This week's poll topic: recently released (let's say the last 10 years) perfumes that you think will still be around in 50 or 100 years. I think AnnS came up with this one?
Your host today is Tamara. Please say hello to Tamara:
Note: image is Quarter Gazania by Dawn Endico at flickr; some rights reserved.
Heck, I’m feeling gloomy enough today that I’m not even sure ANY of us we’ll be around in 50-100 years! And in that same pessimistic vein, I wonder if any of the scents that have already endured decades will even be recognizable in an IFRA-fied future, although they may exist in name.
And what about the boom in niche scents? A large part of their charm is that they’re creations of individuals rather than corporations, but when Andy Tauer and Francis Kurkdjian and Dawn Spencer Hurwitz have all shuffled off this mortal coil, what will become of their scents?
[Waxing philosophical because I don’t really have an answer to the question!]
One can only hope that these artists will have proteges to carry on their vision – in much the same way that fashion designers do.
One can only hope for that, yes. Sobering indeed.
So true, Lilydale! There has been such an acceleration of discontinuation and reformulation – it is hard to imagine that ANY will perfume will stand unchanged even 5 years from now, let alone 50 or 100! I’m always whinging about J’Adore, but it is such a good example of a delightful perfume, born in 1999 to no lack of acclaim and popularity, yet reformulated and losing what made it so wonderful only a few years later.
On the other hand, if the human race is still around 50-100 years from now, our descendants will likely be able to download virtual recreations from the Osmotèque in Versaille to be experienced directly by electrical stimulation of the brain
Forgot to credit LT with the virtual perfume idea.
Exactly what I was thinking about perfumes…we just have to hope they’re not all banned in a few years.
I keep thinking we’re going to move to a trade/barter system, and I’ll have to trade vials of perfume for potatoes and such…
Hmmm….kind of sobering to think how many bags of potatoes it would take to get a decant of vintage Mitsouko parfum….
Dang Lilydale, well when you put it like THAT!
Naaaw but I just enjoy what I like now, though it can seem depressing.
I try not to think about it in those terms, life is hard enough!
And mine had to be the first comment, right?!
team gloomy too, if that is the topic of the day! I agree with you Natalie that it has to do with economics and unfortunately not with preferences of a few enlightened perfumistas
well, anyway, I’m happy today because I bought a bottle of the elusive vetiver pour elle (this one is not going to be around a long time, if it’s so sparingly distributed)
Hi there Tamara – thanks for hosting! There have been so many good niche releases in the past ten years [and even in the past year] that are destined to be classics – really too many to mention. But for main stream releases, I can think of three that may stand the test of time: SJP Lovely, EL Tuberose Gardenia and Bvlgari Jasmine Noir.
Good morning Rustic!
I think there will be quite a few myself.
I love EL TG too.
I feel my beloved URC will stand the tests the time…
Tamara, totally agree on URC. should be with us forever
Those are good choices, V. I think you’re right. Those are all great fragrances, and they do have more a general appeal, so there’s a really good chance they will still be around.
SJP Lovely is a good fragrance but will it survive the inevitable fading of SJP? It would need a whole new marketing angle and I can’t see Coty bothering with that. Ah well, I have a back-up bottle.
It may just end up becoming Lovely, san the SJP name, someday.
Sans, not san. And this after I was just making bitchy comments to a friend the other day about how so many people we know sound illiterate online. I even said, “I *always* read something twice before I send it.” Ummm… yeah.
I’m hopelessly dyslexic in my old age. Even when I ‘proof read’, I don’t always catch something til after it’s posted. Oh well – now you all know – I’m not a dumbass, no really. It’s old age. LOL
Right there with you again, dear V! First the shrinking memories, then the shrinking writing abilities…don’t tell me what’s next! Honestly, I find myself typing entirely different words than what I’m thinking, these days, and it’s really rather frightening at times. Also very not “like me”: my friends from back in college have been noticing and pointing out my mistakes. Truly awful.
Oh geez, my fingers have a different brain than the one in my head. I look back and wonder how did I get “bring” out of “think”?
I agree, those three should stand just fine. SJP is one of my favorites.
Hi Tamara!
Thanks for hosting! Around in 50 years? Perhaps Sensuous just for sheer likability. I think Estee Lauder is good at making classics. Jasmine White Moss just might stick around-it’s such a classy scent and affordable.
Hi Dixie, can you believe I haven’t smelled Jasmine White Moss yet?
I need to fix that! I like alot of Estee Lauder too, just tried vintage Private Collection from a dear PPP, I loved it!
You need to try Jasmine White Moss, T. I’m constantly on the fence about needing a bottle. I had a small decant that I gave to my partner’s mom, stating very clearly “If you don’t like it, I want it back.” She hated it. Do I have my decant back? (Grumbles…) My intent was if she liked it, I’d buy a bottle and split it with her. I did not mean to give it away entirely! Urgh…
Aha Miss Kitty, the perils of trying to play nice with our scents!
I DO need to try it, I have a feeling I’ll like it.
If you do end up liking it, let me know. I feel like it’s a lot for an EL, but maybe we could split a bottle.
Agreed! Gotta love splits<3
Hi Tamara! I think Chanel 31 Rue Cambon and Frederic Malle Musc ravageur might end up as classics.
Has 31 RC only been around for 10 years [I’m too lazy to Google]? If so, it should stand the test of time, for sure!
RC was released in 2007. Musc Ravageur in 2000. But I would agree that RC is likely to still be around. They need to have a wider release of it. I think it would sell really well if it had a wider distribution. In fact, with the holidays coming up, I can see buying a couple of bottles as gifts for relatives. Did someone say they’re making the Les Exclusifs in smaller bottles?
Yes – so far Coromandel, Beige, Cologne, Sycomore and I think 28 La Pausa or 31 Rue Cambon. I heard a rumor about the others coming out in February.
Ooh – I hope that rumor is true Tama!
Maybe I need to make a trip to the downtown Nordstroms today…
I think most of the Chanel line, esp. the Les Exclusifs, will be around for another 50 years. Esp. No 5 eau Premier, Bel Respiro and Coromandel. Perfect!!!
Oh, thanks Ms. K – I didn’t realize 31RC was such a new scent – I thought it had been around for a long time! If that one doesn’t turn out to be around for a long time, I would be shocked. That’s the last fragrance that someone stopped me to ask what I was wearing a few weeks ago in the grocery store.
Hey Tussah, I agree! Love those<3 Iris Poudre is my favorite Malle.
I just tried a sample of 31RC the other day (thank you Daisy!) I looked on Ebay and Amazon to buy a bottle. OMG. Never mind. I don’t feel like getting a second job. Not that it’s not worth the price, maybe if I was rich.
Hi Malijo!
I wish all the dang time that was I was rich too so I could buy all my beauties up! You know splits are a affordable way to have some of that Chanel. And TPC has reasonable prices on the Les Exclusifs decants. That’s a way to go if you want some.
Thanks. Actually, when I thought about it, I realized that the mini’s aren’t really that expensive. I just wasn’t able to find a regular sized bottle, just mini’s and and 6oz. Maybe I’ll buy a mini.
Hi Tamara,
Thanks for hosting!!! The markets is now so diluted it is hard to come up with one star. I think Angel (so ground breaking for its time with so many wanna bes copying it) will be around forever, but it was released in 1992 so it does not fit within the parameters of this poll.
I think Chanel Beige and Sycomore will stand the test of time as classics, but it’s hard for me (it is Saturday afterall and my brain is not working to its fullest capacity) to think of a truly niche perfume that will last for 50 years. Maybe SL’s Tuberuese Criminelle or ISM, but they are so hard to get that interest may putter out after a while.
If SSS Champagne de Bois is not around for as long as I live, I may do something drastic!
You and me both! …..if Laurie even breathes the word “discontinue” or “retire”…..I’m going to have to lay in a stock of back up bottles that will defy description!
I love Laurie’s work too, can’t wait for LdR and Opal to come back.
I’ll be stocking up!
My favorite violet ever is her Voile de Violette.
Just getting a single bottle of CdB is my big goal this year! Oh, how I wish it was part of the boutique line…
Now that you’ve said that, V., I think I need to go stock up… Discontinuation Paranoia has set in.
Hey Miss Kitty,
I received my decanting supplies your SLs should be on their shortly.. Have a good weekend!
Aw, thanks! That’s so exciting. I am at my first sampling lull in probably two years. I can’t believe it, but I actually don’t have anything new to try right now.
Miss K, that’s how I feel about URC, getting my THIRD bottle soon.
SERIOUSLY??
Oh yes girl! I am.
URC does come in an unreassuringly small bottle, after all!
NozKoz, I am gonna bite the bullet and get the 30 ml this time but I do wish this perfume came in a 50 ml-just this once!
Love it to pieces<3
Hahaha – I finally got a sample of that because you are all so completely gaga for it, and….. I don’t get it. I think I am just super ultra picky about aldehydic scents. More for you!
Hey Tama, are you talking about CdB from SSS?
That is not one of MY favorites ha.
I do like it though, although it wears me rather than the other way around me. It’s hefty!
Yes, that is what I was talking about. Many here wax quite poetic about it.
I think I “get it” (SSS CdB) but it isn’t for me and that was a major surprise. Thought perhaps cooler weather would help since I first tried it in the spring but that didn’t change things.
I *should* love it… everything about it screams ME!… but I don’t. We start out ok, but something in the drydown makes me nauseous and I have to give up on it. Tabac Aurea does just the same. Oh well… I have so many others to love.
Nay, nay dear EST. *I’m* the one who loves and wears CdB! Now you make me want to re-try Tabac Aurea. I only tried it once and didn’t think it worked, but I may have been too hasty.
Tama – CdB IS a potent one, for sure. I would imagine that if one doesn’t LOVE it, it would be a bit overwhelming. I am in the LOVE it camp.
You’re definitely not the only one… CdB and Sienna Musk both dry down within moments to the same suffocating, scrub-inducing base (and I’m too scared to try my sample of Tabac Aurea!).
I was reading down to see if anyone would get to SSS yet. I was going to say Tabac Aurea, which I think will be the kind of fragrance, like Mitsouko, that people will wax poetic about for decades to come. I think it will definitely stand the test of time. Now Champage de Bois will also do the same for sure. They are both modern classics.
Hi Tara,I think Chanel will be there.
I hope SL is also although he is not my favorite house by a long shot.
Angel may well be here.
I’m so glad my girls DO NOT like Angel or her many spawn… they are being ‘trained’ to appreciate other wonders worth it IMHO.
Hi Tamara! Happy Hosting Weekend!
hmmm….destined classics…it’s hard to admit but most of the niche fragrances we love so much now will probably be gone or changed beyond recognition in 50 yrs. I think it’s a combination of factors; most niche lines have such limited distribution & high prices that they will fail to have the “numbers” required to keep something going that long. Even if a fragrance did have a substantial following—the IFRA couldn’t bear to leave it alone for that long. And then there’s the dwindling attention span of the general public who is being bombarded with an overwhelming number of releases with “in your face” advertising campaigns….it’s really a chicken or the egg type thing: short attention span so they try to keep our attention by releasing more and more or do we have short attention spans because we’re bombarded? Anyhow, I wonder ….it seems ladies used to find a fragrance and remained loyal to it for years….I think that’s less common now. ( Personally I can’t imagine having only a few bottles.) Okay, I’m rambling now but if anything was going to be around in 50 years I think it’d be Chanel 31 Rue Cambon, possibly Beige (it also has a classic feel). I think Ormonde Jayne Woman and Lyric woman both have a huge following for niche —but at their price point they’re going to lack the volume of sales needed to be around for 50+ years.
I’m sure you are right about niche fragrances not having the numbers. It seems to me that a stayer needs a special alchemy: it must have mass appeal AND it must transcend it as well. It must be fashionable at least at some level, but seem to be above fashion. It has to be accessible, but it has to stand out.
A tough call, and one that requires the vision of a single creative individual, you’d think. A scent devised by focus groups and market researchers is not going to make it. So that gets us back to niche perfumery, in a sense, doesn’t it, for niche houses give their perfumers freedom.
Hello Daisy dear! Ahhhhh your words ring so true.
Maybe this why we collect and collect and collect… WE- all of us here are the ones keeping the fire going.
But it a one- way love affair for sure….*sigh* Agree Chanel will be here.
I hope to God OJ is and Lyric is gahhh! my next Amouage,
gotta have a bottle for my girls to keep after I’m gone!
Hi Tamara…nice to meet you!…lol. ;>)
I feel any fragrance from Vera Wang are or will become classics and can stand the test of time…her fragrances are transcendent!
Only her fragrances for women…her men’s is not that special.
There is one little caveat though, I DO NOT think Vera Wang for Men is all that exceptional; there are way better fragrances for men out there.
Hello Cologneluvr, (shakes virtual hand) ha.
I had Vera Wang’s Sheer Veil before.
It was very, very light (as the name implies) too light actually!
I have not tried her others.
Tamara,
The fragrances I actually had in mind are as follows:
1. Vera Wang The Fragrance (Original debut fragrance – this is the one fragrance that is the most picked for brides in any of the fashion magazines ((i.e. Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, etc.))
2. Truly Pink
3. Bouquet
Not sure about Sheer Veil (but I’ll take your word for it…;>) ) and Anniversary or any of the others for the younger crowd (i.e. Princess and any of the “Princess” flankers).
Tamara, thanks for hosting!
I guess we have to suspend our belief that perfume is disappearing due to IFRA, corporate greed and careless consumerism in order to think about this topic. Perhaps there will be virtual perfume archives and everything will be available! Or, 100 years from now, medical advances will eliminate any concern for sensitivities, cancer, etc., and IFRA will be gone!
The scents that are still around are ones that have been skillfully promoted and zealously guarded by their companies, especially Chanel and Guerlain. Therefore, I’d agree with Tussah on 31 Rue de Cambon and also add some niche perfumes: L’AP Timbuktu (and perhaps other Duchaufours such as Nuit de Tubereuse and Traversee du Bosphore), FM Carnal Flower and Vetiver Extraordinaire, AG Songes, and several Kilians (Liaisons Dangereuses, Beyond Love, Back to Black, A Taste of Heaven, Rose Oud and Pure Oud). Amouage, Heeley, OJ, and SL, too, but I’ve taken up enough space already
I also completely agree about Traversee du Bosphore and Nuits de Tubereuse (and so I suppose I must throw Amaranthine in the pile too). The new holy trinity, lol? They are stunning. Maybe they’ll get the reformulation treatment at one point, but they are amazing – really new and different and yet so classic at the same time.
Hello dear NozKoz, I love how you write on and on!
You are my Kilian girl for sure!
You are correct I believe. As everyone starts putting what they think will last , it’s kinda freakin’ me out to contemplate my perfume’s future….
Like I said to Daisy, this is why we hoard our goodies.
Our preciousssss…..;)
Thank goodness, we love the good stuff girl,
we don’t know if it will make it!
Ha, ha – I’ll just try to resist any footnotes!
I guess if I were getting a tattoo, it would have to be the Kilian K and tasseled key
HAH! That’s real devotion right there honey.
Do actually have those beautiful bottles and lacquered boxes?
What a treasure! So very glad I’m not lemming them.
But I got bitten by Amouage now and that’s enough for now!
***blushes*** I do have one of the boxes, which I got with a partial bottle of Pure Oud. It is nicely made but takes up space – whatever would I do if I had all the Kilians I love in those boxes?
I greatly admire Amouage but have not quite fallen in love with one yet. I did get a decant of the Homage Attar. It’s powerful stuff: that 1.5 ml may be all I can use!
I”m the glad there’s another By Kilian lover on here. They make some of my favorites.
I agree about many already mentioned, and join Nozknoz in hoping that many of the wonderful L’Artisan and Malle fragrances will be around in 50 years. A couple of the Lutens and OJ fragrances mentioned would be worthy survivors, too.
I’ll add Penhaligon’s Amaranthine and Hermes Eau des Merveilles, Terre d’Hermes and Kelly Caleche. These have all the marks of classics, IMO (it’s beside the point that I don’t care for Kelly Caleche).
Hermes and Penhaligon are good bets, too, Haunani!
Eau des Merveilles, absolutely! That was the first thing that came to my mind, too.
Haunani~ I love those houses and hope they are still with us later on too. And I adore Amaranthine.
It’s true that anything by Penhaligon has a good chance of being around in 50 years – although I can’t name a particular frag. I also think Goutal will be around in some form (maybe a big company will buy them out in 20 years). Again, I can’t name a particular frag as I don’t know the line that well, but I’d guess at least half of their frags would last. I sure hope that OJ will be around, but don’t think it’s likely – she doesn’t even have distribution outside the UK (to my knowledge). I totally agree with you on the Hermes and would add several others from that house, I think they are top notch. A couple may discontinue and be reintroduced later on, especially Jean Claude’s work which I believe reflects today’s taste and may fall out of favor and then come back again someday. Of Malle, I can see Perfume de Therese being the sole stand-alone of the entire line. I can also see SL’s FdB hanging out for 50 years.
Totally agree with this list, and with Chanel. It seems to me that Chanel and Hermes actually have an investment in creating “heritage scents”–things that can be passed down, or at least stand for a generation. Sort of goes with their brand. However, I would have said the same thing about Guerlain and Caron not too long ago, and…goodness, who knows? There have been rumors about LVMH taking over Hermes. That was not such a good thing for Guerlain, perfumewise.
I think Malle wants to create longstaying scents as well, and the Ormonde Jayne’s all have that “signature scent” kind of feel to them, a kind of classic style that makes them something that could be worn repeatedly, over time, without the wearer growing tired of them. But both Malle and Jayne are tiny. Well (again) who knows, with the business model in the middle of such radical changes, maybe small will be better in the future?
Interesting question, since when it comes to mainstream scents, it’s hard to find many fragrances that were even released more than 10 years ago!
Was the original Prada released in the past 10 years? I can see that one sticking around.
Hi AmyT, I think Prada has been around for 10 yrs.
But the ones I love to wear are Prada Intense , Prada Tendre and IdI.
Tamara – thanks for hosting!! Just a little nudge to get you to please try to reply to people’s comments in the right area (reply directly to their comment rather than directly after it), or things will get way confusing.
I think a Malle or two may last in the niche, and definitely a Lauder or two. If the Chanel Les Exclusifs get a broader audience, they will go the distance. Don’t know exactly which ones are new, since everything is new to ME! Haha!
Hello Tama~ Oh no- am I not doing it right?????????????????
I’m sorry for the confusion, forgive me bumbling around on here.
I hope Chanel and Malle last too…..
You’ve been pretty good – only missed a couple. Easy to do!! Especially with all the excitement of hosting!!
Hey Tamara, I think you are doing an excellent job!!
Thank you my sweet Adela<3<3<3
Thanks for hosting, Tamara! To echo Haunani above, I do think Kelly Caleche may be a classic (and I do really like it!).
Hello Jill, I like Kelly Caleche, but only have sampled the edt.
I want to try it in the edp. Have you?
I haven’t tried the EDP either — would like to, though! I wonder how it compares to the EDT?
I prefer the EDT because, well, I use it as an office scent and I find the EDT more suitable for that – more spacious, less dense than the EDP. And the lasting power of the EDT is fine. A potential classic, seeing as it is supported by a luxury house that has been around forever, and because it is at the relatively inexpensive end of that house’s offerings! It will benefit from everyone wanting to buy their bit of the Hermes, even if they can afford nothing else.
Thanks for the info! I do find the EDT’s lasting power to be quite good.
The EDP is rosier, rounder, and yes, a bit more dense. This is one of the few fragrances where I’ve (personally, w/my blunt nose) noticed a marked difference between concentrations. I actually like the EDP better, as the EDT can be a little thin and sharp on me.
Interesting! I must try it.
Thank you for the description Boo!
You make me want to try the edp even more now.
Jill, you and the rest have me wanting to give Kelly Caleche another chance! I think my sample is the EdT.
ditto
I did not get it at all at first sniff
It wasn’t love at first sniff for me, Haunani — it grew on me, enough that I bought a 15 ml bottle, anyway!
Golly, 100 years is a long time in the commercial world. I’m struggling to think of other products (as opposed to works of art) that have remained with us and unchanged for that long. 50 years is not so hard. Coca Cola, Barbie dolls …
However, perfume at its best can be a work of art. I think 31 Rue Cambon has classic written all over it, but it would need a mass release because a stayer has to get on the dressing tables of a lot of women. Their husbands must buy it for them. Their daughters must long to spritz it in secret. People who stop you in the street must be able to buy it readily for themselves. And so on.
However, Tania Sanchez has remarked that 31 RC is not so beautiful to her because it is not strange. I don’t agree in that case but I do think a classic has to have a quality of strangeness or unpredictability about it. A quality hard to define, so that people keep buying it in order to know it and make it their own.
It also needs great and constantly updated marketing, like Chanel No 5. And, again like No 5, the fragrance house has to commit to maintaining its quality. Compare No 5 to a similar fragrance – Givenchy’s L’Interdit. Givenchy seems to have given up on poor L’Interdit. Others may disagree but I don’t think it smells any more ‘dated’ than No 5.
AnneMarie,
I loved how you wrote about all of this.
I know what you mean, it touched me when you said ” I think 31 Rue Cambon has classic written all over it, but it would need a mass release because a stayer has to get on the dressing tables of a lot of women. Their husbands must buy it for them. Their daughters must long to spritz it in secret. People who stop you in the street must be able to buy it readily for themselves. And so on.”
So so true!
That’s why I feel the need and I relish the joy of introducing and sharing (as much as I can bear! ha!) with my daughters, I want them to be familiar and want to someday own their own classics and remember mine..
BTW , I love L’Interdit Mythiques! It definitely has that Chanel 5 feel to it, that’s why I’m drawn to it. haven’t tried the vintage though.
Thanks. I must get a decant of the Mythiques version of L’I. Can’t see myself draining a 100 mls of it! The vintage is gorgeous, but on me at least, very fleeting. Unlike other fans, I do like the 2002 release of L’Interdit, tho’ it is a different scent really.
Annemarie: I totally agree about the marketing. Wide appeal is what keeps products on the shelf and not only do buyers have to know about it, but they have to easily find it. So many of my own favorites certainly don’t fit in that category.
And now that I think about, several of my own beloved scents have already been discontinued or will be (Sotto Voce and Femme Jolie among them).
As for what will be around in 50+ years that’s been released in the last 10….thinking about that makes my head hurt! I’ll just enjoy the thoughts of others!
Yep, I bought a back-up bottle of Femme Jolie not long ago.
Just noting that the first Diptyque, L’Eau, has now been around for 42 years. I hope this is a sign that niche perfumes do have a chance to survive.
Thanks NozKoz, that’s encouraging!
I’d say Terre d’Hermes and Dior Homme. Both exceptionally well-made scents with wide enough distribution and from sufficiently well-established companies to have staying power.
I’d like to see Ormonde Woman and Chinatown still around in 50 years and think both probably stand a chance.
+1 on Terre d’Hermes.
Ooh, yes, Chinatown! (claps hands, jumps up and down)
Miss Kitty, Chinatown is another I need to try.
Always interesting to see how my sample list never gets smaller..;)
I have a sample somewhere that I can send you…
Thanks Miss Kitty!
I also read that Chinatown was like Montale Aoud Velvet,
I wondered if that was true?
So many scents, I love it………
I agree on the Terre d’Hermes. It’s such an awesome scent!
Chinatown — yes!! You’re reminding me I haven’t yet worn it this fall. I do hope it stays around for a very long time!
Hello Tamara!
My money goes to Christian Dior J’Adore.( I know it is from 1999, but anyway)
I think Dior will be around for another 50 years, and you have to take that into account. A good fragrance by itself cannot stand the test of time, it might go under with the rest of the brand.
Hi Kaos! Yes I think Dior will still be here too.
Y’all know how I love my vintage Miss Dior parfum. Such a beauty!
I love vintage Dioressense as well..
I’m sad to say that I’ve never tried J’Adore.
this is a bit depressing, the thought of all the perfumes I love being taken off the shelves :'( even the ones that I don’t buy but like to go in store and spray myself with them.
I hope flowerbomb doesn’t get discontinued as long as I live, it’s my signature and I’d be lost without it. it is such a great scent and I have only come across one review on online stores that doesn’t like it.
I think the major Chanels will still be here in 50years and maybe even some new ones, No5, Coco Mlle, and the Iconic Diors like J’Adore, the Posions and the Miss Dior Chéries.
I do accountancy at college (and want to be an accountant) and we’ve been given the task of getting a copy of a company’s annual report and extract certain information from it. and I got hold of Christian Dior’s, they made a huge profit in 2009, they give you the last two years aswell to compare. and since and including 2007 they’ve been making a slight decline in profit each year. so your right KAOS, Dior may very well go under, but not too soon. and I hope they don’t, they do the best under-eye concealer, skinflash.
Dior is also the mother company of several other companies, Guerlain being one of them.
I think Angel and Alien form Thierry Mugler will still be here aswell. Angel (I think) was developed to be a modern classic and Alien is so unique and strange that you won’t ever get bored of it, well the same can be said for Angel really.
I think Prada parfums will do well for themselves aswell, the Infusions have a lot of fans, d’Iris and d’Homme.
but it’s hard to say really, we never know what people might get tired of. after all, companies do judge whether perfumes stay on the shelves based on sales and profitability of the scents. I’m trying to think of the classics, the modern classics and the universally popular ones.
and reading Lucy’s comment I remembered Estée Lauder. though I;ve only smelled Sensuous and Youth dew. they have a good chance of being here in 50years time.
+1 for Angel and Alien, I thought about them as well.
I read today that they are killing Cologne Blanche…so nothin is safe.. my philosophy:enjoy each day and if a fragrance goes, then you will probably find a new one soon to take that place
Just to clarify: Dior and Guerlain are under the same umbrella company Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessey. They are equals; Dior does not own Guerlain.
Kaos.geo, I always liked your old gravatar, but this new one is wonderful!
Thank you Noz! I wanted to change a bit, and I must say I got some “Inspiration” from Joe’s Facebook profiles of late. This one is Mio, a cat character fromthe Pucca animation series. A friend gave me a Mio toy that came with a happy meal some years ago and I have it on my desk
I love cats, what can I say!
It’s adorable!
It is amazing how wonderfully expressive a tiny gravatar can be!
Off topic a bit, but L’Heure Bleue is coming up to its first 100 years (2012). I’m thinking that if I start chucking $5 notes into a jar now I might in 2 years be able to afford the inevitable limited release Baccarat bottle, or whatever.
OH! A 100 year limited edition of L’Heure Bleue… my goodness, you’re right. We need to start saving!!!
OMG – time to start saving indeed – that is one of the few scents I can see wearing for a lifetime – I started as a teen and am still going!
OOOooh! Thanks for the tip! Who needs a new car when you can have the L’HB crystal bottle!!! Ha, ha. Let’s hope all our favoriet Guerlain’s are around for the next 100 years, esp. an untouched Rose Barbare!
Perhaps Stella. (Sephora already lists it under their classics category.) And anything by Estee Lauder. Do they actually retire any of their fragrances? I know there are several “oldies” that they don’t display but you can get them if you ask, such as Aliage.
Great poll. Thanks for hosting Tamara!
Hi Lucy, Gosh I don’t know about Estee Lauder,I don’t think they do but I’m not sure. I need to try Aliage one of these days and I have owned Stella several times, love it.
You may have a point about EL. It’s really hard to find Dazzling Silver (and probably Dazzling Gold, too, except I don’t care about it, so I’ve never looked), but they do still sell it at the EL website. Yeah, I can’t think of a single scent they’ve ever retired. Maybe I’ll do some research on that, because now I’m curious. Maybe there’s a flanker in there somewhere that crashed and burned?
Wow, did you know that Estee Lauder has released 59 fragrances over the years? I had no idea! And yes, indeed, there have been some discontinued fragrances. Now I’m disappointed to know they ever existed, because some of the one released in the 70’s looked really enticing, like Celadon and Pavillion.
59?! Wow. Does that include flankers, or just originals? I’ll be researching more tomorrow when I have some energy.
Both of the Dazzlings are available at my local Macy’s. They are usually not on display (behind the counter like I said before), but they were out yesterday. Maybe for the holidays?? It seems like the Gold and Silver would be a natural fit through New Year’s Day.
Can’t post things properly today, so my observation that EL retired Tom Ford’s Youth Amber Nude has gone in the wrong place way down below! Not sure if this was meant to be a limited edition, but it didn’t last long in their collection.
I LOVE YDAmber Nude-was surprised to see it go, actually.
Love it too and own it — the bottle is very cute!
I forgot about Amber Nude, and I did know it was gone. I never bought any because it was seemed so expensive in comparison to the original. I bought a Youth Dew and a Private Collection for about the same price as an Amber Nude. That is probably my favorite thing about the EL classics…the prices are classic too.
Stella is a good one. I just wore that the other day actually. It gets a lot of competition from my overall fragrance drawer, but it is a good one – crowd friendly too.
It’s so hard to tell. I read in other blogs about perfumes that were popular in their day, but have been lost. I’m hoping that one of my nieces or nephews enjoys my collection, as it’s getting interesting after reading what you all have to say and following your advice! I’m so enjoying what I have and thanking all of you!
Hi Kitty, your welcome!
Oh yes, pass them down to future noses, it feels good to know you will doesn’t it? I told my girls DO NOT sell Mama’s babies unless your going to be homeless or something drastically bad like that.;)
I want them to stay in the family of my girls..
P.as. Wearing AT’s Eau D’Epices
Re-tested that the other night and liked it much better this time. I think I was on a Tauer rampage when I got the 5-pack of samples and ODed.
LOL
Oh my perfume peeps! I feel a lil’ bit bad now.
My turn at the poll today seems to be a unhappy one, thinking if our loves will last to be enjoyed by new noses.
Please let’s remember that our collections prove how much we adore our favorite house and fragrances and maybe that has to be enough for me personally, the joy my beauties bring me right now.
None of us know if they will be around in the future , and if we can get a hold of them , we just should treasure our perfumes as much as we can.
Cheers my fellow fumies!
Tamara, I had a moment the other day when I was contemplating hoarding back-up bottles of a particular fragrance (not telling!!), but then it dawned on me: when what I have runs out, and if I can’t replace it, there are so many others—wonderful things that already exist, and wonderful things yet to become.
We spend time lamenting the greats lost to reformulation (it is a tragedy), yet at the same time, some *truly*great perfumes are coming out almost monthly!
It’s a good time to be a perfumista
Oh Dee! Well said!
It is indeed a lovely time to be a perfumista<3
You’ve got a really good point there. And I’ve found that the discontinued fragrances that I used to love don’t do it for me anymore once I find them. My tastes change all the time.
Not to mention that collectively we probably already own enough perfume to scent every man, woman, and child on the planet for the next 50-100 years!
Hear, hear, ladies! Great attitudes! We can only move forward.
i think that Opium (YSL) and Ambre et Diamant Noir (Ambregris) and Diorissimo (Dior) would last until then……..they are all classics of their ilk, and they are killer scents…….what more do you want???
so what can i help it if they are all more than 10 years old????
I have never tried any of those except Diorissimo, but I love the idea of “killer scents”
Hi Tamara, thanks for hosting! Tough question, I agree with the comments above that a fragrance has to strike the balance between broad appeal (sales) and beautiful/ intriguing composition. My niche experience is limited still but I would think something like 31 RC or even CDG Avignon ( I hope – incense is timeless right?) and for mainstream maybe Jasmine Noir or Eau de Merveilles.
Hi Fragrant Witch,
I like all your picks , and yes incense in some way , shape or form is timeless IMHO or at least I would like to think so.
For the life of me though I cannot do Avignon.
Have you tried layering Avignon with anything? Hermes Un Jardin sur le Nil? Arpege? Not that I’m trying to force it to work for you.
Enough other things out there to enjoy, such as your vat of URC.
Miss Kitty to answer your question heck no!
I cannot stand it on my skin, it smells like a crypt to my nose, something ominous and spooky. IDK why but there you go.
OTOH, I really like Messe de Minuit so yah never really know with a incense fragrance right?
Any fragrance for that matter!
And hey now, I luuuuuuurve URC, it’s my sweet bebe, I adore it beyond all reason. Last night Livi (my 7 yr. old) was spending a night at her friends and asked me to spray her pillow with it so she could smell Mama at night! How great is that?????
Ooh, Arpege would be interesting! I like it layered with DK Wenge. Mind, I love DK Wenge but it does make a lovely combo with Avignon- at least to my nose!
Hey, Miss Kitty V..what a coincidence, I layered Avignon with Bandit today.. and I smelled good!!!
I need to try that! Although I love Bandit so much that I don’t know if I can add anything else to it.
Annick Goutal is one of the original niche houses, and I think they’ll stand the test of time.
For your consideration, I submit the Les Orientalistes collection. Modern, exquisitely executed takes on ancient notes: amber, myrrh, frankincense, and musc. They won’t ever top any charts, but I think they have a deeply lingering appeal.
Dee -my favorite is Encens Flamboyant!
At the moment, I’m nose-deep in Ambre Fetiche!
I agree — it’s one of my favorite houses.
As time passes, I love the Goutal house more and more. THere is such an excellent attention to nature and quality. I just fell hard for Mandragore Pourpre after totally ignoring it. Let’s say I would love to see any of the Goutals stand for the next 100 years, but my vote is for MP, the original Mandragore, and Ninfeo Mio. I could go on and on about the Goutals that are older than 10 years!
I HOPE the whole CdG incense series survives as I think the concept is amazing – though I only own one. And I HOPE Sa Ma Jeste la Rose survives as well as ambre Russe. Unfortunately I have trouble shelling out the (relatively) big bucks for these because I seem to want a change so often and there are some gorgeous mainstreamers that come in half the size and for half the price!
Hi Merlin-
Gosh I love Sa Majeste la Rose too, so simple and beautiful!
I ‘almost’ shell out the bucks for that over and over!
Almost shell out over and over again – is exactly it!
And I’m not sure why I end up shelling out for the ones I do, except that I am a lot more comfortable when they are in a different price bracket.
Hey, doll! this is a fun post-hosting, even if it did get a bit gloomy…
…let’s just hope humanity is still around and largely recognizable in 50-100 years – I would vote for Carnal Flower. I think it is the new, definitive Big White Flower – what Fracas was in its day (and still is, but we’re talking last 10 years). I think it a very completely BWF but it’s also ‘understandable’ to a larger audience (where a lot of other Malles are a bit esoteric) .
xo
Carnal Flower should be put in a museum and the formula never changed. It is tremendous.
Hey Musette, thanks my dear!
I think Carnal Flower is wonderful. But I love Fracas the diva the best!
Nuit de Tubereuse deserves to be a classic. Who knows if LAP will still be around then.
Hi Suzy Q,
I really hope L’Artisan lasts forever. Love that house.
Hi Tamara, thanks for hosting, I think the Chanels, Chanel no. 5 CoCo, and Shalimar… some ELs Private Collections Tuberose and Gardinia, and a few Diors will be around for at least another 50, years along with new Flankers…I feel so sad to read that Dzing is going away
WHAT?!?! Where did you read this? There have been lots of rumours about this in the past, and i never happened.
I heard it on good authority that it’s for reals this time.
Blimunda, according to lovely Gaia from The Non Blonde ~ Re: Dzing!
Unfortunately, while some places still have it in stock, L’Artisan removed it from their (American) website. It was the same with Ananas Fizz for a while. It took some time between the brand discontinuing production to retailers selling what’s left in stock.
If you love this wonderful perfume stock up .
November 19, 2010 12:08 PM
Thank you! I will stock up indeed!
Hello Adela
Yes I believe that Chanel will still be here and those perfumes we love.
I know!!!!!!! Oh my Goodness, it set me into a panic reading about that. Better buy your FB now my dear.
Gaaah I’m sitting here absolutely stumped as we say Downunder….everything I’ve been thinking of is too old or uncannily already discontinued or altered. Surely many of the Malles and Lutens DESERVE immortality – and yet – apparently the accountants are already slashing the Serges about. La Myrrhe, ISM, Ambre S, Arabie, Tube Crim, even MKK etc, they must be some of the greatest statements of our age. Look what has happened to Guerlain in Attrape C. And then they bottle up things to sell for a few thousand, its a strange business model. The Malles -well Carnal Flower, En Passant, Musc Rav, the amazing Fd Cassie. I have a feeling Womanity will be tweaked a little to join the stupendous Angel….its the only one I can think of in the mainstream that has that strange evocative thing mentioned above. Hypnotic Poison may be the next one from Dior to prevail; has one of the Poisons already succumbed?
But its hard for us nerds, this question, we are too far gone! The department store floor is just one big sad disappointment to me and has been for years, even before I fell into the cyberspace eddy!
I could sit here and optimistically nominate say my top, erm, 20, but few of them can I get in Australia without jumping through hoops.
Hi Wini, your right it is hard on us perfumeheads to answer such a question. I’ll be truthful, I kinda regret picking it because it made alot of us uneasy and feel sad for our perfumes future.
All the ones you mentioned deserve to stay.
On the Prestige end, i would probably say Narciso Rodriguez For Her and Prada Infusion d’Iris, and J’Adore….. on the niche end, Frederic Malle Carnal Flower, Serge Lutens Fleurs de Citronnier (cause it’s the easiest to love and wear), Chanel 31 RC, and L’Artisan Nuit de Tuberuese … although i think all selections from these lines would be a pleasure to see around in the next 50 years =)
Stephen,
Yes it would be a pleasure to have all of them around!
I think they “retired” Tom Ford’s Youth Dew Amber Nude?
This should have gone above in reply to Lucy! By the way, I am rather fond of OJ’s Taif and I think this could be a classic.
Jillie,
I love OJ Taif too! Tolu and Woman are my first favorites.
Linda Pinkerton promised to never discontinue or re-mutilate (re-formulate;) any of her perfumes. Let’s all hope she won’t!
Alot of the fragrances that have stuck for so long are iconic and brand defining. Chanel #5, for example, defines the Chanel brand. Shalimar for Guerlain, Youth Dew for Estee Lauder. They were branch launchers! In the niche realm, L’Eau de Artisan and Diptyque’s L’Eau also helped launch and define the line.
As we look ahead for the next 50, consider that staying power of the company, of the brand – it’s their signature scent that will stand the test of time. If the company is around in 50 years, then their signature scent will be around as well.
I think you’re right, but I also think the internet has changed people’s access to fragrance. There are more options now to be able to buy niche, whereas department store frags used to be the most (and sometimes only) accessible option. Even ten years ago I remember giving up after trying to find some smaller distribution fragrances because they weren’t sold in any boutiques in my town. I think we’re moving more and more towards internet-only shopping, so who knows how that will change the fragrance industry. But yes, I think people are still going to buy what’s advertised in Vogue and on the counter at Nordstrom for the most part. Just hoping that that changes, I guess.
Most of the fragrances that are long term classics at this point are beautiful scents that have maintained their quality over the years and have received wide-spread distribution. The niche fragrances that *should* become classics – some of the SL’s, Malles, Chanel LE’s, Goutals, OJ’s, L’Artisans, Amouages, and a few of the Guerlain Les Parisiennes – are very hard for the average consumer to obtain. So you have an ever-widening gulf between the mainstream dept. store scents and niche – the former are readily available but increasingly poorly made while the latter are beautiful, artistic and of high quality, but are generally expensive and unavailable.
I thought about this yesterday and over night, and came to the conclusion that for good or bad we live in a world that is changing ever more quickly, a world of fast turnover and planned obsolescence. Add to that the decreasing availability of the natural raw materials used in perfumery. I honestly can’t imagine many if any of our beloved fragrances being around in even 25 or 30 years, much less 50 or 100! I’m afraid the current business model of corporate giants eating up smaller companies will continue until they too eventually fail under their own weight and ineptitude.
But I hope that there will always be small companies and indie perfumers (even if not the ones currently in business) turning out beautiful perfume for us.
Rapple, you are so right! our great grand children will probably go crazy for ‘Marssquake’ or ‘Terre de la Lune’…
Amen Rapple!
I forgot to add, Miss Tamara, that you’ve done an excellent job as hostess this weekend!
This is off the subject, but is anyone else having a problem connecting to MUA? I keep getting server not found.
I just checked for you and got on with no problem. If you’re still having problems, maybe either clear your cookies or re-boot.
So many good picks above. If I were to go strictly by releases these past 10 years (so hard!) I would say: Sonoma Scent Studio Tabac Aurea, Rose Musc and Champage de Bois. I’d say Chanel No 5 eau Premier & Coromandel. I’d say L’AP Nuits de Tubereuse and Traversee du Bosphore. Guerlain Rose Barbare. Delrae’s Amoureuse. And right now my fav which is getting a lot of attention is the Laura Mercier Ambre Passion Velvet. I know it pales in comparison to some of these other houses & offerings, but this fall I just keep reaching for it!!
Hey, I just ordered a bottle, unsniffed, because I loved the original Ambre Passion so well, but it was just a TAD too sweet, and I’m hoping this is a great compromise. (i was unable to find any samples) So glad to hear someone likes it. What can I expect? How is it different from the original version?
Hello Mough,
Angela recently did a post on APV , you should check it out.
For me APV is the first Laura Mercier scent I could wear and enjoy fully. I love how it starts out as candied amber but mellows and smooths into a great sweater snuggler scent. I hope you like it!
Thank you for your comments, both of you. I ordered it based on Angela’s review, in fact. I so look forward to it getting here–I think TOMORROW, just in time for this -10 degree weather!
Be Fabulous, always,
in your Sillage
M
Hi AnnS I love alot of what you mentioned .
I have been wearing APV so much too, it’s warm and sweet and lasts a really long time.
It’s snowing here guys…
This is a seriously tough call. Mainstream scents will get the numbers because they are on so many counters, but they will probably be more vulnerable to the chopping block. I guess for mainstream scents-Bvlgari Jasmine Noir, Prada L’eau Ambre, EL’s PC Tuberose Gardenia, Dior J’Adore, Tom Ford’s Black Orchid.
Who knows what the perfume industry will look like in 20 years?
Hi SmokeyToes!
Maybe if we all keep buying what we love they might still be here ?
I know for sure that I’m doing my part! ha
Hellooooo, Tamara!
Look at you in the Big Time now, guest-hosting at Now Smell This! Congrats!
I think the Bvlgari line will hold up well, provided Bvlgari itself stays solvent, and I also think 31RC and La Plausa will stand the test of time, even though I am not a Chanel fangirl.
I think DelRae, Divine and Frederic Malle are the most “classic” niche lines. I also think Amouage is classic material, even at their price-points, and even though I have yet to find one I really like. (Thank God.)
Party in Manhattan is my HG, and I hope it sticks around long enough for me to buy some back up bottles.
Teehee! Helloooooo to you JolieFleurs!
Ahhh yes noobette Tamara is in the NST house.
It’s been alot of fun!
Although I have felt inadequate the whole time and sad that my fellow perfume peeps have been lamenting the loss of so many gorgeous scents- but it is what it is and while it can be depressing, I love the perfumes I have discovered even if they may not last.
However- you mentioned Divine, I think you may be the first person to do so. I LOVE this house and agree that they are “classic” and I want L’Inspiritrice so bad! Divine is also my favorite tuberose now, dare I say it *gasp* even trumps Fracas for my diva mama scent.
You are NOT inadequate, child, hush now. You’re doing grrrrrreat!
As for being sad………. I’ve found out that my preference is really for all those old-school vintage beauties that are long gone, so yea, I’m sad, distraught, actually…..but hey, at least I have had a chance to sniff ’em!
Oddly enough, as much as I love Divine as a house, there is only one scent of theirs that I truly like, and that’s L’ Infante. But I think they have a lovely classic style.
I just can’t do tuberose, I get that scratchy feeling in the back of my throat with it. The actual flowers don’t do it to me, but any perfume with tuberose as a prominent note really messes with me!
Thank you Jolie
Yes sadness is inevitable in this dangerous love of ours for what is happening in perfumery. But there is STILL so much to enjoy and adore. L’Infante is one I haven’t tried yet. Could you please describe it for me? And not to enable or anything (ha!) but Abigail has it on sale on her site TPP.
I missed out on Divine though (dang!!) grrrr.
ha.
Too bad about tuberose Jolie.
Patch’ used to that to me but my tolerance has risen immensely.
Thinking over this poll, I remembered Parfums de Nicolaï. I am hopeful that PdN will be around in 50 years. The creator is, after all, a Guerlain descendent, and a number of the perfumes are wonderful, especially Le Temps d’une Fête, Maharanih, Odalisque, Sacre Bleue, Nicolaï pour Homme and New York.
Oh NozKoz your right, I hope PdN is one who stays!
Fabulous house<3 I love and own many of their perfumes, (thanks to those nifty lil' 30 mls! ) and I'm smitten with the newest Kiss Me Tender , it's a dollface scent, I think it's precious.
Hi Tamara,
Ditto 31RC but would also like to add Ambre Narguile. For me it’s a truly original and distinctive gourmand amber that can be appreciated by people who normally don’t even like gourmands or ambers that much. I think/hope it will stand the test of time.
Hello Tortola,
Love that name BTW, it rolls off the tongue in a most pleasant way.
I adore 31 RC and I hope someday to own a FB.
AN is delicious isn’t it?
Let’s cross our fingers!
I’ll put in a vote for Flower by Kenzo. It’s widely available and a good seller, and I don’t think anything else out there smells like it.
Hi Egabbert,
I love Kenzo too and Flower is a lovely perfume.
Tamara,
Please forgive my newbieness, but what is URC?
Hi Lucy,
I’m sure Tamara will confirm but I think it’s Une Rose Chypree by Andy Tauer. Don’t apologise, I think we’re all a bit guilty of using abbreviations rather a lot which isn’t fair on newbies – just laziness on my part!
Thank you so much. I do know of that one, but just could not figure it out last night. I was driving myself crazy.
Lucy I’m sorry -yes Tortula was correct! Une Rose Chypree is practically my Holy Grail of perfume, I adore it!
Have you tried it?
No, I haven’t tried it. I’d like to though. I’m not sure if it’s for me, but it sounds like something I could appreciate for its uniqueness. I like most roses, but the cinnamon makes me hesitate. How spicy is it? A mellow dash or coughing cloud?
Well Lucy it has a reputation for being a potent perfume, almost an extrait because of how strong it is. I personally don’t really get any cinnamon at all though.For me URC goes straight to the drydown where it stays and lingers forever.
Imagine a luminescent Tiffany lamp, that’s being hit by the sunshine from a giant window. The rays of light illuminate the stained glass, all the different colors made bright, especially the reds, orange and yellows.You admire it’s beauty,the colors and it makes you want one for your very own. That’s what URC did for me.
It’s a modern perfume that smells vintage, antique even and yet if you fall for it’s charms you will want this amber colored elixir for yourself always.
You can email me and I can send you a smidge of my beloved so you can smell it and decide how it makes you feel.
zebra_cupcakes@yahoo.com
Thanks Tortola, my bad!
We’ve totally forgotten the oldies that you can still find in the big box/drugstore world: Tabu, Emeraude, Wind Song … they don’t smell like they used to, but they are still widely available.
I am so sad to hear that Dzing is discontinued … as soon as I read that, I went to luckyscent and ordered their largest bottle!
Tamara, you is the hostess with the mostest!!
Dzingnut, Ahh yes the oldies but goodies, maybe no-one mentioned them because what you find now in the drugstores are ghosts of the former scents… but yes still around and kicking they are!
I love Emeraude.
And speaking of love, I know right?
My heart just about broke reading about our beloved Dzing!
I’m so glad I already have a big bottle but hoard mode is sneaky, ’cause I ordered a 30 ml decant to “top it off” teehee!
Awwww thanks babe
I’m sampling Dzing! today for the first time and it really is lovely… I don’t yet know it well, and I have no scent memories of it, but the thought I may never *get* to know it is making me panic… maybe I need a FB.
Dominika, the big bottles are huge but the allure of it being gone for good makes it hard to resist…I bought one this summer and haven’t regretted it. The beauty of it is different from anything else isn’t it?
Yeah, I love how it dips in its development sometimes into, uh, poo and powder and leather and other things I would normally balk at, but how it manages to work together so beautifully as a whole! I haven’t wanted a perfume this bad in … ever.
I took a bit of money out of my savings (to be dully paid back in a few days once I get paid) so I can get an FB today
I’m irrationally afraid the one shop in town that carries it will sell out…