Goldfield & Banks seems a thoroughly Australian affair with its carefully curated collection of seven fragrances, each inspired by the dramatic, contrasting landscapes of Australia, crafted from the rarest native essences, even taking inspiration for its name from Joseph Banks, the 18th century botanist often called ‘the Father of Australia’ for his part in discovering and cataloguing Australia in 1770 on the voyage of Captain Cook’s HMS Endeavour.
There is irony to be smelt in the compositions of Goldfield & Banks fragrances though, for this collection of Australian-made luxury fragrances is not the result of Australian passion and expertise, but that of a Franco-Belgian perfume industry insider, Dimitri Weber, who having fallen in love with the Australian landscape made the 15,075km move from Paris to Australia in 2015 with intent to capture Australia’s extraordinary beauty and share it with the world via his medium of choice – perfume.
In 2019, Weber launched Velvet Splendour, a spicy oriental composition centred around the wattle – Australia’s national flower, the one on our coat of arms and immortalised in a diamond brooch presented to Queen Elizabeth II on her first visit to Australia in 1954. To those international readers with no clue as to what wattle is, it is it the original acacia/cassie. Taken back to Europe by Joseph Banks in 1771, wattle is the forebear of all those mimosa trees that today grow in Europe and other parts of the world.
For those of us that live on the southern portion of Australia’s landmass, we know the latter part of winter marks the beginning of wattle’s fluffy, golden-hued and nose-ticklingly fragrant blossoming. The golden blossoming a precursor to spring, its heady perfume is distinct, pervasive outside of the city, and often tied to memories of childhood play, nature walks, or rural road trips as in the case of Weber who found his inspiration for Velvet Splendour while driving through South Australia’s Flinders Ranges. There is definite nostalgia here.
Goldfield & Banks provides the following notes list, a list quite accurate in my experience, though I am surprised not to see coriander seed included;
mandarin, hedione, mimosa, orange blossom, jasmine, sandalwood, patchouli, vetiver, leather, tonka, oppoponax, heliotropine
True to the sumptuous nature of wattle flowers – each a pom-pom of heady, radiant yellow fuzz – Velvet Splendour’s composition is a sparkling one. Immediately, mimosa is front and centre – abundantly honeyed, vaguely green and gently spicy Silver Wattle absolute veils the entire composition, the trademark dusty, sensual and sweet floral characteristics we expect of mimosa each carrying, and being supported by, complementary notes within the broader composition. In its opening, the wattle partners with a heavy dose of orange blossom and mandarin to amplify the headiness of its star material before jasmine and hedione lend to its floralcy, and later, coriander seed, patchouli and oppoponax match its spicy character. Belying all this mimosa, sandalwood, tonka and a soft leather accord present a grandiose base on which the interplay of other accords dance.
There is enormous complexity and tonality in Velvet Splendour not much seen in modern perfumery, its style and glamour more in keeping with the grande dame ‘80s orientals of Coco and Opium than anything to be found on department store counters today. That said, Velvet Splendour isn’t remotely dated; it honours rather than mimics those powerhouses of the 1980s, and it does so with a richer, greener, spicier mimosa than anything France produced in that period. What Velvet Splendour is, is a remarkably intricate and precise perfume, complex without falling victim to obscurity, and a unique interpretation of the mimosa theme – powdery, green-tinged and woodsy all at once – with an Australian essence at its heart.
Australia is home to a budding perfume industry, one driven more so by passion and knowhow than heritage. Goldfield & Banks is at the forefront of this industry; the occasional darling of the YouTube community, cheered by an adoring fanbase of which you can count me, and seemingly available everywhere now with more than 100 international retailers including Harvey Nichols in the UK, Barneys and Lucky Scent in the US, and Le Bon Marche in Paris. Of the collection, Velvet Splendour might just be best, and certainly the most unique – I’d go so far as to say it might even be the best perfume to come out of Australia, ever. Certainly, one mimosa aficionados should to seek out, lovers of BIG florals too.
Year of Release: 2019
Creative Direction: Dimitri Weber
Perfumer: Wessel-Jan Kos
Alternatives: CHANEL Coco Parfum, Frédéric Malle Une Fleur de Cassie, Jo Malone Mimosa & Cardamom
Available: Harpers Emporium and www.goldfieldandbanks.com for $229, 100ml.