Jean Patou, Lasso, 'Noose', Leather, 90 ml. or 3 oz. Flacon, Parfum Extrait, 1936, 1950, Paris, France ..

When couturier Jean Patou arrived on the Paris scene, in the 1920s, the world was changing .. especially for women. No longer corseted, bound by convention or whalebone ‘stays’, there was a spirit of freedom in the air .. and Jean Patou captured it.

He was born in 1887, in Normandy, where Jean Patou‘s father was a renowned leather tanner, known for his bookbinding skills. And it was his father who taught Jean Patou all about color.

After going to work for an uncle in the fur trade, Jean Patou launched his own venture as a dressmaker and furrier, moving into tailoring. And in 1914, just before the war broke out, he established his own couture house. Sadly, his first collection had to be mothballed: Jean Patou left Paris to serve as a captain in the French Zouave regiment, fighting as far afield as Anatolia. But in 1919, Patou returned to Paris, and did indeed launch a collection, including long-waisted shepherdess dresses. He became famous for ‘sportif chic’ .. clothes designed to move, to flutter, to flirt gorgeously .. and to show off brazenly bare legs, in short hemlines.

In 1922 .. a slight career sidetrack, perhaps .. Jean Patou opened a nightclub, with fellow designer Edward Molyneux. It was named Le Jardin de Ma Soeur (My Sister's Garden). The highly social writer Anita Loos called it ‘the most elegant place in which to greet the Paris dawn'.

From 1925, Jean Patou was also creating the most desirable of perfumes. His debut perfumes were designed to complement women with a particular hair colour: Que Sais-Je? was for brunettes, Amour Amour was for blondes, and Adieu Sagesse was for redheads. In 1927, Jean Patou also delighted women with the introduction of Huile de Chaldée, the world’s first suntan oil.

Lasso is launched 1956 as a chypre leathery fragrance for women with floral and fruity notes, advertised as "your secret weapon." It was created by Guy Robert. To me, it is one of the most precious and enduring of Patou's great fragrances, along with Colony, a masterpiece of its time. If you like leather in a perfume, you will love Lasso.

The violet and leather together create an opening that is very recognizable. Lasso opens with the aldehydes and peach doing their fizzy fruity dance. The violet comes forth with the same presence as rose and jasmine. This is a classic power floral heart accord typical of any of the decades Lasso is presumed to come from. What becomes the biggest change is a beautifully soft leather accord which envelops the early accords in a sexy refined embrace. This leather imparts a more overt sexuality to Lasso. The base is a classic chypre again as was seen during the timeframe which Lasso existed in. Which means musky sandalwood, patchouli, oakmoss, and vetiver. Overall it leaves an effect of Lasso being a scent of seduction. Lasso has 14-16 hour longevity and way above average sillage.

"The florals are at the same time olaceous .. gardenia, rose, heliotrope, spicy carnation, and dry .. orris, violet. The peach gives it an opening burst of sweetness, reined in by the dry pepper. It is very floral, one of the most generous of floral oil compositions I have encountered. When the base enters, it actually makes love to the florals. The leather wraps around the violet, the vanilla and amber pay court to the heliotrope and vetiver, and the sandalwood and musk sidle up to the rose. The gardenia actually beckons the civet, patchouli and oak moss into its boudoir, ala Mae West. Very seductive, very well constructed, very feminine for the mature woman. A man might pull this off, but only leading up to the bedroom." Basenotes Review, Jack Twist
Top notes are Peach, Heliotrope, Carnation, and Fruity Notes
Heart notes are Gardenia, Rose, Iris, Violet, and Pepper
Base notes are Leather, Vanilla, Oak Moss, Patchouli, Musk, Amber, Civet, Vetiver, and Sandalwood

Offered here are three whole ounces of this divine fragrance. It has been opened and gently used, and does not have its original box. So gorgeous, one of my personal absolute favourites! The foil labels have been degraded over the years and are harder to read .. Very very rare .. and very very delicious ..