The drizzly spring afternoon at an antiques mall where I found a bottle of Jean Patou 1000 Eau de Toilette also yielded a 1920s evening coat. The coat is gold lamé, dull and frayed at the cuffs and collar, and is covered with gold and green sequins sewn in the shapes of flowers with twisting stems. Green silk velvet lines the coat’s interior, even down the insides of the sleeves. Sewn in the collar is a label in a Gatsby-esque font that reads “Miss Wilson, 657 Boylston st., Boston.” The coat feels glamorous, mysterious, and decayed. That’s exactly how I feel about Jean Patou 1000.
House nose Jean Kerléo created 1000 (sometimes called “Mille,” the French word for “thousand”). According to the Jean Patou website, the formula took ten years and 1,000 tries to perfect. Kerléo had only worked for Patou for four years when 1000 was released in 1972, so you can take the story with a grain of salt or figure maybe Kerléo picked up on another perfumer’s work when he arrived. For 1000’s launch, Patou delivered by Rolls Royce 1,000 bottles of the fragrance in jewel-encrusted boxes to the “most elegant women in Paris.”
The Patou website calls 1000 a floral chypre and lists its top notes as natural osmanthus, natural violet leaves, and lily of the valley; its heart as natural rose oil, natural rose absolute, rosa centifolia, and natural jasmine absolute; and its base as natural Indonesian patchouli and natural Mysore sandalwood. (Don’t ask me why they feel the need to add “natural” to so many notes. It sounds suspicious. I kept eyeing “Procter & Gamble” at the bottom of the page and shaking my head.) Jan Moran’s Fabulous Fragrances adds angelica, greens, bergamot, coriander, tarragon, violet, iris, geranium, vetiver, moss, amber, musk, and civet to that list.
1000 goes on dry and herbal with a pillow of osmanthus that reminds me of Aftelier Parfum Privé. The herbs are bitter but aperitif-delicious. A cold, velvety violet shines under the herbs. This isn’t the bright, elegant violet of Balenciaga Le Dix or the retro, powdery violet of Frédéric Malle Lipstick Rose, but a violet with a hint of something medicinal seen through murky light. The foundation of the perfume, permeating it all, is a thick, seamless combination of animal, wood, moss, green, and musk.
Really though, 1000 is more than an assemblage of notes. It’s Perfume with a capital “P”. Do you know what I mean? So few fragrances these days come together as something both greater and different than the sum of their notes, simultaneously grand and intimate. Maybe fashion doesn’t welcome it. 1000 is definitely not fashionable. But it’s stylish, for sure.
The 1000 Eau de Toilette is light with minimal sillage and after half an hour wears close to the skin for another four hours or so. For all 1000’s massive construction, the Eau de Toilette almost wears like a skin scent. It’s interesting, sheer, and lightly sweet, herbal, and animalic. The Parfum is richer and more complicated to carry off. It smells more like something unearthed from an attic trunk, hinting at old wool, desiccated violet sachets, moth balls, and aged wood. Of course, I love it.
In Susan Irvine’s book, Perfume: the Creation and Allure of Classic Perfumes, she describes a 1989 television commercial for 1000 that was banned in some countries. In the commercial, a woman watches her husband leave for work, then she rushes to meet her lover. After her apparently exhausting rendezvous she repairs to church where she enters a confessional and says, “Father, I have sinned.” “How many times, my child?” the priest asks. You know the answer.1
I don’t know if 1000 is quite that carnal, but it’s definitely experienced. For an American woman like me with roots in the rural west, 1000 feels like it’s seen the inside of a few limos, stubbed out its share of cigarettes, and can deal handily with waiters in the toniest restaurants in old world capitals. For all that, the Eau de Toilette is surprisingly easy to wear, and I have a feeling I’ll spray through my bottle quickly.
The Parfum and Eau de Parfum formulations of Jean Patou 1000 appear to be out of production, but the Eau de Toilette is still available (15 ml and 75 ml) as are a shower gel (50 ml and 75 ml) and body lotion (200 ml).
1. This might be a shorter version of the commercial Irvine refers to.
Hi Angela: It’s interesting to read your review of 1000. I have tried and retested this one a dozen times. It never makes any sense to me. I can never get it to “open up” – it’s so thick and guarded. I’ll revisit it again, but I kind of resolved that we won’t get along. Normally I like or at least respect the classic fragrances, but this one is just baffling to my nose.
It’s definitely a dense fragrance, but have you tried the EdT? On me at least, it’s surprisingly easy.
I’ll have to go back and see what my sample is. I have no idea…
Loved your review, Angela. This has long been on my “to test” list, just never got around to it. I generally get along with the Patous though.
I really got a chuckle at your description of the commercial – on first reading, I thought the woman confessing to the priest was the one who said, “You know the answer.” as in the priest was her lover! lol! No wonder it got banned!! But then I realized that that was *your* next line. Oh well.. made my dreary afternoon.
Ummm… 1 mini (really mini) bottle of 1000, coming up!
😉
Let me know what you think!
Ahhh…. OP, you’re too good to me! <3
That’s hilarious! I like your version better than the original.
help, I also understood it was the priest..
That definitely makes for a steamier read!
aren’t we a bunch of dirty girls! *I thought it was the priest too!*
had to reread …then said oh, the answer is 1000 times….well good for her….that’s quite a busy afternoon!
No joke! I hope that girl has a good chiropractor.
Still laughing for the commercial scene.
It’s pretty racy, really. At the bottom of this post is a link to a shortened version of it.
Nice review, thanks. I might give this a go. I had somehow been put off by something I read in the past, not sure what or where. Maybe it was about reformulations.
I had 1000 pegged in my mind with Joy and First as very grand, lush, perfumes that just are not my thing. But I am attracted by your mention of bitter herbs at the beginning. Anyway, I have a mini of the parfum of Ungaro’s Diva on the way, so I cannot declare myself unwilling to try big scents!
Is the evening coat wearable, or is it going into your historic collection?
1000 is lush, but more dark and restrained than the others you mention. If it were a color, I’d make it mahogany tinged with aubergine.
That woman in Paris must still be working through those bottles.
Women! Plural! (Can you imagine if it were 1,000 bottles to one woman? And I thought my perfume collection was getting ridiculous.)
Love this one, have a decant from TPC of the EdP and it is lovely, opening dry, bitter and austere. Relaxes in the middle with high quality florals, and segues into a lovely dark but cool animalic drydown. Turin thinks it masculine and dowdy, I think of it more as someone who doesn’t open up easily but is fascinating once you get to know them. I myself am feeling dry and bitter thinking the EdP and parfum have been axed. ARRRRGGHHH! Is there no end to this senseless slaughter.
I was kind of surprised by Turin’s review, too. To me, 1000 has too much character to merit his review, but I suppose we’re coming at it from different experience.
I’m feeling a little dry and bitter, too!
Mr. Turin has a great nose but he can’t entirely eliminate his personal preferences. I think from reading his reviews that there are just certain elements he doesn’t care for on women that he has no problem with on men. Thank goodness there are enough to please us all (though it may render us all broke!).
So true. I sure love Turin’s writing, though, even if I don’t agree with every review. And yes, I sure know broke.
I don’t think he and his co-author even try to eliminate their personal preferences. I recall them saying that somewhere, quite clearly.
Yeah, I think I remember reading that somewhere as well. Maybe ‘The Guide’ should have been titled ‘Our Expert Opinions’. I still enjoy browsing it though, even when I disagree…and I have it to thank for finding the perfume blogs!
Yes, and I don’t blame them. I’d probably do the same thing. Once you’ve figured out your scent twins and scent evil twins, though, it gets easier to figure out.
Sandi, same here. It’s a great browsing book. I’m glad you found us!
I have the body lotion. I’m not madly in love with it: I find it pleasant, at the same time soapy *and* with a hint of skank. I don’t like the actual juice.
I haven’t tried the lotion, but I’d snap up a bottle if I saw it. It sounds more like the EdT than the parfum.
I could let you have a dollop of the lotion if you want to try it, Angela. Email me (Robin has my address). 🙂
Thank you–that’s so generous. I’ll get in touch with you.
Don’t hesitate to.
Your review was perfect. I have some vintage EDP and it has always been one of the hardest perfumes to deconstruct, so I quit trying; you have succeeded! It is dry. It is bitter/herbal and then floral, but cool and a little meaty.I’ve read reviews of it that made me wonder if the writer was smelling the same perfume. Whatever the notes, it’s masterful and I don’t think there’s anything like it. (I haven’t smelled the P & G formulation and don’t think I will.)
It really is a hard one to review! I’ve had a dram of the parfum for a long time, but I really didn’t know what to make of it. The EdT opened the door for me to the parfum, otherwise the bottle would have probably sat until it spoiled. I’m glad you liked the review.
It takes patience to wait for one like this. Lazy in its opening up. Patience, too, in resisting the temptation to tug it apart. (Also with this review.)
A perfume like this is maybe the best lesson in how not to overthink.
My best teachers today are Jubilation 25 and this review.
I think you put your finger on what distinguishes Perfume with a capital P from other fragrances. A Perfume, like many works of art, is less about quick pleasure than it is about a surprising, thoughtful, engaging beauty.
Isn’t Jubilation 25 amazing? I love that one.
“…(Don’t ask me why they feel the need to add “natural” to so many notes. It sounds suspicious. I kept eyeing “Proctor & Gamble” at the bottom of the page and shaking my head.) …”
I’m laughing over this and I don’t want to get puffy over it, but I had a multiple email dialogue with Procter & Gamble regarding their musks and civet in their aquired “Jean Patou” brand, whether or not they were of natural or synthetic origin. I’ve been a vegetarian since childhood, so as a perfumista I’m often at an ethical crossroads over fragrance. I won’t buy new products of animal origin, but my skin adores old-school Jean Patou blends (of course, typical) and I kept hoping economic factors and fashion would someday smile on me and they would switch to lab-created animalic notes. Jean Patou – The Jean Patou – also grew-up in around a tannery, so the historical sensibility of the brand is often about evoking leather and fur. But god, “Chaldee” – with its “clean fur in the sunshine” undertones. Countryside “Vacances” with its lilac and hay horsiness. It gets downright existential for me ;). I had to know. Finally, they gave in and told me that yes, none of their animalic notes were of “natural” origin, they were all synthetic. And by the next morning, they had changed the Jean Patou website to reflect this. I was actually relieved. And since I’m someone who actually would spring $400 on “Joy” parfum, they should’ve been, too ;).
“1000”. I love it. It’s totally its own creature – it is “personality” and “character” in fragrance, manifest. It’s not gentle. It’s not pretty. It is “Jolie Laide” in spirit; so interesting and very satisfying to smell. It has this tweedy, eccentric vibe that I love and I always imagine it on a cheeky person who is very, very interesting and very, very “cultured” and it makes me think of big, fascinating personalities of eras past. But despite its dried floral, almost decayed, humid/dry mossy quality, it’s also remarkably piquant, fresh and herbal at the same time and it has a briskness that keeps it from getting stale. It’s a glorious, decaying estate, set against a drizzly, Fall morning. It’s a quirk-fest. It’s not the kind of thing that young men rate highly and fawn over in blind tests…initially. But it is the kind of interesting scent that draws people in, captivates with its uniqueness and attracts people to what they never thought they would be attracted to :). It’s a “conversation piece” fragrance and its beautiful.
A terrific mini-review of 1000! Thank you. Yes, those classic Patous are really something. I also love Normandie, Divine Folie, Que Sais-Je (although it’s so hard to wear), and Moment Supreme. Love Moment Supreme.
Lucky for you, it’s the very rare perfumer that uses animal musk or civet. In fact, I can only think of one tiny niche house, and that was only hearsay. I’d fall over if P&G said they used real civet.
I thought as much – especially after they’d been aquired by P&G – but I just had to know and for some reason, I thought if any houses were left using actual animal musks, civet or products, Jean Patou would’ve been one of them. I’m sure it was just a coincidence that they updated their site, or they realized it could be a selling point. I’m pleased about it, either way :).
(And thank you for always being so gracious and patient with my fragrance-induced, online blurting habits ;). Words start gushing and I just can’t make them stop. It’s because your reviews are always inspirational, Angela :)! )
I love your gush of comments! Keep it coming!
I loved your review of 1000. I have the vintage parfum and it is a treasure. It’s definitely not a fragrance to splash on just to wear “something”. 1000 reminds me of all those fine things that we have to work at to understand and accept and is all the more loved for the effort. If the parfum works for you, it is so worth it. I received my first bottle as a gift from the special man who bought it for me to wear to see the Three Tenors – the evening, my gown (yes, it was one time in life I could call my dress a gown) and 1000 were perfect. For several hours, I felt luxurious, elegant, and desirable.
What a terrific story! For you especially, 1000 must mean a lot–not just a beautiful fragrance, but a fragrance with wonderful memories attached. What an evening!
Angela… My Muse! What a Delicious Review! 🙂 I have always stated to those whom would listen that Joy is for the woman who WANTS to Smell Sophisticated and Sensual… and that 1000 is for the women That IS All those things and only needs her fragrance as her accomplice! I happened upon 1000 many moons ago (probably also it is what lit the fire of my love of Osmanthus!) and was shocked to my core in delight… it was the EdP so it was truly THE BIG Version of the Fragrance and in my callow youth I fully eschewed it as coming off smelling like an Inflated Joy… not as Glamorous or Desirable but something still i liked… then i rediscovered it at Saks and the Feeling off the top of Joy still was there but my much, MUCH more well trained nose was seduced easily by the less animalic, but alas more CARNAL nature of 1000… it Simply slinks on the body like a coiled Python with the same fierceness to boot! it is, more FLORAL than Joy (which would seem like an impossibility!) but somehow less generous with it’s sweetness, it does have that Dark, Dank, grandma’s Armoire feel to it but as much as it is grandiose it is also, oh how shall i say… Far More… SLY!! Insinuating itself without ever heavily asserting itself, always making it’s presence Known, But never loudly so… it is a Truly Majestic Fragrance but One that rejects all Pomp and Majesty of it’s older Sister, Joy! What a Strange Dichotomy….
What an amazing description! I swear I enjoy your comment at least as much as I like 1000! It would be interesting to do a character study of the Joy woman and the 1000 woman.
I agree with you about Joy and 1000. And I love your description. I have both and wear them for very different feelings – with Joy, I feel like a fine lady and with 1000, I feel like a fine lady with a “past”.
Great capsule description!
Patou 1000 I first discovered on the first day of my honeymoon in Nice back in August 1985 . I noticed a hauntingly beautiful perfume on a very pretty sophisticated blonde woman ( from the Cote D’ivoire ) . We spoke, had coffee together and I asked about her perfume. I then nought an ounce bottle of 1000 parfum and a 3.4 ounce EDParfum spray. I loved it . It is so gorgeous, with the osmanthus, violet and other nnotes. It is much sexier than it’s older sister Joy .
I have been wearing it (mainly the EdP ) on and off since 1985. I think the edt is much too weak. I trued buying a half ounce bottle of the perfume in October of 2009 from Saks 5th Avenue in Manhattan. When I opened it – it was stale . I couldn’t believe it .After a “fight” with Saks , I was able to return it. What a pity.
i am heeartboken that the EDp and extrait are no longer being made – according to you . Are you sure ?
I considered this a mainstay in my fragrance wardrobe, It is nostalgic for me to be sure, but It can hold up today as a great chypre . I always got compliments when wearing it . I am just crestfallen .. Thank you for reviewing this gorgeous scent.
My mean spirited, squinty eyed, greedy all, all for me personality is fighting with me as I type this, but I believe Neiman’s still has the EdP on their website . . .. for now. Pleeeeeeeze leave one for me, just one!!
You’re so generous! Just for that, I bet you stumble over a pristine bottle of Schiaparelli Shocking at a yard sale.
I love your story! It’s so romantic. The Jean Patou website only lists the EdT, lotion, and shower gel as available. I have seen them online, though, at discounters.
I love 1000. I have all the formulations. The pure parfum is still readily available at discounters in a travel spray bottle. My husband loves the edt on me, and yet when I wore the edp, he did not realize it was the same scent, different formulation, and he did not care for it at all. I find the edt crispy and refreshing like a spring jacket, the edp is more like a autumn cloak, and the parfum is like an winter’s evening dress coat.
A complete wardrobe in one fragrance! Thanks for the heads up about the travel sprays, too.
clearly my mini-spritzy-sample-spray has gone off…..it was just disgusting and I can’t believe it was supposed to smell that way.
Don’t worry, I’ll set you up very soon….
Oh that’s sad Daisy, do be sure to snag a sample that is fresh. I read somewhere, not sure of where, that 1000 is one of those fragrances that has a definite and somewhat short shelf life and therefore it would be worthwhile paying full pop at a retailer that you could be assured had a fairly brisk turnover (and I would put my money on Neiman’s in that regard). (no I don’t work for them, nor can I shop from them,living in Canad). Good luck, it’s worth getting IMHO! . . . grabbing passport now. . . .
Don’t worry about Daisy, I owe her some EdT that seems to be in pretty good shape!
I regret I didn’t get to this post sooner. I love your reviews of vintage, classic fragrances Angela. I have a soft spot for those perfumes with a capital ‘P’. I’ll have to revisit 1000 at some point, it’s been so long since I had a sniff. And then there’s that coat that you snagged!! You found yourself a treasure. You described it so vividly that I could picture the embroidered details and the unusual color combination and feel the coziness of the velvet lining. Wonderful article as always!
I admit it took a long time for me to warm up to 1000, but I think the EdT really helped. Then, once I understood it better, the parfum opened its door.
The coat is beautiful, but the lame at the cuffs, especially, has really started to fray to the point that I know wearing it will only make it worse. But I don’t want the coat to be a museum piece! I believe in using things up. I’ll have to figure out how to stabiilze those cuffs.
My stepmother used to wear 1000 – it was her signature scent for a long time, along with Bal a Versailles. I can wear the BaV without it reminding me of her for some reason. but I’ll never really be able to pull off 1000. It is very “her”. I love her to pieces but, you know. I will stick with my Joy.
Great review, and that coat sounds amazing.
Wow–1000 and Bal a Versailles! She must have been something else! I know what you mean, though, about someone in your life owning a scent in a way that really takes it out of the realm of possibility for you. There’s a timeless light and loveliness about Joy that suits you, anyway.
I’m getting a little tester bottle from ebay (should be coming in the mail any day now.. yay). From the description I’m excited to try this, but I’m kind of wondering if what I’m getting is the same thing. The one I’m getting is labeled Eau de 1000. It looks like kind of an old-ish bottle.. not sure how old it is. But is Eau de 1000 like an edt or is it something entirely different from 1000? 1000 lite? Does anybody know? A google search hasn’t yielded much info thus far.
If it helps, here is the picture of the bottle:
http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTA2NlgxNjAw/$(KGrHqF,!jcE-eYmBlU3BPo9yzJ7iw~~60_57.JPG
Eau de 1000 is the EdT version of 1000, and it is slightly different than the parfum but still wonderful. Enjoy it!
Thanks for the clarification. It had actually come in the mail the day I posted and was waiting for me when I got home. I wore it today and have enjoyed it. After the initial burst of herbs, citrus and violet, it is really soapy on me (iris? I wonder because I smelled Prada Infusion d’Iris recently, and it seemed really soapy to me too). The sweetly earthy and mossy drydown is my favorite part and had me arm-to-nose as much as I could without looking ridiculous. The far far drydown did get a tinge of skank but nothing major.. kind of like unwashed skin.