Halston Night

A beautiful 80s floral that remarkably is still very wearable today. In some ways it reminds me of the heavy hitters like Nino Cerruti pour femme or Teatro Alla Scala in complexity, but unlike those or others from that time period, Diva, Poison, etc., it doesn't feel out of place today. In that respect I actually find it more in line with fragrances like Arpege, that are just as wearable today as they were in their day. My bottle is old, with top notes that have lost their luster, but as the fragrance dries down the beauty of this composition starts to reveal itself. A full-bodied tuberose giving way to honey drenched florals, taking you into the heart of the fragrance where a spectacular rose resides. I wish I knew who created this fragrance. They are clearly a master perfumer. They've created a composition that is beautifully blended with lovely harmonious transitions. Starts loud, which had me concerned, but then gets soft, a little sweet, creamy, and smooth. Even though this was created in the era of the big 80s floral, it doesn't really perform like one. Silage is big initially, but within a half hour calms down and softly projects. Since this was a blind buy I had my doubts, not that I wouldn't like it, but that as with so many of the previous scents I mentioned I would not find many appropriate situations in which to wear it. I don't think I have to worry about that with this perfume as I think it will be wearable in most situations. Unlike the others, this doesn't scream or shout for attention, yet is just as beautiful without being overly dramatic. I am so happy I found a bottle at a decent, though still high price. I'll use it sparingly since I want it to last but will sorely miss it when it's gone. From what I understand this wasn't in production all that long. That might make it impossible to find in the future. I'm just so happy I managed to acquire this gem now before they were all snatched up. Lucky me! Edit - 6/24/22 - I wore this a few times before at night but woke up today craving it. Wearing it all day today and it is GORGEOUS and not out of place at all. As far as modernity, it feels as modern as Jean Paul Gaultier's Fragile, which for some strange reason strongly reminds me of, though that has a somewhat different note profile and just a lot more notes overall. Yet somehow it feels sheer compared to this, (though I still love it too). This fragrance also has a heavy dose of civet, not listed in the notes. I'm still not a fan of civet but here it works really well in enhancing the depth of the floral notes and the overall composition, making it richer and deeper. I really think this is one of the most magnificent creations of the 20th Century. Too bad it wasn't as well-known back in the day.

Chypres of the deep. Chypres of the unknown. Many that have come and gone, sometimes in the blink of an eye. One and done, discontinued after but a year or two or three. Vintages that sit in dark warehouses, in curio cabinets in antique malls, deadstock in in obscure perfume shops in obscure places. One reveals itself from the shadows: Night. It was meant to be Halston's magnum opus, but it failed to gain traction. From smelling the perfume itself, it could be argued that it should have been a classic. Well, maybe it still IS. After all, who decides what is a "classic"? Look at something like Nombre Noir, for example. Night is far less-lauded, but is just as worthy of praise and wonder. As its name suggests, this is not a bright ode to spring. It is, on the contrary, its dusky and beguiling. The rose is the darkest shade a rose can be, the tuberose is magnificently worse for the wear, and at its woods and moss hails from somewhere that has a perpetual mist. A little sweet and cola-soaked in its violet hour, Night treads the darkness in search for something or someone that will unleash it. Did the scare those who opted to test it at the department counter? Was it too much? Note the shape of the bottle. Ponder it. Halston designed it, allegedly for the beak of a bird sculpture in his possession. It stands erect at a time where many were still afraid of their own sexuality.

Halston Night Parfum review. The green notes and lemon introduce a tuberose-rose combination. The woody oakmoss is present in the middle thru the end to give this some hefty depth. The official notes: top notes of bergamot and lemon; middle notes of patchouli, rose, narcissus,jasmine, and sweet carnation; base note of amber, and moss. The tall pointed bottle is extremely thick and heavy encasing the Parfum. The Parfum takes time developing on your skin. It is a very woody floral chypre in nature. If you miss oakmoss in your formulations, go check out this beauty.

I used to wear this in the 80’s. Loved it and can clearly remember the powerful opulent fragrance.

I had this perfume back in high school,when I was addicted to Halston. I loved the bottle - the fragrance not nearly as much. It was too flowery-sweet for my taste though it was a much more delicate and feminine scent than either the regular Halston, which I adored, or Halston Couture which was even a bit bitter. I think I also had a Halston Night fragrance pen that came with the purchase. The only resemblance between Halston and Halston Night IMO is that, in character with many of the eighties scents, they both had real presence in terms of silage and longevity.

I'm shocked! This is a fragrance that could be a hit in 2018! this is like a sweet oudi blend with hints of soap and doses of sophistication! It has violets, leather, orris, roses, musk, peaches, and ambergris. It's quite weird in away that i can't relate it to 80s blends! The top note is just mesmerizing, but the settle down is a bit unsettling and more of a soapy less violets and less orris. I need to sample it again and i wish the top note is the one that develops rather than vanish.

A few years ago, I saw a 1982 profile on Halston. In it were shots of a large, slightly curved obelisk-shaped bottle held aloft by model goddesses wearing sparkling gold Halston dresses as they walked down the runway with arms stretched out, holding the fragrance like a temple offering. In one shot Halston himself, flanked by these untouchable beauties, sprays the fragrance directly at you. Curiosity got the better of me and, like Alice, I got caught in the rabbit hole and fell down...down. To test it I bought the small 1/4 ounce pyramidal bottle, complete with box. Inside the flap, which opens like a book, is written this message: “Night...the most exciting of times... Hours when dreams become realities... It is a time for mystery, fantasy...and romance... Night, the very word evokes a sense of heightened expectation.” – Halston And thus the experience begins. I don’t know if this was copy written by the designer himself, but “mysterious and romantic” stands out as the best descriptors of this fragrance. It is very much a late 70’s–early 80’s chypre, reminiscent of glittering silky dresses with beaded embroidery, sparkling champagne and diamonds, and stolen kisses from a lover in the candlelit semi-darkness. Yet, it has something different. According to the book "Halston: An American Original" in 1980 when this fragrance was released it went for $100 an ounce, and subsequently died on the vine despite the heavy marketing. I could point to one hypothesis for its demise (other than the insane price for its day) – this fragrance was way ahead of its time. If classic Halston was dark, powerful, hot-sex-against-a-wall animalistic, Halston Night is it’s sensual, erotic sister, one which likes to bide it’s time and seduce you slowly, not missing a single detail, and taking all evening to do so. It would be a major hit if it was released – un-reformulated – today. I actually like this one better than the original Halston from 1975. It is softer, creamier even, with the rose, jasmine, and amber floating lightly on what seems to be a vanilla note. It is undeniably elegant and incredibly classy, and if one has the right chemistry you can get away with wearing it during the day. Not only does it stand the test of time in its scent (which smells totally modern) and literally (it is an extremely long lasting fragrance), but it ages unbelievably well. I liked it so much I bought a 1⁄2 bottle for myself and a one-ounce for my mother, who didn’t know about this hidden gem until now. 30+ years has done nothing to diminish it’s power, nor does it concentrate like other vintage fragrances, at least not the ones I bought (which came with their respective boxes). The obelisk-shaped bottle was designed by Halston himself, supposedly based on a bird beak from a sculpture he owned. The slight curve, however, leads me to think Halston had something a little more provocative (read: naughty) in mind. The only downside is the price – having been out of production for so long vintage bottles range from the expensive to the “are you kidding me???” side. But the upside is that you’ll be getting an original, un-reformulated version that stays on you from first splash to, well, night. A true classic. 10/10

Halston Night is a grande dame of chypre rose scents. It's rose backbone is balanced by moss and wood. Its earthiness is as much a part of the experience as the rose. I plant this bottle safely in the top 5 of my rose-based perfumes for its unapologetic 80's vibe, and for knowing who it is. Forsaking sweetness or hints of innocence, Halston Night steadies its shoulder-padded self, heads to Studio 54, and leaves the ballet-pink rose girls behind. Vintage bottle.