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Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Givenchy Organza Indecence



What would have happened if Tam Dao (Diptyque), Rousse (Serge Almighty) and Kenzo Jungle L'Elephant had a love child?

The answer is Givenchy Organza Indecence.

While the original Organza is a massively floral concoction, this younger sibling is very unique and should have been given a different name, one that doesn't suggest a flanker but can stand alone. See, Organza Indecence has no floral notes whatsoever and it's also very different than any other Givenchy offering, except for maybe the masculine Pi.

The opening notes seem sharp and a bit overwhelming for the first few minutes. There's a blast of sweet cinnamon with a scary hint of candied fruit. But as soon as the Christmas cake tones down a bit and the cinnamon is left to play with heart notes of Jacaranda wood (fancy Brazilian name for rosewood) and just a little patchouli, the fragrance takes a turn for the wonderful. It's sweet, warm and definitely of the "yummy" category (same school of perfumery thinking that unleashed Angel on us), but still feels grownup and, dare I say it? Complex and sophisticated.
The dry-down on my skin is equal parts of vanilla, gorgeous wood and soft amber. Despite the sweetness, the overall feel of the scent is very dry, warm and incredibly sexy. These qualities, together with its strength, make this a very good winter scent. It blooms quickly, and body heat makes it into a serious sillage powerhouse, so careful application is highly recommended. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Organza Indecence was launched in 1999 but discontinued about five years later. Its cult of followers has made its eBay price to soar as high as no modern Givenchy perfume should ever go. However, it seems like this perfume is once again in production. With little fanfare and no marketing effort, Organza Indecence can once again be bought at sane retail price, though the eBay market has yet to catch up on this. You can find the EdP at Dillard's (and also on their website), and if you search long enough, some online discounters are offering it even cheaper.


Image: Okadi.com

6 comments:

  1. well this sounds interesting...

    Is a jacaranda really the same as rosewood? We have jacaranda trees here, they have big fat purple blooms in the spring which are beautiful but a total bit#h to clean up..

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  2. Tom, I was also surprised. I'm familiar with the blossoming jacaranda trees and I know that some varities also smell lovely, but as far as I could find, they aren't the ones used in perfumery. From what I've read, the jacaranda used in this scent (and a few others) is some kind of Brazilian rosewood). We should probably consult someone like Andy, who knows a thing or three about what goes into perfumes.

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  3. Hm, blogger ate up my earlier post.

    I was so happy to read your review of Indecence. It was my signature scent in high school, though I've since lost interest in strict gourmands. It still is, in my opinion, the best vanilla I've smelled, not saccharine, but rich and creamy and honeyed. Jo Malone used to say that one perfume note she wouldn't touch was vanilla because it was overused, and good for her and her pretty-pretty watery scents, but Indecence always struck me as rather clever, putting the ubiquitous vanilla, which is the starch of perfume notes, onto the center stage.

    Givenchy rereleased Hot Couture, too. If you haven't tried that one, it's even more interesting. Real ripe red raspberries (not the ones preserved in formaldehyde as one usually encounters), with a spicy kick of pepper, and the strange and wonderful addition of something definitively inedible, magnolia. I loathe fruity scents with a passion, but I like this one, which says something.

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  4. Dain- I haven't smelled Hot Couture in ages and can't recall it, but your recommendation is a good reason to look for some and see how it goes.

    I like vanilla and semi-gourmands, like many of the Lutens and PG scents, but too many commercial perfumes abuse and mangle the notes to the point of nausea. Indecence is definitely one of the best vanilla scents I own (together with some Guerlain extraits and Mazzolari Lei).

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  5. The Indecence now in the stores 2014 is to weak and only the slightest hint of what i used to be. I didn't waste my money on it.l

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  6. I bought a bottle off E bay. It was dark in color and I should have known, it was rotten and spoiled. Be careful buying the old stuff. The new stuff isn't worth it.

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