Jacques Fath, Fath’s Love, 60 ml. of 2.03 oz. Flacon, Parfum Extrait, 1961, Paris, France ..

Jacques Fath, born in 1912 in Paris, France, was a French fashion designer viewed as one of the most crucial influences on postwar haute couture. He was raised in a creative family of fashion illustrators, writers and landscape painters.

Fath was very interested in fashion and creation, so he stepped into the world of haute couture by presenting his first collection in 1937. He owned a fashion salon which changed several locations in Paris. He started on Rue de la Boetie, then Rue Francois Premier and finally at 39 Avenue Pierre 1er de Serbie in 1944. He worked with many famous models and created very successful collections. The designer educated himself and learned his craft from studying museum exhibitions and books about fashion. He was later a teacher to numerous young designers who worked as his assistants and apprentices, such as Hubert de Givenchy, Guy Laroche and Valentino Garavani.

Fath was known as the "little prince of Paris Haute couture in the 1950's.” This innovative designer was a favorite to the chic young Parisienne, since he was using unusual materials such as sequins made of walnut and almond shells. Some of his clients were Ava Gardner, Greta Garbo, and Rita Hayworth.

Fath died of leukemia in 1953 and the house continued functioning until 1957. His widow ran the house during that time and had one successful fashion collection created with help of her husband’s associates. The haute couture collections were discontinued and the house turned to production of perfumes, gloves, hosiery and other accessories.

The fragrances wre produced under license by L'Oréal until 1992. The house and its products were relaunched by the France Luxury Group in 1992, and then purchased in 1996 by the Banque Saga Group. In 1997 the company was purchased by Groupe Emmanuelle Khanh. The firm became part of the Alliance Designers Group in 2002 and the company was sold again in 2006. Each owner brought with them a new designer to help revive the tradition of the brand.

Fath's Love by Jacques Fath was launched in 1961. It was created by Michel Hy. It is a rich floral fragrance for women spiked with dominant spice and pepper notes. Fath's Love is a gorgeous sexy perfume with surprising vitality and a robust body. The perfume opens up wonderfully with potent spicy notes of cinnamon and anise seed, but it moves quickly to reveal a strong and heady floral heart that has enough sweetness to hold its own against the spiciness. There are notes of sweet stewed plums as a prelude to the soft woodsy dry-down.

"I am experiencing pure parfum. The scent surprises me from the start due to the dryness of the spices, helped no doubt by the orris in the base. This is no sparkling spice cabinet full of freshly ground barks and seeds. These have been kept for a while and have blended their richness. The anise gives the spice notes a particularly pleasant edge. I did not perceive any of the top citrus notes. Perhaps they have faded with time. The olaceous white florals support the spice notes, rather than the expected reverse. The plum note emerges in the dry down, so one wonders why it is listed as a top note.

The over all effect is that of dry subdued spicy floral, something a more refined and quiet personality might wear. This is a scent for Audrey Hepburn, not Ava Gardner. I’m beginning to think Fath knew orris better than any of his competitors. Here it directs the production as it did in its star turn in Iris Gris. A beautiful and unusual scent, full of sophistication and quiet allure." Basenotes Review, Jack Twist

Top notes are Neroli, Bergamot, Citrus, Plum, and Lemon
Middle notes are Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Clove, Pepper, Anise, Jasmine, Orange Blossom, Rose, Tuberose, and Gardenia
Base notes are Violet, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Oak Moss, Vetiver, Amber, Orris, and Benzoin

" In all the world, no other name speaks so eloquently of your fine taste in fragrances. Fath's Love and Fath de Fath. Exquisite fragrances by Jacques Fath in perfumes, toilet water and spray mists.”

Offered here is a previously opened 2 oz. bottle of this gorgeous, feminine, sweet and seductive perfume. No box. One of my personal favourites.