The Afternoon of a Faun Etat Libre d'Orange

Did I love a dream?

The faun, a creature of sylvan life, awakens from his mid-day sleep and contemplates his morning’s pursuit of alluring nymphs. In his reflections, the chase takes on libidinous proportions as he seeks to satisfy his desire.

It is a beautiful memory — but did it really happen? Images fade. Those delicious sensations that tease his mind grow vague, and he cannot recapture the events. Reality eludes him, confusion reigns, until he is no longer certain if he is remembering fact or fancy. Once again, he is overcome by sleep, which can only lead to more dreaming.

Inspired by Vaslav Nijinski, 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.