Grain de Folie by Parfums Nicky Verfaillie c1981

Grain de Folie by Parfums Nicky Verfaillie (Monique "Nicky" Verfaillie): launched in 1982.

A verbatim translation of "Grain de Folie" is "grain of frivolity."

In 1984, Rosemarie Stack, wife of late actor Robert Stack, purchased the distribution rights of Grain de Sable from Nicky Verfaillie. Under their distribution company, Rosemary Stack, Ltd, two more fragrances as part of the Les Grains line were launched including Grain de Folie and Grain de Passion. 

Why did she pick this adventure? Stack explains, "A friend who lives in Paris was wearing the most beautiful fragrance. I, of course asked what are you wearing. It was Grain de Sable. My friend happened to do public relations for Nicky Verfaillie, the Paris company that makes the perfume. So she started sending it to me because it was unavailable in this country. You might say that it all began with the love of a fragrance and evolved into a distributorship. It's a very successful fragrance in Europe...This is pretty much my baby." 

The appeal of the fragrances were just as hot in America as it was on the European continent. One such examples was a demand of $1,100 worth of Grain de Folie which was purchased by a Saudi Arabian princess. The order was received at at 4:30pm the day before the introduction of the perfumes at the department store. The princess bought the entire store stock because she wanted every one of her ladies in waiting to wear the same fragrance she wore. Mrs. Stack hand carried the fragrance on a plane to San Francisco the following morning.

Fragrance Composition:

So what does it smell like? It is classified as an oriental fragrance for women. It starts with a fruity, dry, fresh top, followed by an elegant floral heart of sweet melon alongside papaya, jasmine and rose, resting on a warm, woody base.

• Top notes: bergamot, neroli, aldehyde, galbanum, estragon, fruit note
• Middle notes: jasmine, rose, lily of the valley, clove buds, orris
• Base notes: oakmoss, patchouli, sandalwood, vetiver, amber, cedar, civet, leather, castoreum

The line consisted of the following:

• 1 oz Cologne Spray

Fate of the Fragrance:

Discontinued, date unknown. Probably around 1985.