Fracas (1948)
by Robert Piguet

I cannot get my arms around Fracas. It's way too big for me to handle! I have never smelled a bigger floral in my life. After the initial blast of varnish, I get a big whiff of gardenia.And then there is the tuberose which goes on forever! I am bowled over, literally, by this fragrance. This ode to flowers which went into wristlets of my youth seems a bit old fashioned. But I do understand why it creates a Fracas!

Ah, Fracas - its reputation precedes it! Yes, everything you've heard is true. It's big, it's showy, it's loud. It's a tuberose that oozes luxury and good living, and yes, it's as subtle as a hand grenade at a baby shower.

I was initially put off by Fracas' top notes - too bright and aldehydic, retro, and perhaps a bit girly. However, after numerous wearings, I've grown to love it, especially in the drydown. Give this one a chance to bloom on your skin before judging. The tuberose note is crisp and clean, and is a somewhat abstract rendering of the flower, more of the opera house than the garden. There is a distinct spiciness to the blend, a faint soapiness, and a generally cool and "airy" vibe heightened by the more soft spoken florals that halo the tuberose. Muguet? Gardenia? Perhaps, but Fracas is a very seamless creation, and its hard to pick out its facets amid the white floral sheen.

The longevity and sillage are very good on both counts, but if you can wear other loud florals, there shouldn't be a problem.

I have only tried the reformulated EdP but I adore it. On my skin, Fracas is a beautiful, creamy fragrance. The jasmine and tuberose are gorgeously rich, but the brightness of orange blossom just shines through, stopping the florals from being cloying. On me, Fracas is almost a comfort scent. I feel glamorous and extremely feminine when I wear it, whether it's at a party or just lazing in bed. It's a beautiful, decadent perfume.

Two salient facts regarding Fracas:

1.) It’s beautiful.

2.) It can knock down a charging bull elephant at 100 yards.

If you can wear it, more power to you. Most women I smell it on apply far, far too much, which is to say more than one spray. Please, for the love of god, keep it light ladies. Upon overexposure, Fracas becomes extremely tiresome.

Also be aware that Fracas is one of the two most instantly recognizable perfumes of all time. (Chanel No. 5 is the other.) People will say to themselves “Oh, she’s wearing Fracas.” If that thought bothers you, consider another tuberose.

As an aside: I am a man. I wear tuberose. I wear Carnal Flower. I wear Tubéreuse Criminelle. I will not wear Fracas.

I just bought the EDP version and...Wow, Fracas opens loud, heady and narcotic- it reminds me very much of a natural, highly indolic jasmine hair oil from India my father used to purchase in the belief that it would help his receding hairline. It didn't and he eventually moved on to more scientific methods, but it kept the family away at arm's length whenever he used it.

Fracas calms down after a half hour or so to a sweeter, lighter version of the opening, but the narcotic, indolic quality is still there. Here, it resembles the cologne some airlines used to sprinkle on the warm towels before they hand them to passengers, refreshing but familiar. It has great longevity and sillage for sure, but it also brings on a slight skin redness, so those with sensitive skin should be careful.

I won't go into the notes as many of the other reviewers have elaborated on them, but to my nose, Fracas' popularity is probably its own undoing. It is more recognizable though still unique among the ubiquitous candied junk out there. There are now more modern interpretations of the tuberose by other great perfumers, eg. Carnal Flower, Shalini, La Chasse aux Papillons, and while I appreciate its distinctive history, I feel that it is a bit over-hyped for what it offers.

A big, true, luscious tuberose, though a bit on the sweet side for me and with a touch of old-fashioned powderiness I'm not too fond of. I can definitely see why this is such a classic, but I personally prefer Carnal Flower, which is more like huge, rain-wet tuberoses among green foliage and less like an elegant lady in mink and pearls.