Tag: Thierry Mugler perfume

Thierry Mugler Womanity

~ Ari ~ 35 Comments

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Fabrice Pellegrin, the head perfumer for the team behind Womanity, says of his creation: “I’m very proud of it… I hope it’s going to have the same success as Angel.” Chandler Burr, professional grump and perfume writer, declares, “Doesn’t disappoint.” Geza Schoen, head perfumer for Ormonde Jayne, calls Womanity “the worst fragrance I have ever smelt.” I agree with all of them. Womanity is bizarre and borderline unpleasant. I have only worn it outside of the house once, and three people complained.

Womanity smells like unripe figs and salt water. Robin at Now Smell This speculates that “[the] human is rare” that does not smell caviar in here, but I have never tried caviar and therefore cannot comment. I have no idea what Womanity’s notes are supposed to have to do with Womanity as a concept. That’s what I like about this perfume, actually. Thierry Mugler didn’t choose an insipid fruity-floral or some bimbo sugary scent to represent women. He apparently believes that womankind is worthy of something more interesting, something clever, something that isn’t always pretty or sexy. I probably won’t be wearing Womanity outside of the house again, but I do very much appreciate what it’s trying to say.

Thierry Mugler Womanity ‘Taste of Fragrance’

~ Ari ~ 28 Comments

 

The original Thierry Mugler Womanity, with its odd combination of fig and aquatic notes, is really quite a distinctive scent. I can immediately recognize it, and I can’t think of anything off the top of my head that smells quite like it. Thierry Mugler Womanity ‘Taste of Fragrance’ is less distinctive. However, it also smells better. In fact, it smells great.

Womanity ‘Taste of Fragrance’ relieves some of the tension of the original Womanity by emphasizing the fig note over the aquatics. The result is a richer, more polished fragrance. Part of the original Womanity’s appeal was its rawness, so the smoother ‘Taste of Fragrance’ may be too much of a departure for fans of the original. Personally, it is the version of Womanity that I am more likely to wear. 

Ironically, despite the name, the original Womanity skews towards the masculine. (That was an appropriate use of the word “ironic”, right? I always get confused because of Alanis Morissette.) Womanity ‘Taste of Fragrance’ is sweeter (although never to the point of sugary) and more obviously feminine. It is a sensual, womanly fragrance worthy of the name “Womanity”.

ALANIS WHY DID YOU LIE TO MEEEEE

This Womanity remix has actually helped me to appreciate the originality of the original Womanity. I wasn’t quite sure how to feel about it when it first came out, mostly because I was totally freaked out by the bottle. While James and the Giant Peach is my ideal movie in many ways- it has a Roald Dahl story, Randy Newman music, spontaneous singing, and an obnoxious character from Brooklyn- watching it at a very young age has left me with a lifelong fear of skulls and skeletons. Oh, and robot sharks made out of tuna cans. Anyway, you can see why the Womanity bottle, with its bizarre skull motif, was not exactly up my alley.

I still can’t believe this was a children’s movie.

Thierry Mugler Angel EDT

~ Ari ~ 2 Comments

When it was first released in 1992, Thierry Mugler Angel was a bona-fide trendsetter. Angel singlehandedly launched the gourmand fragrance genre, a style that remains enormously popular to this day. The new Angel EDT, however, meekly follows the current trends. Angel EDP contains a revolutionary (at the time) combination: fruit and chocolate. Angel EDT disposes with the chocolate, opting instead for a predominately berry scent. The berries used in Angel EDT smell pleasant, if generic, but the fragrance is persistently dogged by an astringent harshness. There is something sour about Angel EDT. It has very little of the original’s lusciously honeyed sweetness.

 

As a true original, Angel EDP has had many imitators over the years. Angel EDT smells like one of them. Angel EDT is a success in that it is a more wearable version of Angel, and is therefore likely to make Thierry Mugler more money than the controversial Angel EDP. But Angel EDT is also a failure, because it is less distinctive and smells worse than Angel EDP. If Angel EDT sells well- and you and I both know that it will- it will represent the triumph of the commercial over the artistic.

Also, Eva Mendes? Really? While I’m always delighted to see women of color represented in advertisements, I’m not exactly sure that Eva’s milkshake is bringing the perfume buyers to the yard. As I recall, Calvin Klein Secret Obsession barely lasted a year on the shelves.