Haute Couture

I’ve loved the original Mila Schön (1981) ever since I bought my first bottle a decade ago. A gorgeous chypre in line with those fruity, intensely honeyed and animalic chypres that were all the rage in the 70’s; Azzaro, Vu, Zadig by Pucci...with a heavy hint at the animal base that would define Kouros a decade later. Haute Couture, which I believe launched in the mid to late 80’s, is more white floral, slightly bitter and equally animalic. The notes here don’t make much sense to me, they’re practically identical to the original 1981 release. Here I sense a fougère character in the opening, and this is where ‘a female Kouros’ (and a touch of Pikenz Arrogance) makes the most sense as they share a common DNA. Was it inspired by Miss Dior and Cachet just like my golden stud?? As soon as I’m starting to crave more Kouros, it turns to what it reminds me off the most for the long duration it has on my skin. The gorgeous Knowing. I can still smell echoes of Kouros, vividly. But it starts transforming into a rich white floral. Honeyed. I can’t tell the notes but I get jasmine, tuberose, maybe gardenia, and a rich orange blossom. Light spices, enough to give spark. And an equally heavy animalic base just like in Kouros, Mila and Knowing. Sigh!! What a beauty! As an experiment, I layered Knowing with Kouros and what I got was so so close to Haute Couture. So that’s a good plan for when it runs out. Overall, I find the quality of those 70’s and 80’s Italian launches and debuts, and to some extent 90’s, absolutely spectacular. Brands like Missoni, Mila Schön, Versace, Krizia, Gucci, Valentino (R.I.P) and many more less known, gave the world absolute masterpieces now sadly lost and forgotten. The quality was top notch whether it was a Versace or a Morris or a Diana de Silva, which at the time were highly respected manufacturers. Any Italian perfume from those decades is a sure bet in quality and craftsmanship. They had nothing to envy from the French and American designers. Spectacular!

I first discussed my thoughts on Haute Couture shortly after I launched my YouTube channel. At the time I made the video, I hadn't quite found footing with the format, and I don't feel like it properly conveyed my thoughts on this striking chypre. It really is something else—a salacious chypre that could be regarded as a more floral cousin to Kouros. Dirty orange blossom flirts with peach lactones, rose and violet commit frottage on each other, while a sizzling ylang-ylang breaks a sweat with carnation. It's a whole lot of funny business and naughty bits in its floral core, but what makes it a real knockout is just how animalic this orgy becomes. It's heavy on both castoreum and civet, and I would hazard to guess Animalis and/or Tonquitone and/or Muscarome are used here. It's the most rapturous skank, a rollicking-good romp on moss mounds and all manner of woody, leathery licentiousness. Button-busting, bodice-ripping, slipping sables, undone bow ties, sliding suspenders, collapsing cumberbunds, clinking belts and pearls, tickling navels and the smalls of backs, salivating sexiness. wet fur, spilled Champagne flutes of French 75. Haute Couture is Haute Excitation.

The last time I wore this out, someone walked into the room and said "this bar smells like bad decisions!" and that is exactly the energy I want to exude when I wear this.

21. june 2011 This is chypre indeed. Quite harsh to my nose and i must say also old fashioned. I can hardly smell any peach or strawberry in here at the moment, but i do smell a strong leather and oakmoss accents, they are simply dominating everything else. A slight hint to rose and violet also. That ́s all. I am very surprised where are all the rest of the notes listed here? Smells like somekind of medicine to me. But based on my recent experinece i might be testing it during wrong period of time and during colder time of the year it might develope differently, who knows... I have just wait until autumn comes and try it again. But at this moment nothing like "Haute couture" for me here. This is almost similar to Rochas ́s "Audace" perfume de toilettte that i also have. But both are disconinued, hard to find and expensive. Easily can be worn by men also! P.S. There is a chance that either my nose is not correct or the juice in bottle is spoiled. Please do not remove this comment, since others might find it useful. Not every review should be positive, so people like me wanted to make a blind buy might find it very informative. Thanks.

Haute Couture is Mila Schon Original's skanky cousin...and I love it! Mila Schon original is a stunning woody-floral, but Haute Couture is the bottle I reach for to be true to myself...gorgeous floral notes (the violet sings and the orange blossom soars), blended perfectly with leather, wet animal, and sandalwood. Heaven! Long-lasting (I still smell lightly after 7 hours), moderate sillage, and QUALITY notes. Highly recommend for leather-lovers. Edit: HC smells VERY similar to Sisly's Soir de Lune, just add a slight leather note in the beginning.