ÉVEILLEUR

éveilleur is a breath of fresh air in this current glut of ever-appearing perfumes, brands and artistic directors. Everyone it seems, has a perfume brand inside them. 

The truth is a little more prosaic, small indie brands, artisan perfumers rising and falling like seasonal blooms and the big houses producing flankers and then occasionally launching something new which in turn will be flankered into oblivion. It is a tough and unforgiving business, not even originality can necessarily save you. However, sometimes it works. A USP or unique selling point helps, quality perfumes that intrigue, make themselves wanted, copy that romances the consumer and goes someway to elucidate how it might smell. 

éveilleur is a new perfume house from Croatia, a rarity in olfaction. Three evocative scents inspired by the sparkling azure seas of the Adriatic, local floral and yummy indulgent pastries. The artistic director and founder of éveilleur, Dajana Dukić, collaborated with Master perfumers Olivier Cresp and Nathalie Lorson to give life to the love she so obviously has for her home. 

The Dalmatian Coast and waters have become a hugely popular holiday nautical and tourist destination in recent years, the area is strictly speaking a historical region and not legally defined. This lends Dalmatia a romantic vibe with a complex history of being at various times part of the Roman Empire, the Kingdom of Croatia, the Republic of Venice and Austrian Empire. 

Dajana has chosen to launch éveilleur with three statement scents, a honed and atmospheric trio that serves as the perfect introduction to her passions and love of Croatia and the alluring coastline. It is a loose trilogy, linked by key motifs and inspirations that Dajana hopes will create the sun-filled mood and personal experiences key to éveilleur. 

The names are intriguing enough to stop you and warrant investigation. DSCVR ME!, I AM and NOT INNOCENT are in bright bottles with gold caps embossed with a dragonfly. Run together the titles say: Discover me, I am not innocent. 

There is a lot to be said for new brands that exert their charms slowly, asking a little of your time and seducing you with a mix of novelty and craft. The éveilleur trio is brimming with joie de vivre, a delicious mix of indulgence and that special vibrancy that holidays impart. Despite the large number of new launches each year, it is still important to see and sample variation. It means a necessary diversity is available and perfumer lovers can experience scents outside of the classic, big house collections.