Frapin - Isle of Man
This perfume is Frapin’s nod to family member and motorsport enthusiast Albert. It drew inspiration from motorcycle racing, the Tourist Trophy (TT) in particular. The competition held every year in early June dates back to 1907, when racing was still prohibited in Britain and therefore relegated to the far-flung Isle of Man.
Today each lap of the TT covers a gruelling 60 kilometres and 264 bends, striking fear into the heart of more than one. It contends as one of the most dangerous racecourses in the world, having claimed the lives of over 200 competitors since 1911. Many have weighed in to demand that the TT be abolished. Former Grand Prix World Champion Wayne Gardner calls it a “death trap” that “needs to be banned”. Nonetheless, thrillseekers keep flocking there by the thousands, risking it all; the TT draws over 40,000 tourists to the isle every year.
The smell of adrenaline
“Isle of Man” is a resolutely masculine fragrance, a celebration of the fearless and intrepid for those who laugh in the face of death-defying odds. It salutes free spirits and adrenaline addicts who know that truly living means pushing boundaries. You’re never more alive than when life is on the line.
Frapin’s previous creation, “The Orchid Man”, was an ode not just to boxing, but to the mindset of the contender. Similarly, “Isle of Man” is not merely a perfume inspired by motor racing. It stands for an entire philosophy: living intensely, each second as if it were the last, even if that means coming dangerously close to the edge. Life should be anything but boring.
David Frossard, himself a motorcycle aficionado and lover of extreme sports, entrusted this interpretation to perfumer Aliénor Massenet. Her creation boasts a genuine olfactory signature. The citrusy attack followed by salty floral accords conjures up the heady adrenaline rush of ripping down an ocean-beaten coastline.
