Among fashion houses, Donna Karan never fails to offer one successful and unusual fragrance after another. Her Cashmere Mist indeed evokes a feeling of touching warm fabric that clings softly to the skin. Be Delicious Men ornaments a baked apple with delicately roasted coffee and bittersweet citrus. Chaos (released in 1996, now discontinued) was my introduction to the beauty of a saffron note folded into the luminous richness of spices and incense that comprise its elegant oriental composition.
In some ways, Black Cashmere is not unlike Chaos, a dense tapestry of multicoloured threads that results in the illusion of darkness. Underscoring the composition is a smooth mélange of sandalwood and cedar. Created by Rodrigo Flores-Roux in 2003, Black Cashmere is a fragrance about the sensuality of incense. Interspersed with jewel-like vibrancy of spices, its warmth captivates and seduces. ...
Resinous incense tinged with charcoal darkness is a leitmotif of the composition. The intensity of the initial accord obscures the nuances and quite successfully conjures a vision of absolute darkness. Yet, just like when eyes begin to identify shapes of objects in the dark room, the olfactory veil begins to slip. At first, cardamom dispels the darkness with its shimmer. Then, the spice notes begin to undulate out of the balsamic richness more rapidly, revealing a lacy pattern of cinnamon and clove.
As the composition develops, the resinous quality melts away, revealing a voluptuous base of woods. Incense provides a beautiful bridge from the peppery top to the sweet base notes. On the one hand, its dryness foils gently the warmth of pepper, and on another, the pine-like brightness of incense harmonizes with the creamy woods. Marked by a subtle rosy nuance, the base notes present a muted contrast to the glowing cinders effect of incense in the heart. While darkness still pervades the composition, it has a quality of a tender, yet passionate embrace.
Notes include saffron, clove, rose, white pepper, Ethiopian incense, vanilla, amber, patchouli, African wenge wood. Available from various retailers such as Nordstrom, Saks5th Avenue, Neiman Marcus, as well as online discount stores like Perfumebay and Perfumemart.
Wenge, a dark African wood, is also featured in Donna Karan Essence, a collection of oils for layering that has debuted in October of 2005. The quarter also includes lavender, jasmine, and labdanum.
Black Cashmere advertisement from psine.net.
I have this fragrance due to be delivered Friday. I bought this unsniffed but it sounded so wonderful and now I feel re-affirmed that after reading this wonderfully, descriptive review, I have made a fantastic choice. Thank you once again for such wonderful writing. I appreciate your reviews each morning!
Posted by: Christina H. | November 10, 2005 at 08:00
As always, a beautiful review! I do like Black Cashmere--although I prefer the dearly departed Chaos. On me at least, BC has a waxy quality that seems a bit odd. Neverthess, I wear and enjoy it, especially as the weather gets colder. I'm on an incense kick lately--so I'm pleased to see that you (and your reviews) seem to be as well!
Posted by: Judith (lilybp) | November 10, 2005 at 08:08
I used to have a lotion of this that I loved. This, along with Bulgari Black, alerted me to the interesting proposition that fragrance wasn't necessarily about pretty flowers. I never wear Black Cashmere any more, but I still give it a fond spritz in the store. It struck me the first time I ever tried it as aggressively strange, butch, like it would put an adam's apple on me if I wore it. But now, if you can imagine, I find it actually calming. My initial, newbie's impression was of a scent made for being kidnapped by pirates. My impression now is of a scent made for making out with a boy. Interesting how experience changes us. ;)
Posted by: Tania | November 10, 2005 at 09:26
I love Chaos and I hoard 2 bottles of it. I haven't tried Black Cashmere though. Your evocative review makes me to run over to my local Sephora during my lunch hour. :-)
Posted by: linda | November 10, 2005 at 09:28
Ah, saffron - no wonder you like it, heh. Have you ever met a saffron you don't like? (I'm curious!)
Posted by: Katie | November 10, 2005 at 10:35
Hi V! I tried this a while ago and may need to revisit this soon.
However, I do remember feeling a bit overwhelmed by it.
Posted by: parislondres | November 10, 2005 at 11:31
Like N, I tried this and found it too much -- might need to revisit it. I do agree that Donna Karan generally does much more interesting scents than other mainstream designers, although Be Delicious is not among my favorites.
Posted by: Robin | November 10, 2005 at 11:42
One of my favorite fragrances from the nineties was Donna Karan NY, the parfum. It was wonderful. All leather and Egyptian lily, sultry and sleek.
I loved Cashmere Mist, too. They body products are wonderful.
I have a small decant of BC. I don't know why, given the fact that I have loved some of her other fragrances, I don't want to test this one. I suppose I will when the mood is right. :)
Hugs!
Posted by: mreenymo | November 10, 2005 at 13:05
Christina, thank you! I am glad that you are enjoying them. I find incense quite appealing in general, and Black Cashmere explores the theme really well. I hope that you will also be pleased with it.
Posted by: BoisdeJasmin | November 10, 2005 at 14:00
J, thank you. I am definitely on an incense kick, given the change in weather and the desire to put on something warm and comforting. Incense is always comforting. I also like Chaos, but BC is another fantastic composition.
Posted by: BoisdeJasmin | November 10, 2005 at 14:02
T, I had a very similar reaction to it when I first tried it. Revisiting it later, I was struck by the fact that it no longer felt inaccessible. It is definitely dark and rich, but not at all aggressive.
Posted by: BoisdeJasmin | November 10, 2005 at 14:05
Linda, if you like Chaos, chances are that you will enjoy Black Cashmere too. Lucky you for stocking up well on Chaos. I saw a mini on one of the perfume discount websites for around $60.
Posted by: BoisdeJasmin | November 10, 2005 at 14:06
Katie, saffron here does not seem to be particularly obvious, since incense dominates the composition. However, I do like the note in general. I do not like DSH Cimabue, which I was sure I would love. However, it is just too sweet on me.
Posted by: BoisdeJasmin | November 10, 2005 at 14:08
N, it is indeed rather dark and potent. A small spray more than suffices for me. However, I tend to reach for it only in the cold weather for this reason.
Posted by: BoisdeJasmin | November 10, 2005 at 14:13
R, it dries down quite soft on me, without darkness that seems to overtake the composition initially. I would be curious what you think after you revisit it, since you seem to like incense.
Posted by: BoisdeJasmin | November 10, 2005 at 14:22
R, yes, I understand. One needs to be in the right mood for some things.
Donna Karan NY sounds wonderful. I do not suppose that it is made anymore?
Posted by: BoisdeJasmin | November 10, 2005 at 14:23
Wow! You are right! I just saw a 1oz bottle of the EDP for $450 here:
http://www.perfume-bay.com/763511094523.html
Posted by: linda | November 10, 2005 at 15:29
Wait! How about $1100?
http://www.perfume-bay.com/5000100440.html
Posted by: linda | November 10, 2005 at 15:30
V, I really don't know if Donna Karan NY parfum is still available. I have not looked for it for quite some time. If it is, it retails for about $185./oz, maybe more.
If it has gone the way of Chaos, it's probably pricier. Yikes!
Hugs!
Posted by: mreenymo | November 10, 2005 at 16:01
L, that is amazingly expensive! Makes JAR seem quite reasonable. Don't you now feel even more lucky to have a stash of Chaos? :)
Posted by: BoisdeJasmin | November 10, 2005 at 16:11
R, is this the one you are talking about?
http://perfumesand.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductID=dknpr17l
Of course, it is the EDP, not the parfum, however the prices seem to be reasonable. I can only imagine how expensive the parfum must be if originally it retailed for $185.
Posted by: BoisdeJasmin | November 10, 2005 at 16:13
If the Donna Karan New York scent is the one I'm thinking of, with the odd black and gold bottle shaped like a gourd if that gourd had been imagined by Brancusi, then that's the one I thought smelled like Band-Aids! I tried it in Bergdorf again last weekend.
Posted by: Tania | November 10, 2005 at 19:49
Oh, I think that I know the bottle you are talking about. I will have to stop by and smell it at some point. I am sure Saks and Macy's will have it too.
Posted by: BoisdeJasmin | November 10, 2005 at 20:55
I remember Chaos...I loved it, but at the time I thought I was too young to wear it, that it was too spicy and "mature". By the time Black Cashmere came on the scene I felt I could pull it off. I bought it right away and I love it - but I still just spray it into the air and walk through it. On me, it's a little too overpowering to spray directly on skin.
Posted by: kristen | November 11, 2005 at 16:09
Kristen, it can be a bit too much, although I do not perceive it like that anymore. Now, it strikes me as a balanced incense. I suppose I got used to it.
Posted by: BoisdeJasmin | November 12, 2005 at 00:10
It is a pleasure to read your writing even if I do not like the fragrance described. Black Cashmere is too potent even for this incense fan. Maybe, I also need to try spraying it in the air and then walking through the mist.
Posted by: Helena | November 12, 2005 at 23:13
By the way, for everyone who finds Black Cashmere overwhelming, I do highly recommend the lotion. The quality is excellent and the fragrance takes on a softer character.
Posted by: Tania | November 13, 2005 at 00:19
Helena, thank you. I think that cedar in Black Cashmere is more resinous than cedar in Bois d'Encens (which I remember you mentioned liking very much). If you already have a bottle, then try walking through the mist--it really helps to lighten its veil.
Posted by: BoisdeJasmin | November 13, 2005 at 11:31
T, thank you! I have never tried the lotion, but since I love the fragrance, I shall seek it out. I wonder if it comes in the same beautiful black bottle as the perfume.
Posted by: BoisdeJasmin | November 13, 2005 at 11:32
Tania, thank you for your recommendation. I often wear body lotions instead fragrances, especially if they are very strong.
Posted by: Helena | November 13, 2005 at 12:53