Tuberose is a sensual flower, redolent of dusk and warm skin. Its extreme and often shocking sensuality is likely to evoke diametrically opposed responses in people. While some recoil in horror at the thought of being smothered in its heady embrace, others lose themselves in its sensual layers. Fracas, as its name indicates, is nothing short of stirring powerful emotions. Created by a perfumer genius Germaine Cellier in 1948, the composition dominated by an arrestingly sinister tuberose.
After the initial overture by citrus and orange blossom—an olfactory calm before the storm, the darkness begins to gather forces. Tuberose undulates slowly and sensually, emerging under the veil of sweet delicate notes. It overshadows the radiance of orange blossom, which nevertheless remains in the background, glowing like traveling lights in the marshes. The sweet creamy note of tuberose is ornamented beautifully by jasmine, violet and iris, which lend a somber introspective quality to the composition. Lily of the valley is a surprising touch of spring-like freshness, teasing and evanescent as if carried by the wind--one moment it is distinct, the next it has vanished. The composition is ornamented by a filigree-like panel of woods and oakmoss, which provide a dark counterpoint to the lush floral orchestration.
Germaine Cellier (1909-1976) was also responsible for Bandit by Robert Piquer, Vent Vert, Jolie Madame, Monsieur Balmain by Pierre Balmain and Coeur-Joie by Nina Ricci. She was born in 1909 in Bordeaux and subsequently came to Paris to study chemistry. Her unique talent and utterly original vision place Cellier among the most avant-garde perfumers. Fracas was discontinued and then eventually reintroduced in 1996. The original is more aggressive and animalic, but the current version is very close. The notes are bergamot, orange blossom, greens, peach, tuberose, jasmine, violet, iris, lily of the valley, carnation, sandalwood, musk, oakmoss, and cedar.
I adore Fracas, but rarely wear it out of the house. It does seem to inspire extreme reactions, although I find it a cheerful scent, and not at all overpowering when worn in small doses.
Posted by: Robin | June 16, 2005 at 10:28
By its very nature, Fracas, in my opinion, is the grand dame of all tuberose fragrances. She was born to be a diva! Each time I wear her, I feel confident, very female and a bit of a diva myself.
I don't wear Fracas often, but I have made her my traditional Mother's Day fragrance three years in a row and counting. :):)
Hugs!
Posted by: mreenymo | June 16, 2005 at 11:34
I know what you mean; Fracas IS "sinister." I feel the perfume turns "solid", grabs me and begins to strangle! (Cough...cough! heeeeeelp!) BUT: I get a bottle occasionally and use it as air freshener during the dark, foggy, soggy winter months in the NW. Really...when you spray it into the air there's an olfactory GLOW that's produced -- ghostly. I used to wear Bandit "Light" -- another fragrance that makes people "jump." The wonderful French woman who ran the perfume counter at Bullocks Wilshire used to grimace when I bought it, saying: "So, you're buying MORE of that 'dirty ashtray' perfume! I detest it!" HA!
Posted by: KS | June 16, 2005 at 11:45
Robin of NST,
I cannot agree more with your thoughts on Fracas. I find it very uplifting. I think that a potent fragrance like this worn in large dozes is liable to cause a near death experience, but in small dozes it is just perfect. My favourite is extrait de parfum, which is richer, yet creamier and better balanced than EDP.
Robin from LA,
I can just imagine you surrounded by a Fracas glory! A perfect mother's day fragrance, indeed. I love your characterization of this fragrance.
Kevin,
I love all of Germanine Cellier's fragrances I had a chance to try. I long to sample the original Vent Vert. Bandit is great, just completely breathtaking and outrageous. I remember Luca Turin mentioning that it was reformulated, and it made me think that the original must have been completely out of this world. Why, oh why was I born so late?
Posted by: Victoria | June 16, 2005 at 17:17
Oh- Fracas! Sometimes I just can't get enough. I tried it a few years ago and didn't "get" it. Last year I tried it again and this time fell solidly in love. It's made me realize what a girly-girl I truly am. It tends not to be very strong or over-powering on me, even in the parfum. Sometimes its presence is more like a euphoric veil than an actual scent. It definitely has a kind of power. Just knowing it is there makes me feel incredibly desirable. I know it's not for everyone though and I try not to go overboard when wearing it.
Posted by: Artisankey | June 19, 2005 at 18:33
Dear A, you are painting such a perfect imagery. I also envision Fracas of a euphoric veil, something that uplifts me. That is one of the reasons I selected the ad appearing in the post. I wanted something to capture the feeling of being enveloped.
Posted by: Victoria | June 19, 2005 at 18:46
Last fall I had the privilege to smell both the original and the reformulated Fracas in Paris. The reformulated, available in shops, is creamier and sweeter. I smelled the original in Versailles Osmotheque. It has a particular neroli note and a somehow salty note superposed to the tuberose base. It is very perverse and narcotic and more intriguing than the reformulated.
Posted by: Octavian | June 21, 2005 at 00:41
Octavian, Thank you for the comparison. It does not surprise me as most reformulations seem to take away the edge, the element that made the original version innovative. I must make a trip to Osmotheque just for that!
Posted by: Victoria | June 21, 2005 at 00:43
And also for the Parfums de Rosine. Some of them are there recreated. The most beautiful and very modern is Le fruit defendu. It is very sweet, fruity (banana, vanilla), woody but also gourmand. It is curious for a 1910's fragrance to have a gurmand side, like a fruity liqueur.
Other beautiful Rosine examples of the period are
Arléquinade (1924) with carnation and aldehydes.
Nuit de Chine (1913) with tones of santal, rose, jasmin recalling the future Soir de Paris from Bourjois
Pierrot (1918) a citrus perfume with woody undertones like a forest with lemon and pine.
Posted by: Octavian | June 21, 2005 at 00:56
As much as I do not like modern interpretations of fruity notes, I love to encounter fruit notes in classic fragrances. Le Fruit Defendu sounds enchanting, as others you mentioned. Thank you for this post--makes me wish I could take a trip right this moment!
Posted by: Victoria | June 21, 2005 at 01:15
FRACAS is just the most beautiful Tubereuse scent ever.
Narcotic,hypnotic,sexual,agressive and yet suave...Like a jewel containing a sin,you love it but know wearing it is so dangerous...
The perfume of the black widow:it attracts you and then kills you with a kiss...
A masterpiece.
Posted by: julien | June 25, 2005 at 19:43
Interesting. Fracas makes me happy, it's a happy, seductive scent. It strikes some people as being "young" fragrance. My father sniffed at it, coughed and inquired wheather I was trying to attract pedophiles. ;) It's exuberant.
Posted by: Romina | June 23, 2006 at 23:59
All your comments were very helpful, but..there's one more thing I'd like to know:I am simply not able to decide between Fracas and Bandit. Bandit sounds like a nice chypre, my favourite floral chypre is "Libertine" by Vivienne Westwood. I totally love patchouli&moss combination. Please, help me decide between those two fragrances. Are they completely different from each other? Are they evening fragrances?Thanx a lot!
Posted by: marta | July 19, 2006 at 07:17
I have been in the fragrance industry for 34 years, and I am also a poet -- Fracas is the only fragrance I have ever mentioned by name in a published poem. Apart from the fact that my mother wore it and my father adored it on her, I have always felt that it is, despite its senuality, very refined, and I never tire of it. Having said that, not everyone can wear it. I have a shameless bias toward white florals, and I have always regarded Fracas as the queen of florals.
Posted by: mitchell | May 20, 2007 at 18:58
I am in Paris for 2 more days and have been looking for Fracas and Bandit, the pure perfume, not the eau de Perfume and cannot find it. Most people haven't heard of it and the man at Sephora claims they don't make the pure perfume. I am desperate to get some for my wife before I leave Paris on October 13th. Can anyone tell me where to go. MY wife will be so disappointed if I don't Bring some back. I don't want to order on the net. It's not the same. Thank you to anyone who can help.
Robert C
Posted by: Robert Carroll | October 11, 2007 at 18:22
I'm sorry, I don't know where in Paris you can get the pure perfume, but I can surely tell you, they do still make it - I know this because I just saw it less than 30 minutes ago in a shop here in Brisbane, Australia, and if you can get it in Brisbane, you can sure as hell bet you can get it in Paris! So I guess what I'm saying is keep trying...
Posted by: R | October 11, 2007 at 23:59
Fracas is the most sensual, sexy scent on the market. I wear it daily and without fail, men approach me and ask, "What are you wearing? You smell wonderful!". It works like a charm. It's subtlely seductive. Very feminine and elegant. Women comment on the pleasantness of the scent too. I've never gotten a bad reaction from anyone.
Posted by: Angela | December 07, 2007 at 15:02
I am half Hawaiian & Irish. Since I was a young girl I have always been surrounded by fragrant leis from the islands. The tuberose lei was always my favorite and as I got older I made it my personal quest to find a parfum as close as possible to the leis I grew to love. I have tried everything from the cheap drug store stuff to high end perfume, like Creed. I married my Husband Didier in the late 90's, he is from France and he taught me many new things about perfume. Being aware of my passion and quest he took me to Grasse, France where I learned and appreciated the art of perfumery more than ever! I didn't find my Tuberose perfume there, but learned how to identify the good stuff. Shortly after my trip to Grasse I was shopping in CA at the South Coast Plaza Neiman Marcus, it was there that I encountered Fracas for the first time. I knew then that it was the closest thing to the tuberose leis so I purchased a small, purse size bottle. I would only wear it on special occassions (since I didn't have much) and EVERY time I would get a "look" with a smile or a stranger telling me that I smell so nice. Women have approached me and ask me what it is...Of course now I have a larger bottle and use it more often. It is not offensive or overpowering. It doesn't give me a headache not does it get old or boring. It lasts ALL day and gets better with time. My husband loves it and so do my children. Most kids don't like perfume and this one is an exception. I have many unique parfums (over 50, and quite a few not sold in dept stores) and this one is in my top 5! Glad someone brought it back to life for us to enjoy! It's sold at Sephoras too! The large bottle (which is not huge) is currently $105 - worth every penny! Start with the small vial and make sure it works with your body. I'm sure you will end up buying the bigger bottle soon thereafter...aloha e malama pono!
Posted by: Ha'awina | January 04, 2008 at 11:33
Fracas...it's such an invigorating aroma. makes me happy to start my day when i step into my spray. does anyone remember it as madeline from madeline de mono....
It wears well when you get warm during the day....just delightful
Posted by: madeline de mono lover | February 15, 2008 at 20:19
Fracas...it's such an invigorating aroma. makes me happy to start my day when i step into my spray. does anyone remember it as madeline from madeline de mono....
It wears well when you get warm during the day....just delightful
Posted by: madeline de mono lover | February 15, 2008 at 20:19