Jil Sander no.4

(from Jil Sander's fall/winter 2001-2002 collection)

Long before I was introduced to the world of niche fragrance, my sophisticated scent was Jil Sander no. 4. It had the mystique of Jil Sander's fashion line, clean lines, black clothes, flattering cuts that made sense (why, oh why, oh why can't we have this aesthetic back?) and evoked an unmistakable urban style; all that while being a massive spicy floriental. It's that all-encompassing blackness of Jil Sander, I guess.

Years later, I still love it. It might not be as original as other scents in my collection, but it's as beautiful and elegant as it ever was. It starts a little sharp and spicy, declaring its presence as a very dressy scent, but it softens quickly. It's said to have fruity notes somewhere, but I don't get much--it's mostly about tuberose, carnation and some of their closest friends. If there's a peach in there it's very well hidden, so even I can't frown on it.

The flowers have a spicy, exotic oriental feel to them. There's no playful girliness there and wearing flip-flops while you have this scent on would feel very inappropriate. It demands heels and a nice outfit, preferably something black and chic. The drydown is a sexy vanilla-sandalwood, womanly and powdery and just a bit dirty. It stays close to the skin and lasts for several joyous hours.

Here's the mystery: As far as I can tell, No. 4 is still very much in production. Jil Sander fragrances belong nowadays to Coty, but their website is a marketing disaster and gives absolutely no information. Other than the impression that they're very proud of their J. Lo line. I've been searching high and low for official information, but didn't get very far. OsMoz has a short entry and lists the notes, but that's about it. No product range or any other info. Basenotes offers even less that that.

The mystery deepens when you actually want to buy a bottle. Sephora no longer carries it, and neither do the major department stores (at least online). However, it is widely available at any online discount store, and you can even find the matching shower gel and lotion (I also have the wonderful body balm which has become somewhat elusive lately). Once upon a time there was also a pure parfum, but this has long been discontinued. I dearly hope that the EdP isn't destined to go the same route.

Notes: plum, peach, anise, mace, coriander, bergamot, rose, tuberose, ylang-ylang, pimento, orris, jasmine, carnation, orange blossom, heliotrope, cedar, sandalwood, vanilla, musk, amber, tonka, civet.

The design house of Jil Sander has changed hands a couple of time in recent years, which resulted in loss of prestige. It seems that none of the owners and people in charge cared enough. It would be a huge shame if a beautiful and classic perfume disappears just because no one at some marketing department can be bothered.