Organza Indécence (1999)
by Givenchy

This is a very pleasant spicy-vanilla fragrance that, unfortunately, smells more synthetic with each consecutive wearing. It’s soft and alluring rather than aggressive, but its longevity could have been a lot better.

[Original submission date: 06 August 2008]

For me this is sexy!! On me its very woody spicy, not as long lived as I'd like but then I only have the EDT.

I remember this fragrance from the past as absolutely flirty sexy scent. Having received it lately, I was overwhelmed. Mightbe my taste has changed but all I get now is a mixture of vanilla and rum baking essence with incredible longevity. Not sure if I really want to smell like baking ingredients........I guess I have moved farther from gourmand scents and don´t prefer them anymore. Not bad at all....just not me.

This is basically Hypnotic Poison but a bit less milky, and with woody notes in it. Basenotes lists Jacara Wood, but to me, it's just similar to other woody fragrances, but I don't remember if this is sandal or cedar wood that I remember.

This is also very similar to Hanae Mori for women. To me, Hanae Mori is Hypnotic poison, but less milky. So Organza would be close to that too, only with wood.

It is pleasant, and this is a deep, creamy vanilla. I think this is something I would love to smell up-close on a woman.

The new bottles of Indecence are available in stores now for any of you wishing to purchase. It is in a new, boring, bottle. Same perfume. I've seen the old bottles advertised on Ebay for over $100 dollars. I got a new bottle as a Christmas gift. Let me know if anyone is unable to find it in the stores. I am in Michigan.

Notes: (from Givenchy)
Top: Cinnamon, Tangerine
Heart: Jacaranda Wood, Plum
Base: Amber, Patchouli

I bought Organza Indecence when it first came out, so my bottle is the feminine one with the open, flowing gown, and the fragrance is EDP strength. At the time, I was already a lover of the Original Organza, and OI was having a special on gift sets, so I also got a cute mini, some body lotion and shower gel. It appears they no longer make the body products, and I am not sure if the fragrance is the same juice, but I read on the Givenchy site that the re-release is also an EDP. The new bottle is blocky, a tall rectangle like the Serge Lutens export line.

I am not generally very keen on fragrances that emphasize spices (eg, Serge Lutens Russe or Arabie), but for some reason, I never really noticed the cinnamon in OI. Spraying it now, I do smell the cinnamon more (since I am paying attention, probably), but it is not an edible cinnamon or part of a spice melange. Rather, it blends initially with the other top and mid notes to give a sort of tart fruit and light wood effect. In some ways it reminds me of a holiday potpourri, but it definitely does not have a cheap candle quality. Still, the combination of citrus, spice and wood is very reminiscent of wintertime holidays. In fact, OI is a great cool weather scent either by association, or by the depth and relative heaviness of the composition.

As the top notes burn off, I notice the patchouli much more. Sandalwood is not mentioned in the notes, but I smell something that could pass for sandalwood--it is a dusty, sweet wood smell with no cedar notes that I can detect. It compliments the cinnamon and patchouli very nicely--the patchouli becomes more rounded and the cinnamon helps the fragrance retain just enough sharpness to keep it from becoming fuzzy. Another note which is not listed is Vanilla, but I am sure it is in there (it could be in the amber accord), pulling the whole composition together. One of the mid-notes that becomes more apparent is a sort of preserved fruit note--either dried fruits or fruits steeped in brandy.

Further into the development, the cinnamon is still present, the sandalwood becomes more strong and the fruits fade. The sandalwood is a bit more powdery at this stage. Sometimes it seems like the cinnamon comes out more, but then a later sniff smells more like sandalwood. The patchouli is also still there, but quiet and earthy. Smelling the fragrance close to my skin, I can smell distinct notes, Smelling it further away, it is a gorgeous blend. The combination is creamy, not what one would expect given the notes. At the same time it still has a pleasant "bite", like a kind of tree wood that does not exist in nature.

I think the deep drydown is what most people associate with this fragrance, and it is well worth the wait. The creamyness amplifies as the sharper top and mid notes soften. The result is a beautiful creamy vanilla sandalwood with light cinnamon spice. It is still not edible-smelling, but it is incredibly voluptuous without being pretentious, and gracefully soft without being girly. It is really a difficult scent to describe--I find my self resorting back to the individual notes, but again, their combination is what makes this one special.

Overall, the fragrance is complex and deep, but is not extreme in its development. In fact, I would say it is mostly linear except that different stages highlight different parts of the scent quite well. I always used to think it had very strong sillage, but now it seems more moderate. Compared to a fragrance like Mugler's Angel, OI is mild mannered and genteel. It is not light by any means, but not a shrinking violet, either. Longevity is excellent--after 10 hours I can still smell it. It is light at this point, but not so light to be a skin scent.

As I write this, I am struck by the similarity of OI to Shiseido Feminite du Bois. Both are orientals built primarily on a woody base with spices and dried fruits. Where FdB focuses on cedar and cumin, OI highlights sandalwood and cinnamon. In either case, there is a comforting quality that makes me want to be enveloped in the scent. With OI, the fragrance hints at being edible without turning into candy or cake. I love the contrast of sharp and soft, sweet and dry or dusty. I love how the all the ingredients work together so that the cinnamon becomes part of the fragrance composition rather than taking over (a very common problem with some spices). Mostly, though, I love the blend that is more than the sum of its parts.