The Afternoon of a Faun
Edible
Floral
Leather
Spicy
Vintage/old school
Notesbenzoinbergamotcinnamonfrankincenseimmortelleirisjasmineleathermossmyrrhpepperroserose absolute
Tags
#animalic
Style
for her
for him
unisex
A sylvan dream mixed from oakmoss, resins, orris and sparks of cinnamon.
***
Inspired by Vaslav Nijinski, created in collaboration with Mx Justin Vivian Bond
In 1912, when Nijinsky danced the story in Paris, he created a scandal. Shameless, the critics declared. The carnal subtext of Mallarme’s poem had become an explicit expression of a sexual appetite. The ballet went beyond the sensual to a demonstration of powerful virility.
In this scent, find the relationship between the suggestive fantasy and the seductive reality. Then go ahead and make your own scandal.
All about this fragrance
Vibe check
An unhurried afternoon with someone close enough to notice the shift from rose and cinnamon to moss and leather. The scent suggests crushed vegetation and warm skin rather than a polished floral bouquet, giving the encounter an intimate, slightly untamed edge.
How to wear
Start with one or two sprays on skin, allowing the moss, resins and leather to settle before adding more. Mild to cool weather suits its layered warmth; in higher temperatures, apply sparingly so the sweetness of immortelle and the animalic character do not dominate.
Who it’s for
For those drawn to mossy chypres, vintage-style florals and leather with an animalic edge. It suits a taste for dry, textured compositions in which rose is entwined with incense, spice and resin, rather than presented as a pristine bouquet.
Release year
2012
The nose
Ralf Schwieger created The Afternoon of a Faun while working at MANE. His work often pairs precise construction with unexpected textures and contrasts, from the cosmetic rose of Frédéric Malle’s Lipstick Rose to the salty, amber-woody character of Hermès Eau des Merveilles, co-created with Nathalie Feisthauer. For this fragrance, Schwieger translated Justin Vivian Bond’s ideas into a composition shaped by moss, flowers, spice and leather. He has described the project as benefiting from unusually extensive artistic freedom.
Collaborators
Mx Justin Vivian Bond helped shape the fragrance’s sensual concept, giving Schwieger a brief centred on an afternoon encounter in grass with flowers nearby. Bond’s perspective as a performer was part of the creative process, rather than simply a celebrity endorsement.
Etat Libre d'Orange’s story
Founded by Étienne de Swardt, État Libre d’Orange treats perfume as a space for creative freedom, irony and provocation. Its identity rests on unconventional subjects and frank storytelling rather than conventional luxury codes. The Afternoon of a Faun brings that approach to an artistic reference, balancing cultural history with unapologetic sensuality.
The Afternoon of a Faun’s concept
Conceived around the centenary of Nijinsky’s 1912 ballet, the fragrance brings together Mallarmé’s poetry, Debussy’s music, Bakst’s visual art and dance through scent. Its central idea is the faun’s uncertainty over whether an encounter with nymphs happened or was dreamed: desire held between fantasy and reality. The French presentation dedicates the project to Jacques Damase.
Extra info
The official regional note lists differ: the U.S. presentation explicitly includes immortelle, pepper and moss, while the international list foregrounds incense, floral notes and balsamic materials. These differences in published descriptions do not establish that the fragrance was reformulated.
Featured in edits and sample packs
Heroes, Gods, & Monsters
Notesbenzoinbergamotcinnamonfrankincenseimmortelleirisjasmineleathermossmyrrhpepperroserose absolute
Tags
#animalic
Style
for her
for him
unisex
A sylvan dream mixed from oakmoss, resins, orris and sparks of cinnamon.
***
Inspired by Vaslav Nijinski, created in collaboration with Mx Justin Vivian Bond
In 1912, when Nijinsky danced the story in Paris, he created a scandal. Shameless, the critics declared. The carnal subtext of Mallarme’s poem had become an explicit expression of a sexual appetite. The ballet went beyond the sensual to a demonstration of powerful virility.
In this scent, find the relationship between the suggestive fantasy and the seductive reality. Then go ahead and make your own scandal.
All about this fragrance
Vibe check
An unhurried afternoon with someone close enough to notice the shift from rose and cinnamon to moss and leather. The scent suggests crushed vegetation and warm skin rather than a polished floral bouquet, giving the encounter an intimate, slightly untamed edge.
How to wear
Start with one or two sprays on skin, allowing the moss, resins and leather to settle before adding more. Mild to cool weather suits its layered warmth; in higher temperatures, apply sparingly so the sweetness of immortelle and the animalic character do not dominate.
Who it’s for
For those drawn to mossy chypres, vintage-style florals and leather with an animalic edge. It suits a taste for dry, textured compositions in which rose is entwined with incense, spice and resin, rather than presented as a pristine bouquet.
Release year
2012
The nose
Ralf Schwieger created The Afternoon of a Faun while working at MANE. His work often pairs precise construction with unexpected textures and contrasts, from the cosmetic rose of Frédéric Malle’s Lipstick Rose to the salty, amber-woody character of Hermès Eau des Merveilles, co-created with Nathalie Feisthauer. For this fragrance, Schwieger translated Justin Vivian Bond’s ideas into a composition shaped by moss, flowers, spice and leather. He has described the project as benefiting from unusually extensive artistic freedom.
Collaborators
Mx Justin Vivian Bond helped shape the fragrance’s sensual concept, giving Schwieger a brief centred on an afternoon encounter in grass with flowers nearby. Bond’s perspective as a performer was part of the creative process, rather than simply a celebrity endorsement.
Etat Libre d'Orange’s story
Founded by Étienne de Swardt, État Libre d’Orange treats perfume as a space for creative freedom, irony and provocation. Its identity rests on unconventional subjects and frank storytelling rather than conventional luxury codes. The Afternoon of a Faun brings that approach to an artistic reference, balancing cultural history with unapologetic sensuality.
The Afternoon of a Faun’s concept
Conceived around the centenary of Nijinsky’s 1912 ballet, the fragrance brings together Mallarmé’s poetry, Debussy’s music, Bakst’s visual art and dance through scent. Its central idea is the faun’s uncertainty over whether an encounter with nymphs happened or was dreamed: desire held between fantasy and reality. The French presentation dedicates the project to Jacques Damase.
Extra info
The official regional note lists differ: the U.S. presentation explicitly includes immortelle, pepper and moss, while the international list foregrounds incense, floral notes and balsamic materials. These differences in published descriptions do not establish that the fragrance was reformulated.
Featured in edits and sample packs
Heroes, Gods, & Monsters