Comme des Garcons / Odeur Du Theatre Du Chatelet Acte 1



Hi. Remember me? I used to do perfume reviews, regular-like. Then I went on a great big goofing-off jag, and in the process misplaced my lust for hunting and gathering smell intel. But once a fumehead, never not a fumehead, because today I tried a brand new perfume and suddenly needed to talk to somebody about it. And who do I know who’s all ears when it comes to matters of the nose? You, dear fumies. And I’m really grateful you’re here.



Tonight I bumped into the new Comme des Garçons release, Odeur Du Théâtre Du Châtelet Acte 1, entirely by accident. I was all rubberized after yoga class and was floating through the jangle of Piccadilly Circus on my way home south of the Rio Thames, when I wafted towards Rei Kawakubo’s London emporium of aggressive avant-garde whimsy, Dover Street Market.

“Mmm!” I mmm’d to myself in a mellow stupor, “What I really need to maintain the cozy is a pair of those giant German wool socks they sell here.” 

Maintain the cozy with giant German wool socks.

I woo-wooed my way inside Dover Street Market, intending a beeline for the Labour and Wait kiosk, purveyor of socks made out of half a pound of wool per pair. Not quite as hardcore as having an actual sheep sit on your feet, but more or less in the same farmyard. (Labour and Wait specialize in olden days household goods likeliest found in the cottage of a 19th century longshoreman with exquisitely refined aesthetics.) But I was sidetracked by the pyramid of Comme perfumes just inside the front door, and dawdled to pay my respects to old friends Avignon and Comme des Garçons 2.

There at the top of the pyramid were the chunky glass bricks containing Odeur Du Théâtre Du Châtelet Acte 1, and up surged the ol’ insatiable quest for olfactory pleasure. Stella got her groove back, you guys! I came, I saw, I smelled—and these are my findings.


The bricky bottle and the “odeur” designation marks Théâtre Du Châtelet as part of the Odeur 53 and Odeur 71 gang, but it’s not as abstract and pleasingly weird as either of those. Instead, Théâtre Du Châtelet (perfumer Caroline Dumur) puffs forth in a diffuse musky billow of soapy rose, much in the manner of Le Labo’s Chicago City Exclusive, Baie Rose 26 (perfumer Frank Voekl).

Théâtre Du Châtelet's musk is airy and hot, the fuzzy way fresh-spun cotton candy feels when it’s dissolving on your tongue. Sweet pink heat, a little suffocating. The initial soapiness blurs and softens as the rose becomes more evident, but before it blooms fully, a powdery iris defocuses proceedings. Once I zero in on the iris, I get to thinking about that puffball Godzilla of a girly perfume: Love, Chloé (now discontinued, shame).

Théâtre Du Châtelet never blows up into the powder exhaust pipe mode of Love, Chloé, instead hovering in “hot laundry” territory. And even though it shares the musk, rose, pepper and cedar of Baie Rose 26, the CdG stays quieter than Le Labo’s shriller, denser, more metallic offering.

Comme’s latest is not anything I need to smell like, but good on CdG Parfums for venturing beyond their usual “woods, woods, and more woods” remit. Théâtre Du Châtelet is styled as “Acte 1”. I wonder what’s in store after the intermission?

87 comments:

  1. O MY GOSH Katie!
    You realize that if you posted another You Tube video thousands would flock!
    There is no one like you on You Tube. We're all just waiting for you to come back. ♥️
    You got me into perfume collecting!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ah bless ya, Margo, for keepin' the faith. And I'm glad to know my frothing on fumes got you into the cult. Thanks for the encouragement. x

    ReplyDelete
  3. Lovely to find you in my feed this morning! There's no one like you, doll.

    ReplyDelete
  4. As soon as your name popped up, I clicked on it so fast! So glad to see you, It's like receiving a visit from a trusted friend. Hope for more visits! -Leslie

    ReplyDelete
  5. Katie, Puhleeze come back to YouTube with regular reviews! PUHLEEZE! The frag community needs it's leader back! Think of yourself as Jedi Luke Skywalker, gone for years to do whatever he/you were doing, and now he/you is being called back to action..... :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. No one like you! And I've looked!
    I immediately opened your email; not those others though...

    ReplyDelete
  7. I miss the videos too! Happy your nose is back!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I thought it was a marketing trick, but it's not--it's you! So happy to see you are back with your wonderful, unique take on the best hunt imaginable--interesting perfumes.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Glad you’re back Katie! I missed you You are brilliant and funny and a fabulous writer. Always an interesting, unique twist on how you word phrases and how you observe life. Also, your knowledge of fumes is incredible. Stay here!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for the props, Princess. It means a lot!

      Delete
  10. Hey Katie! I'm so happy that you're back! I miss your You Tube videos... learned so much! Hope to see more of you! :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Welcome back my favourite fumehead!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Katie! I loved your ventures earlier this year and now you're posting about fragrance again? You just made my week!

    ReplyDelete
  13. this was a real treat! lovely to see you posting again with your puckering wit in full bloom. I too sure do miss you on the old YouTuber. Cheers!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I just posted a topic on Fragrantica few days ago how you're my favorite person in fragcom! Sooo glad to have you back 🖤

    ReplyDelete
  15. Wise you are. Witty you be. Wet - well because you're in London.
    Don't be such a Stranger! Don't turn me into a whining wimpy whelp waiting for you to post again!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I shall do my best not to weigh you down with W words, Paul!

      Delete
  16. Good to see you online again! Did you do a review video Katie?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No video, all I can offer are humble words at the moment.

      Delete
  17. What a fabulous start to the day, welcome back Katie.x

    ReplyDelete
  18. Ka-tie! Welcome back! - Pat "Olfactarama" Borow

    ReplyDelete
  19. I second that!!!! Please do come back, there’s no one that can describe perfume like you, succinct yet evocative. Frag comm would go wild!!

    ReplyDelete
  20. How wonderful to read your smelly epistle Katie. Yes, it's me again, but not on Facebook this time ha ha.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Haha! You're a welcome presence on all platforms.

      Delete
  21. I started this smelly venture because of your contagious enthusiasm and I hope to see your posts once in a while in the future :) God, you were missed! Every now and then when I smell something new like the T.Rex from Zoologist - my mind is going through procedure: 'What would Katie say about this stuff' :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm pleased to have passed along my obsession. x

      Delete
  22. Your matter of fact approach to fragrance reviews is missed.

    ReplyDelete
  23. I can't believe this. So much has changed since you left and I'm sure I speak on behalf of the most of fragcomm when I say we have been waiting eagerly for your return. Welcome back Katie!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are certainly making me feel welcome, Babak!

      Delete
  24. Absolutely love your straight matter of fact yet witty reviews. Great to read your words again!

    ReplyDelete
  25. This was a real treat. I hope to see you back reviewing on YouTube. You have been missed.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Wow! I really enjoyed your videos...really deep and intelligent descriptions of the perfumes, and your overall style really lovely and appealing! Would be great to see new videos from you! Antonio

    ReplyDelete
  27. Loved your reviews on YouTube also and hope you are back soon. Cheers

    ReplyDelete
  28. So...so...very happy to know you're back. Missed your videos. Pleass, please come back to the fragrance you-tube community. Lots of love.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Katie, it made my day when i saw a video on YouTube titled "Katie Puckrik Smells Is Back !!!".
    I miss your reviews and would be very happy if you would post new content.
    Thank you for all your work!
    Lots of love
    Kristina

    ReplyDelete
  30. Dear Katie. Welcome back. You are the reason why I started my humble perfume journey. Stay with us for a while please.😚😚😚. Elle.

    ReplyDelete
  31. it's so great to have u back �� come back to yt, we miss u! i loved ur reviews! ��

    ReplyDelete
  32. Do I remember hearing not too long ago that you were going to do an interview with Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez? Maybe I missed it, but just curious if that was real or just a fantasy I conjured up in my caffeine addled brain. Please advise. All three of you should be knighted as far as I am concerned :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, we were going to have a chat about LT and TS's latest guide, and then we dropped the ball. We probably would've benefited from some of your caffeine!

      Delete
  33. Finally, another wonderful review <3
    Your inspiring reviews have always been the most vivid and intriguing ones to me, thank you so much for coming back!!!

    ReplyDelete
  34. Glad my wordpower fluffs your ruff!

    ReplyDelete
  35. Gosh it's wonderful to read your words. You have been dearly missed.

    ReplyDelete
  36. *INTERNALLY SCREAMING LIKE A FANGIRL*

    KATIE! Queen of Sheba! Mother Of All Fragrances! Welcome back!!! Omg. I can't believe my eyes. Welcome welcome welcome back! We're gonna need a major perfume collection video update! :D And Dan too. Please bring back sexy Dan.

    Ahem. Will comment regularly once I get over this rabid fangirling. Welcome back! What a time to be alive.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hahahaaa! Appreciate the mania. Sexy Dan is waiting for you on the next post.

      Delete
  37. How dare u not to comeback !! Plz do !!! You have to grrrrr mama fume !!

    ReplyDelete
  38. Please, please, please let me get what I want....Please come back to YouTube you were/are the greatest. Beautiful witty and concise. Come back! XX

    ReplyDelete
  39. Katie!! Would be lovely to see you again. Even if for just 5 minutes a week saying random things :D. Anything you want, just come back! We missed you a lot!

    ReplyDelete
  40. I only discovered you yesterday to find out you stopped making YouTube. I watched like 10 yesterday and more today (driving!!! ok, I was mostly listening). Your descriptions are like poetry. Please come back!!!!! I also was astonished to hear about your visits to Poland. Omg, I was born in Krakow! Please start recording vidoes. Renata

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Renata! I"m so pleased you stumbed across me. I will be updating this blog regularly now, and hope to return to YouTube before too long. Drive safely!

      Delete
  41. Katie, Please come back on YouTube. Please!!! YouTube need you. Please!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for your plea. It's nice to be needed!

      Delete
  42. Your YouTube channel is such a treasure--thank you! I've binge watched nearly all of the episodes. I hope you decide to make more. :-)

    ReplyDelete