Une Voix Noire - The Black Voice

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I am compelled to post beautiful images on Facebook. So recently when Billie Holiday’s birthday was coming around, I went looking for a lesser known image for my page.  While surfing through images I came across this ad, discovering that perfumer Serge Lutens had designed a perfume inspired by the ever present gardenia worn in Billie’s hair.  I was in awe and moved by this discovery!  I thought, “Oh my goodness, Une Voix Noire (a black voice).” Wow, that’s me!

 I had been smitten by Lady Day since I was a teen in the mid 70' after seeing the movie “Lady Sings The Blues”.  My sensibilities were not sophisticated enough to know that it wasn't the best rendering of Lady's life.   I was most interested in seeing Diana Ross who was playing the role of Billie Holiday and leading man Billie D. Williams. Both were wildly popular at the time and had captured the cultural imagination of parts of  black entertainment life.Fast forward to present day, now that I had seen the image above, I had to smell this ode to Billie.  So on a cold, drizzling, spring evening, I trekked up to Madison Avenue and 60th Streett o find Barney’s nearly empty of customers, but full of delightful and informative perfume sales people.  This is one of my favorite things to do as a perfumer, it's not the same as visiting the Botanical Gardens. But it does awaken my imagination and senses to be in the presence of exquisite scents.I was informed that there are no samples to be had for Serge’s perfumes featuring his interpretation of Billie Holiday and her iconic gardenia flower. You either plunked down the $300 price tag or left with just the remnants of a spritz from the counter bottle on your wrist or on a scent strip…  It’s not nearly enough for a nose to fully experience the scent...From memory, let me share, Une Voix Noire features a prominent gardenia note. The fragrance's tag line is, "The stars rise in chorus. The night sky is filled with the light of the moon.   Since it is a  Serge Lutens, I was pretty certain that I would not be disappointed.  For those of you who do not know who Serge Lutens is, he is an exceptional artist who excels in whichever medium he takes on.  He began his career as artistic director of the Christian Dior make up line in the 60's & 70's, was also a  phenomenal hairstylist, photographer and has become a perfumer extraordinaire.   I  had imagined this perfume would have a grandiose entre; that it would  step onto life’s stage with dramatic motions and bravado. But no, instead it glided into view with grace, guild and intrigue.  It is an exquisite blend of flowers, fruits, alcohol and smoke.  Exquisite fragrances of luminous texture and shape, have no edges. It is soft with inner firmness, a seductive roundness that beckons you to smell deeper at the complexity  below.Intoxicating, mysterious and elegant - this is Une Voix Noire.  The perfume is very much like  the title of a book penned by Farah Jasmine Griffin on Billie’s life, ‘If You Can’t Be Free Be A Mystery: In Search of Billie Holiday.”I have taken Billie and her music into my soul since first being introduced to her music in my teens.  I can listen to her when sad and feel the pain, the grit and still be lifted.  I can listen to Billie when feeling great and experience deeper joy.  Billie’s artistry which is beyond the sound of her voice, it is in her delivery, her phrasing, and something that comes up from her soul to touch your soul.  And because her singing continues to astound, delight and intrigue me, I would have been surprised had I not fallen deeply in love with Une Voix Noire.   I need more time with this scent. I did order a sample by mail order.  If I absolutely love it, I'll be back to share that with you.Have you ever fallen in love with someone or thing based on what it its name? Were you disappointed or delighted? Share the one time your scent sense alerted you to a love affair?[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]