When you say the words “fragrance” or “perfume,” most people conjure in their minds high fashion and brand names like Chanel and Dior. Typically, one doesn’t associate rock n’ roll with perfume, unless the perfume smells like stale beer and worn leather. Michael Partouche, founder of Room 1015 tears down the walls of the norm with a brash attitude and a rock and roll sensibility.
Dr. Mike as he is better known, is a pharmacist by trade, but he found the routine and discipline of the pharmaceutical life a hard fit. So he retreated to the world of psychedelic rock n roll, the place where he felt free to express himself, by becoming one with his guitar. Eventually, Dr. Mike found his way into combining the world of lotions and potions with the glam life of rock n roll in the realm of fragrance through his brand Room 1015.
With Room 1015, Dr. Mike, along with perfumers Amélie Bourgeois and Anne-Sophie Behaghel have created perfumes that are meant for the stage, the bright lights and the electric energy brought on by the full on sounds rifting from the spellbinding and hypnotic acoustics.
So why the name Room 1015? According to legend, Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards threw a TV through the bedroom window of the West Hollywood Hyatt in 1972…Room 1015. I guess you can’t get any more rock n’ roll than that!
Given Dr. Mike’s hardcore sensibilities, let’s see how he answers his Random 10:
My favorite holiday is… summer…forever…wherever.
My favorite gift received was… a guitar Gibson Les Paul Standard (when I was 11) and my dog!
Those closest to me call me… Micky or Mickey.
If I won the lottery, I would… go to space and probably stay there.
The one thing that most people don’t know about me is… a secret.
The biggest surprise in my life has been… my 2 kids.
I always have to remind myself to… enjoy the present.
My proudest accomplishment was… my kids (again), my degree as a Doctor of Pharmacy, and of course, Room 1015.
If I ever created a fragrance just for me, it would include the following notes… Geranium, Vetiver and Citrus.
My one recommendation for the fragrance industry is… sniff it, don’t drink it…
Room 1015 has a vibrancy and esthetic that I find exciting and that kick is evident when I reviewed Blomma Cult which I found to be like a swinging red velvet blazer and was named as one of my favorite new releases for 2015. So which Room 1015 perfume is for you? Dr. Mike has employed a ChatBot to help you in your search. He can be found on Facebook at Room 1015 Chatbot.
Thanks to Dr. Mike for participating in The Scented Hound’s Random 10. Check out the full line of Room 1015 perfumes at their full-on sensorial website: Room 1015. The Room 1015 line is also available in the US at Twisted Lily.
Well, 2016 is finally upon us and today brings back the reality of going back to work after the holidays and all the festivities that have been enjoyed in the past month. The Scented Hound is not much for looking back at what “was,” but as an eternal optimist steers forward knowing that the year ahead is going to be the best ever. But before moving forward, we’ll take a little walk down memory lane at 2015, one last time!
The Best Perfumes of 2015 –
I, by no means, experienced the majority of new releases this past year. But instead, had the pleasure (or displeasure) of experiencing a small percentage of the new. As such, I’m not going to make any claims about what were the best new releases, but what I found to be my personal favorites of the year…
Puredistance WHITE: Undoubtedly this release was my favorite of the past year. The beautiful, warm and majestic florals have me craving this perfume almost on a daily basis. I cannot get enough of this radiant beauty. It easily is my favorite from the line and that says a lot, because the entire Puredistance line is magic.
Maison Francis Kurkdjian Aqua Vitae Forte: Aqua Vitae Forte is the second cousin to Puredistance WHITE. Very similar in its composition, Aqua Vitae Forte has more of a citrus zing which I found to be perfect for the hot summer months. Easy to wear and absolutely beautiful.
Blomma Cult by Room 1015: As many of you know, I tend to lean towards the more traditional when it comes to my perfume likes. Blomma Cult veers away from the trend with its rock star energy and dynamic creativity. In the end, the perfume purrs like a kitten, but the stage show getting there is one hell of a ride.
Although technically launched in 2014, I didn’t experience the following until 2015…
Neela Vermeire Creations Mohur Extrait: The original Mohur eau de parfum is incredible, but the extrait is like a satin and cashmere wrap of exquisite beauty. This is one of those perfumes that I wish that everyone could experience at least one time in their life.
Maria Candida Gentile Syconium: Maria Candida Gentile offers perfumes that either people love or hate…I find that there are very few in-betweens. Syconium I do believe is one of those perfumes that everyone can love. For myself, fig can sometimes be troublesome and overbearing, but with this creation, it’s a soft and creamy garden delight. And shout out to Maria Candida Gentile for offering smaller 15 ml amounts that don’t break anyone’s budget!
The Worst Perfumes of 2015 –
Juliette Has a Gun Gentlewoman: A nod to androgyny, this perfume is a basic citrus cologne that is a weak imitation of a man’s cologne. Boring, uninspired and pointless.
Bottega Veneta Eau de Parfum: What started off with promise and beauty turned into a cotton ball chemical bomb. I’m not one that promotes natural ingredients, but this ended up like a lab experiment on my skin.
My 2015 Reality –
2014 to me was the year of the big florals. That continued to a point in 2015. I found that the perfumes that I wore the most were traditional florals…my top 3 being Puredistance WHITE, Roja Parfums Risque (Creation-R in the US) and Caron Tubereuse. All three of these perfumes I found myself craving time and time again.
But as I say that, I also found that I was heading back to traditional male perfumes as well. This year, Roja Parfums Danger, Vetiver and Amouage Dia Man were worn at least once or twice a week to work. None of these perfumes are overly butch in their demeanor, but both are easy to wear and rather buttoned up.
Less is More –
When I was first introduced to this wonderful world of niche perfumery, I, like many wanted to purchase, purchase and purchase new perfumes. Around every corner there was a new perfume that was wanted and desired. However, over that past several years, I find that much of my collection is not being used. Additionally, some of the perfumes that I couldn’t live without have now turned on me (has this happened to anyone else?). Case in point, Amouage Fate Woman. Two hours after wearing the perfume, the dry and dusty base, creeps up through my nose to give me this blinding headache. I thought maybe it was just a fluke, but every time I wear it now, the same happens. Needless to say it is sitting neglected on my perfume tray.
As a result of not requiring a great deal of perfume and by wearing many of the perfumes multiple times a week, I found that I only purchased two perfumes this year; Roja Parfums Danger a 10 ml bottle of HMC at Coqui Coqui Perfumes in Mexico. I was wracking my brain wondering if I had missed something, but that is it! My wallet is extremely happy and so am I as I don’t need a large collection to make me love this industry.
Looking Ahead to 2016 –
I have to admit that I possibly have become a bit jaded when it comes to perfume. Even though there are a plethora of newly released perfumes that are beautiful and of which would be a great addition to any perfume collection, there seems to be only a few new releases that really stand out as exceptional. Maybe 2016 will buck that trend and we’ll find that 2016 is the year of the “exceptional perfume!”
WHAT I SMELL: Blomma Cult opens with a deep warm bergamot…not the typical bright bergamot, but this beautiful grounded and earthy bergamot mixed with a radiant lilac. The perfume’s opening is very unusual and very much a temptress if there was one. Very quickly out of the gate, there’s also a mentholated vapor that engulfs the opening; it feels as if the vapor holds an elixir that could weave a spell of hypnotic control. And after around 10 minutes, a very subdued cinnamon develops. I’m not a huge fan of cinnamon in fragrance…or gum, or really in anything, but here it just adds this special layer of bold beefiness to this already warmed and pulsating potion. After another 10 minutes, the perfume begins to sweeten and soften and the perfume becomes velvety smooth. There’s also a bit of violet tartness that projects from the mix along with some powder. What started off as deep and beefy has turned to the beautiful powdered floral musk with hints of the original beef still lingering in the background.
”Blomma Cult is a floral, sensual and bewitching fragrance built around patchouli and cashmeran. It is my olfactory perception of the 1960’s and1970’s counterculture movement with the sexual liberation and the rise of the hippie culture.”
BOTTOM LINE: Michael Partouche, or Dr. Mike as he is called, created Room 1015 to combine is love for lotions and potions with his love for music which inspired him to create this new line of perfume. I love the concept, the website, the look and feel…and I really like Blomma Cult. It’s different, full of energy and at the same time incredibly powdery pretty in the end. Rock on Dr. Mike!
When you say the words “fragrance” or “perfume,” most people conjure in their minds high fashion and brand names like Chanel and Dior. Typically, one doesn’t associate rock n’ roll with perfume, unless the perfume smells like stale beer and worn leather. Michael Partouche, founder of Room 1015 tears down the walls of the norm with a brash attitude and a rock and roll sensibility.
So why the name Room 1015? According to legend, Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards threw a TV through the bedroom window of the West Hollywood Hyatt in 1972…Room 1015. I guess you can’t get any more rock n’ roll than that!
The Scented Hound 