Modern Fracas vs Vintage Fracas

[Lyric82]

I just received my envelope in the mail containing the little vial of vintage Fracas that I purchased.

Now, I want to state for your information as well as my own reminder, that I do not wish to go down the vintage rabbit hole at this time, and that Fracas was an exception because it was inexpensive and also spoonfed to me by the wonderful basenotes members here. I also have a new little baby nose when it comes to perfumes. I wouldn’t say that my tastes are incredibly refined, or that I am good at picking out notes. I have noticed my tastes changing and evolving the deeper into this hobby I go and the more perfumes I smell, but basically take what I say with a grain of salt, unless you specifically like the idea of a newcomers perspective.

With that disclaimer out of the way, I should also mention that I am currently scented, so I will only be comparing paper strips right now, but will update this post once I do skin tests.

Modern Fracas: Even the modern version is not quite what I was expecting. Although I would say that I was surprised in a good way. I do enjoy Tuberose-centric perfumes, and I have a fair amount of them in my collection. So I have experienced the ones that get compared to grape and bubblegum, and the ones that get described as thick, heavy, balmy and skin like. I tend to prefer the latter of the two versions. To me, Fracas is entirely different. I’m definitely getting white floral, but it has the bright and cheery optimism of a gloriously sunny day. It’s fresh, and bold, and loud, but it doesn’t terrify me the way that Tuberose can. Even though I love Tuberose, sometimes I hesitate with the sprayer and think to myself “am I ready for this?” With Fracas, my only hesitation would be whether or not I wanted to wear a floral. To think that this was created so long ago, I can’t help but think it is way ahead of it’s time. It certainly would not be out of place or have a dated feel to it in the slightest in my opinion. It’s beautiful. It doesn’t give me the same sophisticated elegance that Hermes 24 Faubourg does, but that one feels a lot more like a specific event fragrance, whereas I don’t think I would feel like Fracas has to be reserved for an event that suits it. To me it smells like something that can fit in anywhere, and anytime provided that you enjoy floral scents. I truly cannot wait to get this on my skin.

Vintage Fracas: Okay I can absolutely smell the difference. It’s almost like one is a flanker to the other, they share a similar story overall but each provide two totally different experiences. If modern Fracas is a bright and sunny day, the vintage version, while still sunny, has dark ominous clouds in the sky which adds a different idea of beauty. It’s more dramatic. The scent is definitely deeper and more sensual. I can smell the same floral notes, but they are delivered in a more deliberate way. It’s really hard to describe these differences, but they are there. I still do not feel like I would have any hesitation on the spray nozzle, I would fully commit before even holding the bottle in my hand. Because of its depth, I do find this vintage version a bit edgier, and moodier than the modern.

I think that’s as in depth as I can go without putting them on my skin, but so far, I do think Fracas is a beautiful fragrance, and I like both versions so far. I am still surprised that this beauty was created so long ago and to my nose, fits in perfectly in today’s world. There is nothing screechy or off putting about either version. Both are smooth and… well… just gorgeous to my nose. I think it’s safe to say that this is a fragrance that I will thoroughly enjoy. I get it. This is not one that I find challenging in the slightest. It’s just beautiful and my only regret is that I sprayed something else on myself before my mail arrived today.



I will update this after I do skin tests too, but I am very happy to have both versions so far and would love to know from those who are familiar with this perfume, how I did describing it. Do my descriptions match your own?

Also, the vintage one is in a dabber vial, is it okay for me to put some of it in a spray bottle or will that ruin it? I tend to like how sprayed perfumes perform on my skin better. But I won’t do it if it will ruin my results or the juice in some way.

 

[teardrop]

Great descriptions, l enjoyed reading them! My bottle is around 14 years old, so l'm not sure how it compares to the versions you have, but l recognise the dramatic, moody floral you describe. l don't wear it often because l have to be in the right mood for it, but it's one of my all-time favourites!

l would not hesitate to transfer to a spray vial, l do it all the time with dabber vials as l much prefer to spray.

 

[Lyric82]

Great descriptions, l enjoyed reading them! My bottle is around 14 years old, so l'm not sure how it compares to the versions you have, but l recognise the dramatic, moody floral you describe. l don't wear it often because l have to be in the right mood for it, but it's one of my all-time favourites!

l would not hesitate to transfer to a spray vial, l do it all the time with dabber vials as l much prefer to spray.

Thank you so much Teardrop! I am glad to hear it and I can’t wait for tomorrow!

Also, very glad to hear that transferring it won’t ruin it because I really prefer spray bottles.

 

[Ken_Russell]

Thank you for the very extensive, informative and erudite side by side comparison-highly inspirational and useful to many fellow Basenoters rightfully enjoying both this fragrance as well as the house of Piguet. Much appreciated!

 

[mikeperez23]

I have never tested them side by side, like you did, but I have smelled them on separate occasions and to my nose they smelled very close. I have never wanted to own Fracas but then again I do not have a lot of fragrances I wear regularly that are white florals. If I had my way I would probably own a Serge Lutens tuberose or an Estee Lauder one (or even a Le Labo one) before I would own Fracas but that's me. I would probably buy a decant since I don't need think I need a FB of a white floral fragrance...although Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia by Estee Lauder is pretty bad ass!

As Turin (or Sanchez) mentioned in "The Guide" Fracas has that unique butter-like note, that they surmise is from the chamomile (I always assumed it was an aldehyde). And of course, it definitely inspired Madonna's Truth or Dare.

Nonetheless, I smell it on so many women here in Miami. It's unmistakable & most of the time, I love smelling it.

 

[Lyric82]

Thank you for the very extensive, informative and erudite side by side comparison-highly inspirational and useful to many fellow Basenoters rightfully enjoying both this fragrance as well as the house of Piguet. Much appreciated!

Oh my goodness thank you so much for the high praise! I really appreciate it!

 

[Lyric82]

I have never tested them side by side, like you did, but I have smelled them on separate occasions and to my nose they smelled very close. I have never wanted to own Fracas but then again I do not have a lot of fragrances I wear regularly that are white florals. If I had my way I would probably own a Serge Lutens tuberose or an Estee Lauder one (or even a Le Labo one) before I would own Fracas but that's me. I would probably buy a decant since I don't need think I need a FB of a white floral fragrance...although Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia by Estee Lauder is pretty bad ass!

As Turin (or Sanchez) mentioned in "The Guide" Fracas has that unique butter-like note, that they surmise is from the chamomile (I always assumed it was an aldehyde). And of course, it definitely inspired Madonna's Truth or Dare.

Nonetheless, I smell it on so many women here in Miami. It's unmistakable & most of the time, I love smelling it.

Wow, that’s pretty awesome to hear that this is so popular where you are. I live in the suburbs of a big city in the northeast, and I have never encountered anyone smelling of this. I definitely would have asked them what they were wearing if I had. I should visit big cities more often. Hearing that it’s common makes me feel like I live in a very sheltered area.

And for me, I have huge love for white florals, I have a lot and want a lot. I will definitely look up the other ones you mentioned too. But Fracas just skyrocketed to the top of my fb purchase list. Well, as long as it doesn’t do something unexpected on my skin tomorrow.

Thank you so much for offering your insights here as well! I really enjoyed hearing about your perspective

 

[Oviatt]

I recently had lunch with a friend of mine who started wearing Fracas in the late 70s. As a teenaged punk rocker channeling Exene Cervenka (later to become Mrs. Viggo Mortensen) it seemed a challenging/counter culture choice back then. She has stuck with it through the years and has now--ironically--become the lady who lunches she was rebelling against. Of course, she was the same one who lobbied the Greenwich Country Club to book the Vapors to play at her year's debutante ball (a battle she lost, to Lester Lanin's great relief). It now suits her perfectly and smelled great. Not sure if she was wearing old or new but it smelled just the same to me--on her--as it did in 1982.

 

[grayspoole]

I enjoyed reading your testing notes, Lyric82, and I look forward to your update once you apply to skin and wear your Fracas-es out in the world. I often test fragrances on both paper and skin, and I frequently observe very significant differences. (The paper test is just research: in the end, all that matters to me is the experience on skin.)

I can’t remember if it came up in the previous thread but if you like Fracas, you should get a sample of Rogue Perfumery’s Champs Lunaires, one of the best white florals I’ve ever tried and produced right now in the present by a living, breathing indie perfumer.

 

[grayspoole]

I recently had lunch with a friend of mine who started wearing Fracas in the late 70s. As a teenaged punk rocker channeling Exene Cervenka (later to become Mrs. Viggo Mortensen) it seemed a challenging/counter culture choice back then. She has stuck with it through the years and has now--ironically--become the lady who lunches she was rebelling against. Of course, she was the same one who lobbied the Greenwich Country Club to book the Vapors to play at her year's debutante ball (a battle she lost, to Lester Lanin's great relief). It now suits her perfectly and smelled great. Not sure if she was wearing old or new but it smelled just the same to me--on her--as it did in 1982.

Your friend seems to share aspects of two famous women who wear Fracas—Madonna and Martha Stewart.

Love, love Exene, BTW. Wonder what SHE wears.

 

[grayspoole]

As Turin (or Sanchez) mentioned in "The Guide" Fracas has that unique butter-like note, that they surmise is from the chamomile (I always assumed it was an aldehyde). And of course, it definitely inspired Madonna's Truth or Dare.

I have never once thought that chamomile smelled buttery. I agree with you and think the creaminess In Fracas comes from an aldehyde, probably the classic Aldehyde C-14 gamma undecalactone which is actually, as the name suggests, a lactone..

 

[Oviatt]

Your friend seems to share aspects of two famous women who wear Fracas—Madonna and Martha Stewart.

Love, love Exene, BTW. Wonder what SHE wears.

I once drank vodka from the same bottle with her backstage at Perkin's Palace. All I remember was the smell of cigarettes although I could see her wearing something interesting. My Fracas-wearing friend always said that John Doe was the Cary Grant of punk rock.

 

[grayspoole]

I once drank vodka from the same bottle with her backstage at Perkin's Palace. All I remember was the smell of cigarettes although I could see her wearing something interesting. My Fracas-wearing friend always said that John Doe was the Cary Grant of punk rock.

Great story! Yes, it would be hard to smell any perfume in the cigarette-fogged clubs of yore.

Can’t disagree with Exene’s taste in men....

 

[Lyric82]

I recently had lunch with a friend of mine who started wearing Fracas in the late 70s. As a teenaged punk rocker channeling Exene Cervenka (later to become Mrs. Viggo Mortensen) it seemed a challenging/counter culture choice back then. She has stuck with it through the years and has now--ironically--become the lady who lunches she was rebelling against. Of course, she was the same one who lobbied the Greenwich Country Club to book the Vapors to play at her year's debutante ball (a battle she lost, to Lester Lanin's great relief). It now suits her perfectly and smelled great. Not sure if she was wearing old or new but it smelled just the same to me--on her--as it did in 1982.

Wow, thank you for sharing! That’s really cool that it made a mark on you and you can remember it after all these years!

 

[Lyric82]

I enjoyed reading your testing notes, Lyric82, and I look forward to your update once you apply to skin and wear your Fracas-es out in the world. I often test fragrances on both paper and skin, and I frequently observe very significant differences. (The paper test is just research: in the end, all that matters to me is the experience on skin.)

I can’t remember if it came up in the previous thread but if you like Fracas, you should get a sample of Rogue Perfumery’s Champs Lunaires, one of the best white florals I’ve ever tried and produced right now in the present by a living, breathing indie perfumer.

Absolutely! There have been so many times where the experience on my skin is so different from what I smell on paper. I definitely can’t wait to update my observations!

Thank you so much, I will add that one to my testing list too! Haha you guys will have me busy for like the next decade or so with samples to seek out. I love it!!

 

[Lyric82]

I once drank vodka from the same bottle with her backstage at Perkin's Palace. All I remember was the smell of cigarettes although I could see her wearing something interesting. My Fracas-wearing friend always said that John Doe was the Cary Grant of punk rock.

Wow! That’s a pretty epic crossing of paths with a celebrity!

 

[Robin-in-FL]

I like modern Fracas, used to have a wee lil' bottle of the pure parfum and my overall impression was "WARM". It's such a warm floral, human and not cold florist fridge flowers. It's gone now and I've not seen the parfum again but would certainly repurchase.

 

[Oviatt]

A little off piste but why not:

 

[Schubertian]

Thanks, Lyric82, for your review! I look forward to your skin test impressions.

I just tried some modern Fracas the other day, as it made its way to me in a sample box (so I can't vouch for the integrity of the sample). I recall trying Fracas last time around 2005 or so, so I can't say if there are noticeable differences between then and now. I really liked it then, but did not buy. Now, unfortunately, I got a bubblegum scent from it... not only that of course, but once I've smelled bubblegum my brain can't un-smell it and I just don't like it.

I agree Rogue Perfumery is great. Champs Lunaires is great, though my personal favourite is Tuberose & Moss. It's a very different take of course compared to Fracas. Another tuberose that smells wonderful to my nose is Hiram Green's Moon Bloom.

 

[hednic]

Very detailed comparison! Thanks for sharing.

 

[jujy54]

@Lyric82,
I just got a coupon for Piguets on Fragrancenet, and thought, "to the basenotes!" I did a search, and your thoughtful comparison came up. I will take a chance on this new Fracas. Thank you!
[update]: got the decanted travelspray from fragrancenet. Refreshing. . . alas. I miss the creaminess and slight dirt of the original. Still, this is a good summer fragrance.