Opium by Yves St. Laurent

Top Notes: Mandarin orange, Bergamot, Lily of the valley
Middle Notes: Jasmine, Carnation, Myrrh
Base Notes: Vanilla, Patchouli, Opoponaux, Amber

Today is cold and damp and I wanted something suitably warm to wear, so I reached for a mini I had of Opium. I am well aware of opium's polarizing effects - most either love or hate it - and I am afraid I may fall into the hate it category. I'm not someone who's afraid of smelling dated, but my associations with this scent are not kind. I am certain I've smelled this many times at a nursing home where I've worked. Add to the fact that I hate, hate strong vanilla scents and this is almost entirely what I get from the perfume, it was doomed from the start.

I'm sure to offend die-hard Opium lovers with my opinions, but I'm afraid I belong to the new school of perfume. As someone in my mid-20's who until a couple of years ago, believed that women should smell like candy and flowers, this is a case of way too much too soon. Since I was raised in a culture where deep sillage and rude perfume is not acceptable, I may never like it. And Opium is rude in the very best way, even I can appreciate that. It has a statement to make and it does so as loudly and boldly as possible.




Launched: 1977
Gender: Feminine
Availability: In Production
Perfumer: Jean-Louis Sieuzac
Bottle Designer: Pierre Dinand

Casbah Confidential: Serge Lutens

"As massive and magnificent as the house is, Lutens, who is famously reclusive, has shown it to hardly anyone. In fact, he doesn’t even sleep in it; he spends most of his time in a small studio outside of town. The house “chased me out,” he says. Here, a dining room, in which he never dines."

Casbah Confidential: Serge Lutens, W Magazine
Read the whole article and see the pictures here.


It is very, very beautiful but I could see why he wouldn't want to live there - it's too opulent, too grand. (Frankly, it would be like sleeping in a church for me...)