Because Histoires de Parfums created a scented bang in a bottle. Created as the latest addition to the brand’s extensive library of over 35 niche perfumes, This is Not a Blue Bottle 1.2 is a sequel to the 2015 scent. The original Ceci n’est pas un flacon bleu perfume synthesised the natural and artificial with a heavy hypnotic aldehyde base embellished with notes of orange, honey and musk. And the 2017 iteration took this contrast even further.

Developed by perfumier Luca Maffei, This is Not a Blue Bottle 1.2 is an eclectic scent – representing the idea of all colours in the spectrum playing a symphony. A unisex fragrance, with ivy and pink pepper as the top notes, introducing lily-of-the-valley and lilac as the middle notes with musk and sandalwood coming in as base notes. The smell is simultaneously artificial and flowery, and the bottle represents the power of colour – with all the neons splashed over the electric blue bottle.

In order to wear this scent, you have to have a strong personality. Imagine iconic Cher circa 1970s walking down the narrow streets of Cinque Terre, exploring the multicoloured architecture while dressed in an outfit that is an experiment in rainbow-level colour-blocking. Blue is courtesy of her Céline sunglasses, red comes via a one-shoulder Saloni top. Her Sies Marjan satin trousers represent the green, and a Loewe hammock bag is the pink. Her Prada shoes stand for purple and the Solid & Stripe bikini adds the orange. Cher’s earphones blast with Jamie xx’s debut album In colour, and while grabbing her espressos she swaps between watching the legendary queer documentary Paris is Burning and reading Rainbow Rowell’s 2011 e-mails-based novel Attachment.

With Cher next to us and bathed in Histoire de Parfum’s This is Not a Blue Bottle 1.2, find us somewhere over the rainbow.

Buy the Histoires de Parfums This is Not a Blue Bottle 1.2 at histoiresdeparfums.com from £85.

Text by Dino Bonacic