Volcan d'Amour is the second fragrance from the designer Diane von Furstenberg, launched in 1981.
For two years, trying to figure out the final name for the perfume was a tough task. The working names for the scent were originally called both "Deadly Feminine" and 'Deadly Sin", was coined by the internationally known interior designer Dakota Jackson, but Mrs. Von Furstenberg did not think that name would work.
In 1980, Diane met a Brazilian beach boy in Bali, with whom she had a torrid relationship. The romance was shrouded in an overheated, tropical mystique and reporters only used her paramour’s first name, Paolo, his last name was later revealed to be Fernandes. Their passion inspired her to create her 1981 fragrance Volcan d’Amour, based on a poem she dedicated to Paolo under the name Volcan d'Amour (Volcano of Love), which was later included inside the perfume box:
"Volcan is for when you want to be sexual," said Diane von Furstenberg, unlike her first scent, Tatiana, which she named after her daughter, but "created for myself. She went on to explain, "I knew the next one would be different. Like a very expensive cognac, if a man gives it to you, you know it is the ultimate gift. "
Shortly after the name Volcan d'Amour was registered, von Furstenberg discovered through an archaeologist friend, that according to Roman mythology "Vulcan was the god of fire married to the goddess of love, Venus, and Cupid was one of their children. It's destiny."
Diane held a launch party for the perfume at her 16 room, Fifth Avenue apartment in which she promised her guests "an evening of cocktails, buffet and blithe spirits." Her daughter Tatiana greeted everyone at the door, and inside, her guests were mostly the fashion press, sipping champagne from tumblers. Her mysterious muse, Paolo, was nowhere to be seen and Diane's spokeswoman explained that "he had other business to attend to this evening." Some 100 guests, including luminaries such as Mary Tyler Moore, 60's hairdresser turned photographer Ara Galant, Andy Warhol, Zbigneiw Brzezinksi, producer Howard Rosenman, and Bob Colacello (of Interview), both friends of Diane, had attended. The press received little gifts, press packets with a sample of the perfume and a brochure telling the lengthy legend of the fragrance.
On September, 21, models dressed in native Bali costume, tropical sarongs, and jewelry marched single filed onto the Fifth Avenue sidewalk in the '50's to spray unwary passerbys with the new fragrance.
"I worked on it for five years," von Furstenberg explained, she then described her perfume ,"it smells like violets and is very sexy...violets...so petite, yet so provocative. Intoxicating. Intense. the feeling comes from deep, deep, down...and fills me. Violets. I had to have them."
The violets were supposedly only grown on the slopes of Mt. Etna, the legendary home of Vulcan & Venus.
So what does it smell like? It is classified as a heady chypre floral fragrance for women with dominant notes of violets and basil. It was described as an intense violet, created by blending over 300 of the world's richest, rarest, most sought after ingredients, herbs, oils and spices including violet, jonquil, jasmine, mimosa, tuberose, lily of the valley, orchid, marigold, iris and honeysuckle, interfused with basil, tarragon, sandalwood, vetiver and patchouli. Depth is given by bergamot, lemon, myrrh, labdanum and olibanum and warmth by amber.
For two years, trying to figure out the final name for the perfume was a tough task. The working names for the scent were originally called both "Deadly Feminine" and 'Deadly Sin", was coined by the internationally known interior designer Dakota Jackson, but Mrs. Von Furstenberg did not think that name would work.
In 1980, Diane met a Brazilian beach boy in Bali, with whom she had a torrid relationship. The romance was shrouded in an overheated, tropical mystique and reporters only used her paramour’s first name, Paolo, his last name was later revealed to be Fernandes. Their passion inspired her to create her 1981 fragrance Volcan d’Amour, based on a poem she dedicated to Paolo under the name Volcan d'Amour (Volcano of Love), which was later included inside the perfume box:
Into my life you came
Bringing peace to my heart
Fire to my body
Love to my soul
In your eyes I see myself
Feeling, reaching, looking
For perfect harmony
"Volcan is for when you want to be sexual," said Diane von Furstenberg, unlike her first scent, Tatiana, which she named after her daughter, but "created for myself. She went on to explain, "I knew the next one would be different. Like a very expensive cognac, if a man gives it to you, you know it is the ultimate gift. "
Shortly after the name Volcan d'Amour was registered, von Furstenberg discovered through an archaeologist friend, that according to Roman mythology "Vulcan was the god of fire married to the goddess of love, Venus, and Cupid was one of their children. It's destiny."
Diane held a launch party for the perfume at her 16 room, Fifth Avenue apartment in which she promised her guests "an evening of cocktails, buffet and blithe spirits." Her daughter Tatiana greeted everyone at the door, and inside, her guests were mostly the fashion press, sipping champagne from tumblers. Her mysterious muse, Paolo, was nowhere to be seen and Diane's spokeswoman explained that "he had other business to attend to this evening." Some 100 guests, including luminaries such as Mary Tyler Moore, 60's hairdresser turned photographer Ara Galant, Andy Warhol, Zbigneiw Brzezinksi, producer Howard Rosenman, and Bob Colacello (of Interview), both friends of Diane, had attended. The press received little gifts, press packets with a sample of the perfume and a brochure telling the lengthy legend of the fragrance.
On September, 21, models dressed in native Bali costume, tropical sarongs, and jewelry marched single filed onto the Fifth Avenue sidewalk in the '50's to spray unwary passerbys with the new fragrance.
Fragrance Composition:
"I worked on it for five years," von Furstenberg explained, she then described her perfume ,"it smells like violets and is very sexy...violets...so petite, yet so provocative. Intoxicating. Intense. the feeling comes from deep, deep, down...and fills me. Violets. I had to have them."
The violets were supposedly only grown on the slopes of Mt. Etna, the legendary home of Vulcan & Venus.
So what does it smell like? It is classified as a heady chypre floral fragrance for women with dominant notes of violets and basil. It was described as an intense violet, created by blending over 300 of the world's richest, rarest, most sought after ingredients, herbs, oils and spices including violet, jonquil, jasmine, mimosa, tuberose, lily of the valley, orchid, marigold, iris and honeysuckle, interfused with basil, tarragon, sandalwood, vetiver and patchouli. Depth is given by bergamot, lemon, myrrh, labdanum and olibanum and warmth by amber.
It starts with a fresh flowery, green, spicy top, followed by a radiant rich floral heart, layered over a feminine, warm and sensual base.
The fragrance was available in the following:
- Top notes: ylang ylang, violet, tagetes, basil, bergamot, coriander, lemon, orange blossom, green note, jonquil, mimosa, tarragon
- Middle notes: orchid, marigold, carnation, syringa, orris, lily of the valley, jasmine, rose, tuberose, honeysuckle
- Base notes: civet, olibanum, labdanum, ambergris, vetiver, myrrh, oakmoss, musk, patchouli, sandalwood, and frankincense
The fragrance was available in the following:
- 1/4 oz Parfum
- 1/2 oz Parfum
- 1 oz Parfum
- 1.5 oz Eau de Toilette
- 2 oz Eau de Toilette
Bottle:
The bottle was designed by sculptor Serge Mansau in 1982. The bottles were produced in France by Pochet et du Courval.
1 oz of Volcan d'Amour Parfum retailed for $140 in 1983 and was presented in a seven sided glass bottle that looks like a shard of crystal, designed by Dakota Jackson who was inspired by the tall skyscrapers in Manhattan. Von Furstenberg says that the bottle can double as a "weapon suitable for New Yorkers."
For ideas for the packaging, Diane had showed Batuan, the sovereign of Pengosakan, the flacon and let him sniff the fragrance, "she anointed his pulse points, annexed his ear, and whispered the words of the legend. Vulcan and Venus...violets and love..Diane drew him into her excitement." Happily, "he understood" and in no time, was able to come up with a box design.
Despite its heavy marketing campaign and brisk sales, it was immensely popular at first, but by 1983, it was a giant flop, and was discontinued, today, it is very hard to find. The losses almost destroyed the her business, so in 1983, the designer sold her beauty business to Beecham Pharmaceuticals for a reported $22 million (who later sold it to Revlon).
Note: Please understand that this website is not affiliated with the Diane Von Furstenberg company in any way, it is only a reference page for collectors and those who have enjoyed the Diane Von Furstenberg fragrances.
The goal of this website is to show the present owners of the Diane Von Furstenberg company how much we miss the discontinued classics such as Volcan d'Amour and hopefully, if they see that there is enough interest and demand, they will bring back the original formula of the perfume!
Please leave a comment below (for example: of why you liked the perfume, describe the scent, time period or age you wore it, who gave it to you or what occasion, any specific memories), who knows, perhaps someone from the company might see it.
Fate of the Fragrance:
Despite its heavy marketing campaign and brisk sales, it was immensely popular at first, but by 1983, it was a giant flop, and was discontinued, today, it is very hard to find. The losses almost destroyed the her business, so in 1983, the designer sold her beauty business to Beecham Pharmaceuticals for a reported $22 million (who later sold it to Revlon).
Note: Please understand that this website is not affiliated with the Diane Von Furstenberg company in any way, it is only a reference page for collectors and those who have enjoyed the Diane Von Furstenberg fragrances.
The goal of this website is to show the present owners of the Diane Von Furstenberg company how much we miss the discontinued classics such as Volcan d'Amour and hopefully, if they see that there is enough interest and demand, they will bring back the original formula of the perfume!
Please leave a comment below (for example: of why you liked the perfume, describe the scent, time period or age you wore it, who gave it to you or what occasion, any specific memories), who knows, perhaps someone from the company might see it.
I remember this perfume, I loved it so much. I bought it when I was a teenager! It was like a weeks worth of tips. I would buy it if it were rereleased!
ReplyDeleteHola. lo use como a los 8 años cuando una tia lo trajo de Brasil, recuerdo lo especial del aroma, lo compraria inmediatamente lo viera.
ReplyDeleteHola.a mi me lo regalo una amiga en mis 15años y para mi es uno de los mejores perfumes.
ReplyDeleteLo busque por muchos años, lo acabo de comprar en eBay y aún vuele increÃble.
Yes, please bring back Volcan d'Amour!
ReplyDeleteStill remembering that unforgettable scent from the '80s! A nice one to wear for nights out and/or in occasionally with someone Special of course (even if its just for yourself) definitely a sexual/sexy one though. I didn't know it was a heavy Violet one. I always felt it as a Luxury.
I would buy it in a heartbeat
ReplyDeleteIs there anything available now (2019) that even remotely smells like this? I loved this fragrance.
ReplyDeletePlease bring it back, no other smell like it ..plz from Laredo Texas♡
ReplyDeleteI was in my early Twenties when I bought this perfume. It was one of my only splurges. I had to hide it from my roommate. I'm sensitive to most smells but this scent is something that was so sensual and exquisite. I was too poor at the time to buy more but had I known it was going to be discontinued I would of found the money to stock up on it. Please, please bring it back!!!
ReplyDeleteI received a vintage bottle off eBay today. It must be 40 years old, but it looks and smells just as I remember it. I bought it as a teenager at a bargain store and all these years I remembered it as "Vulcan," a strangely-compelling weird off-brand fragrance I thought I'd never see again. I was pleased to learn on Fragrantica last week that it was in fact Volcan d'Amour and I was able to get a bottle for about the same price it sold for new. It is unlike any other perfume I'm familiar with. It smells like sunset and secrets and purple nostalgia. It would be a lovely fragrance to bring back, if possible
ReplyDeleteThis is going to sound ridiculous, but I remember this fragrance because my father was a drug addicted shoplifter in San Diego that would steal perfumes and sell them in Tijuana Mexico. Well, he took me with him to a pic n’ save and lo and behold, they had shelves full of Volcan D’amour. Hundreds of the 2 oz eau de’ toilette. My father and his friend cleaned out that store in about 15 minutes. They went down to Duarte’s on Revolution ave in Tijuana and sold every bottle for $18 each. Mr. Duarte had no idea the fragrance was discontinued and selling at a discount store for $3.99. Retail price was like $48 at the time. Mr. Duarte was very upset when he finally figured it out. Don’t really remember what it smelled like but that is my memory of this enchanted fragrance.
ReplyDeleteI loved Volcan L'Amour back in the 80's. When it was no longer available, I heard that Diane Von Furstenberg was paid to take it off the market by Jean Patou because it smelled just like his 1000 fragrance which was much more expensive. So, I bought 1000 until just lately because Patou's perfumerie was sold and the fragrance is no longer the same. Please bring back Volcan L'Amour, please!!
ReplyDelete