Parure by Guerlain, 1975

I had read that Parure Extrait was starring a richer plum note than the EdT. However, I did not find this to be the case. Both my Extrait and the EdT are old stock (peachy color - not yellow) as Parure is said to be reformulated and thinned before its eventual discontinuation (it was only the EdT that survived longer). Having said that, I think the top notes of my Extrait are partly ruined (for the first 20 minutes), before a big dark rose takes over dramatically. Parure does remind me of the old vintage Nahema Extrait, which comes as no big surprise given the timing and the fact that Jean Paul Guerlain is both their creator. It is an absolutely stunning creation (it is so dark and brooding), so dense and complex smelling that I like to think of it as the 'Caron among the Guerlains'. I can see the often quoted reference of Parure being Mitsouko with plum instead of peach as well. However, I find Parure is much more a dark rose chypré than a fruity chypré. A few additional observations: - the 'leather note' is woven into the complex dark rose accord with oakmoss instead of an own note to my nose. - it's been said but true that the EdT and Extrait do not differ greatly in the overall picture. The Extrait features a big dramatic rose, which the EdT lacks to a great extent. On the other hand, this makes the EdT even more obviously chypré in comparison, also dryer and slightly more frugal and hence more straight-forward chypré (if I make sense or express myself clearly enough). - Longevity is very good, although this refers mainly to a naturally very long drawn oakmoss final. The progression time from top through Parure main heart accord is not even two hours (EdT) resp. three hours (Extrait), before the oakmoss drydown is the sole dominant player. - Parure is impossibly vintage and dated smelling (it's well a compliment, but a fact, too) no matter how well preserved or fresh your jus is. I think Parure is an absolute stunner when smelled outdoors - picture sunshine, fresh crisp spring air and the smell of nature's green returning after a long and harsh winter. Parure resembles both the dark and heavy side as well as the fresh, bright new life (the dark winter season finally making room for spring). Parure is an absolute treasure, a gem of times bygone and a very typical Guerlain, too, although very complex and dense (which prompted my Caron comparison) as such! As a chypré, I might find Parure better contrasted and therefore more interesting and appealing than Mitsouko. Still, albeit a totally different fragrance in nature, my favorite Guerlain chypré is Sous le Vent. A truly breathtaking perfume to experience!

Parure has been called a Mitsouko on plum instead of peach, and it's not wide of the mark. Jean-Paul Guerlain had for years dreamt of devising a new chypre of his grandfather's towering dimensions, and he strived to accomplish this in 1975 with Parure. He clearly borrowed elements from both Mitsouko (fruity chypre) and Vol de Nuit (green leather chypre), but discharged any of the melancholy orris powder, and what he got could be called a very shining floral chypre. While Chamade signalled playful sensuality, Parure was all self-determined adult luxury, and its name indeed means "adornment" or "jewellery". The idea for the perfume came from the glorious 1922 discovery of the riches of Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun's tomb, its abundance of gold, precious stones and perfume vases, and the captivating mysticism of the site. Indeed, Parure is also a bit of a jewel: no other perfume has this kind of contradictory fragrance, at once feminine and pungent, freshly spring-like and antiquated, fruity and bitter, tangy-green and leathery. To call it a bestseller would be an exaggeration. It didn't have Mitsouko's simple harmony, and maybe it smelled too tangled to many people. Still, it's inscrutably Guerlain, aristocratic and stately. Like Chamade, it opens with a brilliant blast of floral citrus and spicy galbanum. But after that, it gets profoundly different. First the clary sage herb's masculine soapy-fruity-resinous greenness followed by pure and cool rich notes from lilac and rose, somewhat peppery, then plum, an intense scent of leatherlike dried prunes, and finally a base of vetiver, patchouli and oakmoss, the latter in large amounts, which gives the whole scent a serious and noble, almost arrogant feel. There is something at once very dark and very profuse about Parure, like lofty oak-panelled rooms, or the smell of a great forest. Or the inside of an ancient Egyptian king's tomb. Jean-Paul Guerlain later explained that he made it for his mother out of childhood fantasies of elegance, but Parure has all the striking and murky qualities of a leather chypre, making it equally terrific as a masculine.

Guerlain Parure

Parure refers to a matching set of earrings and necklace and I find that only appropriate as this 1975 creation by Jean-Paul Guerlain feels like a beautiful piece of fragrant jewelry every time I wear it. Parure is a chypre in every sense of the word but M. Guerlain also managed to add in a leather accord that takes this to a lovely animalic place at the end. The top of this starts with the classic chypre bergamot beginning but it is paired with a deep plum note which contrasts the sparkle that bergamot brings to the beginning quite nicely. The heart is a rose-dominated bouquet of florals. Rose comes forward first but it is joined by jasmine and lilac which add a touch of sweet and astringency, respectively. This kind of balance is what realy allows scents, that are a cut above, to stand out. To use other florals to subtly change and enhance the central accord that is when I know I am in the hands of a perfumer who knows their business. It is here where the leather accord comes forward and this is a strong full leather, on me. I find it similar to the leather accord in Cabochard de Gres but a little more intense. Parure finally settles down into the truly classic oakmoss dominated base that defines the chypre class. Parure has great longevity and typical sillage for a Guerlain. Parure is a complex scent that has displayed different facets to me upon every wearing and that makes it a joy to behold. If you are a lover of chypres Parure deserves to be on your list.