1. Christian Dior Miss Dior (Original)
I'm not going to lie: Miss Dior is a difficult fragrance to fall in love with. But once you've fallen in love with her, you want her in all her crazy, dirty sage, animalic, mossy beauty. Miss Dior has been punished throughout the years till she is teen-friendly. It makes me cry just thinking about it. To make matters worse, Christian Dior recently rebranded its old Miss Dior Chérie "Miss Dior" (after reformulation, of course) and called the genuine Miss Dior "Miss Dior Original." If you don't get a little queasy when you smell vintage Miss Dior, it could not be a true replica.
2. Givenchy L’Interdit
L'Interdit is destined to become a classic thanks to Audrey Hepburn. If you can't find the original (not the extremely different, strawberry-heavy version in the squat bottle that debuted in 2002), try the 2009 Les Mythiques reissue in the tall, plain rectangular bottle.
3. Guerlain Mitsouko
I provide this for Mitsouko aficionados who have followed the plant's evolution over the years and lamented its disfigurement as a result of the IFRA oakmoss limits. I'm more of a Rochas Femme lover, so I haven't kept up with Mitsouko's growth, but vintage Eau de Cologne is a nice substitution for Perfume if you can't find anything older than five or so years old.
4. Lanvin Arpège
Arpège has lived several lives. It was a magnificent aldehydic floral in its previous iteration. It was recreated in 1993 as a separate fragrance, still lovely but with full-bodied woods and earthy base notes that overpower the original's delicacy. Although the original design did not always age well, it was worn by so many PTA parents that it is worth knowing about.
5. Lucien Lelong Indiscret
Indiscret fans will notice that Yves Saint Laurent Opium did not appear out of nowhere. Indiscret is a spicy, narcotic floral for modern noses. Indiscret is still produced, but it is barely recognisable.
6. Rochas Femme
Femme, like Arpège, has gone through two separate stages. The initial phase is a sensual, animalic lemony-peachy chypre, more akin to Edmond Roudnitska's original. Femme was reformulated several times over its 40-year run, yet it always stayed true to its initial premise. Femme was redesigned in 1989 as more than just a "adjustment" to its original scent, but as a domineering perfume with an overpowering cumin note. I enjoy both perfumes, but perfume connoisseurs will want to learn about the original Femme, which is frequently mentioned.
7. Worth Je Reviens
Je Reviens has had more makeovers than the little black dress. However, each time it appears to simplify to the point where it has lost its mystery entirely, even in the (now discontinued) couture form. Early incarnations of Je Reviens are a strange mix of modern and vintage in a green-floral perfume that evokes the atmosphere of 1930s science fiction films with flying saucers that look suspiciously like inverted pie tins zipping over flower-sprigged meadows.
I had intended to keep the list at 25, but couldn't help but add one more. I'm sure I could add another 25. What items would you include on the list?
8. Bourjois Evening in Paris
This one is worth sniffing because it represents a cultural milestone (and it's simple to discover). Evening in Paris represented all the glitter of France after World War II, when even middle-class Americans could appear to know something about Europe owing to returning GIs. Nonetheless, it's as simple to enjoy as Avon talcum powder. This one was heavily reformulated in 1991.
9. Coty Emeraude
The old Emeraude was stunning, on par with Guerlain Shalimar. Emeraude has multitudes of admirers. You might end up being one. Emeraude has the benefit of being pretty easy to locate.
10. Balmain Vent Vert
Dirty, mossy, sharp beauty, courtesy of inventive perfumer Germaine Cellier. Unfortunately, classic Vent Vert is a temperamental beauty that rarely survives well over time. If you come upon an old bottle, allow it a few minutes after spraying to burn off any damaged top notes.
For further information about the perfume visit fragrance essentia
-thumb.webp)
Comments