Donna Karan: 4 posts

Star rating: 5 stars–outstanding/potential classic, 4 stars–very good, 3 stars–adequate, 2 stars–disappointing, 1 star–poor.

Among the prestige releases (i.e. those that lie between niche and mass market), Donna Karan never fails to capture my attention with imaginative and elegant compositions. Even the fruity-floral idea of Be Delicious was rendered in such an unexpected manner that I cannot fail to admire it. What could have been a sweet and pretty apple is instead an intensely green violet leaf composition suggesting a vision of a crisp fruit. Although miles away from the sparkling vibrancy of Be Delicious and the seductive darkness of Black Cashmere, Gold nevertheless maintains a sleek urban image that marks the Donna Karan fashion line as well as the fragrance range. …

Continue reading →

Star rating: 5 stars–outstanding/potential classic, 4 stars–very good, 3 stars–adequate, 2 stars–disappointing, 1 star–poor.

Red Delicious for Women, the newest limited edition fragrance from Donna Karan, is a counterpart to Be Delicious (2004), a composition that forges an apple out of violet leaves. The perfumer Maurice Roucel’s choice of accords for Be Delicious is very interesting, since despite the availability of aroma materials that offer a remarkably photorealistic representation of an apple, he selected a green floral, with a rich cucumber undertone. The dewy juiciness of green leaves lends itself to the construction of a green apple that leaves the wearer wondering whether it is a fruit, a flower or a leaf. Despite my minimal interest in the fruity-floral genre, I found myself revisiting Be Delicious on a number of occasions after having been intrigued by its clever composition.

Red Delicious preserves the green crispness of Roucel’s original creation; however, the composition evolves as a more conventional fruity-floral, with the sweet berry notes taming the green cucumbery abstraction into a vision of a ripe red apple. …

Continue reading →

Star rating: 5 stars–outstanding/potential classic, 4 stars–very good, 3 stars–adequate, 2 stars–disappointing, 1 star–poor.

Along with Jo Malone and Susanne Lang, Donna Karan joins the ranks of the lines offering mix-and-layer options. The concept of Essence Collection is interesting in that it offers a hands on approach to perfumery by presenting fragrances in the form of single note blends, thus making the process of layering less intimidating even to those who generally avoid experimenting. If suggestions to layer Le Mâle and Mitsouko may sound outlandish, combining lavender and labdanum appear to be less so. Moreover, the oil versions of Essences are speaking to the current interest in aromatherapy, with the image of the line presented as wholesome, down to earth and approachable, while nevertheless sophisticated.

The essences in the range are best envisioned as soliflores, fragrances focusing on the single note, rather than essential oils, because they are certainly not all-natural, single ingredient compositions. …

Continue reading →

Star rating: 5 stars–outstanding/potential classic, 4 stars–very good, 3 stars–adequate, 2 stars–disappointing, 1 star–poor.

Among fashion houses, Donna Karan never fails to offer one successful and unusual fragrance after another. Her Cashmere Mist indeed evokes a feeling of touching warm fabric that clings softly to the skin. Be Delicious Men ornaments a baked apple with delicately roasted coffee and bittersweet citrus. Chaos (released in 1996, now discontinued) was my introduction to the beauty of a saffron note folded into the luminous richness of spices and incense that comprise its elegant oriental composition.

In some ways, Black Cashmere is not unlike Chaos, a dense tapestry of multicolored threads that results in the illusion of darkness. Underscoring the composition is a smooth mélange of sandalwood and cedar. Created by Rodrigo Flores-Roux in 2003, Black Cashmere is a fragrance about the sensuality of incense. Interspersed with jewel-like vibrancy of spices, its warmth captivates and seduces. …

Continue reading →