A Wren Says

To describe the fragrance Oriana, Parfums de Marly includes this phrase: Oriana, the story of a heroine with character and a hypnotic sillage.  That made me instantly curious and go about looking for the story of Oriana.

In Lord Tennyson’s poem of the same name, Oriana is the woman who has won the heart of a knight. In battle, he continues to think of her and fight for her. But when an errant arrow pierces his heart, his own heart is eternally wounded.

In another time and tale, she is the love interest of Amadis de Gaul, a knight in medieval lore. Love for her consumes him, driving him onwards in battle. She is a beautiful damsel, worth fighting for, however she retains her independence. She is unafraid to voice her true opinions, in the decidedly feminine ways available to her at the time. She is a damsel, but she is not in distress.

I find it beautifully fitting that this fragrance so gracefully nods to the lore that it is named for. The fragrance expresses beauty and romance with its sweetness. There is an enveloping softness and femininity that stands strong and doesn’t fade into the background.

I wore this daily over the course of two weeks. I found, like most fragrances, I got the best wear when I started with well moisturized skin. Those days this lasted all day. It broke down much more quickly on drier skin. I didn’t get any remarks wearing this in public. I think that is a good thing, because the marshmallow and orange blossom could have come across as cloying and annoying to some noses.

Considering who this would be best for, I have to say this is pretty and undeniably feminine. Before learning of the lore behind this, I conjured images of who would wear this. She would be the kind of woman who owns a small dog that she carries around in her arms as she respectfully gives the landscaper feedback on the tulips placement. She’s gorgeously put together, unafraid to be noticed or state an opinion, but not at all rude or brash. The person who wears this needs to be comfortable leaning in to feminine energy and a bit of romance.

Another note, you might like this if you already like Love Don’t be Shy by Kilian. There is some commonality in the scent profiles with the marshmallow and orange blossom. However, smelling them side by side, it is clear that Love Don’t Be Shy leans more heavily into the florals. In contrast Oriana, leans more into the fruit and subtle citrus.

If you want to try a feminine, fruity fragrance inspired by love stories of yore, try Oriana by Parfums de Marly.