Two years ago I stood in line over two hours outside the Petit Palais to see the Yves Saint Laurent retrospective. It was a warm spring morning, and as I looked down at the fawn-colored gravel at my feet, I wondered if I should be squandering my scant time in Paris waiting in line. I did, and it was worth it. For me, Yves Saint Laurent combined emotion and elegance in his designs. A woman wearing his clothing was always properly dressed, but YSL’s wit and passion — he didn’t shy away from hot pink and hearts — stirred a little of the bohemian into the bourgeois. Dawn Spencer Hurwitz does the same in her fragrances for Denver’s Yves Saint Laurent Exhibition. Ligne Trapèze and Le Smoking are my favorites.
Dawn Spencer Hurwitz created six fragrances to complement the YSL exhibition. Three of them — The Beat Look, Euphorisme d’Opium, and La Vie en Rose — summon Yves Saint Laurent Y, Opium, and Paris respectively. (I only tested these briefly, but The Beat Look especially begs for more wear.) The other three fragrances were inspired by iconic YSL designs. An evening coat sparked Ma Plus Belle Histoire d’Amour, an airy wisteria and linden fragrance. Ligne Trapèze stemmed from YSL’s 1958 collection “Trapèze,” and Le Smoking from the iconic Tuxedo-inspired pant suit for women which he launched in 1966 and featured in several couture and prêt-à-porter collections after.
YSL created his Trapèze collection when he was still at Christian Dior. The dresses fell loose from shoulder to hip, allowing the women who wore them to leave their girdles in the closet. Still, it was the late 1950s, so although the dresses weren’t form-fitting, they were keenly tailored and elegant and demanded gloves and hats.
The Trapèze collection must have felt edgy after a decade of cinched waists. Ligne Trapèze communicates that blend of elegance and modernity with a retro feel. Dawn Spencer Hurwitz’s website describes Ligne Trapèze as “a cool and sophisticated violet-aldehydic perfume with a warm, animalic drydown,” and that’s a spot-on description as far as I’m concerned. She lists Ligne Trapèze’s top notes as aldehydes, bergamot, lemon, peach and rosewood; its heart as centifolia rose absolute, grandiflorum jasmine, heliotrope, jonquil, lily of the valley, orris concrete and violet; and its base as amber, ambrette seed, Australian sandalwood, Brazilian vetiver, castoreum, Siam benzoin and suede accord.
At first spritz, an aldehydic tingle already sweetened by violets rises, but within seconds, the greener, dirtier parts of the leaves and roots of the violet plant join it. Not much longer — about the time it takes Don Draper to shake up a martini — Ligne Trapèze’s supporting florals kick in with its dirty-retro base of sweet ashtray, skin, and wood. Ligne Trapèze balances fresh, innocent violet and greens with an I’ve-seen-it-all sophistication I love. It could be Jean Patou 1000 and Balenciaga Le Dix’s love child.
If forced to cite just one of Yves Saint Laurent’s designs, most people would probably point to Le Smoking. The androgynous, Berlin-sexy Le Smoking suit is undoubtedly what Marlene Dietrich is wearing in heaven right now. If the afterworld allows internet sales, she might want to add Dawn Spencer Hurwitz’s perfume to her collection, too.
Dawn Spencer Hurwitz describes her Le Smoking as a “green chypre tobacco” fragrance and lists its top notes as bergamot, blackberry, clary sage, galbanum, hyacinth and neroli; its heart as Bulgarian rose absolute, carnation, Chinese geranium, grandiflorum jasmine, honey and marijuana; and its base as brown oakmoss, castoreum, incense notes, leather, Peru balsam and tobacco absolute.
On my skin, Le Smoking is a trip to a spring pasture while wearing a classy formulation of Dana Tabu. Le Smoking is a sweet-dirty medley of tobacco, benzoin, incense and dry leather with a chiffon-like veil of tart green overlaying it for the five minutes the green takes to burn off. All those flowers listed in its making? I’m sure they do something important, but they collapse to a sultry, unisex potion fit for double agents who lounge in private clubs.
Neither of these fragrances lasts much longer than three hours before retreating to skin level, but it’s an enjoyable ride while it lasts. They’re a marvelous tribute to Yves Saint Laurent. Hey! It just occurred to me that Yves and Marlene are probably dancing together in heaven's big disco right now…
Dawn Spencer Hurwitz Ligne Trapèze, The Beat Look, Le Smoking, Euphorisme d’Opium, La Vie en Rose and Ma Plus Belle Histoire d’Amour are available in a boxed set of all six fragrances in 5 ml Eau de Parfum, $90. A sampler of all six in 1 ml is $45. The scents can also be purchased separately, 10 ml Eau de Parfum for $55 or 5 ml Parfum for $45. For information on where to buy them, see Dawn Spencer Hurwitz under Perfume Houses.
I wish someone would do a perfume inspired by his Russian collection from the mid-70s. Yes, I know it was over the top, but in the middle of the dull, drab, and dreary 70s, it was wonderful.
I’d love that! Over the top is A-OK with me. I see an animalic Tea for Two.
A few years ago I saw the YSL retrospective at San Francisco’s De Young museum. . . to die for. Now I want to try these DSH tributes to YSL.
There have been so many great fashion exhibitions lately! I wish I could have seen the McQueen exhibition, and the Prada-Schiaparelli thing sounds pretty great, too. And the Balenciaga in Spain exhibition…
I just saw on the web that the owners of the company are going to change the name to Saint Laurent Paris…kind of feels like a desecration.
http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2012/06/22/ysl_drops_y_heidi_slimane_the_new_fashion_director_makes_a_foolish_name_change_.html?wpisrc=newsletter_tis
What are they thinking? Maybe since Chanel is known by the founder’s last name, and Christian Dior is called Dior for the most part, they think the name change is a good idea. Not! Dummies.
These sound wonderful, Angela. Le Smoking definitely sounds more my thing as aldehydes and I have our differences. Could I be a double agent in 1920’s Berlin wearing it? Oh for a way-back machine! Imagine what you could do….
Oh yes, the way back machine. I’d run a lot of miles on that thing to visit all the times and places I’d like to! And if I could bring things back, well, watch out!
Oh! Yes… and to go and buy original versions of now poorly refurmulated favorite perfumes
Yes yes yes. I have a fat list of them…
Delightful review as always, Angela. I am an unapologetic DSH fangirl, and Le Smoking may well be my favorite of all her offerings that I’ve tried. Your description of it is spot on, though it lasts a good while on me … just when I think it’s settled on my skin, I get a definite whiff of something spicy/smoky/dirty/heavenly.
I’m glad it’s working out so well on you! Now all you need is an actual YSL Le Smoking, and you’re set!
Why, yes, “need” is absolutely the appropriate word to use there
We think alike!
Ohhhh, le smoking sounds so delectable ! Your further description only added fuel to my fire as I died for it when Robin announced it a while back !!! Thanks for your review and comments ! I love to see perfumes that are created from inspiration from the greats ! Hope this exhibition makes it to Australia !!! Ps . Dzing is amazing
I’m so glad Dzing turned out to be a good birthday present to yourself! It’s truly one of my favorites. Whenever I wear it, I wonder why I don’t wear it more often.
Indeed , it was so different to anything I have ever sniffed before, it did take me a while to get my head around it !! It really has that circus feel and I get lots of dung from it ! I have had lots of fun spraying it on family and friends to get opinions and interpretation on it ! I love the cute icon on the bottle ! Keep up the great work Angela ! Many thanks x
You’re welcome! It sounds like you’re having fun with Dzing.
I’ll have to try these. I love the few DSH scents I’ve tried so far (her dirty rose parfum was a Christmas present from my family a few years ago), and anything inspired by YSL would have to be wonderful. Le Smoking sounds especially delicious. How fantastic that you had a chance to see that exhibition!
It was such a great exhibit–I was fantastically lucky!