It was an emergency. A few weeks ago, I was decanting the last of my Jean Patou Colony Extrait into an atomizer, and the atomizer toppled. I managed to save most of it, and I mopped up the rest with my forearms, but the writing was on the wall. Before long, my beloved Colony, a pineapple chypre as goofy and glamorous as Carole Lombard jumping on the bed in My Man Godfrey and as gentle as goose down in a breeze, would be a memory. (Sob.)
I was lamenting this to Tracy at Fumerie, and she asked if I’d ever tried Bruno Fazzolari Unsettled. The Nevada Museum of Art commissioned Fazzolari to create Unsettled — the fragrance, plus a uranium glass bottle shaped like an atomic bomb’s mushroom cloud — for a 2018 exhibition on Western art. Unsettled’s notes include bergamot, black tea, clary sage, pineapple, New Caledonian sandalwood, labdanum, vanilla, and “ocean breezes.”
Fazzolari’s website says, “the fragrance takes its inspiration from the history of the sandalwood and tea trade in the South Pacific, as well as from a pineapple themed perfume called ‘Colony,’ launched by the house of Jean Patou in 1938.” Hmm. Promising, even with the off-putting mention of “ocean breezes.”
Unsettled, in a few words: warm sandalwood and sparkly, tart citrus sandwich dry, cool pineapple. As for “ocean breezes,” Unsettled is no Hawaiian Punch — or Hawaiian Tropics suntan lotion, for that matter — but something in the combination reminds me of torn fig leaves.
Mention “pineapple” to most people, and they think of canned chunks of fruit in syrup. That’s not what Unsettled (or Colony, for that matter) is at all. It’s not about Cool Whip and ambrosia salad, either. Pineapple is wonderfully resinous, yet herbal, with a fruity scent that doesn’t read as food. The next time you're in the grocery store's produce aisle, pick one up and smell it. L’Artisan Parfumeur Ananas Fizz shows how well pineapple plays with vetiver, and Unsettled is proof that sandalwood and pineapple are an effective combo, too.
Unsettled hums along quietly on my skin all day, even after handwashings. Initially, the bergamot, pineapple, and sandalwood keep a nice balance. After a few hours, the fragrance burns down to an angular sandalwood. Unsettled’s character is firmer and more modern than Colony’s vaporous, mossy, ylang-hued scent, and I’m not sure it’s a good substitute for the hole Colony leaves in my perfume wardrobe, but I like it just the same.
Bruno Fazzolari Unsettled Eau de Parfum is $110 for 30 ml. For information on where to buy it, see Bruno Fazzolari under Perfume Houses.
Note: top image is abacaxi-02 [rotated & cropped] by guilhermetardin at flickr; some rights reserved.
I really wanted to try Unsettled but it feel off my radar.
I still haven’t smelled Colony but I found a sealed collector’s parfum bottle that Patou released in the 90’s. It’s in the same magnificent pineapple crystal as vintage and I can’t bring myself to open it. I’ve been curious about it for years though.
Oh my gosh, open it! I know it’s wonderful to anticipate pleasure, but it’s time to dig into that pleasure now. You’ll thank me.
https://www.uqp.uq.edu.au/Book.aspx/1306/They%20came%20for%20sandalwood
What a great sounding perfume and review. I read an interesting book about the south pacific sandalwood trade and its links to the tea trade last year. The book dates back to the 1960s and is fascinating, especially in light of the new ventures into growing sandalwood in places like Samoa.
You can get it on ibooks at a reasonable price
Thanks!
How interesting! I don’t know anything about sandalwood.
What a find, Kanuka!
Did you try the reedition of Colony by any chance?
oops just realized you’ve already reviewd it. You can ignore my comment
For some reason, I seem to be posting responses in the wrong place. I responded to this comment below. Sorry about the confusion!
I did, and I even reviewed it (and apparently liked it, see the link at the end of this review), but I can’t remember it at all. I’m probably going to need to chase down a bottle, though, since my old Colony is running out fast.
Angie, did you ever try Music For A While…great pineapple in that one that lasts.
oops just realized you’ve already reviewed it. You can ignore my comment
Too late! That’s fine, though.
No, I haven’t tried it. I’ll have to track it down. Did you like it?
You know, on second thought I think I DID try it last summer. Must give it another chance.
I’m thinking Music for a While as well, also Histoires de Parfums 1804 (George Sand) has a strong pineapple note.
I think I have a sample of Georges Sand around here somewhere….
I have a sample of Unsettled somewhere… thanks for the review and reminder!
I also have a small amount of original Colony; it’s only base notes now, but what base notes! ?
Hmmm, fragrance.net has the recent re-issue of Colony for $114 — or even less, if you have the coupon. Just sayin’ ?
And FraganceX has the re-issue for a bit less, depending on your location and coupon status.
While puddling about with Patou fragrances on Fragx I noticed an inexpensive 10mls of 1000 EDP just sittin’ there looking lost and lonely. So a bottle of that is coming home with me. I’ve been wanting to try 1000 for YEARS but have been wary of a blind buy. So – thanks nozknoz! Would not have discovered this otherwise.
You guys are making it hard!
1000 is wonderful, but I think it can depend on its formulation. I’d think the P&G bottles are long gone now, though.
Oh, I saw it, too! My budget is tight, and it’s hard to decide if I should go for it. But, if I don’t, I might regret it. Hmmm.
I love and own Unsettled. Music for a While was a disaster on me, and no pineapple.
Well, money saved, I guess. And nice warning on the Music for a While!
Unsettled is gorgeous, I found it really unusual, but also very wearable, I may have to hunt down a decant after reading you’re review Angela!
Does anyone know if Bruno F. Is stocked in UK? an NSTer sent me the sample I had.
I’m glad you liked it! I bet a peek at the Fazzolari website could tell you who stocks him.
Roullier White in London
I need to try Unsettled, as I like pineapple as a note. I have Ananas Fizz (bottle with the green pineapple top) and need to wear it on the next warm day that we have.
I adore Ananas Fizz! It’s one of my go-to hot weather scents.
But what happened to that mushroom-cloud bottle? Special edition for the museum only?
I think it was hand-blown, so there may not be many around.