Finding this bottle of Balenciaga Quadrille parfum was another step in my vintage perfume quest. I wasn't familiar with the scent at first, yet lusted after it for a while, just because. A 1955 Balenciaga creation- if I couldn't have a hat or a dress, at least I should be able to get a bottle. Later I obtained a sample, which fed the obsession even more. I stalked eBay and several other sites, watched the auction, placed some bids, sniped but since I refused to engaged in bidding wars or go over a certain limit, it was nearly two years before the sealed pristine bottle arrived at my door.
Quadrille is everything you'd expect from a vintage Balenciaga. it's elegant and mysterious, dark but not weird. It smells like a spiced plum liqueur, rich and smooth, but not foody or too sweet. After all, this it was created before the yummy school of perfumery took over (compare to the fig-vanilla pudding of Cristobal). Instead, it's beautifully balanced, velvet-like, with a well-dressed floral heart and a somewhat dirty musk drydown that sits close to the skin and lingers between one and her cashmere sweater. It's a great scent for daydreaming about different times and places, picturing yourself wearing a Balenciaga hat and coat to a Paris cafe.
I'm not sure how old my bottle actually is. Quadrille has been around until a few years ago, though the parfum extrait was discontinued for ages. By the deterioration of the citrus top note I can tell it's quite old. There's also that seamless smoothness you find in well-kept vintage perfumes. In any case, I love it and have been savoring the perfume. Surprisingly, it doesn't last very long on my skin. I get about 2-3 hours of bliss before it fades to whisper.
Quadrille is everything you'd expect from a vintage Balenciaga. it's elegant and mysterious, dark but not weird. It smells like a spiced plum liqueur, rich and smooth, but not foody or too sweet. After all, this it was created before the yummy school of perfumery took over (compare to the fig-vanilla pudding of Cristobal). Instead, it's beautifully balanced, velvet-like, with a well-dressed floral heart and a somewhat dirty musk drydown that sits close to the skin and lingers between one and her cashmere sweater. It's a great scent for daydreaming about different times and places, picturing yourself wearing a Balenciaga hat and coat to a Paris cafe.
I'm not sure how old my bottle actually is. Quadrille has been around until a few years ago, though the parfum extrait was discontinued for ages. By the deterioration of the citrus top note I can tell it's quite old. There's also that seamless smoothness you find in well-kept vintage perfumes. In any case, I love it and have been savoring the perfume. Surprisingly, it doesn't last very long on my skin. I get about 2-3 hours of bliss before it fades to whisper.
Vintage Quadrille ads: okadi.com
Balenciaga fashion photos by Richard Avedon- model with the dog is Dovima (1955), the other one is Elise Daniels (1948). Both from myvintagevogue.com
Balenciaga Quadrille vintage bottle picture by me.
Balenciaga fashion photos by Richard Avedon- model with the dog is Dovima (1955), the other one is Elise Daniels (1948). Both from myvintagevogue.com
Balenciaga Quadrille vintage bottle picture by me.
Oh, Gaia !
ReplyDeleteThis was my favorite Balenciaga; I now have none.
You do it justice in your description, spot-on.
It is sad that the top gets so dusty with age, and that it flees so soon.
A very real glamour scent, impossibly elegant.
Mmmmmm.
I love Quadrille. On me it was a dichotomy- dark, slightly exotic with whispers of spice, which quickly became a gorgeous skin scent. Very close to the skin, like warm skin after dancing all night in a smoky jazz club. I had the vintage edt and used every last drop. Quite an accomplishment for fickle me.
ReplyDeleteI love your take on vintage. Transport yourself to another time and place, not necessarily better (girdles, job discrimination) but different (manners, style). I have a sample of Quadrille and it's one of the best time-travel fragrances I've tried!
ReplyDeleteI love your vintage perfume quest Gaia. The old perfumes on my Grandmother's dresser have taken on a whole different resonance.
ReplyDeleteHi Gaia,
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to let you know how much I LOVE ur blog and ur images! Ab-fab!
I hope you don't mind, but I used one of the images from this post on my blog - obviously credited to you. Should it be a problem please do let me know!
I just love this image!
You can check it out at www.the-eternal-intern.blogspot.com
Have a great evening!
Flora xoxo
I first learned of Quadrille in 1960 when a taxi driver in Paris gave me a small sample. I wore it the following year for my wedding and it has been a favorite of mine ever since (my husband's too!) I am devastated that it is no longer produced. Why, oh why did they stop? I have an empty bottle that I will not get rid of. Every now and then when I need a lift, I take a sniff!
ReplyDeleteMy vintage bottle of Quadrille smells a bit dusty, but also extremely animalic. I think there must be a lot of civet in this, even if many of the scent pyramids don't mention it.
ReplyDelete