Divine Folie by Jean Patou, 1933

Divine Folie, another beauty by Henri Almeras, who also brought us Joy and Normandie, is part of the Ma Collection reprisals. There are still a scant few full bottles online. Released in 1933, Divine Folie was formulated to accessorize the white satin and silk evening gowns Patou was designing to counterbalance the little black cocktail dresses of Chanel, yet it is versatile enough for day wear as well. Divine Folie is in many ways a more floral precursor of Normandie, released two years later. DF is well mannered and feminine with notes of neroli and ylang-ylang balanced with jasmine, iris and rose. I also smell carnation and amber. And now and then I smell a note which is vaguely reminiscent of leather. It's almost as if a svelte, Patou-clad femme has just opened her leather handbag from which she is retrieving her driving gloves, and she's wearing a carnation in her lapel. Like Normandie, Divine Folie is subtle and warm and is very wearable. It does not scream "vintage" in any way, nor is it a heavy aldehyde like Chanel 22 or Chanel 5, both beauties, but both admittedly heavy fragrances. How sad that Patou's Ma Collection has been discontinued. The gorgeous fragrances in the Collection deserve to be enjoyed by yet another generation.