Luckyscent
Fragrance X
Indiescents
First in Fragrance
99Perfume
ExcelsisUSA
Parfum1
My Photo
Name:
Location: New York, NY
© Copyright 2005-2011 Perfume-Smellin' Things
All rights reserved
Custom Search

Friday, March 14, 2008

Adieu Sagesse

Adieu Sagesse is the 1925 entry in Jean Patou's olfactory love trilogy. It is the final entry, but, in typical fashion, I will be skipping the logical - and sensible- progression of the first moment of love (Amour-Amour) and the moment when heart wisely hesitates, asking itself, "what do I know?" (Que Sais-Je?), plunging straight into surrender and waving farewell to wisdom.

I mentioned numerous times that I do not like carnation note in perfume. I also reviewed numerous exceptions from this no-carnation rule. Adieu Sagesse is without a doubt my most favorite carnation-heavy perfume. It has none of the powder that I dislike in carnation fragrances and all the creaminess that I adore in them. The creaminess undoubtedly comes from the inclusion of tuberose and opoponax. The base, a heavy-lidded concoction of musk and civet, paints in vividly animalic colors just exactly what happens after one surrenders to desire. That base is so sexy, it should be X-rated. All the languid floral spiciness and the sensual muskiness would have been too heavy for me were it not for the fresh floral accord of orange blossom and lily of the valley that first appears in the top notes and stays throughout the scent's development, like a tender, poignant reminder of the lost...if not innocence than reason.

Adieu Sagesse, bonjour tristesse.


Photo by Patrick Demarchelier

21 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Will you review Que Sais-Je? I've always wanted to try this Patou perfume.

9:55 PM EDT  
Blogger Marina said...

Joanne,
I will, although it is a challenging perfume for me.

9:58 PM EDT  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"Bonjour tristesse" не является неизбежным последствием "adieu sagesse". Да и "sagesse" - понятие относительное. )

10:27 PM EDT  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Carnation just doesn't do it for me, although I love it's big sister, clove. In German the words for both are the same (Die Nelke)

12:52 AM EDT  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The notes to this tell me no no no (carnation, pfui) but your review whispers yes yes yes. You've piqued my curiosity. And your photo selections of late are making me drool. Must go play with BW film. Soon.

12:59 AM EDT  
Blogger elle said...

Absolutely adore this scent and wish it was in parfum form. Did they ever make it in parfum?
Oh, and I agree w/ anonymous/wise woman. :-)

5:35 AM EDT  
Blogger Marina said...

Quinncreative,
Russian too, gvozdika. :-)

6:44 AM EDT  
Blogger Marina said...

M,
I am sure you know it, but just in case, to make you drool, here is a site for you:

http://tinyurl.com/pbjft

6:45 AM EDT  
Blogger Marina said...

L,
I don't know :-( Colony, for example doe shave perfume. Perhaps this does too. Not that it is possible to find it or anything.

6:46 AM EDT  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oh! How absolutely gorgeous this sounds!! I must sample some of this! I love the carnation in DSH Oeillets Rouges, but the persistence is abysmal. This also sounds like it has the animalic notes that I adore. Thank you!

Debbie

10:02 AM EDT  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You just decided my perfume for the day! It did come in parfum form, too, by the way. I wish some of these old Patous would be re-released.

11:38 AM EDT  
Blogger kamala said...

sounds incredible! i wouldn't have thought i would love carnation until i tried Bellodgia.

but carnation with more animalic undertone - mmm, sexy!

12:42 PM EDT  
Blogger Denise said...

What a beautiful review! And where do you get these gorgeous pictures? (For this review, and the one for the PG a few days ago...) Your description and the picture are prompting the dreaded Unsniffed Purchase.

Also, I want to read Bonjour Tristesse now more than ever!

2:18 PM EDT  
Blogger marchlion said...

Wow, I have a sample of this stashed away somewhere, off to find it. For some dumb reason I had this confused mentally with the pineapple (urk) one? Never mind. Off to ransack my perfume closet.

4:08 PM EDT  
Blogger Marina said...

Debbie,
If you love carnation and animalic notes, you will love this.

8:22 PM EDT  
Blogger Marina said...

Angela,
did you try it in parfum?

8:22 PM EDT  
Blogger Marina said...

Kamala,
Bellodgia is an absolute no-no for me :-(

8:25 PM EDT  
Blogger Marina said...

Denise,
It is a must read! A must read!

8:25 PM EDT  
Blogger Marina said...

March,
Colony is not urk! :-)) That is the pineapple one. Isn't it a shame that such a diverse collection is basically gone into oblivion :-(

8:26 PM EDT  
Blogger chayaruchama said...

It IS a shame, isn't it ?
Like the Carons, a magnificent chapter in 'great' perfumery.

Lyrical writing, you clever vixen, you.

7:23 AM EDT  
Blogger Marina said...

Ida,
Regrettably, Carons don't love me as much as Patous do :-(

7:30 AM EDT  

Post a Comment

<< Home