Goldfield & Banks Southern Bloom
Goldfield & Banks is a brand that has fascinated me since a scent called Pacific Rock Moss appeared on my radar in 2017. While that particular release blew up on social media, the solid and sophisticated range from Belgium-born creator Dimitri Weber is worthy of a full feature (and it’s coming). But since the latest release, the oh-so-pretty Southern Bloom, crossed my desk last week, I couldn’t wait to share it with you.
Southern Bloom is Goldfield & Banks most feminine release to date, and it showcases one of Australia’s most precious native plants, the humble little boronia flower. If boronia sounds sort of familiar, it might be because we fell head over heels for Grandiflora’s version a few months ago. Grandiflora’s take is rich, earthy (and kinda boozy), and reminds me of dry scrub and sweet botrytis.
Goldfield & Banks’ Boronia is much more opulent.
You get the sense that Southern Bloom is something special before you even get to the bottle. Embossed type and deep rose gold foil edges on the sleek and white box mark a contrast to the usual matte black of G&B’s other releases. The elegance and quality of the presentation has always been something I admired about the brand, and Southern Bloom, marked with its harvest year (only 2500 units will be produced year year), does not disappoint. I’ve heard that there was some tweaking of the colour to just just the right blush for the juice, it’s a deep berry, and just beautiful.
But you probably just want to know what it smells like now don’t you?!
If Grandiflora’s Boronia is a country girl, Southern Bloom is a sophisticated (and flirtatious) summer-loving Sydney socialite. The scent opens with bright mandarin (the citrus of this summer IMO) and cassis, totally reflecting the colour of Southern Bloom. That sweet, fruity, slightly tart character already starts to support those elements of the boronia blossom, but soon enough, things get bigger. The ylang ylang in Southern Bloom brings a sultry tropical character to the scent, enhanced by a creamy coconut, and I’m immediately imagining summer cocktails under candyfloss skies, somewhere beachy and exotic.
What precious boronia does amongst all the tropical blooms is add an authentic earthiness that restrains the white flowers, creating a tension in the heart. The transition into smoth and creaming Australian sandalwood is seamless, with iris carrying the earthiness through while still serving powdery femme vibes.
I’ve only given Southern Bloom a few wearings – I’d really love to try her out in the evening, I think that would be her best setting. She certainly adds another distinct and fascinating element to the carefully curated Goldfield & Banks stable, so expect to hear an update on her antics soon.