Eau de Parfum

Femme

Unisex

Masc

A City On Fire Eau de Parfum by Imaginary Authors

Read reviews about A City On Fire by Imaginary Authors

Post a review

Add to Wishlist

Femme

Unisex

Masc

A City On Fire

Eau de Parfum

by Imaginary Authors

Released
2014

Country
United States

Ratings
17 REVIEWS

The Scoop

“When I saw you, all I saw was a swirl of smoke in the streetlight. Elusive. Sinister. Spectacular.”
-Machus

A brilliantly dark graphic novel, A City On Fire, is the story of two match-makers. Rupert literally fabricates matches in a factory on the waterfront while Frances writes a dating column for the city’s newspaper. Both are recluses who haunt the night’s shadows observing clandestine activities from afar but never partaking. That changes one fortuitous evening when they are both witness to the same high-profile murder and are forced to come together as an unlikely vigilante pair in order to save their own names.

This scent is literally on fire - dark with firewood and spice, evoking both urban landscapes and the great outdoors, with smoke plumes rising into the air. The refined smoke accord makes this an austere and luxurious scent.

A City On Fire Fragrance Notes

Cade oil, spikenard, cardamom, clearwood, dark berries, labdanum, burnt match

A City On Fire Sizes Available:

50ml

$115

14ml Traveler

$46

0.7ml sample

If you like A City On Fire Eau de Parfum, we recommend you try:

Black Afgano by Nasomatto

Hinoki by Comme des Garcons x Monocle

Feu de Bois Candle by Diptyque

Bois d'Ascese by Naomi Goodsir

Burning Barbershop by D.S. and Durga

Cape Heartache by Imaginary Authors

Here's what other people are saying about A City On Fire...

The most interesting scent I’ve ever smelled. Longevity is insane, and definitely a layering scent. Smells straight up like a match on fire. Almost has a metal note to it too? I recommend if you want to smell like you were hanging out at a campfire.

By Taylor - Student from Los Angeles on 10/29/2024

No. No, no, no. It makes me feel like someone lit a match to throw into the toilet but used the entire matchbox. I enjoy smoke, if you want, smoke try Terroni, but this is actual smoke. it burns your nose and hurts your eyes.

By Jon Mathes - Realtor from New York on 12/19/2023

Smells exactly like a lit match with a splash of berry. A couple sprays in the collar of my softest jacket and it was like being gently hugged by a campfire. Massively comforting to my soul!

By Eaddie - Dog Groomer from Texas on 11/18/2023

I've searched far and wide for the perfectly balanced Wood Witch fragrance. I'm a huge fan of spikenard, a rare ingredient in fragrance profiles, and it shines in City on Fire. Spikenard's earthiness lifts the wood fire smell with dark berries and soft black resins, reminiscent to me of a witch's kitchen, deep in the woods, swirling with hints of spice and clean musk. I can imagine wearing this under a full moon sky. If you enjoy true smokiness, I recommend City on Fire. This is a fragrance for the wise, the cunning! The longevity on my skin leaves the only thing to be desired here.

By Saia Vissira - Botany Student Entrepreneur Witch from Carolinas on 5/10/2023

Night fire blazing, subtle hints of brimstone and heavy dry wood, burnt resin is like a ghost in the rising smoke...Smoky skin is a fleeting note before the dry down of clean, warm, musk-kissed skin...This fragrance is sexy, dark, alluring, haunting, and magically moves from strong wood fire to a lasting clean, sexy skin scent. I have found my fragrance.

By Saia Vissira - Botany StudentEntrepreneurWitch from Carolinas on 5/2/2023

I get a very very strong burnt match note, and something slightly metallic. Wore this once and my client asked if I had burnt my breakfast that morning. I usually LOVE imaginary authors but this was a real miss for me

By Devin - Tattoo artist from Midwest USA on 3/17/2023

Love this! It's so dark and dreamy. Sulfer and asphalt and diesel. But gentle and refined as well. Feminine and masculine at the same time.

By Khristianne - Mother of mothers from GRAND RAPIDS on 2/24/2023

After 3 different orders of testers (150) this was my first full size purchase. I LOVE it! With my body chemistry this scent starts strong but the dry down is where the magic happens. It remains smoky but there is a powdery part of it that makes it sexy! Dark, sexy, classy and unique! I spray this a few times during the day just because it feels good wearing it. I find the smell warm and inviting.

By Tammy - Investor from Victoria on 5/24/2021

Smells, quite literally, like a fire.

By Kelly - professor from Philadelphia on 5/17/2021

I love the smokiness and green earth scent however the staying power was weak.

By Andrew - Executive from Minnesota on 8/20/2020

The last vestiges of a fire, the end with the embers and that trail of smoke. The opening is very harsh but it quickly simmers down. Honestly, what sprung to mind was, of all things, on the Disney World Epcot ride Spaceship Earth when the ride comes to the part about the burning embers of Rome and the ride perfectly captures....well a burning city scent piped in, A City on Fire has taken that and made it wearable and delectable. Great longevity. I'm not one for smoky perfumes, but there is something with A City on Fire that keeps my attention almost rapturous and coming back for more. The concept and the execution amazes me and I love it.

By Rachel - Office Manager from Williamsburg on 1/1/2020

50% smells like a numbing cherry throat spray (yuck) and 50% clean butane with a tiny bit of charcoal smell on a rainy day. The cherry throat spray smells is noticeable and my girlfriend smells it as well. Definitely still a bit smoky but it is a very clean smoke. Cade oil, cardamom, spikenard, and clearwood all are very well blended for the woodsy-ness and it lasts a long time. However, I believe there's a major imbalance of labdanum that is causing this synthetic cherry-esc scent. My order came with three samples but that did not affect my review. Would not buy again.

By Jacob M - Biochemist from Buffalo on 5/4/2019

So far, my favorite of the house. IA is true niche, in that their scents really are here to tell a story. Here, we have the burnt match "imaginary" note coming through, with the smell of (wet/green?) firewood, some camp fire smoke, and a hint of incense (the smoke moves in and out of this to me). It doesn't smell exactly like you were sitting in front of a fire... which is good. This is art though - and the vision this evokes is perfectly suited for the house's intent.

By CKA - Military from Texas on 11/24/2018

Oily cedar smoke, asphalt, little tinny-sulfurous sparks in the heart, and something sweet and heavy (the berries?) -- this is good wicked fun for the right wearer and “should I have Febrezed this jacket after the campout?” for the wrong one. Sign me up.

By Angela - editor from Seattle on 11/11/2018

On first application I smell sharp, but not unpleasant burnt notes, settling down into a comfortable smoke, smoothing into a sweetness (and leather?) embedded in the echoes of a campfire, like sniffing your jacket the morning after a night sitting fireside. I've tried several samples across several makers searching for smokey, and this is so far my favorite. It's reasonably-priced, so for me, the decision makes itself.

By Anaximander - Solar Personality from Chicago on 10/23/2018

When I smelled this my eyes just about bugged out of my head. OH. MY. GOD. So good! I fell absolutely head over heels in love with it. Deep smoky intense. Exactly what I was looking for with a smoke smell. Definitely full bottle worthy, maybe even make it my signature scent! LOVE.

By Mika - School Bus Driver from Dallas on 9/14/2018

This is the best fragrance available for a pure burnt wood accord. The "dark berry" compliments this charred wood in a way that goes beyond the Naomi Goodsir fragrance that is in the same ballpark. If you like the smell of burnt wood, this is what you need. It's my favorite Imaginary Authors scent (and there are several I like) and my favorite among many wonderful burnt fragrances, including Profumum Roma's Fumidus and Arso, which are both very worthy purchases for anyone who likes this kind of thing. Black Tourmaline is it's only close competitor.

By TonyPrince - Artistic Director from Louisville, KY on 12/26/2017

Load More Reviews

Imaginary Authors

Eau de Parfum

A City On Fire

Eau de Parfum

by Imaginary Authors

Get 10% Off Your First Order*