Opium, a fragrance of character by Yves Saint Laurent Yves Saint-Laurent is a designer who, beneath his shy appearance, always enjoyed being talked about. Beyond the quality of his creations, he was a fervent advocate of scandal. Thus, several of his fragrances were subject to enormous controversy, sometimes for their advertising, other times for their name.
Opium by Yves Saint-Laurent is far more than a simple feminine fragrance. It is a true legend of perfumery. Renowned for being scandalously sensual, it bears a highly evocative name and has invited women to free themselves from convention for many years now. Indeed, Opium was launched in 1977. Since then, its success has never wavered, so much so that it even gave rise to Black Opium, a more contemporary edition. Criticized by some for its illicit connotation, it is adored by many other women. What accounts for such notoriety and such longevity? Here is our review of the women's fragrance Opium by Yves Saint-Laurent.
Olfastory’s review
Opium by Yves Saint-Laurent, the story of a highly controversial fragrance
Opium by Yves Saint-Laurent bears a very particular name, one that clearly echoes an illicit substance. If I chose Opium as a name, Yves Saint-Laurent explained, it is because I intensely hoped that, through all its incandescent powers, it could release divine fluids, magnetic waves, heartthrobs, and the charms of seduction that give birth to wild love. Yet, upon its release, this earned it an outright ban in certain countries. No matter, Yves Saint-Laurent always enjoyed causing a scandal, and it at least had the merit of getting his compositions talked about! Banned and considered thoroughly inappropriate by some, Opium was literally adored by others, to the point of selling out immediately! Since its release, its magnetism has remained unshaken. A cult fragrance, it is above all highly addictive.
The extravagant breath of Opium by Yves Saint-Laurent
If Opium has been so widely talked about, it is above all because of its ability to leave an indelible imprint on memory. Indeed, it is a complex fragrance, recognizable among all others. Moreover, it is the result of a very large number of trials. During its creation, perfumers Jean-Louis Sieuzac and Raymond Chaillan considered every detail. They arrived at a unique formula, composed from noble, refined raw materials. With Opium by Yves Saint-Laurent, everything begins with a vibrant opening of lemon, bergamot, orange peel, mandarin, clove, and coriander. The spices and citrus then give way to a floral blossoming. Rose is combined with lily of the valley, jasmine, and carnation. Plum, meanwhile, heightens the overall gourmand quality. Finally, as pepper and chili pepper tickle the whole, vanilla envelops this formula with a suave, sensual touch. Opium closes on a final woody alliance.
The historic bottle of Opium
All that remained was to find a bottle for this fragrance. And here again, Yves Saint-Laurent opted for originality. Indeed, the very first bottle of Opium was made of red-colored nylon. At the time, plastic was at the height of its popularity. Avant-garde, it gave this fragrance a genuine sense of modernity. Highly original, this bottle also had a transparent heart, revealing the color of an amber juice, burning like an inner fire.