#theLIST: Scent of a Woman
Alyssa Harad of Coming to My Senses: A Story of Perfume, Pleasure, and an Unlikely Bride pays homage to the most classic fragrances of all time
Alyssa Harad of Coming to My Senses: A Story of Perfume, Pleasure, and an Unlikely Bride pays homage to the most classic fragrances of all time
1) Diorissimo
THE SCENT: Inspired in 1956 by lily of the valley, Christian Dior's favorite flower, today's version contains high notes of calyx and a smooth sandalwood base. HARAD'S TAKE: "Until materials crucial to its formula were regulated out of existence, Diorissimo was the truest, most crystalline rendition of lily of the valley."
Dior Diorissimo Eau de Parfum, $90, saks.com.
2) Chanel No. 5
THE SCENT: A soothingly balanced blend of aldehyde, grasse jasmine and comforting bourbon vanilla. HARAD'S TAKE: "When it was released, Chanel No. 5 was the height of cool modernity. It has since become an indomitable pop icon. Her massive dose of aldehydes still give her an ageless, polished presence."
Chanel No. 5 Eau de Parfum spray, $130, chanel.com.
3) Jean Patou Joy
THE SCENT: A single ounce of this golden liquid, released to 200 of Patou's MVP customers at the height of the Great Depression, is said to contain 10,600 jasmine flowers and 336 roses. HARAD'S TAKE: "Joy's opening smells like money dressed up to go out. But in twenty minutes the flowers begin to tumble out—roses and jasmine and jasmine and roses and more jasmine and roses—as if there could never be too much of a good thing."
Jean Patou Joy Eau de Parfum, $190, neimanmarcus.com.
4) Guerlain Apres L'ondee
THE SCENT: This name of this powdery floral means "after the rain shower." HARAD'S TAKE: "Think flowers rendered in watercolor—violets touched with carnation and anise—and a soft, slightly melancholy cloud of almond-smelling heliotrope. Perfume fans lament its changes over the years, but the eau de toilette is still lovelier than most of what's available today."
Guerlain Apres L'ondee Eau de Toilette, €102, guerlain.com.
5) Fracas
THE SCENT: The unabashed feminine bloom of jasmine, violet, and gardenia gives way to deeper, more satisfying notes of vetiver, sandalwood, and musk. HARAD'S TAKE: "There's a reason Fracas can be felt in both Madonna's Truth or Dare and Lady Gaga's Fame: She is the original drama queen, a blossom bombshell in a white satin dress and a feather boa."
Robert Piguet Fracas Parfum, $275, neimanmarcus.com.
6) Guerlain Shalimar
THE SCENT: A voluptuous oriental combining notes of bergamot, iris, and warm vanilla; the fan-shaped bottle evokes the fountains at the gardens of Shalimar in modern day Pakistan. HARAD'S TAKE: "It's icy bergamot top, warm floral heart and smoky vanilla base have inspired dozens of other perfumes over the decades—Thierry Mugler's Angel is wild-child relative—but nothing else has quite the same elegant, feral darkness."
Guerlain Shalimar Eau de Parfum, $97, sephora.com.
7) Chanel Cuir de Russie
THE SCENT: In 1927, Coco Chanel collaborated with the Moscow-born perfumer Ernest Beaux. This is the result: Musky, smoky, woody and deliciously dangerous. HARAD'S TAKE: "In the pantheon of iconic leather perfumes only Cuir de Russie is still with us in a recognizable (albeit somewhat softer, slimmer) version of its iconic self. There is a brief whiff of saddle, but no whips here, just fine polished leather and an airy iris heart."
Chanel Cuir de Russie, $160, chanel.com.
8) Rochas Femme
THE SCENT: One of the original woody florals—heady oak moss meets jasmine and roses, with candied fruit gourmand notes of peach and plum. HARAD'S TAKE: "The aldehydes, dark plum heart and dry leather base in the original formulation created a startling, uncompromising sensuality. Reformulated in 1989, today's Femme is looser, sweeter and brighter, but its confident sensuality and overall profile are very much intact."
Rochas Femme Eau de Toilette, rochas.com.
9) Guerlain Mitsouko
THE SCENT: A fruity chypre with mysterious, velvety notes of peach, spices and forest floor. HARAD'S TAKE: "It's a golden, autumnal scent—a dusting of dry spices, a refined peach, and a mossy base. Smell it on your skin, and give it plenty of time to unfold."
Guerlain Mitsouko Eau de Parfum spray, $118, saks.com.
10) Chanel No. 19
THE SCENT: In spite of tons of springy notes like iris, hyacinth and lily of the valley, No. 19 has a distinguished leathery edge. HARAD'S TAKE: "No. 19 is a perfumer's perfume, admired for its balance and construction. It has suffered through some changes, and become harder to find, but the parfum version is still very much worth seeking out."
Chanel No. 19 Eau de Parfum, $115, chanel.com.
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