Opium 1977 Parfum

Version from 1977
Opium (1977) (Parfum) by Yves Saint Laurent
Bottle Design Pierre Dinand
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7.9 / 10 464 Ratings
A popular perfume by Yves Saint Laurent for women, released in 1977. The scent is oriental-spicy. Projection and longevity are above-average. It was last marketed by L'Oréal.
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Main accords

Oriental
Spicy
Woody
Floral
Smoky

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes Top Notes
CloveClove BergamotBergamot CorianderCoriander LaurelLaurel PepperPepper PlumPlum Citrus fruitsCitrus fruits JasmineJasmine Mandarin orangeMandarin orange
Heart Notes Heart Notes
CarnationCarnation CinnamonCinnamon Orris rootOrris root PatchouliPatchouli PeachPeach SandalwoodSandalwood Lily of the valleyLily of the valley RoseRose
Base Notes Base Notes
MyrrhMyrrh FrankincenseFrankincense OpoponaxOpoponax Tolu balmTolu balm AmberAmber BenzoinBenzoin CedarCedar CistusCistus MuskMusk SandalwoodSandalwood VanillaVanilla VetiverVetiver CoconutCoconut

Perfumers

Videos
Ratings
Scent
7.9464 Ratings
Longevity
9.2338 Ratings
Sillage
8.9325 Ratings
Bottle
7.7341 Ratings
Value for money
8.439 Ratings
Submitted by DonVanVliet, last update on 31.03.2024.
Interesting Facts
Perhaps Opium is the most popular perfume by YSL. Launched in 1977, the name was deliberately provocative: There was great public anti-drug protest and the perfume was initially banned in the United States, China and the United Arab Emirates. In the U.S., it was again for sale, after a study proved that there were no drugs in the mixture and that the use of it would not encourage drug use.
One year after the market debut, there was a launch party at Studio 54, with Andy Warhol among the guests. This party was said to be a sumptuous Bacchanal beyond decency. What ever really happened there - the rumours about it contributed to the legend around Opium. Opium set the benchmark for a renaissance of oriental (floriental particular) perfumes in fragrance fashion, in a time chypres and aldehyde patterns were favoured.

Reviews

15 in-depth fragrance descriptions
7
Bottle
8
Sillage
8
Longevity
8
Scent
Serenissima

608 Reviews
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Serenissima
Serenissima
Top Review 30  
I just had to have it
As a young woman, already in the spring of 1983, I put "opium" in my head. I absolutely had to have it.
My boyfriend at that time, already a bit older, was at first of the opinion that "something practical" - e.g. a share in my first washing machine - would be much better than such "scented stuff"! Men!
But I can be quite persistent and finally he gave in: I finally got "Opium" (and he had his peace!).

But what did he bring me? Not the desired 50 ml bottle with atomizer: no, it was 125 ml!
And all this in a large flat plastic container with glass stopper - not exactly ideal for my small hands!
Well, I had what I wanted! Although not exactly what I wanted!
Women are strange in this relationship: I know!

Of course I was proud anyway. At that time "Opium" was not a mass product, which was available in every duty free shop and as a result could be found later on every underground station and in every factory building.
"Opium" was luxury for the extraordinary woman (It remains to be seen whether I was then!)

Due to my lack of body warmth - I am a "fish blood", the typical and full, erotic scent could not develop on me.
I myself do not notice this at all; "opium" was just too rare to have any possibility of comparison.
It was more or less a so-called "blind purchase" at that time.
But my girlfriend finally approached me; she was very enthusiastic!
I was surrounded by an abundance of spices, fruits and flowers - carried by patchouli and sandalwood!
The typical erotic fragrances such as musk, amber, incense, etc. could not develop at all with me.
What was unique about me was "opium"!
This big "plastic vat" almost sealed the end of my "opium" era I always had problems holding this big bottle and of course it slipped out of my hand one morning: oh, woe!
A large part of the contents poured into the basket with the dirty laundry; that too!
After work I hardly dared go into the apartment. What would await me there?
But I was lucky: "Opium" stayed true to me!
In the bathroom there was a full herbal flower scent - the erotic component of this very powerful scent composition did not develop there (in my dirty laundry) either!

In the meantime the time of long distance travel had really begun. Almost every woman brought "opium" with her from her holidays - whether it suited her or not: you could afford it. Hurray!
The fragrance for the special, unique occasion; the fragrance that holds promise and seduction had suddenly become common knowledge - and how common.
Where you walked and stood the air was "opium"-pregnated - yes, sometimes you could even taste it!
Nasty!

It was getting to be too much for me. Even if "my opium" smelled completely different: I couldn't take it anymore!
So this giant flacon (by the way, it didn't have a tassel - how disappointing!) probably disappeared into the depths of my cupboard in autumn 1983 and was forgotten there.

A few years later, a colleague raved so much about the "special scent" that she could not afford it. She would have loved to wear "Opium" to a great party Well, for this "extraordinary occasion" there was still enough of the desirable fragrance in my flacon!
I sold it to her for 25 DM; I still remember it well.
My colleague was so enthusiastic that she even cried for joy. How I allowed her this joy! However, she had to promise me to renounce her new "treasure" in my presence.
She stuck to it and so we were both very satisfied!

I believe that never before has a fragrance so unique in its kind been so badly treated as "opium" was then! Everybody had it - everybody wore it!
Created for the special, for silk and flattering fabrics, for irreplaceable occasions, it ended up through the duty free shops in places that its creator Yves Saint Laurent had certainly never thought of.
Often unfortunately also on not quite clean or unkempt women, at least here in the city.
"You could afford it!" - And sales rose, thanks to duty free shops!
A pity for this great fragrance spell from an unforgotten magician!
16 Comments
8
Bottle
10
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10
Longevity
9
Scent
Kiwii

1 Review
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Kiwii
Kiwii
Top Review 35  
I know you
Opium, My first comment here shall be dedicated to you. We are truly old acquaintances. You and me. I am 70 years old and can proudly say: I grew up with you. My mother carried you daily with fervor and I - after the farewell kiss in the morning - inevitably also. You were (over)powerful, you accompanied me - after the kiss - the whole day. For better or for worse. Did I like you? I don't know anymore, you have often robbed me of the air to breathe, on other days you have embraced me comfortably. You've always been there, for a long time. Then what? What happened to us? We lost sight of each other for many years. Was it 20 or 30? A felt eternity. My mother still owns you and the other day I have rummaged through her collection and sniffed at you - and suddenly avalanche-like, old, long forgotten memories, experiences, pictures, songs from children's teenage days overrun me... a flashback I've never experienced so intensively before. I got soft knees and had to sit down. What an emotional moment!
Thank you, that was wonderful! For that alone I love you now!
5 Comments
10
Bottle
10
Sillage
10
Longevity
10
Scent
Primel

38 Reviews
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Primel
Primel
Top Review 20  
In a drunken stupor
"Mandarin Mix up", silent movie with Stan Laurel from 1924, opium (the intoxicant) played a major role, poor Stan involuntarily got caught in the smoke of an opium smoker during a well-deserved nap with turbulent consequences...

Even perfume can really get you into a frenzy! Liquid, spicy gold, hidden in a bottle that resembles a Japanese lacquer box. For me, the fragrance is like a thick, soft and precious carpet, densely woven with precious ingredients, whereby I enthusiastically adorn: Indonesian kretek, Chinese jasmine tea, pepper from Szechuan, plums from Japan, patchouli and sandalwood from India, coconut from Burma as well as cedar from the Himalayas and much more...An olfactory journey through the whole of Asia in fast motion :-) But the best thing is that the fragrance even manages without the oud, which is unbearable for me :

The visionary Yves Saint Laurent, born in 1936 in Oran/Algeria, was undoubtedly inspired by his oriental homeland for this masterpiece (Algeria was then still part of France). However, coming from the Maghreb "where the sun goes down", he lets his gaze wander far into the Far East to create a fragrance for the "Chinese Empress".

But the days are numbered, the "opium generation" is slowly dying out! The YSL decided to take a dramatic rejuvenation cure! The beautiful flacon, which captivates by its asymmetry, has to give way to a bottle that remotely reminds of a small washing machine. For a while, a strange string hangs in the fragrance liquid, "like a pig's tail", says Pierre Dinand, designer of the original bottle
The fragrance is also disfigured beyond recognition (although it may still have many followers). The new version even has a slightly fecal note in the base for me (?). Have I gone from drunkenness to delirium tremens and now I see oud-noodles everywhere? Ok, I know that oud is not of animal origin, just politically incorrect of me :-)

For me, the "primeval opium" is an immaterial world cultural heritage.

Serengeti must not die. Neither must opium!!!
10 Comments
8
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10
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10
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10
Longevity
8.5
Scent
HumanNature1

8 Reviews
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HumanNature1
HumanNature1
Helpful Review 18  
Daaamals hate, today love
Is it only me so? Where have all the fellow human beings gone, that I perceived in the 70s, 80s and partly still 90s with sometimes overkill scent plumes around me ?

Whether shopping, on the train, on the bus, during the last years of school, during the training path, in the obligatory Diiiscooo, in the restaurant or countless other life situations.

These years were years in which one was constantly surrounded by scents, Duftfaaahnen, or even Stinkerchen. Looking back and subjective, my personal memory. One lived in a world, constantly surrounded by scents.

Opium was one of them, for some years my "hate" fragrance, as it was omnipresent and used in the highest dosage by many lovers of this scent. To the fragrance itself I must probably no longer give my mustard to it.
Even today, one loves him or despises him. Whereby I also know only the vintage version.

Today I love Opium, well dosed a beautiful fragrance for the already cold autumn and also winter.

But, to make the connection to the current fragrance world around me, have I, just my personal olfactory perception, or even that of my entire generation, suffered any olfactory lasting damage from the many "overkill scents" of these decades?

Rarely do I notice perfume on other people. Whether I take a seat on the bus right next to someone, standing in line at the checkout in the supermarket, standing with colleagues.

Yes even with girlfriends, my sisters, incredulous amazement on my part when they report on their fragrances they use. For I hardly notice them on them, associate with them no scents in the last ten fifteen years, though I have known them thirty forty years.

So sometimes I almost wish back the olfactory bazaar, the olfactory hustle and bustle of those decades that surrounded me then.

Yes, even the overkill of opium that struck many a time on every other corner.

11 Comments
10
Bottle
10
Sillage
10
Longevity
9
Scent
Athenaida

41 Reviews
Athenaida
Athenaida
Top Review 11  
Dreaming of Vintages
Sometime ago I tried some Opium from a big 4 oz bottle and it was
a m a z i n g !!

I saw an endless paradise.
I felt real warm carnation waves...
My hair bathed in moonlight coconut.
My heart beat sandalwood hard.

and...the next day...paradise still being there with some amber on my chest...
I tried Opium in a perfume store.
Oh my why.....
It was strong, bitter and so...chemical......

I forgot to tell you my Opium is about 24 years old.
why they killed this jewel...Oh why Oh why do you destroy such a gems like this one...
The answer my friend is blowing in the wind..!
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Statements

2 short views on the fragrance
TzapanTzapan 7 months ago
Decadent opulence.The myrr, opoponax, olibanum and benzoin exceed all its flowers!
It must come back!
0 Comments
CheckinCheckin 8 years ago
10
Sillage
10
Longevity
7
Scent
Week 1: This is too strong and spicy. Week 2: This scent is actually pretty good. Week 3: OMG I LOVE IT!
0 Comments

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