The Guest Nose: Nostalgia and the Rose Chypre


By jtd

Nostalgia is not the same as retro. Retro is light role-playing with stylistic imagery. The danger is that it can appear authentic without in fact being genuine. Nostalgia has its dangers as well: when a notion of the past becomes more desirable than the experience of the present. But in order to understand nostalgia, sometimes we must embrace it.

I embrace nostalgia for the following: 1) The idealized dream of the pre-AIDS gay urban 1970s. 2) New York's affordable art scene (cheap lofts, cheap rent, cheap social life, non-targeted creativity), which effectively ended in the 1970s. 3) The rose chypre.


The rose chypre genre, as much a creature of the 80s as the 70s, lives on both as retro/redo (Agent Provocateur, 2000) and as the vestige of another era (YSL Rive Gauche, 1971; La Perla, 1987). The late 20th century rose chypre is the logical outcome of both the diminishing restraint that generally defines the styles of the 70s-80s and some heavy new aromachemicals.

For the time being at least, the rose chypre is still with us. Many are still in production (Estée Lauder Knowing, Ungaro Diva, Paloma, La Perla). Aramis 900 is revived/reissued. The fate of others, a few steps down the reformulation path, is less certain (Montana’s Parfum de Peau, Rive Gauche). Some of the discontinued perfumes are quickly getting out of affordable reach (Paco Rabanne La Nuit and Calandre, l’Arte di Gucci). Where so many historical chypres are dying on the vine due to reformulation and restriction of components, the rose chypre soldiers on. I suspect that rose’s affinity for patchouli has always allowed some sidestepping of oakmoss, and that current restrictions have selected this trait for survival in perfumery's evolution. However it has come about, bask in it. And if you’ve never really tried one, give it a go.

Rose chypres are easily found, mostly inexpensive, and express a wide range of sub-genre variations (i.e. aldehydic, skanky, earthy). Examine them through the lens of the contemporary leather perfume, the 80s power fragrance or historic animalic perfumes. They’re ripe for interpretation. The rose is perhaps the broadest flower in perfumery -- there are a million different tones that we'd call "rosy". The chypre framework can contain or emphasize so many of its different properties. Together they can highlight the animalic (La Nuit, Agent Provocateur), the pissy (Parfum de Peau), booziness (Diva, Aramis 900), ice queeniness (Paloma, Rive Gauche), earthiness (La Perla) or sheer power (Knowing).

The rose chypres can be approached from any number of angles. For you green chypre/leather chypre fans, there is an angularity and a starkness that might appeal -- try Paloma or La Nuit. If aldehydes and florals are your thing, try Rive Gauche or Calandre. If you dig an amber/floriental bent, look at Diva and Parfum de Peau. Sure, you could spring for Lutens or Malle if you want, but the designer models are inexpensive and define the truism that quality in perfumery need not be expensive.


I've read that rose chypres are definitively and classically feminine. I disagree. I find that these chypres carry with them both the 1970s chic of bisexuality and the gender-blurring of the early 1980s. Historically, this genre immediately precedes the through-the-looking-glass hypergender of the power frags of the mid-80's (eg Dior’s Poison). Though some of these rose chypres, like Parfum de Peau and La Nuit, can actually be considered 80s power frags, there is a strong sense of gender neutrality. In all cases, you’ll find classical perfume evolution (not a lot of linearity in this bunch), extravagance and a menacing sense of beauty.


Maripol and Ram, New Year's Eve 1978 by Edo Bertoglio
Divine at Grace Jones’ birthday party, New York 1978 by Ron Galella
James Chance

18 comments:

  1. Ever tried Nina Ricci's Farouche?

    However, it's more of a floral chypre...the carnation/peach & jasmine probably stand out much more than the rose.

    But Knowing...oh yes, a wonderfully rosy powerhouse chypre! And Paloma Picasso's Mon Parfum is an unusual juxtaposition of chypre cheekbones with castoreum.

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  2. I overlook rose because it's everywhere. This article makes it interesting again.

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  3. Interesting article. But Calandre, as far as I know, has not been discontinued. I even saw it in a store here in DC.

    cacio

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  4. DP, I've wanted to try Farouche but bottles seem hard to find these days. And they're pricy! I LOVE your Paloma/cheekbones comment! Perfect description--I'm going to have to quote you. Nora, rose isn't usually the first thing I'd usually reach for, but there's something about the ways that rose gets shifted around by a chypre base. It's such a handsome pairing. Cacio, I've read about Calandre's possible discontinuation or even upcoming reformulation, but am really not sure. I know it's much harder to find and often over $100 for the 100 ml EDT. ( I bought mine 5 years ago for $29.) I'd be so happy if it's still made!

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  5. "I've read that rose chypres are definitively and classically feminine. I disagree."

    I'm beating a dead horse by saying this, but florals in general don't seem that feminine to me anymore, because so many feminine fragrances are just sugar and fruit.

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  6. Good point, Nora, sugar and fruit predominate in feminine perfumes, and increasingly in masculines as well (eg One Million).

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  7. I like this category and was thinking that Perles de Lalique is a rose chypre too in the sub genre of "fluffy sweater with 20% angora".

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  8. Rose chypres are one my favorite-est categories, and I asked jtd why he didn't include Clinique Aromatics Elixir in is 70s overview. He responded that in his head, it's kind of its own entity, and plans to write about it soon. I'm looking forward to that.

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  9. MMmm. Perles de Laliques sound cozy. Will have to try.

    Katie's question about Aromatics Elixir is a logical one. AE is the biggest and perhaps most divisive of the rose chypres of the era we're looking at. It somehow supercedes its category. OK. I'll fess up. I'm totally cuckoo-berry for AE. And fairly crazy for Aramis 900 and Aromatics Elixir Perfumer's Reserve, too. Bernard Chant hit on something that nobody else has even been able to copy. There's simply nothing like AE.

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  10. Katie's question about Aromatics Elixir is a logical one. AE is the
    biggest and perhaps most divisive of the rose chypres of the era we're
    looking at. It somehow supercedes its category. OK. I'll fess up. I'm
    totally cuckoo-berry for AE. And fairly crazy for Aramis 900 and
    Aromatics Elixir Perfumer's Reserve, too. Bernard Chant hit on
    something that nobody else has even been able to copy. There's simply
    nothing like AE.

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  11. I tried AE once and it didn't really impress me, but because of these comments and Katie's previous description of it as an "enchanted forest," rose, I am very curious to revisit it again.

    Whether I want to admit it or not, the "idea," of a fragrance influences my opinion. The name, a review, its history, knowing its intentions--these things draw me closer to a perfume almost as much as a fragrance itself.

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  12. Nora, you've got me thinking with this "perfume concept is important" talk. Sometimes I try to tune all that chatter out, the Creed-style "Napoleon and Brad Pitt wore Black Cypress Santal" stuff, but you're right, if a new way to consider a perfume is presented, it can make you nose work a whole different way.

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  13. Nora and Katie, your thoughts on changing perspectives take me two
    places. First, sometimes tastes simply change. I used to dislike AE
    actively, and I didn't warm to it over time. On one re-sniff I was
    just head-over-heals infatuated. I doubt AE changed, but my notion of
    beauty certainly did. Second, I once had a bottle of Guerlain
    Coriolan. I thought it was a wishy-washy fougere and gave my bottle
    away. Once I realized it was a chypre and not a fougere, it
    transformed from vague to nuanced and sophisticated. Fortunately I
    found another bottle Either the frame changes the view or I'm simply
    sometimey. I'm open to both options.

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  14. I would like to mention that per the "perfume concept being important," talk, perfume is for me a vehicle for fantasy. Katie once said that it was a "head trip," and that is so true. A large part of the reason why I enjoy it is that it creates almost another reality. Perfumes can be special because they bring back treasured memories, but also because they can be an escape from the mundane. Spritz on something heartbreakingly beautiful, and suddenly that to-do list doesn't seem quite as present.

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  15. ...which explains why I look forward to my next fragrance package with more delight(to the power of ten) than to the return of any family member from a long trip or to my next (irregular) pay day.

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  16. Can't say I share that sentiment, because my family and my husband's family have all scattered to the four winds and seeing them is a rare treat. But I'm sure you smell delightful.

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  17. This post is obviously old, but I so need you to review Rive Gauche. I'm a 23 year old woman, and though I may be considered too young to wear it well, nothing puts me in the ultra-confident, kick ass and take names state of mind like Rive Gauche does. I love it!

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    1. I never really took note of Rive Gauche all the years it's been around, until recently when I tried some at the YSL counter. Your comment makes me want to give it a proper exploration. I shall report back.

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