Lisa Fonssagrives on the Eiffel Tower, photo by Erwin Blumenfeld, 1939 apped and Amouage Jubilation 25
A sly sense of fun hinted at behind that elegantly arched brow, her sensual dancer’s body a striking contrast to her comme il faut hauteur, the extraordinary Lisa Fonssagrives was the queen of the angular swans of the 40s and 50s. Fonssagrives is the patrician beauty you have seen a thousand times: swaying in an ivory corset like a violin; surprised eyes peeking from above a huge black cowl; and, most famously, swinging from the Eiffel Tower one-handed, her sinuous form making recklessness the ultimate elegance. If Fonssagrives could have bottled that moment, with its sense of danger, utter joyousness and supreme elegance, and somehow added everything that made her magical, it would be Amouage Jubilation 25.
Half of the first pair (2008) of masculine and feminine perfumes introduced by former creative director Christopher Chong (with perfumer Lucas Sieuzac) Amouage Jubilation 25 was, at her entrance, largely eclipsed by her more famous brother, Jubilation XXV. Which is a shame, because Jubilation 25 is one of the most glorious neo-chypres ever dreamt up: rich, saturated, both angular and rounded, nodding to bygone beauties while every inch a modern woman. A sauntering, sexy, animalic and unapologetically green fragrance, Jubilation 25 belongs on a woman who knows what she’s about or a man who doesn’t give a flying about his feminine side.
Lisa Fonssagrives, photo by Irving Penn for Vogue ©
The references to the great vintage chypres are there in stages: The tarragon note in the assertive, brilliant, sparkling opening recalls the great eccentric 1937 Schiaparelli Shocking but where Shocking veers fruity-floral, Jubilation 25 heads straight into classic green chypre territory. Smell it just moments after the tarragon-lemon opening has subsided, and you would be forgiven for thinking this is Guerlain Mitsouko’s naughtier little sister. But there’s a lot of clever trickery going on in here, and some world-class blending of notes. I would swear blind that this is a chypre; it lacks any oakmoss and bergamot. While one could argue lemon stands in for bergamot, there is no analogue for oakmoss. Yet Chong with Sieuzac achieved the sense of both notes without being literal, creating a rich green fragrance unafraid of sharp edges but rounded by a full-bodied softness.
Initially, Amouage Jubilation 25 is like a 1950s Dior suit, perfectly structured but contained. But by the mid-stages, there’s menace underneath all that controlled good breeding, something animal and risky. The earthier notes fill out, and patchouli becomes a warming, mulchy companion for tendrils of restrained frankincense. The perfume changes gears, becoming more animal and lush. Full-bodied Ylang ylang merging with amber adds a sensual dimension, helping to create the richness that marks Jubilation 25. The ghosts of chypres past peek back in from time to time: rock rose combining with that tarragon note as the mid-section develops brings back thoughts of Shocking, with its lipstick rose; the sweaty note that amplifies over time recalls Rochas Femme. But at every stage, Jubilation 25 remains very much her own woman. And she’s not done yet.
Lisa Fonssagrives, photo by Irving Penn for Vogue©
What sets this fragrance apart from vintage homages is the saturated, deep layering of notes, and the aggressive way the animalic and sharp greenery bump up against each and then embrace. While this fragrance could have easily toppled over into 80s bigness, keen control keeps the perfume bold but centered and balanced. While this is not a fragrance for the sedate, if you have a Selina Kyle stored away, or Lisa Fonssagrives laughing at her own crazy daring, this is one fragrance you won’t want to miss. What a brilliant debut it was.
Notes: Tarragon, lemon, ylang ylang, Rock rose, frankincense, davana, labdanum ciste, patchouli, amber, vetiver, musk, myrrh.
Disclaimer: Amouage Jubilation 25 generously provided by Europerfumes distributor in the U.S. for Amouage. My opinions are my own.
Lauryn Beer, Senior Editor
Christopher Chong 2019 Photo By Jay Brooks©
Christopher Chong announced he has left Amouage last month. Please read Guest Contributor Michael Devine’s tribute to one of the best creative directors in 21st century niche perfumery here
photo by Lauryn©
Thanks to the generosity of Europerfumes, USA distributor for Amouage, we have a 100 ml tester bottle of Amouage Jubilation 25 for one registered reader in the USA To be eligible, please leave a comment saying what appeals to you about Jubilation 25 based on Lauryn’s review. Draw closes 6/28/2019.
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