Melodrama (2005)
by Space NK

This perfume-art was created by famous Christopher Sheldrake (for Brittish SPACE NK). Hard to find, and sadly discontiniued. and sold for $$$ on the internet (ebay etc.). The dramatic scent was inspired by the black & white movies of the 1930s. The notes are bergamot, orange blossom, French lavender, pink rose, heliotrope, gardenia, jasmine, oakmoss, patchouli and vetiver. Here's some very well-describing info from perfumesmellinthings blog: " Melodrama was created for Space NK, a stylish UK-based “apothecary”, by Chris Sheldrake, the perfumer responsible for many Serge Lutens’s scents. “Inspired by the allure of classic scents, Melodrama pays homage to the golden age of perfumery in the 1920s”, says Space NK, and indeed, this is a fragrance with a vintage, classic feel. This is a heady scent, but the blend is so smooth, that somehow that headiness is not overwhelming or uncomfortable. Melodrama is a good example of a scent we can expect from the Chanel-Sheldrake team. Excellently blended, high quality, handsome scent with classic ambitions."

8th December, 2011.

Unfortunately now discontinued. It goes for big money on ebay too.
And yes this is a Sheldrake, upon release Space NK where very proud he had created for them and advertised the fact.

Opens with a blast of aldehyde which then settles into a classic feminine chypre. Melodrama does smell like a bygone classic which fragrance houses don't make anymore. Shame on the other houses more interested in pumping out celeb fragrances.

For those who love chypres you really need to hunt down Melodrama and try. The reason for its early discontinuation? The younger modern market does not realize nor understand what a classic chypre should be. Their loss.

8th July, 2009.

It is hard to believe that this fragrance was introduced only two years ago. I’d almost swear it’s an old power fragrance. This is a fragrance that tells a story - a melodrama, to be exact. It opens up aggressively – I’m not sure but it seems to be full of aldehydes, which doesn’t happen too often now days. These aldehydes threaten… threaten animalism and powder, to be exact. I get a heavy indole note that flickers in and out of the opening – this must be the villain of the piece, (unless the villain is the boredom that occurs at the end, with the drydown). With the aldehydes and the indole it is a rather dramatic (if not melodramatic) fragrance. It certainly isn’t a demure fragrance – at any rate, for a while there are things going on. In spite of being hit over the head with that unsubtle opening accord, and in spite of the indole note (or maybe because of it), I rather like what this fragrance is doing. The demureness enters in the middle accords where the notes get very floral and powdery (Penelope Pureheart, I suppose): The scent has just become powdery and feminine which is quite alright because it is marketed as a feminine fragrance. The drydown is a rather ordinary moss and light wood chypre – still retaining some of the middle powder. It's not the most exciting drydown for me because I don’t find anything dominant or firmly directed, and it leaves me kind of wishing that this had been one melodrama where the villain won. Incidentally, rumor has it that Melodrama is by Chris Sheldrake – and it’s not anything like his Lutens’ creations – maybe it’s just a rumor. I go back and forth on this one between a neutral and a thumbs up...

5th December, 2007. (Last Edited: 11th December, 2010.)