Saturday, January 17, 2015

Annick Goutal Re-Issues Another Discontinued Fragrance

The discontinuation of fragrances right and left is par for the course with most perfume brands these days, due to several reasons. Allergy restrictions changing, slow sellers, revamping of packaging and positioning, change of distribution patterns or a combination of all of the above account for withdrawing several scents which then gain a cult status (such as Yohji by the designer Yamamoto or the entire Helmut Lang range which was recently re-issued). Perhaps the very action of discontinuing a perfume is responsible for giving it covetability (an exercise in masochism) or perhaps it always had been unfairly unsung and got its due too late.

Some of them are nevertheless increasingly re-issued, such as is the case with L'Artisan Parfumeur who re-issued L'Eau du Caporal, Tea for Two and Oeillet Sauvage last season. Annick Goutal had her own share of discontinuations a couple of seasons ago when they revamped the line and packaging.

Camille Goutal, daughter of Annick and current art director of Parfums Annick Goutal

One of them, the bright airy and sunny Eau du Ciel, a fairy of a scent from 1985 developed by Isabelle Doyen with Annick. Fit for days when the skies are blue and cloudless (or a sliver of hope when those same skies are overcast) Eau du Ciel is re-introduced in the newer packaging. The romantic, delicate notes of neroli, violet leaves, and orange blossom are  a slice of heaven, underscored by a little powdery iris and rosewood.

As usual, some discrepancy with the older bottles one has in their collection will be  discussed online for sure, but the company doesn't proclaim a change in the formula. On the contrary, they re-introduce it to celebrate 30 years of the company. Available as 100ml of Eau de Toilette.

Could Eau de Camille be next?
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9 comments:

  1. Dominique Allmon10:34

    I discovered Annick Goutal many years ago. My first perfume was the Gardenia Passion in a butterfly bottle. Eau du Ciel and Eau de Camile were my next fragrances until I moved to Eau du Sud and Ce Soir ou Jamais. I love them all and to see the comeback of old "classics" makes my heart beat a little faster.

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  2. Perfumeshrine13:03

    Dominique,

    thank you for your comment. Your story of Goutal fragrances reads like a romantic novelette: from one passionate affair to another!
    It's indeed lovely to hear that older compositions are not abandoned to Lethe. It's heartening for sure!

    Thanks again and welcome to Perfume Shrine :-)

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  3. Anonymous17:59

    I never liked Goutal Ciel, I thought it was too "fleuri" but I'd love to smell Camille again, in its original formula if possible, it was pretty nice from what I remember back in the 90s.
    On Oeillet Sauvage, I own the first version, deliciously spicy and powdery, unfortunately the new reissue is a disappointment and smells more like Cartier Baiser Volé.

    Emma

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  4. Unknown21:14

    After bringing back Mon Parfum Cheri, I have hope to see Tubereuse back...

    ReplyDelete
  5. Perfumeshrine10:57

    Emma,

    the one comment I had while wearing Ciel ages ago was whether I had put on sunscreen (!!!??!!) I do wear sunscreen on my face and neck every day anyway, so I don't think that made the impression. Something about the scent did, but I found it so odd (surely nothing like suntan lotion as we define it) that it deterred me from wearing it often. I ended up swapping it at some point. Camille is greener and less "ethereal".

    Oeillet....ah, I think I was the one to introduce you to it, or am I wrong? The vintage version, which is indeed a lovely spicy carnation, very natural feeling and not really retro (though nothing against retro carnations either!). It's disappointing to hear that the new version is derivative, though if it smells like BV they could do much worse, I suppose. Still.... :-(

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous17:38

      To me Ciel smelled overly flowery, trying too hard to be a pretty bouquet.

      Of course I did it again, just purchased on ebay Eau de Camille, I made sure the color on the picture was a pale green because Perfume Posse claims her 7 year old bottle with a golden color had turned. It's going inside my fridge as soon as it gets here.

      Yes you did, and I found a couple of years ago a bottle of the first original with a carnation attached to the neck, part of the Je t'ai cueilli une fleur trio released in 2001. And I have a regular bottle probably from 2004, it's woodier and less powdery. That fragrance had already been reformulated a few times before its reissue.
      I hate these discontinued perfumes and their reintroduction years later, they never come back in their original state and are tweaked beyond recognition. I'd rather buy Cartier Baiser Volé than Oeillet Sauvage smelling like it, really!

      Emma

      Delete
  6. Perfumeshrine10:58

    AKF,

    maybe there is a niche for a properly rubbery tuberose out there!!! I do hear you. Prohibitively costly, nowadays, though, eh? I suppose if they re-issue they will re-issue either as LE or in a small quantity and only one size.

    Crossing fingers though.

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  7. Unknown14:06

    I really hope so, I'm on the last drops and even though I also love T.Criminelle they are quite different. Any recs for a substitute?! At least until Annick relaunches Tubereuse! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  8. lady jicky21:05

    Oh goody Helg .... I love those Goutal's!!!

    ReplyDelete

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