Nu Yves Saint Laurent

Nu is a fragrance that refuses the ornamental. There's an almost austere intelligence to its construction—Jacques Cavallier-Belletrud has built something that masquerades as warmth whilst maintaining an iron core of restraint. The opening cardamom and bergamot arrive with scholarly precision, setting down a foundation that's simultaneously fresh and spiced, never quite allowing itself to bloom into cheerfulness. What follows is a jasmine-orchid-pepper combination that defies the expected sweetness of those florals; the pepper acts as a corrective, a sharp elbow that keeps the flowers from becoming decorative. There's something almost vinous about it, as though the florals have been dried and pressed rather than presented in their fresh state.

The true character emerges in the base, where frankincense and sandalwood create a resinous, temple-like atmosphere. The vetiver adds a green-grey earthiness that prevents the composition from tipping into opulence. This is a scent for the wearer who finds conventional beauty slightly exhausting—who prefers their fragrances the way they prefer their conversation: intelligent, slightly challenging, never seeking to ingratiate. The musk sits beneath everything like a barely audible note, adding skin-like proximity rather than volume.