Le Dandy by D'Orsay.

This is my one and only D'Orsay fragrance.....and I agree it's very nice.....and potent.....a little goes a long way.....A Great House to check out for sure!!!
Gary

I am glad you enjoyed the Le Dandy, Nick. All hype about the fragrance house history aside (the Comte never was himself a perfumer...which is a marketing tactic), Le Dandy eau de toilette is one of my most enjoyable scents. It is a crisp, boozy scent with touches of spice and tobacco, and bright notes of fruit and flowers. It IS a very formal, fresh scent.

Oddly, in the middle of the 20th century, Le Dandy was marketed to women as a fragrance. You can see this in their advertisng from the 1930s through the 1950s.

I am interested in the new eau de parfum forumulation of Le Dandy out this year (presented in a new black box.) I know they took the oakmoss out of it and probably made some other changes, so I wonder about the overall character of this new Le Dandy.

BTW, see the books "Perfume Presentations" by Leach and "The Perfume Handbook, 2nd editon" by Groom for more on the hype of the D'Orsay "faux legend." The company started up in 1908 and decided on using the Comte's image and reputation for being the last word in all things elegant--they spun a "legend" stating he was a perfumer who made perfume for his married "secret" mistress, the "English" Countess of Blessington. Never mind that the Countess was Irish, and the widow of an Irish earl...and the stepmother of the Comte's own wife. So much for "secret," as well. The Comte pretty much lived openly with the Countess in her Kensington mansion. (BTW, the fact of his being her lover is still up for endless conjecture, and historians love to assert one way or the other. The debate will never end.)

I love Le Dandy! My mother wore this in the parfum version in Cuba in the 40's through the 50's. Please do post if you try the newer version as I have been very curious about that one. I also like the spiciness of their Divine.

Thanks for the history. It was an interesting read.