Douglas Hannant de Robert Piguet

I sold Douglas Hannant de Robert Piguet today, just by wearing the Eau de Parfum ($85). This luscious signature fragrance was created by womenswear designer Douglas Hannant in collaboration with Robert Piguet Parfums. Inspired by the sophistication of haute couture, the fragrance is a light floral that is modern, clean, and fresh - and seductive.

I doubt I need to recount the story of Fracas, created by Robert Piguet, to any white flower fragrance fan. The legendary Fracas, developed in the year of my birth, is still enormously popular today. It is strongly tuberose, with accompanying notes of bergamot, mandarin, jasmine, gardenia, jonquil, (and I've read Bulgarian rose and orange flower), drying down to base notes of musk and sandalwood - floral notes I adore. That makes it all the more strange that I have never been a Fracas lover. I can't explain it. There's just something about Fracas that never caught on with my heart, like Joy did. Perhaps it's because I never smelled the original, but instead have tried the modern version, not exactly true to the original, but supposedly formulated with non-allergenic materials. I find Fracas harsh.

Now, though, I am totally smitten with what I now call "Fracas Light" with love. Douglas Hannant de Robert Piguet is so gorgeous that when I wore it to work today, a colleague came into my office marveling at how good it smelled. Given that she has mistaken my own fragrance for my diffuser in the past, I had her get up close and smell me. It was on her second, "Can I have another whiff?" that she decided she needed it too. This fragrance sells itself! I should be getting a commission from Neiman Marcus (LOL - they are plenty good to me).

Douglas Hannant, in its elegant black bottle, has top notes of orange blossom, pear granita, and gardenia. The mid-note is tuberose. The base notes are sandalwood, jasmine, and white musk. The overall effect is a white floral that is enticing, intoxicating, and seductive. It ropes you in. If you love white flowers, you are going to love this scent, one of a group of fragrances exclusive to Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue in New York, Henri Bendel, the Robert Piguet Web site, and a few other sources, such as Selfridges (England), Printemps (Paris), and Le Bon Marché (Paris). I think Bergdorf Goodman has them too.

I will tell you about the sister fragrances sometime soon. For now, I think you need to go smell this one! It's divine. I'm gushing. I can't thank Kathy Shoreman - Neiman Marcus super-SA - enough for telling me about this beautiful addition to my fragrance collection. I may need to purchase the more expensive parfum, which can take its place next to Joy (a classic I'll always wear) and the Eau de Parfum at my house.

Photos by Robert Piguet