Parfums de Marly
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
The frankincense arrives immediately, all resinous smoke and church-pew solemnity, sliced through with bitter orange that adds a sharp, almost medicinal brightness. Within minutes, the two notes circle each other warily—the citrus refusing to let the incense become too devotional, the smoke preventing the orange from turning trivial.
Iris emerges like soft-focus photography, powdery and slightly waxy, whilst cashmeran wraps everything in a musky, woody cocoon that feels almost tangible against the skin. Orange blossom drifts in with an indolic creaminess, bridging the gap between the fading citrus and the increasingly dominant floral-powder accord—this is where Athalia finds its voice, poised between clean and complex.
White musk and vanilla settle into a gauzy, skin-like veil that's sweet without being sugary, warm without being heavy. The amber adds a golden undertone that keeps the composition from floating away entirely, whilst ghostly traces of iris powder and cashmeran linger like the memory of expensive face cream on freshly washed hands.
Athalia begins with a cathedral of frankincense—not the sweet, Christmas-market variety, but something more austere, tinged with the bitter, pithy edge of orange peel pressed between fingernails. This is Alexandra Kosinski playing with contrasts: the resinous smoke of incense colliding with citrus acerbity before giving way to a iris-cashmeran core that manages to feel both buttery and synthetic in the most compelling way. The iris here isn't the rooty, earthy sort; it's cosmetic, powdery, almost lipstick-like, whilst the cashmeran adds a musky-woody haze that softens its edges without neutering its presence. Orange blossom weaves through, more indolic than fresh, contributing a creamy floralcy that keeps this from tipping into full olfactory abstraction. By the base, white musk and vanilla conspire to create something plush yet restrained—never cloying, but unmistakably sweet. The amber provides warmth without shouting about it. This is for those who appreciate powder as an aesthetic choice, not a dated accident—the sort of person who owns at least one cashmere jumper in an impractical colour and isn't afraid of leaving a lasting impression in a lift. Athalia works best in cooler months when its smokiness can cling to wool and skin, though it's never so heavy as to feel oppressive. It's quietly assertive, the olfactory equivalent of speaking softly whilst holding everyone's attention.
Add fragrances to your collection and unlock your personalised scent DNA, note map, and shareable identity card.
4.2/5 (135)