Vos got the Puredistance collection together and ready for launch. This brand is, therefore, the embodyment of gradual organic growth.
The concept of this collection started with a vision he had of a lavish society party, a decadent, modern day version of a scene from The Great Gatsby. A noisy gathering of people, who were showing off, bragging and generally swanning around in flashy designer gear and blinging jewellery. Amids this eclectic crowd, there was a beautiful woman wearing a white dress, whose simple, natural beauty stunned those around her into silence. She was not like them, and had put “pure distance” between herself and the other revellers with their coarse exhibitionism. The elegant, quiet and sophisticated lady is the embodiment of the Puredistance concept: understated elegance and classic beauty.
Ian Ewoud Vos decided to work with perfumers who are magicians in their own right, they are iconic creators known and appreciated all over the world: Antoine Lie, Annie Buzantian, Cecile Zarokian and, more recently, Nathalie Feisthauer.
For those who follow my perfume journey, I want to remind them that the uniqueness of this brand is in the quality of their fragrances, a constant strain of masterpieces, each and every one with its distinct individuality but all of them aligned with the basic concept of the founder: Puredistance 1 (2007), Antonia (2010), M (2012), Opardu (2012), Black (2013), White (2015), Sheiduna (2016), Warszawa (2017), Aenotus (2019), Gold (2019) and Rubikona (2020).
The newest one (launched in 2021) is PURE DISTANCE No.12. It was composed by independent perfumer Nathalie Feisthauer of LAB Scent, rounding up and completing the MAGNIFICENT XII COLLECTION.
The notes skillfully blended in this quite exceptional perfume are: Bergamot Oil, Mandarin Oil, Cardamom Oil, Coriander Oil, Ylang-Ylang Oil, Narcissus Absolute; Jasmine Absolute, Rose Oil, Geranium Oil, Lily Of The Valley, Orange Blossom, Osmanthus Absolute, Orris Butter, Heliotrope, Hedione® HC; Vetiver, Sandalwood Oil, Patchouli Oil, Oakmoss, Tonka Bean, Ambrette, Ambroxan, Vanilla, Musk.
But beyond this rather dry description of the ingredients, what Nathalie Feisthauer managed to accomplish with this scent is nothing short of exceptional. This all-encompassing concoction of rare, precious elements is tamed by the genius of this creator, just like a wizard manages to put back in the bottle the proverbial blue genie of potential wishes.
The majestic symphony of opulent notes is reminiscent of all the other Pure Distance fragrances, in a frenzy of accords that take over your mind, in a hallucinogenic kind of experience. My first encounter with this perfume left me without words for a significant amount of time. I could not utter a word, I could not move, I could not gather my thoughts… I have suddenly discovered a new meaning of the word: MINDBLOWING.
A favorite quote of mine says that “perspective is a function of experience”. In my relatively short life (I see myself still as very young in age but an old soul nonetheless), I have experienced many fragrances. Each and every one of them tells a story, they reveal imaginary travels, heavenly places and amazingly talented artists…. PURE DISTANCE No.12 is a combination of all of the above. A scientifically harmonized mixture that explodes your olfactory memory in a million pieces, the fireworks of a skilled engineer in the blue skies of the deepest night.
The elegance of this perfume stems from its classic construction. It would be impossible for me to wear it other than in a very special environment on a special occasion, surrounded by sophisticated people. The incredible power of PURE DISTANCE No.12 is that it elevates your spirit and it gives you confidence.
As you walk into the world, bright eyes and glamorous smile, you feel that you have arrived to the best version of yourself. You are beautiful, accomplished and you can see through Time…. and that is the unique power of a timeless fragrance…
