In a world of perfumery geared around old-fashioned ideas of “ladylike glamour” or “sweet femininity” Juliette Has a Gun a slightly edgier offering for the Instagram generation – variations of traditional rose scents stripped of their granny-ish connotations with bold new twists, beguiling undertones and unique bottles to match.
The man behind the scents is self-styled enfant terrible Romano Ricci, known for wearing a be-ribboned black fedora hat and snappy suit. It’s impossible to write about him without mentioning his fashionable heritage – the great-grandson of Nina Ricci and grandson of perfumer Roberto Ricci no less. Yet rather than take up the mantle of his family’s iconic brand, he decided to carve his own niche in the world of perfumery. Juliette Has A Gun launched in 2005, inspired by Shakespeare’s famous heroine – yet rather than the tragic heroine we’re familiar with, this time she is envisioned by Ricci as armed and dangerous.
Juliette Has A Gun – The Gentlewoman
The brand has seemed to have grown up with its audience over the last ten years, if its latest two sophisticated scents are anything to go by. We met up with him a few weeks ago to talk about them. “So what are the latest trends in perfumery?” he casually asks us over lunch, as every journalist stopped chewing and looked like rabbits in headlights. “Oh ouds are still going strong,” I mutter. “Not sure why, they’ve been around for ages, but companies still insist on churning them out. So what’s your latest fragrance?” “An oud.” Merde!
Luckily the perfumer had already pre-empted my reaction, with the perfume’s tongue-in-cheek name Another Oud. If you haven’t encountered them, ouds are not for the faint-hearted. Bold and brash they announce themselves as soon as the wearer walks into the room, and for that reason they are rather polarising particularly in the West, where more subtle scents are usually the status quo.
Being immersed in the oud-world as a beauty journalist, I’ve grown rather fond of them. Beloved in the Middle East, you can’t walk down Knightsbridge without being knocked for six by a gorgeous fug from many glamorous oud-wearers. Another Oud is described as “an immersion into the oriental world, version 2.0” and it certainly evokes the glamour of the region. As one would expect, it’s a rich, musky concoction brightened by raspberry and bergamot. It’s pretty and not as cloying or over-powering as most oud scents (and there are many, believe me).
But for those still not ready to jump on the oud bandwagon, the second scent Gentlewoman is a calmer citrus with a richer heart of musk and woods. Designed to give a woman “a dash of dandy” it’s a traditional gentleman’s cologne with sunny top notes of neroli and bitter orange, warmed with coumarin and almond essence. It seems to capture that feeling when you’re – to borrow a phrase from the selfie generation – feeling your look. I’ve never worn a bowtie, but I imagine it would feel just as dandyish as this scent.
Juliette Has A Gun – Another Oud
The press materials are likely to raise a few eyebrows. One campaign image featured a young woman in stilettos and gazelle-like limbs, posing in an armchair with a glass of whiskey, while the accompanying quote by French cinematist Sacha Guitry reads, “being a woman, a real one is above all a woman who isn’t a feminist.” Hmm … I’m suspecting provocative press materials is all part of Romano’s branding, but this doesn’t seem to fit with the his original image of the badass, gun-toting Juliette. I email him about it. “This is a controversial sentence,” he concedes. “I am glad you brought it up.
“According to me, the Gentlewoman does not need to be a feminist to feel like a woman. She accepts the difference between men and women, and even cultivates this difference. Playing with her femininity, she understands that being a woman is her greater strength and she’s proud of it.” Although I agree with the sentiment that one’s femininity should be celebrated, I don’t think this is necessary incompatible with holding feminist beliefs. However, we’re in the business of perfume, not politics so I don’t press the topic further.
I speak to a friend about it. “He’s French. That’s all you need to know,” she concludes solemnly. Having dated several French men, I’m inclined to disagree. But luckily for M Ricci, I have a fondness for that roguish Gallic charm, for which reasons I’m willing to overlook – for now – such provocative statements. An English perfumer wouldn’t be so lucky …
by Viola Levy
Gentlewoman is available nationwide, £95 for 100ml, Another Oud is available at Harrods £110 for 100ml.