Folie de Minuit was launched in 1952 by Parfums Lanier.
The New Yorker, 1958:
"Folie de Minuit de Lanier, "the $50 per ounce priceless perfume."
Fragrance Composition:
So what does it smell like? It is classified as a woody-mossy-leafy chypre fragrance for women. I have no official notes so I will use a vintage perfume nip and tell you what I can detect.
- Top notes: aldehydes, bergamot and geranium
- Middle notes: orris, labdanum, rose, jasmine, galbanum
- Base notes: oakmoss, sandalwood, patchouli, ambergris, musk, vetiver, cedar, tonka bean, labdanum
Fate of the Fragrance:
Discontinued some time in the 1960s.
I remember my mom wearing this when she’d get dressed up to go out. I got in trouble for repeatedly breaking glass nibs open to smell them. When I saw them for sale yesterday, on Etsy, I was amazed at how precise the memories were about them. Scent has powerful pathways in our brains for sure. I remembered the dresser she kept them in, the mirror, the scent of the drawers, seeing my sister crying from my mom trying to rake thru her crazy hair before school, my reflection in the mirror... and I must have been only 5 yrs old then.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your memories with us Connie!
DeleteHaving opened and applied a perfectly preserved glass nip from probably the 1940s, possibly 50s, I have to say this is unique, but nothing groundbreaking. The combination of LOTV with such heavy tonka bean and oak moss feels very disjointed to me. It actually smells very similar to some modern designer perfumes out there (Ormonde Sampaquita comes to mind.) There are vintage and antique perfumes that are far more pleasant or surprising - those that are truly unforgettable and leave a mark on history.
ReplyDeleteTo my nose, the notes you've listed seem accurate. It is a centifolia rose, quite sharp and missing most of the sweetness. It has a strong green, almost astringent edge long into the drydown. There is sweet osmanthus in the opening top notes, however. The initial application was more pleasant as my skin is turning this into a synthetic lily of the valley mess which is beginning to become headache-inducing. There are definitely early synthetics present such as coumarin, alpha ionone, etc.
Ultimately, if you are looking for a realistic LOTV scent, Coty's Muguets are better and retain their true-to-nature character longer. For a lovely Osmanthus, there are nearly endless options out there.