discontinued: 56 posts

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

Christian Dior Dolce Vita is what I would call an abstract dessert, a fragrance that has a mouthwatering effect without smelling like a candy bar. It is a cedarwood compostion delicately layered with stewed peaches and dusted with cinnamon and vanilla. Created in 1996 by Pierre Bourdon (with Maurice Roger), the creator of Iris Poudré, Yves Saint Laurent Kouros (1981), and Shiseido Féminité Du Bois (1992, with Christopher Sheldrake), Dolce Vita opens up with magnolia and watery lily, the transparency of which allows a glimpse of a hot cinnamon note. The presence of cedarwood hints at the connection with Shiseido Féminité Du Bois (1992), but  the heart of Dolce Vita is miles away from the plummy darkness of its predecessor.  Dolce Vita strays into the spiced peach territory. Where Féminité Du Bois is brooding, Dolce Vita is sweet and bubbly.

The composition dries down to an elegant blend of cedarwood and sandalwood layered over balsamic vanilla and oakmoss. Its almond notes give the drydown a delicious sweetness that vacillates between a flaky pie crust and an almond candy. The dark resinous notes temper the sweetness, preventing the composition from becoming overly sugary and gourmand. Although designated as a feminine fragrance, Dolce Vita would be ravishing on a man.

Christian Dior discontinued Dolce Vita in the States, but it can found at various discount stores online. There is also a lighter version, called Eau de Dolce Vita (1998), with the emphasis on jasmine and orange blossom.

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

If it is possible to envision a dark smoky composition done in watercolours, which would preserve both the vibrancy of hues and the lucidity, Olivia Giacobetti is the perfumer would be able to execute such an arrangement. L’Artisan Tea for Two (2000) is a fragrance that bears that beautiful Giacobetti-esque fingerprint. It is ethereal without being limpid and sensual without resorting to the tired tricks, a difficult feat indeed. Tea for Two is stunning on both men and women, with its smoky spiciness crossing all barriers and divisions.

Tea for Two is amazing in terms of its ability to change dramatically. The process resembles the development of photos–at first, one sees bare outlines, and then recognizable shapes begin to form. Soaring translucent notes of bergamot and orange blossom fade into the surge of smokiness. The rich tarry sweetness of lapsang souchong is like a vapor rising from a tea cup, hot and expansive.

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

Limited edition for the holidays, Brit Gold was created by Antoine Lie of Givaudan in 2005. In contrast with Brit and Brit Red (created by Nathalie Gracia-Cetto), green Oriental and gourmand Oriental respectively, Brit Gold is a richer, warmer composition, with more subdued sweetness. Its classical oriental elements, particularly the combination of bergamot with vanilla and amber, recall the sumptuous elegance of fragrances like Guerlain Shalimar.

The interplay of orange blossom against the dark sandalwood backdrop is one of my favorite aspects of Brit Gold. Through the hazy mist of delicate floral notes and bergamot, the vivid hues of the base glow gently, gaining more vibrancy as the fragrance dries down. While the composition does not undergo dramatic changes, the development is fascinating, given the fact that the base notes are evident from the start. This construction lends a certain transparency to the composition, while preserving its elegant richness.

The accord of iris, vanilla and amber that is present in all Brit fragrances, blossoms out of the heart, adding an oriental element. At one point, I think of a carved sandalwood box used to store vanilla and lemon bon bons. The drydown reveals the base notes of sandalwood and musk in their full splendor. Little by little, the floral elements fade, leaving their subtle imprint upon the wooded relief of the base. The finished composition has a luminous quality that calls to mind a dance of candlelight upon dark polished wood.

Brit Gold was launched exclusively at Saks Fifth Avenue and Burberry retail stores in September. It will also be sold at Bergdorf Goodman, Bloomingdale’s, Neiman Marcus, and Nordstrom. Notes include magnolia, neroli, black currant, bergamot, pink iris, amber, vanilla, sandalwood and musk.

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

Recognizing women’s newfound love for sun and summer sports, Jean Patou was one of the first fashion and fragrance houses to introduce suntan oil which was named Chaldée, after an ancient Sumerian city. In 1927, Henri Alméras reinterpreted Chaldée in a fragrance form with notes of orange flower, hyacinth, jasmine; narcissus, lilac; vanilla, opoponax, amber.

Composed in a classical 1920s manner, Chaldée is a blend of white flowers on an ambery base. The initial accords are dark and heavy with the oily richness of hyacinth dominating, however the composition lightens as soon as the sunny mist of orange blossom and jasmine weaves in. Powdery warmth of amber made deliciously sweet by a haze of vanilla constitutes a base upon which delicate white blossoms fall. It has an appealing richness that could translate as powderiness, however smooth greenness of hyacinth provides a beautiful counterpoint, which balances out the dark warmth.

While the EDT is well-done, I would love to try the parfum version, which I would imagine to be even more stunning. Chaldée was available as a part of the Ma Collection, a set of classical Jean Patou fragrances released between 1925-1964. It can still be found fairly easily at various online discount stores.

Update on the 2014 reissue: a warm, sweet white floral that takes on a musty, pungent twist. It’s a pleasant blend overall, but the drydown is a let down.

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

Prompted by a question about a fragrance I would associate with Matisse, I began to reflect on what perfume would capture the strength of the lines, the vibrancy of the colors, the alluring delicacy of the finished composition as well as the Mediterranean feel pervading his works. If there is one fragrance that contains all of these elements, it must be Jean Patou Vacances.

Vacances was created in 1936, alluding to the introduction of the first paid holidays in France. Its vibrant spicy opening shimmers like sun rays hitting the water, before rich greenness softens the sizzle of carnation. Galbanum with its scent of sliced green peppers is a perfect counterpoint to the wave of honeyed powderiness that emerges next. The breath of lilac wafts in like a scent carried by the wind through an open window. At first, it merely teases, weaving gently through the heart of the composition, until finally it solidifies, resting on a soft musky base. The colors of the composition are hardly subtle—the intense verdancy of hyacinth and galbanum, the dark powderiness of mimosa, the rich sweetness of lilac. Yet, the resulting fragrance is a perfect juxtaposition of delicate peppery and green sap notes folding into honeyed sweetness. In my romanticized vision of a town on the Mediterranean coast, this is the scent that would be filling the air.

Painting: Henri Matisse. Woman before Aquarium. 1921. Oil on canvas. Barnes Foundation, Lincoln University, Merion, PA. Thank you for a great question goes to my painter friend Laura, whose site is such an inspiration for me.