Rumba

Rumba Eau de Toilette by Ted Lapidus has an unmistakable 1980s character. The oakmoss is green, virile and unapologetic; marigold bristles with herbal spice, while styrax and leather are at once raspy and smooth. The florals lead the charge—sharp, powerful and so very eighties in their unrestrained exuberance. Patchouli and leather create a sap-rich, moist, leafy facet, almost fern-like in its depth. This is a classic chypre, its edges rounded by stone fruits and warmed from within by amber, which gives the composition a glowing, golden softness. A spectre of flapper-era carnation is perhaps its most seductive and alluring element. Plum and peach appear as lightly spiced, velvet-like skins and golden pulp: supple, softly sweet and just a little tart. Underneath, honey flows slowly—sweet, herbal and indulgent—with the impression of wildflower pollen glistening through its swirls. The dry-down is softly animalic—an incredible achievement—where powdered spices and a whole spectrum of lush florals settle into something very grown-up and sophisticated. P.S. Rumba has existed in more than one incarnation. The original 1989 Balenciaga creation is remembered as the more lavish and leathered composition, while the 2009 Ted Lapidus version retains its essential floral-chypre architecture but presents it through a slightly greener, more ambered and contemporary lens. This review concerns the Ted Lapidus Eau de Toilette.