I have written endless perfume posts, some venturing into that of the carnal, esoteric and forbidden. Because perfumes are all of those and so much more. A quality fragrance will smell like sun drenched skin, the peculiar scent of ozone, with deep notes of civet, amber and musk. And a good perfume will age with grace, dignity yet revealing depths you can’t recall since you last cracked open the bottle. TABU is one such fragrance, originating from 1932 by the legendary perfumer Jean Carles who famously was told by his contractor (Dana) to “make a perfume a prostitute would wear”. I can’t attest to if it’s living up to its ideals, but it certainly is a perfume that is worn best with silk and lace under the glow of candlelit chandeliers and classical music.
Should you ever look for good quality vintage perfumes in Haarlem, then make sure to stop by the obscure but lovely perfume store “Perfumes of the Past”. Caron, Schiaparelli, Lanvin and of course Dana are all on the menu. You won’t be disappointed.
