On the Way to Chinatown - Bond No.9 Chinatown

When you walk down fragrant streets and explore new compositions, you never know what treasure you can hunt down and what kind of infatuation can be created by a few precious drops. Superpower in arrangement with Supercity, as stated in presentation of this edition, will keep you thinking where such strong seductive powers of this gentle, gourmand, oriental-floral perfume come from.

Official notes will give you good directions on what to expect from the composition, but you cannot even guess its opulent nuances until you try them. A floral bouquet with slightly stifling oriental gourmand aromas supported by cardamom which intoxicates from the background creates a characteristic Eastern-Western concept to carry you through various cultures, while supporting tradition and special elements of both regions. Superwoman who chooses it will reach for its irresistibly romantic flacon and receive a bouquet composed of peach blossom, peony, orange blossom, gardenia, tuberose, Guaiac wood, cardamom, patchouli, vanilla, bergamot, sandalwood, cedar. All those ingredients mean nothing to you until they touch your skin!

On our way to Chinatown we'll make a stop at each ingredient. Peach blossom intoxicates your senses from the very beginning in loud, clear and gourmand way with gentle sweetness. As if the most intoxicating juice, elixir of pleasure, seduction and life energy were hidden in the opening notes… Without sudden movements, explosive sparks or dynamic moves and turn points, this fragrance will simply pull you into its world while presenting natural juiciness in a modern way, but very gently, as if it were sliding… In the same time it takes us to a small antiquity shop in a suburb of metropolis which smells like vanilla sticks, heavy, massive furniture and antiquities – a bit of powder and a bit of dust. Tuberose and gardenia are creamy and they express passion, love game and infatuation, while peony as symbol of love and luxury in China finally shows the real intention of the whole edition. Floral nuances do not manage to run from embrace of sweet zests of bergamot, peach and orange blossom, which is excellent for this composition since they enhance erotic charm.

If you read between the lines of Chinatown, you will find cardamom everywhere. Its effect is inevitable even though it is not dominant in this edition. Along with a strong and stable woody base which rules in drydown of this fragrance, it symbolizes opulence, development and stability of Chinese civilization which has attracted with its values for over 5000 years. Cardamom is the spice which has been used in China and the rest of Asia for centuries both in nutrition and in medical purposes. Its aromas provide the sweet floral composition of the forbidden Chinese town with hotness, whiteness and lemon-based support.

The concept of 'the fragrance from two worlds' is created from a gentle fight of body and spirit, ratio and instincts, tradition and culture of two civilizations in a very moderate but strong way, presenting its ingredients in sweet and polite manner, very opulent in its simplicity and straight lines, just in my taste. Its fragrant story is unobtrusive in its tactics with the opposite sex's feelings, but it also surprises with new nuances of personality. Guaiac colours the whole composition with a balmy, smoky veil of mystique, contributing to dark tranquility of an earthy patchouli nuance. Vanilla sweetens the composition and makes it comfortable and wearable on all occasions. It is important to say that Chinatown stays on the skin very long and that its notes cling well both in summer and in winter.

Flacon of this perfume is coloured in attractive pink-white colours, showing face of the first love, which is innocent and naive while giving itself away completely… The bottle is decorated with romantic cherry blossom, characteristic of China. Chinatown is available as 50 and 100 ml EDP and is packed in a pink outer carton. If you are looking for a more luxurious version of the flacon, you can choose between two editions of Swarovski crystal flacons – one is decorated with several crystals placed on cherry blossom, while the second one is completely covered with Swarovski crystals. These two versions are limited editions. Besides the fragrance, Chinatown collection encompasses scented candles and perfumed body cream Chinatown body silk.

I was thinking about the name of this fragrance – Chinatown. What can it give us and what are its limits? What is the most interesting thing about this perfume, what makes it stand out? What can be found on its borders, streets, gardens? I was thinking about its energy and women it represents… I would say that firm, woody walls hide fragile secrets of its heart, floral gardens of Eden with blossoming trees of a long lost spring. The sweet heaven is placed inside heart of a girl in love and her lust on her lips, bite inside healthy, tasty cherries… A fragrance for every woman and for all times!

The feeling which lingers while I am wearing it reminds me of affectionate sparks while you are questioning storm of your feelings, whether you want to enhance them, live them through, show or share them with your favourite person and the whole world, with strong contrasts which affect your patience, tranquility, sweet expectations and tact in a mysterious way. It affects the soul and the most precious feelings that make us tick – feelings of true love.

Official information CHINATOWN: Edition 2005
Perfumer: Aurelien Guichard
Olfactive pyramid; top (bergamot, peach blossom), heart (peony, gardenia, tuberose, orange blossom), base (cardamom, cedar, sandalwood, Guaiac, patchouli, vanilla).

Photos: Bond No.9 ,the pack , tanakawho , Vanessa Pike-Russel

Author: Sandrina  (sandrina_bambina)
Fragrantica Member