Estēe Lauder
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
A burst of mimosa's powdery brightness crashes against tuberose's creamy, slightly indolic character, sharpened by plum's tart, fleshy sweetness and pittosporum's green bite. The effect is disarmingly cheerful—almost aggressively friendly—like encountering an unexpected friend at the florist.
The floral intensity subsides into something more architectural as patchouli emerges, introducing a subtle spice and earthiness that transforms the jasmine and orange blossom into something more restrained and contemplative. The composition gains a woody, almost leather-like quality here, with the florals now balanced rather than dominant.
What remains is primarily chypre architecture—oakmoss and vetiver dominate, creating a dry, slightly powdery base wrapped in sandalwood's creamy warmth and amber's subtle sweetness. The fragrance becomes increasingly intimate and skin-like, settling into a meditative, mossy dryness that whispers rather than speaks.
Knowing is a fragrance caught between epochs—neither quite floral nor entirely chypre, though it claims both with equal insistence. Elie Roger's 1988 composition opens with a peculiar brightness: tuberose and mimosa create an almost squeaky, cheerful top that feels oddly at odds with what's to come. The plum adds a dusty sweetness, like dried fruit left in a sunlit drawer, whilst pittosporum provides a green, slightly bitter edge that prevents the opening from tipping into saccharine territory.
This is where Knowing becomes interesting. The heart reveals a sophisticated grasp of floral architecture—jasmine and orange blossom don't bloom in the conventional, hedonistic manner but rather intertwine with patchouli in a way that feels almost meditative. The patchouli isn't earthy or dark; instead, it acts as a stabiliser, grounding the florals and introducing a subtle spiciness that catches you mid-breath. It's a fragrance for someone contemplative, someone who wears scent as a form of thinking rather than performing.
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4.2/5 (146)