There’s a lot of reasons to be upset with the uber-wealthy but I think one reason that most of us can agree on is that most of the uber-wealthy do very boring things with their money. I am sure that all of us have sat around, even those of us that only gamble by buying perfumes unsniffed, fantasizing about what we would do if we won the lottery. Once we get past the things that could make us very comfortable, we can fantasize about what we would do with the extra or what we’d do if we were filthy rich. Where would you go? What were your home/s look like? And this leads into why I’m frustrated with so many of the rich people or celebs (especially *that* one reality TV empire family) that we are supposed to envy. Why don’t they have a monochrome jet-black Victorian with a secret room hidden behind the bookcases in your library stocked with favorites and a few special things from Bauman Rare Books? Why don’t they devout themselves to some sort of esoteric academia and become a scholar and translator of Ottoman Divan poetry? And why are they dressing like that?! When I think about just how boring most of the uber-rich are, it seems like a real waste of money.
Many years ago when the niche perfume brand Ormonde Jayne was just starting out, a perfume was made. At the time, they were a small, emerging house and this perfume at the time had to be scrapped. Why? It was just too expensive to make. Being a small business, you didn’t get the bulk order discounts from aroma manufactures. Plus, using the most expensive of raw materials was probably a bad idea for anyone trying to grow a business. Long story short, Ormonde Jayne survived through its infancy and has even made it through puberty. In fact, if the brand was a human, it’d be off to university soon, and I am sure going into college with a 4.0 GPA and already has accumulated a few college credits. Ormonde Jayne Privé is the perfume that the brand couldn’t produce in its infancy, but now it’s here.
Prive is like a mix of all of the other Ormonde Jayne perfumes. It really seems like the predecessor for the brand despite it being “officially” one of the brand’s newest launches. The opening is bright, like most of the other Ormonde Jayne perfumes, but there’s also a lot of dry spices. It wears like fresh pink pepper and bitter citrus. From a distance, I pick up on that gorgeous basmati rice accord that is in one of my favorite Ormonde Jayne perfumes, Champaca. The heart is a radiant floral with peachy undertones. This reminds me of another favorite from Ormonde Jayne, Osmanthus. But, it also reminds me of the houses use of white florals. It’s all those florals that are traditionally heady (and overwhelming) but in an Ormonde Jayne composition, they’re like a mix of gauze and silk. The dry-down is a warm, musky amber with sweetness. It sort of reminds me of Tolu. There’s also an iris that is like velvet.
You can really tell with Prive where the brand was going and who it would end up being. Prive reminds me of other Ormonde Jayne perfumes but maybe I should be saying that the other Ormonde Jayne perfumes remind me of Prive!
Notes listed include basmati rice, pink pepper, green mandarin, coriander, freesia, osmanthus, neroli, gardenia, magnolia, jasmine, blackcurrant, orris butter, vanilla, musk, sandalwood and ambroxan. Launched in 2018. PERFUMER – Geza Schoen
Give Prive a try if you like radiant, abstract florals or basically any of the other Ormonde Jayne perfumes. I feel like if you like the florals or the warmer, amber style of perfumes that the brand offers, you’ll be very happy with Prive. Honestly, I have to use a lot of restraint to not wear this all of the time. I just love how it wears on me.
I find projection and longevity to be above average but in that totally proper, polite way that Ormonde Jayne has mastered. It’s “light” but it lingers.
The 1.7 oz bottle retails for $150 at Saks.
Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Truly the DNA of Ormonde Jayne. A gorgeous, radiant floral-amber. I’m happy that the brand could eventually launch this for the “rest of us”. Now let’s all hope that our lottery fantasies will come true too!
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*DISCLAIMER – Product was provided by the brand. I am not financially compensated for my reviews. My opinions are my own. Product pic from the brand. Iris Bianchi by Alfred Eisenstaedt, 1959. Post contains an affiliate link. Thanks!
This is a brand I actually haven’t tried yet but have read so many good things about. Sounds like this scent would be a perfect place to start!
I think it would be!
There’s definitely a style to this brand which will either work or not for people. I’m in the camp of “can’t get enough of it”.