Elegance is simplicity. Joy is elegance in a bottle. For all complexity of the formula, which arrived sealed and perfectly preserved, this is a stunning jasmine simply warmed by the real civet and musks inside. It’s not dirty, it’s not extravagant in a more contemporary way (think 70’s/80’s stunners); it’s simply beautiful. I rotated wearing Joy with less expensive florals to see how it was received by the men around me. The men, who asked me out and dated, seemed to respond more enthusiastically to the less expensive floral fragrances. Joy Collector's Edition Pure Perfume becomes itself when the tuberose, jasmine, and ylang ylang emerge, it nevertheless maintains a balanced tone. It is hard to detect musk and sandalwood, but it all plays well.

Straight up class in a bottle, but be careful not to over-apply to avoid headaches and nausea, but that can be said for nearly all perfumes. All these, with the exception of Le Sien, were re-released during the 1980s (under the name Ma Collection), and were available until recently, all in a 50ml Eau de Toilette Spray, 75ml Eau de Toilette bottle, and 30ml pure perfume bottle, each with a unique art deco box. A Jean Patou silk scarf, printed in a pattern complementing that of the box was included with the pure perfume. Joy remains the world's second best-selling scent (the first is Chanel No. 5), Joy was created by Henri Alméras for Patou at the height of the Great Depression (1935) for Patou's former clients who could no longer afford his haute couture clothing line. The strength of the floral character of Joy is so simple yet forceful, and it wears nicely through the day. The thing that amazes me about the pure extract when compared to the EDP is that with the EDP, at least its modern version, I get no distinct floral notes, just powdery, cat pissy, old lady smell. What a shame that two versions of the same thing could be so different. I'd like to buy a new bottle of the pure extract to compare against my vintage one, but i'll have to save up a bit before I can excuse that level of luxury spending. It’s turned to have more sentimental value than any economic significance. LVMH bought the house for the fashion, not the fragrance. Like all houses that no longer have the original designer at the helm, they drop their first name, which is why it’s now only Patou.Woody notes emerge as it dries down, grounding the powdery florals of the late stages beautifully. Rose is still most prominent note here, and it fades to a powdery floral skin scent after several hours. Some clean musk adds a nice animalic hint to the drydown. Sillage is moderate and longevity is day-long, even for the EDT. They really don't make them like they used to. Arpege is an intimate fragrance for special occasions. After a while, the initial blast of aldehydes fades away, leaving a beautiful bouquet of flowers. With geranium and coriander providing a nice counterpoint, it is dominated by lily of the valley, jasmine, and rose. LVMH needs to hire proper marketing people and not, millennials who have no marketing qualifications and little fragrance history.

This rose-forward perfume isn't particularly fragrant or too sweet. In reality, Rosa Turca smells like a real, warm, fresh rose; on a sunny summer day, it is lovely.About 30 years ago, it was very rare that the same name was taken given - chosen for fragrances by different companies, but nowadays it is so very frequent. And I do not like it at all. (I'm thinking about the "Guess" by Guess and the "Guess" by Marciano or "Idole" by Giorgio Armani and now by Lancôme. Nothing alike, nor in bottle designs nor in smells, by 2 companies that have nothing to do with each other neither. Etc... I also love vintage fashion and also love wearing fragrances that aren't on trend but possibly ready for a wider audience. It’s price and the story behind it made Joy a legend and yes, having Joy meant the joy of having the fortune of affording it. Is that metal exhaustion of the owners - or what? Big money offered for the brand assets to wipe them out?