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02/13/2013
Coutureguru
223 Reviews
Coutureguru
Helpful Review
12
Old Money
I was very lucky to trade recently for a 4ml vintage extrait miniature of Cartier's Panthère. The truth of the matter is, they are just not made this way anymore ... a sad state of affairs.
In the grand manner of the 80's floriental, Panthère ranks as the most exclusive of the lot ... which is simply my humble opinion. Shuffling off my teens in 1987, fragrance was regarded as a status symbol, the start of the 'label' craze (at least here in South Africa) and I was very lucky to own a tester of this incredible fragrance, gifted to me by a fellow 'fragrance consultant' (as we were called back then) working for an opposition company to the one I was working for.
Panthère is glamour in a bottle ... plain and simple. It is the smell of mega wealthy women, born into that state and quite accustomed to all of the trappings that go along with it. It's the smell of furs before red paint was thrown at them, suites of diamonds with exotic names and sleek black limousines ... ferrying their occupants to casinos on Rivieras.
A look at the note pyramid is completely mystifying ... there is just SO much!! Suffice it to say that this has to be the defining white floral/oriental of its time, with loads of Tuberose, Jasmine and Ylang present. Karo Karounde is an exotic African essence of great refinement with peppery animalic qualities, which apparently pairs very well with Tuberose. In my 'shhh'-something years of living on this continent I have never come across it, so it appears I have some botanical research to do.
The spiciness up top is rich and prevalent, while the heavy resinoid, woody base is just slightly dirtied up with hints of Civet. I have very little doubt that the Oakmoss I am getting here is true and original, this being a vintage miniature. The smallest drop is radiating off my arm and pretty much filling the space I'm sitting in ... transporting me to fragrance heaven for the moment :).
I have to have a little giggle here too as the delightful and erudite Sherapop will probably have a dig at my lyrical waxings ... this perfume was designed by Alberto "chemical Albie" Morillas ... but I think in this case he got it right.
I have no idea whether this fragrance has withstood the ravages of reformulation, which appear to have affected even grand establishments like Cartier. I am immensely pleased to once again own this extrait in its original incarnation. It's simply splendid!!
In the grand manner of the 80's floriental, Panthère ranks as the most exclusive of the lot ... which is simply my humble opinion. Shuffling off my teens in 1987, fragrance was regarded as a status symbol, the start of the 'label' craze (at least here in South Africa) and I was very lucky to own a tester of this incredible fragrance, gifted to me by a fellow 'fragrance consultant' (as we were called back then) working for an opposition company to the one I was working for.
Panthère is glamour in a bottle ... plain and simple. It is the smell of mega wealthy women, born into that state and quite accustomed to all of the trappings that go along with it. It's the smell of furs before red paint was thrown at them, suites of diamonds with exotic names and sleek black limousines ... ferrying their occupants to casinos on Rivieras.
A look at the note pyramid is completely mystifying ... there is just SO much!! Suffice it to say that this has to be the defining white floral/oriental of its time, with loads of Tuberose, Jasmine and Ylang present. Karo Karounde is an exotic African essence of great refinement with peppery animalic qualities, which apparently pairs very well with Tuberose. In my 'shhh'-something years of living on this continent I have never come across it, so it appears I have some botanical research to do.
The spiciness up top is rich and prevalent, while the heavy resinoid, woody base is just slightly dirtied up with hints of Civet. I have very little doubt that the Oakmoss I am getting here is true and original, this being a vintage miniature. The smallest drop is radiating off my arm and pretty much filling the space I'm sitting in ... transporting me to fragrance heaven for the moment :).
I have to have a little giggle here too as the delightful and erudite Sherapop will probably have a dig at my lyrical waxings ... this perfume was designed by Alberto "chemical Albie" Morillas ... but I think in this case he got it right.
I have no idea whether this fragrance has withstood the ravages of reformulation, which appear to have affected even grand establishments like Cartier. I am immensely pleased to once again own this extrait in its original incarnation. It's simply splendid!!
1 Comment
Unrulyjulie
Tessa
