A much-loved fragrance of years past,
though certainly not as upscale as Youth
Dew, was the ubiquitous Evening In Paris.
This very sweet-smelling treasure, which
brings a nostalgic feeling to just about any-
one who remembers the scent from its hey-
day, came in a beautiful blue-glass bottle. It
was produced by Bourjois, which followed
up with Springtime In Paris. Alas, this was a
Springtime that lasted just a few years.
Evening In Paris was a kind of every-
woman's perfume of the 1920s-1940s, so it
wasn't likely to be found on the dressing
table of glamorous Hollywood stars. But
without a doubt, many of the Silver Screen's
leading men could not help but be remind-
ed of their sweethearts whenever they
smelled such popular scents as Chanel No.
5 and Joy. Vivien Leigh was in love with the
latter, as was Mae West, of whom a friend
recounted, "She used Joy perfume and its
scent was everywhere."
Barbara Stanwyck's favorite was Jungle
Gardenia. The actress was said to practi-
cally douse herself in the fragrance.
Packaging the product is almost as vital as
creating the scent (and can cost almost as
much). Perfume houses often produce el-
egant, limited-edition bottles as alluring as
the aromas themselves.
Versace, for example, has just released a
Baccarat Crystal bottle, numbered and
signed both by Baccarat and Gianni Versace.
Limited to 250 pieces, it sells for $3,500.
Most perfumers sort through thousands
of names before selecting the one, the only.
Of course, some take the easy way out and
name a fragrance after its creator. Others pre-
fer something a little more unusual. There's
Anais Anais, after the Persian goddess of love;
Cabotine, French for "mischief"; Escada,
named for a champion horse; Jardins de
Bagatelle, in honor of Marie Antoinette's
gardens; and Je Reviens, meaning "I will re-
turn."
Fragrances often have their start in the
most unusual places.
Just outside Kazanluk in Bulgaria is home
to an area known as Valley of the Roses,
which for the past 300 years has produced
rose oil, one of the prime ingredients in many
scents.
Jean Patou's Joy, which made its debut in
1930 as "the costliest perfume in the world,"
(meaning "the most expensive to produce,"
though priced competitively, Patou officials
explain), is among those making use the Bul-
garian Damask rose.
(continued on page 104)
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