Faberge Tigress

Meeoooow! Tigress purrs so beautifully on my skin. This fragrance is one of four I received in a Faberge quartet along with Aphrodisia, Woodhue and Flambeau. It was for Tigress that I sought out this collection. I wore this in 9th grade (almost 30 years ago!). I believe it was a 'modern' reformulation c. 1988 that came in a flat bottle with an emerald colored cap (shaped like the classic Opium flacons). There appears to be no evidence online that this bottle ever existed, and when it did, it was only available on the Australian shelf for about two years (I went through two bottles). And my dear friend Justin loved the way it smelled on my Catholic school wool sweater when I made him hold it one day. So, it's been since 1988 since I have encountered this kitten, and today, it's an even older vintage than I started out with. The bottle I have now is the same as the one pictured above, acquired recently at online auction. To start, Tigress reminds me very much of Tom Ford's Shanghai Lily, but richer, fuller, higher quality and much longer lasting than Ford's Oriental floral. Neither perfume contains true lily to my nose but rather representative of powdery flowers with big, velvety petals, perhaps even bushels of rich carnations. The oakmoss in Tigress provides such a tenacious base that carries the richness all the way through. The spices are warm, full, not sharp, smoothed and simmered by the oakmoss and well balanced aldehyde which is not overt, providing softness and light. The gentle sweetness of the florals and a nuance of pink rose along with vanilla and tonka make something of an incense accord. 1988 was less floral, more amber and I would have classified it as a solid spicy Oriental. This earlier version is just a little more complex than the style of the bold 80's but the shift in balance here presents more aromatic notes. Only a little different. Perhaps take that evaluation lightly as this is purely from my olfactory memory of almost 30 years ago. Do sample Tigress if you get a chance. I would even go so far as to say not to waste your time or money with Shanghai Lily and opt for this fearless, affordable vintage instead. It's one of very few Oriental fougeres for women in the database with its rich warm base and pulsating, aromatic heart. I happen to have two in this genre with Grossmith Phul-Nana being the other. Both are a superb experience in wearing and would not be out of place in your wardrobe today.

There are so many versions of Tigress out there, I think we all must be smelling different things. I have two bottles, each smelling a bit different from the other. My older bottle has a fake fur cap with bold black, white and orange tiger pattern. It's probably from the 70's. The scent in this bottle is gorgeous. Warm and spicy throughout and becomes softer and powdery as it wears. This one is beautiful from start to finish, along the same lines as Youth Dew, Tabu, and the like. The newer bottle is packaged with a gold cap, no fake fur at all, but still says Faberge. I think it's possibly from the 80's. This version is not quite as impressive and not the best example of Tigress. This one opens up a bit harsh, but as the opening notes subside, it develops into a sort of cola and incense scent. I like this one after it settles down but it's not as pretty as the one with the fur cap, and I prefer to smell lovely notes right away instead of waiting for them. Apparently the most beautiful and coveted version of Tigress has the fake fur cap with the muted golden colors. I have not smelled that one but I believe it must be truly gorgeous. Apparently there is a more recent version of of Tigress produced by a company other than Faberge but I don't believe it could possibly be true to the original. Somehow those new versions of old classics are never as good. Even Faberge reformulated Tigress a few times during its approximate 40 years of production, so I doubt a different company would bother going back to the true original. Too bad.

"What's the principal doin' with her? Who's that guy, is he screwing with her? What's her perfume? Tigress by Fabergé It makes me cream my jeans When she's coming my way" - Rough Trade, 'High School Confidential' My first knowledge of Tigress is from the lyrics to this classic song and it added to its mystique. I used to have a splash bottle with the felt tiger-pattern cap which unfortunately slipped from my hands and shattered. Man, was it a glorious smell. I had since replaced it with this pressurized-atomizer spray and what a sweet sensation this hot number is: a real knockout spicy amber that blasts you senseless with aldehydes, and sweet, sexy effervescent white florals soaked in cola! Then there's a carnation POW. It starts off heady and then simmers down to this powdery, furry-musky dry down with heaps of tonka (coumarin). Delectable and sexy.

If you get the actual vintage Tigress you are in for a treat if you like spices. The vintage bottle has that auto spray thing where it sprays for a certain length of time, it's like my vintage Tabu spray bottle. I love how amazingly spicy this scent is. Just thick sweet spice....if this is your thing. The opening right off the bat had me concerned with a sharp amber and aldehyde blast, but after only a few minutes I started getting the heavy spice w/the amber smoothing out and it just keeps transporting me back in time. Oh how I wish I could just snap my fingers and have a true vintage bottle that is full...I will be cherishing what little I do have. Makes me want to put on a pair of bell bottoms, platforms and a risque halter top made of a a silk scarf!

My sister wore this but when I got old enough to buy my own perfume, I opted for other scents like KL and Murasaki and Bakir. Tigress seemed kinda cheesey. But I decided to try it and found a vintage bottle for under $30 on eBay. It arrived today and I sprayed one arm. OMG. What a fantastic frag. Heady is a good word for it. Also sensual, warm and seductive. I can understand why a man might like to smell a woman who smelled like this. Not sure how I'll work it into my perfume wardrobe, but it will definitely fit in somewhere. Maybe when I wear a nice animal print. :-). Oh, and Lola FalanA was the name of the iconic entertainer chosen by Faberge to be the face of Tigress.