Bond No 9 - Chinatown

A little more New York and Bond No 9. I belive Chinatwon is their most popular perfume. I have to admit that I at first didn´t realise why. Or, actually I thought it was kind of bland, nice and inoffenisice, wich could be the reason for it to be popular.




So while Silver Factory almost at once become a favourite, Chinatown failed to capture me. Slowly I began to realise that that was a part of the charm with Chinatown.




I don´t know about you, but I am picturing Chinatown as a place filled with busy people, noices and a lot of colours. Chinatown isn´t really a whole town, what I´ve heard it´s more of a block or a quite small part of New York. Well, the size doesn´t really matter, I still think of Chinatown as full of life, noices, colours and scents from chinese food, candies and groceries.




How come the perfume Chinatown is so light, soft and calm? On me it starts with a burst of wild strawberries, and then some soft peach and florals. The heart and base consists of cardamom and patchouli, even tough the patchouli seem to be there as a careful support for the other notes rather than something so noticeable. At least on me.




Chinatwon isn´t at all a noicy perfume, but a very light, caressing and discrete perfume. But with a strong and very comfortable presence. When I realised that, I also realised I´ve slowly starting to like Chinatown. Yes, it´s pretty and nice, but it has a strong and unique personality, that I normally -more easily- find in stronger perfumes.




I have also thought about why Bond No 9 choses to interprent Chinatown in this way? That I´ve tried japanese Miya Shinma´s perfumes might have help me to understand why. I belive that (many) chinese people could have similar perfume preferences as (many) japanese people. Light, floral and fruity perfumes with lack of animalic notes like musk and leather. Asian perfumes seem to be lighter, more transcluent and more delicate than western perfumes.




Still they aren´t at all -only- floral fruity. Western floral-fruity is, in my nose, kind of uptempo, fresh, sexy, youth and party. The eastern perfume I´ve tried is something completly different, more of stillness, calm, and tranquile estetics I seldom find in western perfumes.




Oh well, I could be kind of stressed when it come to perfumes. I want it to be ooooh and aaaah and my nose attached to my wrist and how could I get more of this amazing juice??? But that doesn´t work well with more eastern asia influenced perfumes, as I think of Chinatown. Because in Chinatown I find that eastern soul or heart or spirit that I recognise from for instant Miya Shinma´s perfumes. When Chinatown comes to me, I find in it, an almost meditative feeling.




I guess you understand that I really like Chinatown now and that I must get me some more of it soon, my little sample is almost finnished now.




Besides of wild strawberries, peaches, cardamom and patchouli I find a light nuttiness in Chinatown that is really nice. For some reason Chinatown make me think of beautiful butterflies in a sunny orchard.




I am glad that I´ve finally learnt to know Chinatwon and appreciate it and also admire it´s transcluent and soft beauty. That kind of perfumes has it´s very own place in any perfume collection I think.


The sillage is discrete, but constantly there and it´s very longlasting considering the light character of the perfume.


Have you tried Chinatown? Did it become a favourite at once or did you struggle with it? Or do you not like it at all?


















Pic: R.Guskind