1979 New Wave

lipstick kisses on polished black and white checkered tiles, film camera flash reflecting off of vinyl pencil skirts, julep-scented gasps, smudged liquid eyeliner, scented erasers hidden in a makeup bag. romantic but off-putting iris: unforgivingly cold and starchy, but sweetening up as you get to know her, nevermind her habit of spilling drinks—it's part of her charm, after all. there is a sparkling quality from the chilled effect of mint with dry orris root, which gives the impression of a carbonated cocktail, all with a hint of sweetened cigarette smoke lingering on a coat. sugar-sprinkled mojito and mauve cream blush. inhale the invigorating icy air in darkness, yes, deep breaths, yes, heartbeat faster and faster under dimmed neon lights. songs for 1979 new wave: it's not too grand by ruins, sex and trouble by deux, alcool by x ray pop, no hands by martin dupont, 3 am in france by sneaks.

I am a rabid iris fanatic. I can't even express in words how much I adore iris, it is my favorite fragrance note by a very long shot. So of course I had to test this. Wow. Opens with a blast of spearmint, reminiscent of Wrigley's gum or a fancy hipster toothpaste. Then the mintiness subsides in a few minutes (but doesn't disappear), and you have this gorgeous, wet, and rooty iris/orris on a creamy sandalwood background. It is so beautiful, and very unique. 30 ml bottle was immediately acquired. As to comparison with Neon Garden by DvN... no. Neon garden is a completely different take on Iris (that I also like) - bitter, medicinal, cotton-wool like and somewhat sterile. Very dry.

The opening is a wave of minty goodness, lifted by a swell of aldehydes and clean musks that feel bright and effervescent. As it settles, a cool, creamy orris unfolds, and gently softens the woody base, with just a whisper of cedar underneath. For the price, it’s hard not to wish it lasted longer or projected a bit more, but I was smitten from the first sniff. This is pure nostalgia in a bottle. It smells just like the loose stick of spearmint gum at the bottom of Mom’s purse, the wrapper crumpled, the gum slightly leathery, tinged with the faint taste of makeup and perfume. It’s immediately evocative and totally wearable. TAKE MY MONEY.

Silver Iris and neon green mint on a bed of vanillaish sandalwood. Fresh aldehydes swirl around. Like being caught inside a micro tornado in a very specialized French herb garden. Or chewing an esoteric and vintage brand of chewing gum that’s almost impossible to get hold of now. As it dries down it becomes sweetish sandalwood with a slight hint of anise. So so good. Amazingly good. But it doesn’t project much or last very long. Still that’s a price I’m willing to pay for this beauty. After all, beauty is temporary.

Very nice perfume and smells quite unique to me. Prominent buttery orris, just slightly earthy, but it’s given an extra natural feel from the nice mint note. The two blend surprisingly well. There’s sandalwood - the brand mentions Australian but it smells like Javanol to me (which I prefer). Although this would work in all seasons, there’s a summery feel to this, like doing light garden work in the sun near the fragrant mint bushes.

Les Bains Guerbois already got me at "new wave". I love the concept behind their perfumes, this one above all. Iris scent sums very well the romantic and melancholic side of this genre, mint goes straight to the metallic feeling of a bass guitar's string. What a tribute M. Ropion! There we go, "to the center of the city where all roads meet..."

One of my favorites. Hits the sweet spot between avant-garde and inoffensive. Opens with a cool, round lipstick/beeswax iris, then mellows out into amber, clay, photorealistic mint, creamy wood. Very unisex. This is a great one for people who prefer non-sweet fragrances. I only wish it lasted longer

To me this smells as though 1861 from Carthusia and Remarkable People had a baby. Nice leathery citrusy creamy iris. The iris fades away from skin quite quick, but remains longer in the hair. Personally, I find this combination both nostalgic and sparkly & confident. The name also suits it well.

Beautiful minty fragrance with a hint of iris flower and cedarwood. So nice tho the longevity is just meh. Still love it from the bottom of my heart. I won't compare the scent to toothpaste or something synthetic. It's actually pretty natural smelling. Freedom night, relaxation, mojito :)

This is extremely nostalgic and perfect, WOW! I can't stop smelling it on paper even after 3 days, and I thought it was weak. Now it smells even better. This is just a masterpiece from Mr. Dominique Ropion. Purple Night is also very nostalgic to me, but this is just a whole new level.

First fresh mint scent that I actually love. The combination with iris is magical. However I couldn't smell any of the base note and longevity (and projection too) is terrible on me. If anyone knows a similar scent that lasts longer, please let me know!

Lovely fresh and minty scent, for me its more feminine. You should buy a sample first like i did, because the full bottle is expensive and maybe its not what you first expect. I love to wear it but sadly it wont last too long (around 4-5 hours)

This was the first one I feel on love with from the brand! I don't have really cool or elaborate description but I know this another must have for me.

Ugh this is so good. What I imagine Ian Curtis would smell like.

Made in France, very fresh fragrance, perfect for summer. I can smell mint and orris; the background is sandalwood for sure! Here, for my nose, it is a natural and strong mint. 100% unisex, I can share it with my husband. 9/10 for summer Another night at Bains Douches, another young English band onstage. The charismatic lead singer close to a trance. A legendary performance. A small enthusiastic crowd, girls and boys riding waves of emotions, sounds, of fragrances melding together yet distinct. Spearmint, peppermint, iris, woody cedar, sandalwood. New Romantics. Is this a dark or cheerful view of the world? Could be both. Nose: Dominique Ropion. --> In this brand, I really like: - for spring and summer: 2018 Roxo Tonic (bergamote and neroli, 8/10) and 1979 New Wave (mint and orris, 9/10) - for fall and winter: 1885 Sulfureux (rosemary, mandarin and amber, 8/10), 1986 Eclectique (oak moss, honey and tobacco; 9/10) and 1978 Les Bains Douches (yuzu, whiskey and tobacco; 9/10)

I believe that you can tell this fragrance was made my Dominique Ropion, the same mind behind Geranium Pour Monsieur. The toothpasty minty musk is carried over (leaning peppermint here). There are no feral bitter spices here, though, only a subtly sweet whisper of iris that reminds me very slightly of the lipstick-leather in the original Dior Homme. A pleasing smell. It is both bracingly fresh with a nice application of mint at opening and sort of 21st century romantic on the transition. A too bit light though. Performance stays close to the skin and doesn’t last long at all. I think I only got about one hour of performance on skin. When houses like Lattafa are making $25 fragrances that project for ten hours, you can’t be mad if someone scoffs at this. I don’t see much of a connection to new wave music of the 80’s, either. 7.9/10

Cool orris with a touch of mint candy sweetness. Pleasantly airy and right up my alley. Doesn't smell like a DIY basement show, the way I expected it would, but I like it. I can understand the "new carpet" comments, for sure. I'm sure the ingredients read masculine, but the sugary element adds an endearing femininity that I think makes 1979 pretty solidly unisex. Sadly doesn't project well or stick to my skin for longer than maybe half an hour, but such is the way of most minty perfumes. If this were stronger and lasted longer, it'd probably be a love. Enjoyable, but I'm unlikely to buy a full bottle, especially if 100 ml is the only option. If you want to sample this, get a spray if you can. Luckyscent dabbers won't give you the full picture.

Smells like the inside of a leather purse; sticks of spearmint gum, lipstick, bottle of perfume which has leaked a little and the smell of the leather bag, (there’s not a “leather” smell). I had an aunt whose purse smelled like this so it’s a bit nostalgic for me. Very pleasant and unique. The first 30 minutes are amazing with the mint being prominent, then all of the scents blend together and last quite a while. I should say, the first few times I tried it I loved the first 15 minutes then did not care for the remainder of the life of the fragrance but the more I tried it, the more I liked it until I finally bought a full bottle. Mint/Iris/Orris/Amber It would probably be worth it to sample before buying as it’s a rather unusual scent.

First time I sprayed my sample I abrubtly stopped and had to sniff and spray...smell again. I rarely come across perfumes that make me stop due to intrigue. Not many perfumes these days are that out of the ordinary. This scent smells like something, like a place or a lost memory or time. I can't put my finger on it. It's a good thing... but so elusive. I want whatever it is. I really wish it had better longevity and sillage because I would definitely buy a full bottle but it seems to fade immediately after spraying onto skin/clothing.

This is such a weird perfume. Definitely avant-garde. Addicting at the same time. Realistic mint, very distinctive orris balanced by sandalwood. Fresh, creamy, woody, earthy, dry, clean. Works very well in high temperatures - I first tested this during my summer vacation in Barcelona. Totally unisex, but not a safe blind buy in my opinion.