Description
Gérald Ghislain, founder and perfumer of the French niche brand Histoires de Parfums shows a predilection for classic Parisian shows apart from famous French authors, it seems, which continues: After his recent fragrance release dedicated to the infamous and titillating fame of Moulin Rouge, Ghislain focuses on the equally well-known L’Olympia Music Hall.
The legend of L’Olympia, as famous as other mythical Parisian show theaters such as Les Folies Bergeres or Crazy Horse, is palpable: Iconic performers include the black gazelle Josephine Baker, the “sparrow” Edith Piaf and the gloriously androgynous Dalida as well as Gilbert Becaud, Johnny Hallyday and Yves Montand; a line-up to make anyone sit up and take notice!
To capture this glamor and history wasn’t easy. The ambience of the stage is captured in a smoky woody with leathery & floral accents. The fragrance of L’Olympia revolves around a heart of rose, freesia and peony, freshened on top with the bracing note of black pepper, the tartness of assorted citrus essences and the soft bitterness of saffron ~a very popular note in recent releases (another one featuring it is Black Saffron By Redo). The sensuous background notes of patchouli, vanilla, chocolate and a “suede accord” create the mystery and warmth of a packed L’Olympia at the height of its glory.
Top Notes: Mandarin, Lemon, Bergamot, Orange.
Heart notes: rose berries, black pepper, saffron, rose, freesia, lilac, peony.
Base notes: Woody Notes, Patchouli, Frankincense, Storace, Daim Agreement, Vanilla, Chocolate, Licorice, White Musk.
Olympia Le Parfum is presented in September 2012 in Eau de Parfum concentration in bottles of 2oz and 4oz. The nose behind this fragrance is Gerald Ghislain.
holliday – :
One of my favorite perfumes!
The house is very recognizable in this creation.
L’Olympia is rich in notes, yet not too noisy, it is harmonic and nicely blended. It is warm, powdery, flowery and the leather makes me to daydream about my most comfortable moccasins to walk with in a nice spring day. At the same time not being innocent at all as the musk and the leather make the composition animal-like (yes, all the dreams in this nice spring day are very sensual and about my love :))
didabrierge – :
Growing up in and around music halls was a joy. Stumbling on this perfume was just as joyous. This is one of those things that through the years leaves an imprint on ones mind. Smell and scent are a very powerful thing. It can leave memories that last a life time.
IMO, it is rarely captured in a bottle. Do you ever have flash backs of days gone by? That a certain smell triggers precious memories? Indeed most of us do. There are certain smells that familiarize me with locations and more. Take for instance the Central Valley of California. It smells of rich fertile soul, and is musky with fruit and Floral buds. No place else like it. How about Disneyland? The smell of food, drinks, candies, popcorn. The attractions? The musty smell of the PIrates of the Caribean ride. The water on the river, and more. It’s a very distinct smell.
This perfume is truly special. It does indeed capture what a music hall smells like, especially an old one. It is also reminiscent of a old west town going through the shops. Love going to the foot hills of California to the old towns and going through all the shops and just doing the tourist thing.
This scent gives off the hard woods floors, the dust, the leather from stage props or chairs. The smells of smoke, people drinking, eating, and the aroma of a crowd wearing their best and even their fragrance of choice. It is everything put in this fabulous bottle.
It projects harmony in a bottle. It tells a story of days gone by, but captures the essence of a refined concert exploding at it seams with cheer, happiness, and pure utter enjoyment. This is a true crowd pleaser.
The longevity is wonderful as is the sillage. I’d say this is a very unisex fragrance. I believe it can be worn on any occasion. I will advise to take this journey. This perfume is excellent, and it would be a welcoming addition to ones wardrobe.
Andron102 – :
This is more like an impression, than like a propper review. I rarely – almost never – grasp for abstract comparisons or descriptions – but I really have to for this one:
I suppose that Olympia Music Hall really does smell like Olympia Music Hall.
This IS Olympia Music Hall right after the big, loud and long concert of Rolling Stones, Celline Dion, 50 Cent, Sex Pistols… oh, and Madonna and maybe dearly departed George Michael and Tom Waits, too.
In a row. Without a pause.
That’s how the air, seats and curtains smell right after public crazed with all of them – like all the perfumes, all body oils and hair mists, all exhaled breaths and all leather clothes were mixed together in the heat for quite a while, and then left to cool down into unique liquid essence.
This is Olympia Music Hall for me.
I honestly envy anyone who can comprehend this fragrance and claim it as personal scent.
I’m not saying it is bad.
Actually, it is not screaming or loud, and it is long lasting. Also, further into drydown it goes it feels more and more freahly airy and wearable. But.
It is just not, so not me.
saha221 – :
A very convincing composition – the first verse lays things straight right form the beginning – statement is clear – We know what we want and what we’re capable of, so now just sit down and listen. Listen, and you will enjoy this fragrance. Saffron, flowers and hints of pepper capture the attention. It’s one of those long verses that go on for ages before you get to the chorus. I’m not in a hurry. Take your time.
The chorus is very Actress (expensive suede shoes) v Sade (patchouli and vanilla) – It’s soft, and laid-back, and classy, while underneath there are thumps, and syncopation, and big bass lines that make this another excellent release from HdP.
Very easy to wear and listen to despite the fact it’s not your typical run of the mill tune.
****(*)
edik.kef – :
The tremendous opening of floral and an uplifting citrus note (just like someone has started to peel an orange) left me giddy with excitement. The lilac note one of the truest I’ve smelt for a long while.
Other notes quickly creep in around the periphery, a little patchouli, pepper, a smoking candle and a soft leather reminiscent of worn gloves. If it had stopped there it would have been a love.
However I found the suede and lilac notes overwhelming in the dry down and the lasting impression for me was that of sitting in a new car feeling slightly nauseous.
Not for me – but I would recommend that any leather/suede lover give it testing.
Lasted for nine hours and still going strong when I decided to wash it off. I will certainly be trying others from this house.
wassa9 – :
nonostante una piramide olfattiva pirotecnica, questo profumo spicca per eleganza e sobrietà, a dispetto del nome glamour. è un bel floreale speziato, lieve e aereo, basato sulle note di lillà e pepe nero, le cui potenziali asperità sono smorzate da una combinazione equilibrata di cuoio, muschio e patchouli. intendiamoci: non c’è traccia, per me, della liquirizia, dello zafferano, della peonia, del cioccolato etc etc, ma la fragranza, nella sua leggerezza, è assai gradevole e per nulla invadente. mi aspettavo qualcosa di smaccatamente complesso, annuso, piuttosto, una bella acqua fresca ed estiva.
sbt015intitytek – :
Add the big “little” Charles Aznavour on the list of famous singers that filled Olympia with admirers time and time again.
RAsim – :
The room is a consuming pitch black – the moon has gone into hiding on this godless night. A few sparks and a gentle flame light the scene – two naked, sweaty bodies lie in a disheveled bed…they don’t speak and they dare not connect a single glance. The simmering rage is palpable in the room. She thoughtlessly lights her cigarette and blows invisible rings into thick darkness. The ashen fumes mingle with her desecrated scent – a dense, fleshy iris and a sinful rose spiked with carnal tangling and the unspoken disgust between failing flames. The years have not been kind to either, but her obsession with smoke and drink have aged her haggard. Whatever love or lust guided you toward each other has long since faded and all you see is her leathered skin distracting from the blackened heart she hides beneath. You breathe the toxic air in, slowly, and think of the insatiable longings of your youth. You drink your poison deeply and hope that the silence of your empty dreamscape claims you soon…another moment in reality might prove to be too much. Your breath slows…the dank patchouli and musk of the smoky room swirls like clouds in your storming mind. The alcohol takes hold and your lover’s presence fades from your perception….you find your momentary peace….at the trivial cost of your health.
Day 95 – Poison
Listening to: Flying Lotus – The Kill
Notes: I don’t know if this has been reformulated or not, but I’m using a decant from a year or so ago. Upon opening I get the slightest hint of citrus, but the moment is brief at best. The heart rages almost instantly – thick, smoky incense plumes mix with a lush array of florals, iris and rose being the most distinguishable, and hints of fiery saffron and a pinch of sweaty pepper. It is both repulsive and exciting as I’ve never smelled something quite like this. There is also a very dense patchouli note that lies somewhere on the humid scale….and a mineral musk and cold suede note counter the more spicy and hot notes. The drydown brings a bit of vanilla and dry cacao sweetness to the patchouli, suede, and musk….but the mineral musk unfolds as the strongest note and carries the fume to its close. Longevity is a decent 8 to 10 hours and this fume can easily be worn by anyone – the florals are never overpowering nor are they the longest lasting component! This fume definitely has a strong personality so make sure yours is strong enough to compete!
mishakch – :
Fruit and flowers over a base of slightly sweaty flesh, a lover’s skin in a room full of vases of lilacs and roses, peonies and a plate of fresh cut citrus. You burned incense yesterday and the faint smoky tang of it lingers in the background.
It’s sweet, sensual, wonderfully carnal in the face of so many “clean” modern florals. Very, very sexy.
korz-alexander – :
Please add Jacques Brel to your list of regular performers at L’Olympia!
This fragrance reminds me of Tralala by Penhaligon, but without a certain note Tralala that I find discordant — violet perhaps? Anyway, going into Pickwick’s Mercantile in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, today, I was intrigued by this fragrance line, with which I was unfamiliar. I love history, and stories, and have quite a nose, so… I pulled this and Moulin Rouge out of the line-up.
Imagine seeing Bruno Coquatrix’s name on a fragrance! I tried it, loved it. Then I decided to spray some Moulin Rouge on the other arm. Hated it. Had to literally go wash it off. Before I did that, though, I put a good spray of L’Olympia down my cleavage. But the time I got back from washing up and having lunch, I knew this fragrance was for me. It will be especially lovely in the winter!
tranzit717 – :
Opens with a huge blast of animalic notes, combined with something aquatic and a bit of citrus and incense, amped by ambroxan. Then something sweet is added to the mix, and the citrus gets a bit stronger but stays soft. Most of these notes get overshadowed by a huge amount of dirty animalic musk. Drydown is still quite musky with woody notes and citrus on top.
Sillage and longevity are moderate on me.
Not my kind of scent, love the dirty musk, but it is really quite strong on me and overshadows the other notes. I don’t get any leather, flower or spicy notes at all, except for a little bit of saffron in the opening. I don’t think this one works as designed on my skin.
DISIL – :
A complicated scent with lots of things going on. I get a peppery floral (rose, I think) musk. It’s a lovely feminine scent, powerful but soft, very nice indeed.
Aerohoplenerilnd – :
It’s one of the most interesting cretation I have ever tried. I impressed very much with this. Delightful, different, artistic and little bit strange. I bought the bottle of this perfume and I think, I won’t be regret! It’s smell like smoky, dusty, sweet lather-rose perfume and very attractive. It’s also rare first love perfume for me. Just try it!
geskom – :
I smell lit candles! The wax, the wick, the smoke the ash. It’s quite delightful.
mazi77 – :
Not sure how wearable this would be for me but I was very impressed with this composition indeed.
I really haven’t smelled anything remotely like this a wonderful fruity/berry/citrus type opening then an explosion of florals which I can’t even begin to categorize (at least in the opening)I think it’s mainly peony and rose TBH, but I’m not expert. Then incense, musk, patchouli and my favourite saffron this is a veritable classy (up)marketplace of notes!
The drydown is a delicate suede, leathery, talc which remains floral and uplifting and works well with that saffron note.
I think L’Olympia Music hall is a definitely a unisex fragrance but it would take a man braver than me to pull it off, and I’d wear almost anything!
It’s not feminine, just very daring. Good longevity and projection a wonderful creation from Gerard Ghislain (someone I can’t say I’m familiar with) truly innovative stuff. Fragrance lovers need to get your nose on this love or hate it will reinvigorate your appreciation of fragrance.
rbsunhaoz – :
The smell of the pepper in the opening is wonderful. There is a drama in this perfume. The change of the smell is splendid. It is cool, and it is hot. Epicene beauty. Rich imagination. The sweet bitterness of the saffron, it is a secret of the smell of a dream of the lilac and a warm tree and suedes. I really love it .
fedriccvbz – :
I put off testing this creation from Histoires de Parfums for a while, as I am not a fan of Moulin Rouge, and I naturally assumed that Olympia would be a variation on that theme.
It turns out that Olympia is nothing like Moulin Rouge, happily. This patchouli-rich perfume smells complex and wonderful but not blaring and brash. Many interesting floral elements mingle with many oriental elements to produce a perfume which can be said truly to reflect the complexity of a theatrical performance.
There is so much going on in a seemingly simple stage production, and there are so many contributors, from performers to stage hands to audience, managers, and even technicians who deal with lighting and sound. All of this is captured by this rich and complex scent.
Olympia strikes me as a fine oriental composition suitable for gals and guys alike. The patchouli, woods, incense, saffron and suede notes are balanced by the floral notes–above all, lilac–and then there are smidgeons of sweetness here as well. A worthy creation from Histoires de Parfums. Bravo!
Hibsquins – :
The first HdP I am not particularly crazy about. OK, actually it is the second one: Moulin Rouge isn’t my favorite either.
And I’ll tell you why: both these perfumes are very abstract. I wouldn’t say “unwearable”, but certainly more of an “admire-from-afar” kind of perfumery. I like my fragrances to blend with my skin, my style, my mood. Moulin Rouge and L’Olympia Music Hall stand alone and even disturb me a little bit when I put them on my skin.
L’Olympia opens with a very strong suede note, a thick beige suede and a very strong lavender. It is also musky (especially later on) and woody, and also full of some nondescript non-perfumey smells I cannot describe. The suede, lavender, wood, musk and pepper notes are very clean and clear, though.
The whole composition makes me think of an ultimately masculine character of it. I don’t see it on a woman. I picture a wearer of L’Olympia as a quirky and artistic guy with his own style.
For an unusual suede perfume look no further.
lbfyjxrf – :
I adore the opening of this perfume; in the drydown it reminds me a lot of Eau des Merveilles (just as the previous reviewer stated) but less metallic. I’m still in doubt whether I am going to purchase a full (60 ml) bottle or not. Price tag is totally justified (and reasonable) in my opinion, as with all Histoires de Parfums: all very well-blended, sophisticated perfumes with excellent lasting power
vicentiu – :
Strongly reminescent of Eau does Merveilles by Hermes; just a tad drier. Driftwood dry. Awesome nonetheless. Unisex? I think … most definitely. I detect a faint rubber smell like the smell of a pencil eraser or a weak Bulgaria Black. For those who prefer dry, woody fragrances (drum roll, please)…….. May I present your Holy Grail 😀
jxc748speagoessenda – :
very nice smell,i did not smell something like that
so elegant and glamour.
po100po4ke – :
Lovely notes – only problem this smells like a male cologne gone bad.
08Nightmare07 – :
Got my sample of L’Olympia Music Hall, straight from Paris.
It smells really interesting. It has a citrus opening with bergamot in the forefront and a pear reminding glimpse in the backgrounds. Then there’s a beautiful rose with a lot of saffron, sexy patchouli, wood and incense.
After few hours it remains spicy and elegantly sweet.
Really well done