Subtle, by 80s standards, the distinguished and lovely Anne Klein II bowed to the decade’s passion for Oriental fragrances with amber-colored hues but comes out unscathed: it doesn’t smell too outré or dated. (Obsession, I’m talking to you.)
It starts off surprisingly green — what kind of green, I couldn’t tell you, because the only notes I could find say “greens.” My guess would be galbanum, because that note goes so well with peach, and because the perfume’s initial takeoff would seem to require a green with that kind of uplift.
Anne Klein II then transitions to a beautiful blend of flowers. Orange blossom and ylang-ylang in particular continue to peek through the perfume’s third stage which is the perfume’s primary character: creamy, ambery, woody and orris-caressed vanilla. It has great lasting power, and as it fades, it turns into a subtle skin scent that anyone lucky enough to be that close to you would appreciate taking in.
I grew up in Texas in the 80s, and I have pictures to prove that it’s no small feat to survive that decade, fashion-wise, with your dignity intact. (Big hair, too much makeup, strange multicolored flower print tops, odd billowy proportions and big shoulders. Awkward doesn’t begin to describe the beauty and sartorial crimes committed in the ‘80s.)
But when I picture the Anne Klein II woman, I see someone who’s wearing ‘80s fashions without embarrassing herself too much. OK, so maybe she has a big-shouldered jacket on over a silk fuchsia blouse while wearing red lipstick and blue eye shadow. She couldn’t help it — it was the 80s! But she looks good, and she smells like Anne Klein II.
Top notes: bergamot, green note, peach, rosewood, lemon
Heart notes: jasmine, rose, ylang-ylang, carnation, orris
Base notes: Vanilla, amber, sandalwood, musk, patchouli, civet, benzoin
Perfumer: Yves Tanguy
(Anne Klein [1923 – 1974] was a fashion designer known for creating matching separates for working women. Here’s a cute picture of her.I decided to grab a bottle of Anne Klein II after reading rapturous reviews from women on Basenotes. Anne Klein II came out the same year as Calvin Klein’s Obsession, which is probably why it languishes in relative obscurity. Inexpensive minis are available, but full bottle prices reflect their scarcity: they seem to start at around $150. Yikes.)
I remember Anne Klein II, which was a lovely fragrance considering the decade it came from, but a former co-worker of mine only wore the original Anne Klein, which was phenomenal on her:soft, feminine and classy. If you think Anne Klein II is scarce, I have seen miniatures of Anne Klein selling for over $100.00!!!!
Posted by: brigitte | August 07, 2011 at 03:10 PM
I lucked out, Brigitte. I found it on a weird auction site (the mini) for only a few dollars. Whew!
Posted by: Perfumaniac | August 07, 2011 at 03:17 PM
I really loved this perfume and had lots of compliments when I wore it. Sure wish it would come back, can't understand why it wouldn't with all the positive revues. I would love to buy the rights to it and manufacture this perfume.
Posted by: Cindy Wilson | October 30, 2011 at 09:54 PM
Hi Cindy. So many of us perfume lovers feel this way about a perfume we love. It's unclear to me why so many new perfumes arrive on the market that aren't particularly interesting, and discontinued perfumes remain so. Now that IFRA has banned so many crucial perfume ingredients (oakmoss, clove, nutmeg, etc.), it appears even if perfumers wanted to resurrect the greats they would be unable to use key ingredients. Pretty ridiculous all because a few rodents overdosed with those ingredients might have gotten cancer...
Posted by: Perfumaniac | October 30, 2011 at 11:39 PM
Can you point me in the right direction for a similar scent to the Anne Klein II perfume. I would truly appreciated it.
Cindy Wilson
Posted by: Cindy Wilson | November 04, 2011 at 06:39 PM
Cindy,
Anne Klein II and Calvin Klein's Obsession (also released in 1985) smell quite similar. I'm not sure what the reformulated Obsession smells like (or if it's even around?), but vintage Obsession should be cheaper to get than Anne Klein II. Good luck!
Posted by: Perfumaniac | November 04, 2011 at 06:44 PM
I have never found a scent that can replace this one. I would walk into a room and get so many compliments on how wonderful the scent was. Why would they stop making something so great.
Lisa
Posted by: lisa | November 14, 2011 at 10:05 PM
Hi Lisa,
I feel your pain. I ask that about so many perfumes. I dont understand why, if theres a demand for discontinued perfumes, why not recreate them rather than coming out with (diluted) flankers of superior perfumes, or celeb perfumes, etc.?
I think in some instances, the answer is: the ingredients are too expensive, perhaps theyre banned (oakmoss, clove, certain concentrations of jasmine), or the demand isnt high enough to justify the cost.
Who knows! Id love to know the answer. In the meantime? Hoard what you like!
Posted by: Perfumaniac | November 14, 2011 at 10:09 PM
I LOVED this perfume and search for it constantly. I really wish they would start manufacturing again.
Posted by: Donna Scott | March 22, 2012 at 12:05 PM
I wish they would bring back Anne Klein 2. People always told me how good I smelled and I am still looking for a perfume that would have the same reaction. I use to order Duality, from Long Lost Perfumes, which was suppose to be a match, but I got such an allergic reaction to it that I had to stop wearing it. I don't like florals because I think they make me smell like an old lady. I prefer, fruity, sweet smells that are not citrusy. What I want is my Anne Klein 2 back. Are there any perfumes that come close to it other than Obsession? I just may have to get me a bottle of Obsession and try it.
Posted by: Kristina | June 14, 2013 at 01:01 AM
I was addicted to my beloved Anne Klein II from 1985 until its untimely demise. I wore it every day & night and it was the only fragrance I ever wore that made me feel beautiful. I've been searching in vain for a perfume that smells like it, but I've come up empty. I've tried Obsession, Opium, Must, Spark, Black Cashmere, etc., finally ending up with Addict. Black Cashmere was a second favorite, but no sooner had I adopted it as "my" scent, it was discontinued, too!!! Does anyone know a "clone" of Anne Klein II that I can try? I'm not happy with Addict as it has a tart, sour note that I don't like. I LOVE powdery, oriental, amber, patchouli, and sandalwood-type perfumes, but I don't know what else to try.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions!!
DogPal
Posted by: Donna | October 23, 2013 at 11:35 PM
Its on eBay, lady. Check it out:http://m.ebay.com/sch/i.html?kw=Anne+Klein+IIisNewKw=1pgn=1epp=24mfs=SBCLKacimp=0itemId=cnm=cid=sqp=Anne+Klein+II_trksid=p2056088.m2428.l1313.TR3.TRC1.XAnne+Klein+II
Sent from my iPhone
Posted by: Perfumaniac | October 23, 2013 at 11:41 PM
SI X FIS DENME ALGUNA OTRA ALTERNATIVA DE ANNE KLEIN II ..... YA NO SE QUE PERFUME USAR .......
Posted by: JESSICA | March 25, 2014 at 03:49 PM
Hi all ...yes...im another lover of AK2...im costly on the look out. ..why doesn't someone just bring it out again? I found ADDICT by Dior is the closest. See what you think
Posted by: Hani Bustos | May 05, 2014 at 03:25 AM
Hi all,
What do you think 2/3 of a (3.3 oz size) bottle of AKII would go for? I have one and am considering selling it..
Posted by: Diana | May 27, 2016 at 01:16 PM
Anyone still looking for Anne Klein II, try The Fragrance Shop (The Fragrance Shop dot com). They have a clone of this that has gotten very good reviews and is said to be very true to the original.
I've never smelled the original AK2 so I can't compare, but their dupe of Guess was spot-on! They sent me an AK2 sample along with that order; it's quite similar to Guess and lovely in its own right. The samples are very inexpensive, too, so if you're struggling with the astronomical price of vintage AK2 on eBay, you can try this without putting a dent in your wallet.
Posted by: Sepia tone | June 09, 2016 at 06:16 PM