Fete de Molyneux (1962)

Mmmmmmmmmmmmm. That’s my one word review. Forthwith is my full review. (And yes, I just used the word "forthwith." I have no idea where it came from...)

Aptly named, Fete is indeed a party — in your nose! Brought to you by the same folks who gave 20s Flappers and other such minxes the spicy and dangerous Le Numéro Cinq, you’d almost think that Molyneux was to spice as Jicky was to civet…

Speaking of civet, it’s definitely prowling around the edges of Fete, not officially invited to the party but crashing its velvet ropes anyway, adding its inimitable louche brand of chic. But as you initially approach Fete, luscious and tart iterations of peach, plum and bergamot (maybe galbanum?) hit you like the bubbles from a freshly cracked open bottle of champagne, lifting your senses. But wait, what’s that eyebrow-raising funky “off” scent that’s lowering your inhibitions? Riff-raff Cumin and Leather must have distracted the doorman.

Once Fete starts drying down, there’s the wonderful effect of smelling its multiple layers at once — a brightness from the top notes, the spiced fruit and florals in the middle, and the stunningly chic and sexy base, at once creamy, woody, and animalic. When I first sniffed Fete, it recalled Rochas’ 70s Femme — with its added cumin — to me. (Although Fragrantica doesn't list cumin, I smell its spicy body odor magnificence in Fete. Femme doesn't list it either.) Fete also reminds me a bit of Miss Balmain, Sikkim, and Aramis in its well-rounded leather personality.

Top notes: Caraway, plum, peach, bergamot and Brazilian rosewood

Heart notes: Lilac, orris root, jasmine and ylang-ylang

Base notes: Sandalwood, benzoin, vanilla, oakmoss, civet, and leather

Fete is one of the one of few perfumes I've smelled in the odd but wonderful perfume category known as the fruit-animalic chypre. You get a little bit of everything with this: the happy sport-scent opening, the immediate funk from the base notes snaking their way through the lightly sweet florals, and the creaminess of benzoin and vanilla married with moss, sandalwood, leather and…civet. There’s even a saltiness I forgot to mention, coming from what I couldn’t tell you. The effect is like eating savory and sweet together.

In an interesting article about scent, scientists claim that a good nose is more than genetics — it's training. The more you smell and categorize what you're smelling, comparing one scent with the next, etc., the better you get at recognizing aspects of perfume, even being able to conjure it up in your memory. (In a fascinating anecdote, the article discusses how certain parts of the brain that pertain to olfaction will light up in the MRI scans of seasoned perfume specialists even in the absence of a scent. The brain's olfaction centers register activity as if a scent were being sniffed!) I think that's really true, because after years of sniffin' perfume and writing about it, I've developed the ability to remember what something smells like, to be able to even recall it as if it were a line of poetry. Take this morning. I actually had a full-on memory of Fete, and recreated it in my mind; I could actually smell it.

If you could watch me inhale Huff this stuff for the umpteenth time, you’d see that the reaction it gets resembles my reaction to eating something particularly tasty. Eyes get wide, then they close, then they roll to the back of my head, and finally (this is when you know this is some REAL good stuff), I begin to shake my head and mutter under my breath, “Wow…” Fete de Molyneux is not for everyone, but for those who like this style (you know who you are!), you, too, will shake your head and say, “Wow.”

Comments

[Olfacta]

Very interesting! I remember when it was generally assumed that a few (very few) special people were born with fantastic senses of smell and those people just naturally became perfumers, complete with their noses insured by Lloyds of London, etc. Good debunking here. I've noticed that I'm finally getting better at identifying "notes" -- finally. (After three years.) I'm going to look around for some of this.

[Perfumaniac]

Hi Olfacta. Some people may be more talented than others in the smelling department, but I bet, as with any skill, practice makes perfect, or at least improves ability. I've long wanted those high-end natural essence kits that have individual notes so that you can train to recognize them individually. But definitely what we do helps us to train detecting a note when it's expertly blended in a fancy perfume. Doing both probably helps.

Last summer, someone I was hanging out with had on a drug store quality lavender perfume. I like to think I have a pretty good nose — but I was stumped and couldn't pick it out. LAVENDER! I felt pretty sheepish, but it happens. Sometimes the most ordinary scents, when you're asked to name them, escape you even though you're like I KNOW WHAT THIS IS.

As for Fete, eBay seems to only have expensive, pure perfume, full-sized bottles now. I got a mini last year for about 10 bucks there. Keep lookin', though (you could ask Leslie-Ann at Miniature Perfume Shoppe if she has some in storage), and I'd love to hear what you thought if you get your hands on some. Thanks for stopping by!

[Angela Cox]

WOW ! ....want !

[Perfumaniac]

It's amazing, Angela. I can't get enough. This is no rose, though!

[Anne]

Good heavens, what sort of foundation garment is that woman wearing? It's making me gasp just looking at her.

Fete has inspired you to new heights: a review that contains the words louche (love that one), minx, riff-raff, bubbles, sweat ... there is clearly a lot going on in this perfume.

Have you ever had a play around with aromatherapy oils? I did this yesterday in a departments store where there were testers, and I got to sniff for ages undisturbed. It was fun to smell things like ylang ylang, clary sage, neroli, patchouli etc on their own. There was even some Australian sandalwood, which was lovely but very expensive, about $55 for a tiny bottle. I bought some bergamot in the end - it was one of the cheapest! It's not the same as those high end essence kits but it's a start.

[Perfumaniac]

"That woman," Anne (you don't recognize her?!) is young Sophia Loren, who has one of the most charming movie star quotes ever: "Everything I have I owe to spaghetti." Pretty funny.

Fete is amaaaazing. Yes, it did inspire me to pull out goofy words, perhaps to convey how much this perfume got to me. (But you didn't mention my favorite — forthwith!) It was one of those words that, after I typed it out, I was like — do I even know what that means? And then I looked it up. Hope you're doing well!

[Perfumaniac]

Anne, I forgot to respond to the other part of your comment. I've definitely gotten some practice notes from The Perfumers Apprentice. They're decent, and fairly cheap, and it was through them that I got a whiff of synthetic castoreum and civet — both of which the perfumista needs to smell at least once. Iso E Super, Aldehydes, etc. But there are curated, high-end ones (particularly "Les Coulisses du Parfum" from Osmoz) that I truly covet. http://www.osmoz.com/Smell

[Joan]

Can't say I know anything about any of these recent ones. But LOOK AT THESE PICTURES! Civet seems totally right for her.

[JoanElaine]

Woohoo! Fete sounds like a "swooner", my favorite kind of perfume.
A party, if it's to be a good party, needs a little funk!

[Perfumaniac]

Something tells me you would like it, JoanElaine!

[Anne]

Oops, no, I did not recognise Sophia Loren. Dumb me. Such an amazing beauty. I'm going to give some serious thought to what's on offer at The Perfumer's Apprentice. Thanks for mentioning it.

[Perfumaniac]

I think we are psychic friends. I was JUST now, literally seconds before I got this, looking on their website.

Sent from my iPhone

[www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=44604961]

I absolutely adore this scent and have for so many years now. It smells just as delicious in EdT as it does in the extrait. A little bit lighter but just as rich. So nice to know I am not the only one who swoons when smelling this elixir of the heavens.

[Perfumaniac]

Swoon is right, Gabrielle. It's so gorgeous!

[andrew]

Would anyone be interested in buying this perfume?
I have a unopened bottle with all presentation case etc

[Lana]

It's my mother's favourite perfume and she finished her last bottle some 10 years ago. I will make her a surprise for her birthday and get one from Ebay :)

[Perfumaniac]

Lana, Thats so wonderful! Theyre usually quite pricey, but heres a link to one that looks reasonable! http://www.ebay.com/itm/FETE-DE-MOLYNEUX-1-OZ-Perfume-30-ML-PARFUM-Extrait-NEW-NWOB-Vintage-RARE-/271258652274?pt=fragrancehash=item3f28468e72

[resep kue basah]

looks greats and amazing publish

[resep kue keju]

Weh, molyneux maho maho. Song below sing song :) I like't.

[harga printer canon]

Hai, i'm from Indonesia :) I like your post.

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[insurance companies]

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