Cardin

Today, I saw a brutalist building in Wellesley, MA that I have long admired, with its exposed concrete painted over in white. It seemed like such a disgrace in its attempt to appear more modern and inviting. I felt a pang of sadness that yet another aesthetic casualty was witnessed. It felt like a metaphor, much in the way that old videotape that hours of programming contained would be taped over and over, whole records of 20th century culture erased for newness and progress. We can apply this to the melancholy many of us fragrance enthusiasts might feel when pondering all the perfumes that sit languishing after decades have passed; trends change, and the past is ever rendered irrelevant by youth. The only glimmer of hope comes from some renaissance in an obscure corner of the newer generation, a rediscovery and veneration. In the meantime, even when there is so much rehashing of previous motifs, new is "in" more than it ever has seemed to be in the past. Cardin de Cardin is also what comes to mind when regarding these time passages. To most, this would thoroughly read as "of it's time," their noses wrinkling with disdain. Its beauty cannot be appreciated when laid against the contemporary. Those aldehydes intimidate; those spiced flowers are just too...spicy and floral; and the leathery labdanum, oakmoss and civet is, you know, "old lady" (in a whispered voice). It neither smells clean nor does it smell sweet. It feels so pleated and buttoned and rust-orange and beige. It's as offensive as a Boomer's opinions. Yet to me, someone who may have a gift or a curse, depending upon how you look at it, I smell such a time-honored beauty that is as sophisticated as a Bergman film, a Calder mobile, and yes, that "lowly" brutalist building. It's a musky nugget of elegance that, as long as there are passionate lovers of perfume, shall never be painted over in time's oblivion white.

I'm puzzled by the notes listed here, as they don't at all comport with my experiences of this perfume. I have worn this since it came out in the 1970s, and it was always a soft, beautiful, floral scent, somewhat jasmine-y, and not really a chypre, and certainly no sharp edges. I'm wondering if the description here belongs to a later perfume from Pierre Cardin. Here is the fragrance profile provided by the H & R Fragrance Guide: Top notes: Green note, raspberry, bergamot, aldehyde (fruity, aldehydic and flowery) Middle notes: JASMINE, ROSE, carnation, ylang-ylang, orris, honey, lily (floral, sweet) Base notes: Sandalwood, musk, oakmoss, amber, civet (powdery, sensual) I have no idea where Fragrantica get its weird description, but definitely don't try this looking for cedar, caraway, or cloves--just not there.

I have the EdT vapo - spray and it's lovely. I read the notes and I'm a bit skeptical though. I can detect the aldehydes and the floral notes and yes, I see how the labdanum affects the whole composition although I would like it to be the main note. But civet? If there is an animalic note in the entire perfume world that I'm crazy for, this is civet and sadly I cannot smell it in this perfume. On the other hand I admit that this juice is well made and can please easily the green floral chypre lovers. I agree with the reviewers who find it similar to Ivoire (especially for the drydown) but I would also add that it bears a resemblance to original Nina, Nina Ricci which launched 11 years later. Anyway it's a great chypre, creamy, rich and definitely romantic which is the reason I don't wear it at work.

Yeah this one is lovely. It is a rich floriental to me. Floral and spice notes interplay, giving it the carnation aspect. But it is also smoky and animalish too. Drying down now into a soft powder, but not overly sweet. this may not be so widely known, but as others have noted, it speaks of quality and old world perfumes.

I found a teeny, tiny bottle of Cardin de Pierre Cardin at a local thrift shop. Mint condition and absolutely, perfectly lovely - for $Aus.2.00!! Very sophisticated - a woman-of-the-world, femme fatale perfume; smokey and sexy!! (What you might expect someone like Anita Pallenberg to wear.)