Fantasque by Louis Feraud c1981

 Fantasque by Louis Feraud was created in 1981 and the designer chose Avon to launch his perfume officially in 1982. (This is also the first designer perfume from this company). "Fantasque" means "Whimsical or Fanciful" in French. 

Feraud stated that he had put as much, if not more research into the making of his perfume than he had into any of his design work. It reportedly took him two years to develop the fragrance with Avon.

He personally worked on selecting the various flowers that would make up the scent and decided how the perfume would be packaged. Feraud went an extra step and also studied all he could on the psychology of fragrance itself, including a doctoral thesis on how perfume is accepted by the brain.

"The perfume starts with flowers and through very mysterious ways reaches the brain. The selection must appeal to people's memories. I was interested in creating a perfume that would be mysterious, a little bit erotic and at the same time deep enough to make sort of an energy. Of course, the notion of why a perfume affects someone is also more than scientific explanation. I feel that they are unconsciously looking for a state of grace , sort of an aura which perfume often has."

From Louis Feraud:

" I am Louis Feraud. The clothes I design transform a woman. My fragrance from Avon, Fantasque, does the same thing. Fantasque lets a woman experience intensely her power to excite. Fantasque. Exclusively from Avon."

Fantasque originally cost $25 in 1985. In 1982, Feraud launched a matching black and gold perfume pendant which  sold for $32.

The British launch of the fragrance was held at Avon's head office in Imperial Drive, Harrow. The launch was preceded by a makeup demonstration, followed by a colorful fashion show of Louis Feraud's latest collection featuring stripes, frills, and bold florals..

Woman's Day associate editor Lee Tulloch joined hundreds at the Fantasque launch at the Regent.

From the New York Times:

"Louis Feraud continued the European invasion with a luncheon yesterday at the New York Hilton to introduce his jewelry collection for Avon, his first watches (black faces, black lizard straps and oval shapes for women, circular for men), and the new bath and body versions of his fragrance, Fantasque. When it was introduced last November, the perfume set marketing records. Thirty million dollars worth of sales was chalked up in six weeks.

The jewelry, which includes a jet necklace and matching drop earrings, was shown with fashions from the Feraud couture collection.

This jet set was effective with the short chiffon chemise in a gray and black zigzag pattern. Mr. Feraud designs his own fabrics. A versatile piece of twisted strands of steel gray caviar beads can be worn long or doubled around the neck as a choker, appropriate for day or evening."

Fragrance Composition:

So what does it smell like? It is classified as a rich floral chypre fragrance for women. It starts with a fruity aldehydic top, followed by a fruity floral heart, resting on a woody, mossy, powdery base. Osmanthus blossom with other florals forming a bouquet enhanced with vetiver and wood tones.

• Top notes: fruity accord, Tibetan osmanthus blossom, pear, aldehydes, citruses, spicy note, rosewood and green notes
• Middle notes: ylang-ylang, jasmine, lily of the valley, rose and orris root
• Base notes: vetiver, patchouli, oakmoss, cedar, sandalwood, musk and amber

Fantasque possesses a unique harmony of an imaginative fragrance composition from exquisite natural substances: a bouquet of rare Tibetan osmanthus blossoms brings the perfume a wine-like scent, and other flowers entwined with vetiver, are blended with a hint of moss and sandalwood. The effect of the scent is different for each individual. Only through the warmth of your skin does Fantasque develop into a perfect harmony of fragrances, perfect for evening wear.

Bottle:

Black was the color, and the one most often associated with the work of Louis Feraud when Fantasque made its original debut in 1981. The onyx glass and fired with gold bottle was designed by Jacques Llorente. Such care was taken with its production that white gloves were worn to protect the black matte case.

Fate of the Fragrance:

In 1984 an article in the Toledo Blade mentions that "Fantasque by Feraud is at the pinnacle because of the stroke of luck that it will be launched by Avon the foremost power in the American cosmetic industry."

Fantasque made 30 million in sales in the first 6 weeks of it's launch and ended up making a total of 35 million in sales it's first year.

Discontinued, date unknown.


Feraud went on to launch the perfumes Cote d'Azur and the spicy daytime fragrance Vivage, also in association with Avon.

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