Dark Imagination

God. I can't stop thinking about you, dark imagination. first spray is a complete assault on the senses--asphyxiating swirls of cigarette smoke and spices. it beats you senseless with such passionate brutality. it transforms, constantly transforms and transfigures by the minute, leaving you dizzy and anesthetized, then drags your stifled, limp body through a darkened alleyway. in my mind's eye, i see tar-stained roses, smoked plum, crystalline amber, and spices placed in raw leather pouches, sewn tightly before being sold at the souq. the streets are bustling, and the last athan of the day has been called. sketchy tall figures and sultry ladies of the night emerge and settle on street corners, smoking cigarettes. i've never been to morocco, but my dad spent his twenties between casablanca and marrakech in the 80's. part of his lore is that he used to partake in some of the underground culture there, frequenting late-night cafes where they smoked hash and played cards. i gave him the sample to try, and he said, wistfully, that it transports him to that exact time and place--sans the scent of freshly brewed black coffee. full bottle for both of us.

Rose_smoking_a_cigarette_NSFW_SEXY.jpg My favorite of the Discotheque samplers. The dry rose and elegant saffron in the opening want this night to be a stately affair, but the sultry plum has other plans, and about twenty minutes later a rich smoke blooms from underneath - an ashtray, but full of Cubans and Dunhills. They promised just one glass at a wine bar but then it's 2 am on the smoking patio of a messy nightclub. The rose that started out so classy stuck around for the drydown, but now there's ash and sweat in her messy hair. Lasts all night and then some, projects about 6 feet for the first 3 hours. Also layers amazingly - I've currently tried Experimentum Crucis from ELDO (rose who's an adult film star) and Poltergeist from Heretic (rose who dips and smokes at the same time).

Surprised nobody is talking about the plum note here. It reminds me of Dior Poison (the OG) with a strong, juicy rosewater streak. The dry-down brings out a warm, grassy patchouli among rose petals. Like most of the Discotheque line, the smoky cannabis DNA is designed not simply to evoke nightlife, but to perform well with the natural scents of nightlife (cigarettes, marijuana, alcohol, and sweat). This one lasted all night between puffs of a joint and a boozy concert (psychedelic rock gone MBV, delicious). I typically stay away from rose fragrances because they can lean too "candle" or "candy" for my tastes but this one balances the "fresh off the bush" rose I like with a dark vignette.

This was the last one I tested of the Discothèque sampler. I fell in love with it immediately. It's meant to evoke 2003 Marrakesh, and I think I can pick up what they're putting down. Very floral, but tempered by smoke. It's very pungent, but does not waft through a room. I'm a smoker, so when I tried it, to me it smelled like an upscale casino (complimentary.) My husband and our roommate primarily got floral off of this. It faded pretty quickly, and the smoke filtered off into something more spicy. Rose is the strongest thing here.

Love the brand Discothèque and Dark Imagination is by far my favorite. Its potent deep dark luxurious rose wuth little hints of plum and wood. I dont think its that heavy in smoke more incense if anything. I think its very similar to Oud Satin Mood Extrait by MFK but done better in my opinion and at half the price. My wife says it reminds her if the little soaps you would find in tour grans house in the 70s and 80s. We'll worth it if you like rose

I find the smell of this similar to Anglomania by Vivienne Westwood so being a big Vivienne Westwood fan and being disappointed when Anglomania was discontinued I was thrilled when i found this. I also love some of the other perfumes in the Discotheque range they are unique. I also like the fact that this perfume has great lasting power I can smell it on me for most of the day without having to reapply

Dark seductive rose with leather & smoke. I also get a tobacco in the opening. Beautifully balanced, each note blends seamlessly. This would be great on a woman giving femme fatale vibes and on a man would be seductive. The dry down is magical. IG/Tiktok: @wilddew_vibes

I have the Discotheque discovery set and this one is probably the most challenging wear - not in a bad way, but in a way that you need to plan for. It's strong almost to the point of being intoxicating. Spray this on your clothes and you will smell it DAYS later. Dark Imagination absolutely captures the feel of being in an underground Moroccan club with all of its intrigue and mystery.

I don't really get "night life" notes the product description implies-- imagine a grandmother with a cool hippy granddaughter that lives with her in the attic. the dry down is delectable! there's almost a powderiness to it, but that might just be how i interpret the smell of rose.

I was a bit confused at first. I was expecting a deep red rose but it is a fresh bright rose that clashes with the other notes. Once it settles though it is a nice smokey incense stick burning with some dried rose petals

i loved this! a deep rose with an edge to it is always going to be a quick favorite of mine. this was almost a tad too indulgent for me, but it works beautifully as a cold weather fragrance

Here we have a big dominating rose, with a soft leather and deliciously sharp and spicy saffron. It is heavy and strong just as you would expect when the inspiration is Marrakesh’s nightlife. I really love the patchouli and its efforts in trying to make this a bit green and exciting, but the rose is still very dominating, and the patchouli doesn’t win any power here. When it dries a bit down the plum and saffron is a power couple, and I perosnally love the blend of the two. I just can’t get past the rose, but that is my own personal struggle. After all, rose fragrances doesn’t really work with me and my skin chemistry, but if you like spicy rose fragrances you should try this one out. And please, wait for the drydown here, that is actually seductive!

The initial whack of creosote is a little off-putting, but it quickly settles down to a heavily smoked, lightly powdered rose-insense scent, similar to Floral Street's Black Lotus, but with woodier underpinnings. Much like that fragrance, it is too strongly reminiscent of the smell of an elderly relative's requiem mass for me to enjoy wearing it, but if smelling like church isn'ta dealbreaker for you, it's an interesting and well-balanced scent.

suuuuuuuuper rosy. i usually hate florals, especially rose, but this actually isn't that bad. instead of stale or migraine inducing, its fresh. I will say, i think this is a more mature scent, like an older woman would wear it, but that might be because i associate rose with an elderly family member. i don't think i'd personally wear it for anything other than a professional setting.

i normally love "old lady rose", smoke and powder, but this, whilst definitely having plenty of that in there, doesn't take me where i'd hoped it would and instead i find myself in a market town crystal and dream catcher shop where the almost transparently pale shop girl has been burning out of date incense with a daft gothy name - "oubliette" or some such. so not for me.

i’ve been loving working my way through the Discothéque discovery set... unfortunately, Dark Imagination is the first fragrance in the set that has not worked for me :( it went on VERY smoky. i got a little vetiver in the opening, and it felt quite masculine. about 2 hours into wearing this fragrance, it started smelling overwhelmingly like citronella bug spray. it almost burns my nose & started to hurt my head a little. i think it must be the blend of saffron and patchouli. (although i quite like patchouli on its own!) if i really really look for it, i can pick up the rose. if you’re a fan, good news- it lasts a long time and doesn’t retreat super close to the skin like some of the other Discothéque fragrances. i’m not into it on my skin, though, and don’t plan on wearing it again.

oy no, having to convince myself I can sense the smoky mysterious rose but when I lay without thinking the natural bug spray takes over

I dislike smoky roses so no wonder I hated this one, it’s nothing else.

Cloying rose bomb. If you love rose and incense, this is your jam.

ok i literally just sprayed this but i just have to note for myself right away: as i'm getting into perfume i realize there's a note that seems fairly common in perfumes that just gives Bug to me. not like bug spray, but like the smell of a squished bug somehow. this scent has that note, whatever it is – the saffron? patchouli? hopefully i will be able to figure out what it is so i can avoid it lol. i don't mind this scent too much otherwise but yeah it just smells like bugs to me. powdery as well, as are many of the discotheque scents. edit 6 hours after applying: less powdery but still has that 'bug' scent. i think it might be the patchouli. this is a personal preference and not a general negative note. whatever this scent is exactly, i've smelled many things on myself and others that give this 'bug' note for me.