#arpege

Ava Gardner in the bedroom of her Nichols Canyon cottage in Los Angeles, 1949. The Degas print on the wall and some framed family photos, also perfume bottles:

Beautiful vintage deco glass pearl necklace, some Edwardian ladies from central Europe and my current favourite perfume. 

Ok. We all know I’m Vintage Scent Trash. I’m obsessed with a few different eras, and my memories of chasing down information are quite dear to me. Old Hollywood; in particular the silent film and Screen Siren eras; make me flail. Languid-eyed starlets and sharp-dressed brilliantine’d romantic leads are my jam. So I’ve been chasing this specific scent for YEARS now. Ever since Duke’s mum helped me find books on Chanel and couture of the era, this particular scent has loomed large on my Must Find list! 

While I enjoy the modern incarnation, it’s a lot more chemical than I prefer. It feels more astringent and less warm, less inviting. It's lost something of its vintage appeal due to remakes for modern sensibilities; which, while fair for its longevity and wearability, leave me wanting more. 

I'm hoping that this version will have less of the powderiness of the distant, Dynasty-esque 1970s version, and more of the Vanillin/Jasmine/Rose/Iris maternal comfort of prior incarnations I’ve been lucky enough to get a whiff of thanks to a very charismatic, dear-to-me Lady I worked for very briefly in 2010. She started me on my way to vintage obsession with her immaculate wardrobe and endless poise... (I wish I could find that scarf ma’am, but alas it was lost in many a move over the past decade, more’s the pity. Also wish I could remember the Designer.) 

With luck, this iteration will feature more of the vetiver, to cut through the powdery just-past-prime dry floral arrangement, and extra aldehyde and citrus for that shimmery champagne richness that makes me think of a very particular socialite’s laugh. 

Check out my blog post about Ten Classic fragrances you must try (if you haven’t already!) Plus- don't you just loves those old classy ads?