Atelier des Ors Blanc Polychrome: an illusion in white
Blanc Polychrome by the niche house Atelier des Ors sounds like one big exception, right from its name. By definition, white is an achromatic color, basic and neutral, or so the encyclopedias tell us. Polychrome, on the other hand, means created from many colors, multicolored, and this perfume truly turns out to be just that: white and multicolored at the same time.
It begins with...
You need to be ready for it: a sweeping burst of juicy, bright yellow lemons, fresh and slightly sour. At this stage it brings to mind Wulong Cha Nishane, which, although a tea fragrance, has a similarly palpable citrus opening. In the top notes of Blanc Polychrome, perfumer Marie Salamagne has added rhubarb, which reinforces the sour note and the tart feel of the lemons. Freshly peeled mandarins also sneak in, neither dominating nor matching the lemons in strength, but they are there. It feels as if you have slipped out onto the terrace on a summer morning, barefoot and without makeup, but you are in no rush to drink your coffee, simply enjoying the sun as you stir the ice in the lemonade jug. The lavender pots sway gently in the breeze, and even the sunlit sea looks... white.
As the fragrance develops, the citrus line remains central even in the heart stage, where jasmine can be distinctly felt with its characteristic voice, reinforced by the green nature of petitgrain and a very quiet fig that is barely perceptible. The composition subtly grows richer, starting to become truly polychrome, without ever losing that sense of white, light, and eyes squinting against the sun. Blanc Polychrome is not a fragrance with overly dynamic phases of development, yet it cannot be called linear either. In the final transition, as the base opens up, the citrus notes soften, smoothed by a fine, unobtrusive musk. Here it reminded me of Uden Xerjoff, which makes a similar turn, though in a completely different direction, but with a very similar citrus opening, managing to balance its two faces into one reflection. In much the same way, Blanc Polychrome demonstrates smooth transitions throughout its development, all of them airy and light, as if sliding into one another without ever losing their glow, even for a moment.
The fragrance is surprisingly long lasting for this type of composition, an absolute lifesaver for the summer heat that is no longer so far away. Without pretending to be extraordinary, Blanc Polychrome delivers exactly what it promises: long lasting freshness and a smiling light, its presence distinct without ever being loud. The brand's presentation is something that always draws gasps and sighs, thanks to the golden particles shimmering in the bottle. A true illusion in white, a multicolored white.
