Vintage Advertising Champions: The Two Faces of Y

What would you think if you were called  a designer's "devilishly aware clientele"? Flattery goes a long way, that's a given. But when it comes to Yves Saint Laurent in particular, it's such high praise that one has to swallow  hard a couple of times and seek what the advertisement indicates immediately. "The invisible dress" is also a great term for a perfume; something to make you "dressed" in the dark; dressed but also flatteringly revealed, mise en valeur as the French say. 

The vintage advertising for Saint Laurent's formidable first perfume, a cool dry chypre  like they used to make them, is noteworthy. [You can read my fragrance review of YSL's "Y" perfume on this link.]

Enjoy two versions of it. One insinuating, the other more explicit while still classy. As befits the designer of designers. 

Further reading on PerfumeShrine: Yves Saint Laurent news, history & fragrance reviews

Vintage Advertising Champions: Dioressence by Christian Dior

The oriental scent which began its historical arc as a "spa" and "all over" fragrance, meant to refresh and provide the stealth mantle of "a see-through charm". Inspired by the sea-like and skin-like smelling primal scent of ambergris...
Enjoy this vintage advertising for the original Dioressence perfume by Dior. (which you can buy easily on Amazon using the link)

And please read my fragrance review of Dior's Dioressence perfume on this link.

Paying Good Money on Shampoo-Worth Perfume Formula

The most spontaneous posts on Perfume Shrine often involve a small rant and this is one of them. The ideas for the rants also strike me as I'm going through the motions; no preplanned, big thinking dissertation projects, which is probably why they come out of the blue. The other day was one such day of an unwelcome epiphany, concerning several issues we have touched on this site before: similarity between current perfumes, recycling of ideas and ingredients while not revealing sources under penalty of Chinese torture, focus group practices that deprive any originality, pricing of fine fragrance at fine fragrance level while the perfume formula obviously costs as much as a mass-range shampoo... Unlike wanting to find a dupe for MAC Ruby Woo lipstick or DiorShow mascara, perfume stands for something that can't be irrefutably compared in qualitative terms by the average consumer. With cosmetics, it's right there in your face, you can't deny it. With perfume...not as easy to claim your case.

What made me have this light-bulb light up in my brain? Simple. Re-smelling the best-selling (or so it seems from the commentary and the numerous flankers) Chloe Eau de Parfum, the re-orchestrated one from a few years ago.

It smells like -effing- L'Eau d'Issey! 

Now, the two fragrances, L'Eau d'Issey (feminine) from 1992 and Chloe Eau de Parfum (2008) share no common notes apart from rose I believe (which scent doesn't, you ask). You can compare their respective fragrance notes pyramids here and here. Of course seasoned readers of this blog already know notes do NOT correspond to actual ingredients in the formula; they're meant to convey an olfactory impression. But still huge numbers of people review Chloe EDP as rosy, as well as soapy (and it is sudsy in a very sharp, shrill way most definitely, as I had said in my fragrance review of reformulated Chloe eau de parfum, comparing it with the vintage ). The same doesn't happen for the modern classic floral aquatic by Miyake of course, people view it as watery, aquatic, white floral; no rose, no powder, no soap.
In fact I see that I had already mentioned that the Chloe EDP opening reminds me of L'Eau d'Issey all those years back when I first wrote the review in 2008. Can't be blamed for a reformulation, then.

But wait a minute. Are people that suggestive, then? Not quite.

Here is one reviewer of Chloe on Fragrantica, blurting it out in plain sight:

wooedwithpeonies

I must say I was a bit disappointed with this perfume. Only because I was really expecting a super floraly rose. But I got none of that. Instead on my skin it's a fresh fruit with the tinest hint of something floral. On my skin it smell exactly like bombshell from Victoria's Secret. I got no hit of anything rose and the peonies only stuck around for about 5 minutes. The search for the most Rosie perfume continues....

And even though there are tons of other reviewers insisting on the classiness or uniqueness of it (and they do have a perfect right to like it and wear it in good health), I strained my eyes to find someone hinting at what I had perceived at of the blue.
In the end it does seem I am not alone, nor mad at feeling the similarity.
Here it is:

calma

The shared name of this distinguished fashion house,
together with its exquisitely designed bottle,
would make you think that what´s inside holds at least some of the same quality.

Not so.
This is actually one of the greatest disappointments
I have come across, if I may say so.
The fragrance itself reminds me of the crude 'aquatic'
(based on the note of Calone) Issey Miyake L´Eau d´Issey.
With added cheap cotton-candy-ingredients for a more 'feminine' style.
Clean? Well, like a chemical lab I suppose.
Easy to sum up for me; a dull, generic, all-synthetic-'muguet-rose' made by some team who doesn´t care one bit about perfume.

The most fascinating part of it is Chloe EDP smells identical to the cheap chemist's dupes of L'Eau d'Issey sold in plain glass bottles for a buck! Even the formula of the Miyake is considered "expensive" nowadays? 

This valuable lesson also teaches us something important: Familiarity is of paramount importance in perfume tastes. We like what we're familiar with. If an idea has worked once, it will work again, assuming the time lapse is just right; too soon and you risk being called out as derivative, too long and you risk being considered as moldy as an attic full of mothball-preserved clothes.
This is why the industry churns out endless variations on a known theme. And when the theme is considered somewhat passé, they recycle it under a different campaign, a different image and a different set of notes. But it does smell very, very similar all the same.

Consider where your buck flows to.

For those reading Greek, please consult my article on Perfume Sameness on this link.
Next, we will have a niche samples giveaway, stay tuned!

The Oriental Diary According to PerfumeShrine

Readers recall how I had requested input in what to offer you next. Personal preferences came high on the list of requests and I have catered to this demand by sharing a List of my Favorite Less Celebrated Fragrances, as well as Oohing and Aahing Together on my Favorite Chypre Fragrances.  (Both subject to edits/updates as they're not carved in marble).
The time has come to share those particular nuggets of Orient-via-European-Aesthetics that make me tick. Please feel free to share yours in the comments below!

Please note I'm excluding straight-forward musks (of which I love many), predominantly woody fragrances, and florientals, which I consider a bit like baklava-light; there's a time and place for that too, but not today.

In alphabetical order

Ambre 114 (Histoires de Parfums)

Resinous goodness in the classic style of great French perfumes. It's substantial enough to really get the amber through, but light enough not to smother you like your angora-sweater-wearing obese great-aunt. Sounds funny, but really is high praise.

Angelique Encens (Creed)

It helped that a legend apparently wore it, Marlen Dietrich. But it was the name that lured me personally. Incense and angelica, a source of vegetal musk. The effect is mystical.

Antaeus (Chanel)

Among my favorite men's perfumes. A girl friend smelling it actually purred...Men, you now know this.

Arabie (Serge Lutens)

I seem to be alone in the blogosphere in actually enjoying this dried fruit orgy that recalls the souk like few things can. More for me, I guess!

Black (Bulgari) the original unisex edition

Is there any perfumephile worth their salt who doesn't like Black? Anick Menardo's brain child has a genius IQ. Half rubber, half vanilla. Half BDSM, half, well, vanilla. What a riot!

Cinema (Yves Saint Laurent)

Seems simple and middle of the road, but it stays on hair and clothes (and pillows...) for days on end, making you wonder "just what is it that smells so good?". It's a great script.

Douce Amere (Serge Lutens)

Bittersweet symphony of melancholy and comfort. Like love, like an old wound, like life.

Feminite du Bois (Shiseido)

There's something about this spicy mix with dried fruits and cedarwood in the drydown that makes the head spin. If Cleopatra wore a dress made of carved wood dripping of honey this would be it.

Myrrh Ardente (Annick Goutal)

I have a great affinity for the bittersweet facet of myrrh resin and I like almost all scents where it's prominently featured, something that I'm not sure labels me as entirely sane in my greater entourage. But no bother. This oriental Goutal fragrance is for endoscopists anyway.
(I also LOVE La Myrrhe by Lutens, but do not consider it a true oriental. Rather an aldehydic one.)

L de Lolita Lempicka

Every perfume lover craves a pomander scent from time to time and this combo of vanilla, clove and cinnamon is especially good. Nothing marine about it despite the advertising images of mermaids and fishnets.

Nu (Yves Saint Laurent)

Another one of the Tom Ford sanctioned scents that wrote history, it was ahead of its time. Sadly discontinued it marries spice with incense and feels like angels and demons are dancing on your skin.

Opium (Yves Saint Laurent) vintage of course!

This used to be my companion, my self, my id for many many years. They have eclipsed it and spat on its grave. I'm livid.

Rykiel woman (Sonia Rykiel)

Very under the radar. Powdery suede-like and rich on dates, of all things. It manages to be very softly beckoning but not submissive in the least.

Tolu (Ormonde Jayne)

This is how proper night-time perfume for a rendez-vous should smell like. Comforting and luxurious like a mink coat, balsamic in scent. Minus the cruelty. Priceless.

Tonka Imperial (Guerlain)

Tonka beans are rich in coumarin and coumarin is among my most favorite smells. Enough said. Satisfying and sinful like a full meal on a diet day.

Vol de Nuit (Guerlain)

This great classic has a smoldering quality about it with its green touch on top and its jonquil floralcy later on. Still the base is unmistakably Guerlain; calorific, dressy, soft to the touch, very French-smelling.


Please let me know which oriental perfumes adorn your previous selves the most!

Polly Bergen TorTue: vintage fragrance

Sometimes what had been filed under "tidbits" in my mind resurges thanks to the unending stimulation that my readers provide. Jean, one of my favorite people in Perfume Shrine's elite readership, pointed out that a "tortue" perfume was advertised by Polly Bergen.

via

Indeed it is so. 

The American actress Polly Bergen, best known for her role in the original Cape Fear movie, founded the Polly Bergen Company which sold cosmetics in 1965. The concept and catchy marketing pitch was the inclusion of turtle oil (the snail mucus of yesterday I assume). Hence the name Tor Tue (turtle in French, please note the parted writing which looks fetching on the actual product label) for her first perfume, introduced in 1973. The scent came in a tubular shaped spray perfume bottle with either a silver metal colored cap or a deepest brown one. The label was deep brown itself, lined in silver, to reflect a upmarket interpretation of the tortoise scheme, I presume.
There are also specimens of rounded bottles with a dark navy round cap, resembling the Lanvin Clair de Jour fragrance minis. Same glass manufacturer obviously, mass market mould. 

The ambery color of the juice accurately reflects the heavyweight feeling of the scent, full bodied and not conceding to modernities of the times, even if not the fragrance family in which it technically falls. From what I recall from a tiny sample a fellow collector had once shared generously out of her own derelict little bottle, Tortue is a chypre fragrance with fresher top notes of hesperides which had unluckily degraded over time leaving a rather resinous feel (I seem to detect myrrh and vetiver in the mix). The mossier elements made it a classy perfume-y scent , something to wear with tweet suits or gabardine pants and a twin set, which lovers of vintage often hanker after. 

Seeing as the prices on auction sites and collectors' sites are extremely friendly (due to low demand I wager) it's not a risk investing in a bottle or mini of TorTue by Polly Bergen.

Vintage Advertising Champions: The Fabulous American Fragrance Even French Women Are talking About

In an advertisement from the 1950s where l'eau de parfum is advertised as nouveau et magnifique, to stress its "being talked about by the French" concept, Revlon Inc, purveyor of such timeless things as Cherries in the Snow lipstick, sells the idea of Intimate. Intimate launched in 1955 and was from the beginning advertised as premium stuff.

late 1950s

Even in the dark...he'll know it's you.

Intimate never shouts, but oh! how it whispers. 

One can almost picture the Madison Avenue ad men working on these lines with all the gusto of Don Draper's team from Mad Men.

And yet, despite the rather anachronistic (and sexist) implication that women wear perfume to appeal to men, isn't that tag line what fragrance is about? Creating an invisible mantle, I mean, marking your presence into space and into perception via an emanation that is denoting both your taste and your intentions, whatever those may be.

1968

By the 1960s it seems like the mood of the fragrance had become less cocktail hour, long dresses and stoles with compact clutches under one's arm, and more "intimate" companion to every day occasions.

Its message also became ambivalent.

Intimate, it's really a man's fragrance said the slogan., making you imagine that it championed the sexual revolution of the 1960s and the transgression of sexual and social mores.
Until you read beneath it and discovered it prompted men to buy their girlfriends this in order to enjoy it themselves.  So in essence it still made woman purchase perfume to use as a sexual predator.

Even in 1971 Revlon  said "Intimate communicates". This sexy animalic chypre fragrance did communicate. A ferocious appetite for intimacy of the horizontal kind.

1964

Intimate by Revlon  also appeared in another ad form the 1960s fronting a college types couple at the library in the 1960s, which was tagged thus: "cherished as one of the world's 7 great fragrances" Makes you wonder which were the other six!

Care to guess? Please do so in the comments.

ads via vintageadbrowser and ebay

Vintage Advertising Champions: Part of The Art of Living

In a totally typical of 1970s sensibilities pose and text, this print ad for 4711 Eau de Cologne reinforces the idea of scent as a well-being gesture. A luxury for every day, a quotidian gesture of pleasure after the bath or shower, the complement to your soap.

The scent of 4711 Eau de Cologne typified a whole generation in Greece; everything was bathing in it, it seems. But the memory and generational seal hasn't vanished. There came Greek equivalents like the lifestyle Mirto cologne which came in lemon, reminiscent of 4711, and in lavender, to be shared by the whole family as shown in the below commercial from the 1980s.
"You wear Mirto and you feel the coolness.
You wear Mirto and you feel the freshness.
You wear Mirto and you feel so much better,
Mirto, Mirto, Mirto"

There is also the continuous presence of the concept of Eau de Cologne in a retro style context in contemporary culture too!
Rous (in the music video below) recorded the song 4711 in 2013, in which it's incessantly referenced how the singer loves the trail of his fragrance wafting from his girlfriend after having sat at the back of his motorbike or from his left-over blouse in her apartment and just how much he loves it when strangers ask what cologne he wears. A genuine case of sensory pleasure becoming intellectual stimulus!




But the piece de resistance is probably this incredible commercial for 4711 from 1971 I found on Youtube. Tagged "the Body Cocktail" it puts the fizz in cheese; not a cheesy bone in its body. Enjoy!

The Perils of Youth or the Requisites of Glamour?

The question of mutton dressed as lamb is, sadly, present even in perfumeland. People actually ask whether a spritz of Clinique Happy, Escada's Pacific Paradise or a Rihanna fragrance might seem too juvenile for them, as if there is an age police around checking under their armpits and behind their ears for compliance to respective age bracket. Obviously that's faulty thinking: wear what you like, perfume is an equal opportunity employer.

But what happens when the question is put in reverse? To paraphrase an infamous quote, can you ever be too young for your perfume? This is the question I put into the test. Like with porn, if you have to ask about it, it probably means you are. But let's get serious.

the caustic Margo Channing courtesy of giphy.com

Youth, especially these days when the desire for wisdom is culturally shunned, doesn't look up to maturity. Long ago little boys and little girls were dressed like little gentlemen and little ladies. Nowadays people in their 70s wear velour tracksuits and bows in their hair and that's considered tasteful (permissible it undoubtedly is, perish the thought of fascist taste police).
And yet the retrospective desire "for the good old days" (which were anything but good, really, come to think about it) around the millennium, has sparked a resurgence for vintage and retro items, from floppy felt hats in glamorous design to opera gloves and strings and strings of long necklaces, all the way to boho chic. Perfumes and beauty items couldn't fall far behind, so they followed.

Therefore we have this paradox. An extremely youth-oriented culture is viewing retro as totally glamorous, yet at the same time questions itself on its being a good fit for that sort of gilded beauty.
Have no fear. Perfume can and should be embraced by the young even in its classic form, that is in compositions which seem old-fashioned or even antiquated sometimes. By exploring one's options, one's horizons and ultimately one's limits, we get a better grasp of who we are. And as fashion designer Ciara Boni once said, "Style is knowing exactly who you are and having the guts to declare it at the top of your lungs".

So without further ado, please visit the link to my latest article: Am I Too Young for my Perfume? And please indulge in the conversation, here and/or on Facebook. 

Guerlain Quand Vient La Pluie & Quand Vient L'Ete: fragrance reviews, notes & bottles history

Approaching Guerlain fragrances has me strained on the brink, like the tailor with his home-made parachute when he was about to jump from the Eiffel tower more than a century ago. Contrary to this proto-pioneer of aviation the apprehension comes not from the chill of the unknown but rather from the gloom of having one’s lust non-quenched. Like that supreme stylist Vladimir Nabokov said, “the look of lust is always gloomy; lust is never quite sure—even when the velvety victim is locked up in one’s dungeon—that some rival or influential god may still not abolish one’s prepared triumph.” Thankfully there are instances where neither rival nor influential god can take away from what one has carefully designed, even when it’s relatively of a recent vintage yet sure in the footing of tradition; and who better than Guerlain to be in that position? The two seasonally named, yet of panseasonal capabilities perfumes, "When the Rain Comes" and "When Summer Comes," prove to be amongst those “vintage” (and I use the term very loosely) Guerlains for whom lust is fully justified.

Guerlain Quand Vient La Pluie via 

Find out on this Fragrantica link why that is. plus how these two meta-vintages smell and how they implicate other famous and less famous Guerlain perfumes, such as L'Heure Bleue, Apres L'Ondee, Terracotta and No.25, before being both contained in the limited edition Les Saisons coffret.

Fragrance notes for Guerlain Quand Vient La Pluie include bergamot, rosemary, neroli, heliotrope, violet, jasmine, amber, gourmand praline notes, patchouli and musk.
The bottle was designed by Serge Mansau

the 1910 original formula (loosely inspiring the latter) Quand Vient L'Ete by Guerlain, in Baccarat quadrilobe bottle (circulating to this day) Pic originally from Ebay via 

a later re-issue of Quand Vient l'Ete in the retro bottles, originally on Ebay via  

Fragrance Notes for Guerlain Quand Vint L'Ete (2007 formula) include:

Top notes are mint, lemon and rose; middle notes are lily, jasmine and ylang-ylang; base notes are carnation, iris and vanilla.

A Special Mother's Day Celebration: Lucky Draw

As usual with special commemorative days we host a lucky draw on Perfume Shrine today.
Courtesy of the ever gracious Jovan van Drielle of Tijon Fragrance Lab and Boutique, the draw involves Mothers inspired by the upcoming Mother's Day celebration this Sunday May 10th.

So, here's what you should do to enter the draw:

Tell us a story about your favorite Mother's Day Surprise!
Contest is open to everyone and winners will be drawn on May 10th.
Grand prize winner will receive a gift certificate worth $250 in products that can be used for ordering anything on the Tijon.com website. Since Jovan is very generous indeed, there may be more than one winner, so check it out!

Just to give you a taste I'm featuring below the Macaron Trinket Boxes (for whatever you may think of that fits in, from pills to hairpins) which come in assorted pastel colors.

And the Vintage-inspired Crystal Perfume Bottle Pendant Necklaces! Even better than looking like a true perfumephile, you can actually unscrew the top of the bottle and put a bit of perfume or essential oil in there for touch ups. Cool, huh?

Parfums Carven: A Story of Clever Marketing & Great Fragrances

Just after World War II ended, Carmen de Tommaso, a French-born who originally studied architecture and interior design, opened a couture house with the aid of three businessmen friends who had happened to have been war prisoners together. Ailed by her minute size, what we call 'petite" nowadays, de Tommaso had the idea to cater to women who also had a comparable figure. To inflect her brand with a more Parisian (rather than Andalusian) flair, as her base of operations was Paris, Carmen, like Charles Revson (of Revlon), substituted a letter in her name and became Mademoiselle Carven ever since.

What made for the success of this couture house, one among many starting in the mid-20th century Parisian landscape, such as Dior, Piguet, or Balmain? Simple, original ideas and the proper dose of marketing.

Please refer to this link to read my article on the History & Vintage Fragrances of the French company parfums Carven.

Vintage Advertising Champions: Mitsouko or The Geisha & The Sailor

"For one crazy moment he feels he will stay. Then he turns towards the gangplank and walks very slowly in the mist.
Each one of their moments -the shy beginning, the electric touching of fingertips, the transporting passion, will disappear in the universal solvent of time plus distance.
Years later, a woman in a silk dress will pass by wearing Mitsouko. 
And 1921 will flash through him like a shock. He will not be able to forget the long black hair, the incredibly soft skin, the infinite tenderness...
Mitsouko by Guerlain."

In a Madame Butterfly context (harkening to the original novel La Bataille which inspired the creation of Guerlain's famous perfume Mitsouko set during the Japo-Russian war) the text of the above 1974 advertisement zooms in onto a powerful connection and perfume marketing apparatus: that of recollection triggered by scent. "1921: a fragrance will not let him forget."

What irony that the beloved memory of one might be felt off the sillage, the fragrant trail of another...

Best Perfumes of 2014 (and some thoughts on the changing fragrance scene)

The time of the year has come again when we contemplate the past and venture into the future, every time hoping to be fledging ducklings and every year feeling the burden of experience weighting on our shoulders. Yet there's nothing like experience to make you get a better grip of reality and 2014 was a bumpy year for perfume in more ways than one.

via pinterest

They say misery loves company, but (happy) list-making also does, so for this project I'm working together with Persolaise and the Candy Perfume Boy, who will be posting their own reviews of the year's accomplishments.  Without further ado, please consult my own list of Best (& Worst) Perfumes of 2014 and musings. Nota bene that this particular list includes ONLY perfumes issued in the past year. All highlighted text takes you to linked articles/fragrance reviews. To compare with last year, take a look at my Best of 2013 Fragrance List. 

And don't forget to add your own opinions in the comments section below; I'd love to read them!

• Best mainstream perfumes of 2014 (women's)

Narciso by Narciso Rodriguez
In a confusing game of names endlessly recycled the Narciso Rodriguez brand produces another abstract floral with a backbone of mossy synths that manage to amount to much more than the sum of its parts. Feels smooth & radiant like the first day of spring hitting cold, pied de poule goose-bumped limbs.

La Panthere by Cartier
The new, newly formulated perfume going by the classic name that was used in mid-90s for a fruity chypre (only the vintage went without the definitive article) is a very brave, modern foray into the floral chypre family. Technically solid and deliciously enjoyable. You can even lure classic chypre fragrance lovers with this one!

• Worst mainstream perfumes of 2014 (women's & unisex)

Dolce eau de parfum by Dolce & Gabbana
Dull, almost imperceptible to the point of feeling like alcohol in water, blah. Don't be fooled by the very pretty commercial, your money can be invested elsewhere.

Limon Verde in Aqua Allegoria line by Guerlain
This accomplishes the dual feat of smelling trite and lasting for an hour tops. A disappointment from the AA line which had shaped up pretty well in recent years. Especially bad given that it was made with an eye on the huge Brazilian market and yet relying on a cliché. Tsk tsk tsk.

• Best mainstream fragrance of 2014 (men's)

Bottega Veneta pour homme
Juniper and pine bring freshness to the rich accord of leather, patchouli and fir. Like its women's analogue, very sophisticated.

• Worst mainstream fragrance of 2014 (men's)

Bleu de Chanel eau de parfum by Chanel
A mindless, purposeless flanker since the eau de toilette does the (mediocre to begin with) job better.

• Most deserving best-seller 2014

Terracotta Le Parfum by Guerlain
A tropical floral like the house knows to make, injecting them with the finesse of creamy tuberose on a bed of soft solar notes, You can bet this limited edition will be around next summer too; it got crazy sales!

• Best niche perfumes of 2014

Oeillet Bengale by Aedes de Venustas
A Catherine Earnshaw of a scent; fiery, feisty, festive (makes me unable to stop myself from alliterating). If you like spicy florals and lament the demise of carnation scents (Floris Malmais discontinuation, for instance?) give this a try.

Colonia Leather Eau de Cologne Concentrée by Acqua di Parma
The deliciousness of a tough, true leather coupled with a hint of a saturated, dried fruity note. Despite the "cologne" denominator, surprisingly tenacious. We've been spoiled. Gents this shouldn't be reserved for you only!

Mohur extrait de parfum by Neela Vermeire Creations
The gorgeousness of the Mohur eau de parfum multiplied and lightly further sweetened and deepened. A true diva!

Une Nuit Magnetique by The Different Company
A very smooth floriental, the way Christine Nagel excels at. Perhaps not immediately noteworthy, but satisfying.

• Worst niche perfume of 2014

Santal Royal by Guerlain. A limited distribution fragrance, supposedly celebrating the iconic material. Someone managed to send me a smidgeon and I was utterly crestfallen; thin, wan, not even close.

• Best All Naturals Perfumes of 2014 

(NB. that I have personally tried)

Palimpsest by Aftelier 
Mandy's best yet and that's saying everything.

Ivy Tower by Providence Perfume Co.
A really green scent, more difficult than it might seem when dabbling in all naturals.

Musk Malabi by Ayala Moriel Perfumes
A natural composed "musk fragrance" that conveys the note and its feel without using musk from the deer. A tinge of delicious succulence, a milky hint of dessert and rose and you're there. Very pretty!

• Most wearable perfume of 2014

L'orpheline by Serge Lutens
I've emptied half a bottle since August, dear reader. That should tell you something, me with the endless rotation of perfumes to fall back on. It feels like my contemplative, little lost soul perched on the window sill looking unto happier scenes and for some odd reason I deeply enjoy that feeling.

• Most outrageous prices for perfume in 2014

The Night (La Nuit) by Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle: a natural oud fragrance, $850 for 100ml.
L'incendiaire by Serge Lutens: Info on the fragrance linked here but wow, $600 for 100ml!
[We're talking standard bottles, not limited editions or anniversary ones or anything fancy otherwise, such as Guerlain do frequently.]

The prices in general are going up-Up-UP!!!!!!! In hindsight, refer to my 2011 article on the Perception & Marketing of Luxury.

• Most Newsworthy Developments of 2014

• The sale of Le Labo and Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle to the Estee Lauder Group. I have said my piece on the latter sale especially and it looks like this is a development to be expected for several more niche brands in the near future. (keep in mind pending fragrance industry regulations).
• The quality decline at Chanel, for a long while now (readers complain about a "watering down" of Chanel No.5, Coco Mademoiselle, Bois des Iles, Cuir de Russie and No.19, plus mediocre flankers & masculines abounding), is rather disappointing. I just heard that they're also penny-pinching on the packaging of expensive handbags lately, which sounds a shame.
• The re-issues: of cult fragrance Tea for Two (and L'Eau de Caporal) by L'Artisan Parfumeur. Plus the revamping of Jour de Fete.
• The continuation of historical re-issues by Guerlain supervised again by Thierry Wasser. (You can read fragrance reviews of the Guerlain heritage collection on this link).
• It's also refreshing to see Wasser being better appreciated in the press, after the smearing campaign against him when he first got rein at Guerlain (remember how it was suggested that Patricia de Nicolai should take his place?)
• A book dedicated to Dior Perfumes, authored by Chandler Burr: Dior, les Parfums. You can buy it here. 
• The blogging scene has been changing too. Hundreds of blogs out there but things can be sketchy. I refer you to The Non Blonde's article on this, as she tells it better than I ever could.

via

• Advertising Campaign of the Year

Chanel No.5 with Gisele directed by Baz Luhrmann. Whatever one can say (and I said quite a bit in the link) it's front page news in the glossies. Even before the new Dior J'Adore 2014 commercial, because Chanel No.5 is so iconic.
My humble view is they could do better (the Night Train commercial with Audrey Tautou was dreamier and more engaging, although even than couldn't match the era of Jacques Helleu art-directed advertising), but they could also do much much worse (see the Brad Pitt Chanel fiasco), so...we'll take small mercies where we find them.

• Best discovery of the year

The Pell Wall artisanal perfumes brand. Surprised at the quality for such decent prices.

The Aesthetic Principle. The principle I'm stuck with, for good. Highly recommend you get to be too.

• Professional adventure of 2014

Joining About.com as their Fragrance Expert. You can follow me at Fragrance.About.com and subscribe to the Newsletter for free (it goes out once a week).


Please visit Persolaise and the Candy Perfume Boy for more Best of 2015 lists. And share your own lists or views in the comments, if you like!

At the Moment

Though the time for lists is withheld for next week, counting down the minutes to the New Year, I sat and mentally checked all the things which are brightening these few days of rest and play. Enjoy and share yours with me as well. I'd love to read them when everyone is asleep and place is quiet.

Perfuming
This Christmas I'm scenting my home with the Silver Gems candle by Acqua di Parma: the spicy oriental fragrance is a complex melange of bergamot, orange, davana, plum, amber, vanilla, patchouli and cedarwood. It's scrumptious!
I'm also bringing out the sumptuous Guerlain perfumes, such as Attrape Coeur and Vol de Nuit, and of course my vintage Caron's Nuit de Noel (Christmas Eve, how appropriate). If not now, then when?

Reading
Just started Gillian Flynn's Sharp Objects and re-reading Philosophy in the Boudoir, even though contrary to the Marquis' advice I have no daughter. I have put this little tome by Randall Munroe and Society of the Spectacle on my wish list in the meantime for January.

Traditional folk carols from Thrace, sung above in the clip by Chronis Aidonidis

Listening
To Chopin's Etudes as interpreted by Pollini, one of my favorite pianists. And Greek Christmas carols, naturally.


Watching
Reruns of Frozen. It's a favorite in our house, what can I say! On a more personal level, not a very festive choice, but I'm catching up (belatedly, I know) House of Cards. And have tucked the original UK series for comparison's sake in my stocking...

Cooking
I have posted in the past several festive and wintery recipes I like to make, from Pork Care with Dried Apricots and Prunes to the classic Italian Pannetone all the way through Making Your Own Rich Vanilla Extract. And of course the iconic Greek melomakarona honey cookies! Apart from the latter calorie-bombs (which have already been consumed in our house, I'm afraid!), this year I am making Rice Pilaf with Pine Nuts, Chestnuts and Sultana Raisins. It's very tasty, goes well with any meat course and is super easy to make: you just simmer the nuts and fruit in a spoonful of olive oil in a big pot for 4 minutes, then add the raw rice and as much water as required, plus salt to taste.
Bon appetit!

Wearing
This is my party dress. The fitted bodice and pleated skirt make it easy to navigate, the boat neck is great to show off my citrine and gold chandellier earrings, above (apparently so now!).

Makeup
I have said it before, I will say it again. The Transatlantique Collection 2014 by Dior hid a precious gem. Well, it didn't exactly hid it, it was in plain sight amidst the other more "pedestrian" color choices, but still the limited edition detail bugged me enough to delay in getting the coveted item. Mayday #651 lipstick is a g-o-r-g-e-o-u-s red with a raspberry undertone which should fit any skin with a hint of pink or neutral undertones. My go-to choice for Christmas day! And if you want to match perfume to your lipstick, here are some ideas.


Please share in the comments what you're doing these days. 
And don't forget to check back tomorrow for the winner(s) of the grand prize by Tijon! (There's still time to enter a story on this link, if you haven't yet, to be eligible).
We will be having the year's roundup Best next Monday.

Classified Ads: Reader Swaps Amouage Candles. Takers?

A dear reader of mine wants to swap some Amouage candles she has got (but never lit), preferably for vintage Guerlain Mitsouko or Caron Bellodgia perfume or alternatively "for something pretty and happy", as she specified.
The candles are in their original packaging and are unlit: Amouage Oriental Oud and Divine Oud are both intact in their original sealing, Eternal Oud has been opened only to be sniffed.
These are perfect for the holiday season. Preferably US shipping.

These are a $90 retail value each. Anyone who thinks they have something swappable for these, please comment below stating what you have to offer, so she can read, and watch this space for her pick/comments so she can eventually contact you through email.

Perfume Giveaway: Win a Free Bottle of Eau de Parfum plus an Extrait de Parfum mini!

It is my privilege and honor to make the very choicest acquaintances through the pages of this site. People with varied interests from the arts and with a budding or steadier interest in perfume reach me all the time with insightful comments and emails and sometimes with enriching experiences. One of them is Lia. She is not only a lovely, warm personality but a person immersed in the arts who has been testing fragrance after fragrance and discovering bits and pieces to delight a perfume addict's heart cockles. In a supremely generous gesture, she is giving away a 2oz eau de parfum of Lauder's classic oriental fragrance Youth Dew in a (indeterminate) vintage edition, accompanied with a mini 0.12oz extrait de parfum of Youth Dew in the classic style flacon! These sure look pretty, don't they?

The draw is open internationally and you're eligible by leaving a comment below; ask a question or make an observation or say what you enjoy most when reading blogs etc. I will announce a winner by the end of the weekend.

L'Artisan Parfumeur Re-Launches Two Long Lost Fragrances

The cult status of some perfumes, alongside the demand from a vocal audience online, has resulted in several companies re-releasing fragrances that we thought gone for ever. This the case with Venezia by Laura Biagotti, Yohji fragrances, the Patou Ma Collection line of vintage perfumes, or the 2014 relaunch of the three Helmut Lang fragrances (Helmut Lang eau de parfum, Helmut Lang eau de toilette and Cuiron).

via

Usually it doesn't help that either the newest launch differs somewhat from the older one for reasons of conforming to current perfumery allergens regulations (the case of Venezia), or that the price is significantly elevated (i.e. the Helmut Lang trio).  But it's small consolation in the heart of the dedicated fan all the same. L'Artisan Parfumeur has already re-issued one beloved fragrance from the discarded pile, Jour de Fete (review of 2014 version & comparison with vintage on this link). 

Now they're re-issuing another cult favorite, Tea for Two, much lamented and fetching high prices on auction sites, as well as an oldie from the 1980s, Eau de Caporal. Both are going to be part of the permanent collection with retail availability later this year.

L'Artisan Parfumeur L'Eau du Caporal was originally composed by the founder of the brand, Jean Laporte in 1985, and was an aromatic fougere laying mint over lavender and oakmoss adhering scentwise to an outdoorsy rough image of a military man.
L'Artisan Parfumeur Tea for Two is the original smoky tea, an aromatic spicy from 2000 composed by perfumer Olivia Giacobetti, reminiscent of Lapsang Souchong brews and something of a reference; a witty blend of black tea and gourmand delights, gingerbread and honey.

Vintage Advertising Champions: In the Trenches

Today's vintage advertisement comes equipped with the romanticism that has become expected from one of the classic perfumes by the historical house of Guerlain, L'heure bleue. The pictorial representation takes on the approach of fragrance as a "memory maker", a concept very popular with the fragrance industry because it seems to allow for the manipulation of someone else's emotional response; or so the thinking goes…(whether it is successful or not you'll be the judge of that, I'm sure you have many related experiences to relay in the comments).

The text for the Guerlain advertisement reads:

"1914, a fragrance creates deep, deep memories.
Guerlain introduced a perfume named for the twilight, L'Heure Bleue. No the skies darken and the western world is swept into the forces of the Great war…
A weary French officers finds a moment of peace. He pulls a letter from his tunic and inhales the fragrance lingering in the worn pages. 
It is the fragrance she wore the last night they spent together. L'Heure Bleue, named for that moment hen the sky has lost the sun but not yet found the stars. 
He reads the letter for the hundredth time…."

The advertisement is of course destined for the American (and English speaking) market as clearly shown by the choice of language, the capitalization of the name's initials (in French it's L'heure bleue) and the emphasis on the nationality of the officer (so you know for sure it's French!) But the really interesting part is that this ad, although an older advertisement, isn't that old as could be imagined. It's not a print ad from a 1920s magazine, nor even from the 1930s, or the 1940s….Can you guess?? It's a print ad clipping from a ……1974 magazine!!!! The Great war is irrelevant for all practical purposes by then, the "deep deep memories" echoing the trenches in which soldiers fought all over Europe are but a subconscious bond of "perfume as Proustian madeleine", a notion that is the bread & butter of any aspiring beauty editor experiencing writer's block. In this particular case it comes sheathed with seduction purposes too; desire and connection through language, orchestrated with Lacanian skill. The emotional bond with the product is part of what makes for repeat purchases. It also creates brand awareness.

But the mythology of Guerlain is firmly in place (yes, even by the mid-70s). The genius concept of presenting two of their legendary ~and commercially successful, let's not forget~ perfumes, L'heure bleue (1912) and Mitsouko (1918), as bookends to the first world war, is already gaining momentum. The reality is different: L'heure bleue, conceived to represent the love of its perfumer for Impressionist paintings is destined for the blondes shopping at his Parisian boutique, whereas Mitsouko, paying homage to the orientalia rising at the time of its creation and into the 1920s, is meant for the brunettes.

But you can clearly see where this is going: that which begins as a brilliant advertising campaign very soon becomes perpetuated into history guides, into fragrant lore, into our very perception of how things  are supposed to be….

Le Labo Cuir 28 (Dubai exclusive): fragrance appreciation reprisal

Far from the crowd pleasing orientalism of Benjoin 19 (Le Labo's Moscow "city exclusive") which I had reviewed for Fragrantica last autumn, Cuir 28 by Le Labo reprises some of the butcher elements of the great leather perfumes tradition and marries them to a woody-peppery chord with unisex appeal. This brings it at a no man's land of leather scents, as it doesn't fit the mold of any category really; is it like Bandit (Piguet), Cabochard (Gres), Cuir de Russie (Chanel), Cuir de Lancome, John Varvatos Vintage, Tuscan Leather (Tom Ford), Bel Ami (Hermes) etc etc? It's like none of these things.

Phenols (tar-like notes resembling melting asphalt) resurface in Cuir 28 as a leathery note aspect on top; agressive and oozing with bitumen, the "cuir" note in Cuir 28 is unpresentable, tough and butch, probably an echo of Parchouli 24 which also presents an odd and visceral experience, especially if you're an acolyte of the school of sweet orientalized "suede" leather scents. The hardcore leather bar crowd however should find it eminently intriguing due to this very reason, although a bit of vanilla does surface later on; a respite of human affection after the hate fuck.

The fragrance segues into a iris-peppery combination that makes for the prolonged elegance of Chanel Les Exclusifs 31 Rue Cambon, diverging into two slices in the Le Labo creation, a still dry and with hints of vetiver earthiness medley that feels like a different person has walked into the room. The two slices do not meet in the pie and remain sort of disjointed throughout, which produces an odd but trippy experience for the wearer; in a way it's probably a test of whether you'll have your perfumista card revoked: do you have the patience to discover the unfolding?

The final phase of Cuir 28 comes through a hint of musky vanilla that tries to efface the butch factor of the top note, small comfort for the wild ride. For the full review please consult this link on Fragrantica.

Though a Dubai exclusive (Le Labo reserves some of its fragrances for city-specific distribution only resulting in the City Exclusive) for the month of September 2014 ONLY Cuir 28 can be found online at the official Le Labo site and Luckyscent. (I had been able to review this thanks to a generous procurer of the sample; you know who you are, thanks)

Vintage Advertising Champions: Let Them Talk (Coty Sophia)

The first "real" celebrity perfume is probably Sophia by Coty, issued in 1981 after the persona of Sophia Loren, Italian superstar and Hollywood legend to give many a run for their money. No Liz Taylor, you ask? Elizabeth Taylor's white Diamonds and Catherine Deneuve's erstwhile Deneuve perfume deal with Avon (1986) historically follow Sophia. I'm not counting the (semi-promotional) claims by Creed or the historical figures like Empress Josephine (for Guerlain's Eau Imperiale) or Sarah Bernard who had a penchant for cosmetics anyway; their commissions didn't come across as "product" till very recently,  in essence ~pun notwithstanding~ negating the very concept of "celebrity scent" (aka, jus and packaging produced to harness the power of a fan club into strengthening a person's "brand").

If you're curious about these little fragrance trivia you can check out an interesting timeline for the Celebrity Fragrances Craziness History on this link.  And if you're not, it's still sort of fascinating to find out that Loren apparently had such a big following in America that the giant Coty was interested in promoting a fragrance after her!

But my focus today is the print ad. I mean, wow! Doesn't it give you that nudge, nudge,wink wink to go out and try out Sophia because it's everything that prim little "old ladies" with sour lips (yeah, I know!) wouldn't approve of? Please note that by 1981 Loren was no spring chicken herself, proudly displaying her 47 years of age (All the more so since back then 40s was most definitely not the "new 30s", we've come a long way baby…). Far from the feminist issue it appears on first glance, this little fact gives nuance.

A mature woman that probably sports some serious eyeliner,   a good smattering of blush, some flesh-toned lipstick not to divert from her gorgeous almond eyes and a good ol' hair spray cloud (before "product" became standard code for hair gels & mousses). And one who pretty much has caught her man and kept him too; not for lack of admirers, it is most convincingly hinted at. That sex appeal of Sophia is always on the surface but done in a classy manner (ms.Loren never gave cause for press scandals). The wording of the ad text lets us feel that sex appeal is OK (transcribed in its humanity rather than its outré reputation, as further consolidated by the crying & laughing bit) and that it's maybe only small minds of a dowdy, spinsterly nature that condemn it as such. Therefore, non sensical, negligible… The grace of the cultural divide is there too. Exotic, European actresses (and ladies from abroad in general) have always had a greater leeway with American audiences. Maybe partaking in their fragrance could impart a bit of this non mi interessa to their suburbia existence.

A case study for sociology and for perfume advertising.