The Moon

In the Middle East, the pace of life is marked by the moon. Veiled, unveiled: its clear halo signals the beginning and end of all festivities. The Arabic language calls on the moon to speak of love — there is no sweeter, more subtle way to declare devotion, to speak of the beauty of the beloved, to confess what words alone cannot carry. It is this cultural weight that Julien Rasquinet was asked to translate into a fragrance — and the result is one of the most opulent and discussed perfumes in the entire Editions de Parfums collection.

Rasquinet completed his training and created his own fragrance house in Normandy before spending four years working in Dubai for IFF, where he developed a deep fluency in Middle Eastern perfumery. It was Pierre Bourdon — the perfumer behind French Lover — who brought Rasquinet to Frédéric Malle’s attention. Malle knew he had found a new perfumer for Editions de Parfums the minute he smelled what was to become The Moon.

The opening is a statement of intent. Raspberry, lychee, and saffron arrive simultaneously — an unlikely collision of sweet fruit and metallic spice that is immediately striking and slightly disorienting, as all great openings should be. The saffron adds warmth and a subtle animalic edge that prevents the fruit from becoming confectionery. Within the first half hour, the fragrance begins its transformation: Turkish rose emerges, rich and velvety, accompanied by frankincense that slowly fills in the spaces around it like smoke rising in a still room.

The base is where The Moon reveals its true nature and its premium pricing. The oud in The Moon is rich, complex, elegant and smooth — determined in a way the oud in other fragrances is not, without being overbearing. It is supported by leather, amber, patchouli, and cypriol — a dark, woody grass that adds an almost smoky, earthy dimension to the composition and is responsible for the remarkable longevity that wearers consistently report.

There are perfumes that ask to be appreciated. The Moon demands to be experienced.

A practical note worth stating clearly: The Moon is among the strongest fragrances in the Frédéric Malle collection — easily the most potent for many who own it. One or two sprays is the appropriate application. It will be present for the duration of the day — and, if applied to clothing, beyond it. This is not a fragrance for the timid or the undecided. It is for those who know exactly what they want and are not afraid of being noticed.

The Moon is the fourth Middle Eastern-inspired fragrance in the Desert Gems collection, following The Night and Promise by Dominique Ropion, and Dawn by Carlos Benaïm. Each explores a different facet of oriental perfumery. The Moon is the most colourful and fruit-forward of the four — the most approachable in its opening, and arguably the most complex in its final hours.

Top Notes: Raspberry, lychee, saffron, blackberry, strawberry Heart Notes: Turkish rose, frankincense (olibanum), red berries, red currant, violet Base Notes: Natural oud (agarwood), leather, amber, patchouli, sandalwood, cypriol, cedar

Wear it when: The occasion is significant, the evening is cool, and you want a fragrance that will be remembered long after you have left the room — a perfume for those who understand that luxury is not about being subtle.

Available now in GALOP Parfum 1010 Vienna
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