The Creative Director of the company Gwendolyn-Mary, Kathleen Laccinole, had a revelation about the transporting qualities of music when she was caught in traffic one day, and was taken away by a piece of music on the radio. Realizing that scent had similar properties, she decided to design a line of fragrances for both home and body that would be equally transporting. Collaborating with experts from many fields, Ms. Laccinole, a former pianist, music executive, and screenwriter, brought Gwendolyn-Mary to life.
Each scent has been inspired by a favorite piece of music. The three fragrances, Pavane No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3, are available in both perfume oil form and as a hand-poured soy candle. They are designed to be worn or burned separately or in tandem. Conceptually, this line is interesting: Pavane No. 1 is bright top notes, Pavane No. 2 is floral middle notes, and Pavane No. 3 is deep base notes. All are complete enough to experience alone, but can be layered to produce different effects.
Pavane, Pierre Augustine Massé after Toudouze
Light and breezy, Pavane No. 1 perfume is fresh without being soapy or too clean. It is crisp and wearable. It leaves a light dusting of fragrance on skin after the initial burst of lychee and grassy notes. The candle is lovely, imparting a sense of fresh air without an overwhelming aroma. It is a candle you can let burn a while. The scent was inspired by Gabriel Fauré's Pavane in F-sharp minor, Op. 50.
Notes: lychee fruit, fig, orange blossom, and fresh cut grass
Pavane, Edwin Austin Abbey
Inspired by Felix Mendelssohn's "Wedding March" from his suite of incidental music for A Midsummer Night's Dream, Pavane No. 2 is a fresh-cut bouquet of flowers. I wore this on a sunny but crisply cool day when I went out for a long walk and it held up well. It is blended expertly, and no particular note dominates; it is truly a bouquet. I’ll definitely wear it when I want an uncomplicated floral. The candle is very good, true to scent with a touch more throw and presence than No. 1.
Notes: water lily, Moroccan red rose, and stargazer lily
Pavane, Mid-16th Century Spanish
Spicy and warm, Pavane No. 3 was my immediate favorite candle, and ultimately my favorite in the perfume, as well. But then, I am drawn to the deeper base notes in general, so that makes sense. I burn more candles when it’s cooler outside, and woods and spices make my house cozy. When I first put on the perfume, I felt like I smelled too much like a candle. After a few minutes, it sank into my skin and became quite appealing. My nose went to my scented hand frequently, and on the chilly morning I wore it, the sweetly spicy woods were welcome. Pavane No. 3 was inspired by Maurice Ravel's Pavane pour une infante défunte
Notes: tobacco, cedar, sandalwood deepened by oak moss, Madagascar vanilla, and clove
Of course, because these are meant to be layered, I played with them. For perfume, I especially liked the blend of No.’s 2 and 3, letting the florals lift the base notes. Layering all three was not as satisfying for me, but I’m sure proportion is everything, and more experimentation is needed. I also burned the candles in groupings, and enjoyed all of them.
The packaging is fantastic. The full-sized candle I received was wrapped so beautifully I nearly didn’t want to open it. The substantial glass container is not emblazoned with the name of the company, just a simple small poppy, and is meant to be repurposed once the candle is gone. The rollerballs of perfume are elegant and simple as well, with just a poppy motif. I think the candles especially would be perfect for gift-giving.
I received my product samples from Gwendolyn-Mary.
Tama Blough, Senior Editor
Thanks to the generous folks at Gwendolyn-Mary, we are offering a travel set containing samples of each perfume and all three candles in travel tins for one of our US readers. Let us know which of these fragrances appeals to you, and how you might layer them. Don’t forget to let us know you are in the US.
We announce the winners only on site and on our Facebook page, so Like Cafleurebon and use our RSS option…or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume.
Additionally, we have an exclusive coupon code, GMLOVESCFB20, good for 20% off on the website through October 31st. Gwendolyn-Mary is currently shipping to the US and Canada only.