Some Classic Fragrances Coming Around Again
Have you ever walked into a room full of people and for just a brief moment had the unusual sensation of deja vu, the feeling of recognizing someone or something from another place and time?
Perhaps what has triggered this feeling is a whiff of fragrance. Someone in the crowd was wearing a perfume or cologne you recognized from a previous experience.
Our olfactory system, which gives us the ability to smell, is very powerful. A brief encounter with someone wearing the fragrance your grandmother used to wear can transport you back in time to your childhood with all the warm memories of afternoon picnics in the park.
Or perhaps it’s the scent of the perfume you wore as a young college student, one you will cherish always as a reminder of those romantic, idealistic days of your youth.
To keep up with the competitive market, many manufacturers will only sell a fragrance for a few years before it is replaced with a different product. But a few companies are beginning to see a demand for their original scents. Parfums d’Orsay is one example of a company reviving a collection of fragrances which first appeared in France more than 160 years ago. The company is finding that people are thrilled to see their return.
It all began with Alfred, Count d’Orsay, a member of the French aristocracy in the mid-19th century. As with most members of the upper class of his era, he spent his time dabbling in various artistic endeavors, such as painting and sculpting. When he fell in love with Lady Blessington, he also began creating fragrances as gifts for her.
At the time, most popular perfumes were strong and musky English concoctions, something d’Orsay’s mistress disliked immensely. So he decided to develop a totally different fragrance, one with a sweeter, more feminine touch. The result was Eau du Bouquet, later retitled Etiquette Bleue when it became available to the public in 1908.
Over the years other fragrances were added to the line, but one of the most popular was a perfume introduced in 1942 called Intoxication. It quickly became a sensation among the most discriminating women of that day and remained so into the 1960s.
After a 30-year absence from the market, this lovely reminder of a by-gone era is being introduced to a new generation of women who are as captivated as their grandmothers were by its warm character that combines floral and fruity elements to evoke the feelings of intoxicating love.
Intoxication and other fragrances made from the original formulas developed by the d’Orsay company are again available at fine department stores and selected boutiques. You may also order from the collection by calling (800) 218-4918.
Other perfumes available locally that are enjoying a resurgence in popularity include Arpege, Chanel No. 5 and Youth Dew. Each of these fragrances were very popular in previous decades; now, consumers are asking for them again.
Shalimar has also withstood the test of time. It has been passed from mother to daughter to granddaughter, each generation finding joy in its lovely fragrance.
If you are looking for a new signature perfume, perhaps you will find it in one of these classic fragrances.
MEMO: Shanna Southern Peterson is a Spokane writer and home economist. The Clothesline appears weekly. Ideas for the column may be sent to her c/o The Spokesman-Review Features Department, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210, or e-mail shanptr@aol.com.