Oscar De La Renta

Oscar de la Renta, the fashion designer, the Edt and the perfume. I have always followed ODLR's fashion as he brought some quasi-European frills and colours and Super Femininity to the American, NY and LA fashions. Karl Lagerfeld said with his vitriolic tongue, when Oscar took the reigns of Balmain Couture: 'we have here (Paris) already enough designers doing Frou Frou'. but he denounced Oscar not. they were even photographed in a Waltz, where Karl was a great dancer but Oscar was born in the Dominican Republic so his Latinism came of great use, in all named domains. his perfume was so Super Elegant. it kind of adhered to van Cleef&Arpels' First. it was a White Flowers, Rose and Orchid confection yet never out of line with the Rigid New York Chic. He belonged with his wife Annette de la Renta to the Jet Set. Oscar (1932-2014) was a designer to be reckoned with. Romanticism, Flair, Colour. His perfume excells in Flowers, Aromatic Herbs, Fruits, Resins, Woods and Spices. it is a Flower - (quasi-) Oriental - Amber perfume but with the quintessence in Lightness and Airiness. Chic and Present, yet in the mannered way. I had the perfume and it was divine. I loved his fashion. this perfume rightfully has become a Classic. (new) from this fragrance I had several times the perfume and my feeling always coincided it with First by van Cleef & Arpels (also 1976). this last perfume was to my amazement concipiated by Jean-Claude Ellena, a perfumer that never touched my soul. except then, with First. Oscar de la Renta (I think the perfume is correctly named as such) is composed by Jean-Louis Sieuzac and I now see it is from 1977. I made images from the respective notes, from both of these perfumes which I deeply adore and love. and then, in such 'comparative research', you see that there are similarities but perhaps more, differences. Oscar (as I now also shall abbreviate its name) has far more Spices and Herbs. Coriander, Cloves, even Basil, Lavender, Rosemary, again Cloves & again Lavender, Opoponax & Patchouli. none of these Notes sit in van Cleef & Arpels' First. perhaps it is now best to name the similarities in Notes. Bergamot, Peach, Rose, Tuberose, Ylang Ylang, Jasmine, Orchid, [Iris vs. Orris], Sandelwood, Musk, Amber & Vetiver. I think the likenness then (for me) sits in the use of Flowers whereas I am a huge Flower Person. Vetiver, Sandelwood & Amber perhaps give these perfumes kind of a similar Backbone. both perfumes feel Rich, Opulent, Extremely Sophisticated (due to perhaps the Iris-Orrises). where a Carnation enriches First, Oscar has the (double) Cloves. First has Civet, Honey & Oakmoss the Sylvestrian (even Junglian) Accents of which maybe are approached with the Plethora on Spices and Herbs in Oscar. these are all Desiderata which are as fun and informative as also redundant and speculative. and each perfume lands in its own way into someones Nasal Receptors as also, Heart & Soul. so Ellena did touched my soul. strangely all the other (Masterpieces, undoubtedly) perfumes for Hermès for me feel inept, Gouache-like indeed, Suggestions of Smells in Empty Spaces. versus Gouaches I like thick Oil-Paintings that are Absolutist, Brutalist, Irreversibel. yet the Opulence, Wealth and Utter Evocative Femininity radiate from both perfumes, to my good luck !