Paradoxe by Pierre Cardin

But what about it? There isn’t a single review for Paradoxe by Pierre Cardin? I can’t take it anymore, so here goes. I understand the paradox in its name. Designed for her yet so masculine. That’s pure paradox in itself. If you lived through the eighties, it might not seem so strange to you as it does to me today. Those were times when many women liked to smell like men (think Cacharel Pour L’Homme) and many men would do well with a fragrance that was clearly feminine, something unthinkable in recent decades. Looking back, this perfume has been touched upon, as one might expect. But like anyone else here, how can one resist the temptation to buy a bottle at the price I found it and wander through experiences etched in memory, hoping to relive a special moment with a sniff? I would have liked to say epic things about this perfume, surely because those were the feelings I had back then, but I can’t. I don’t know if it’s due to memory, changing fashions, or (certainly) reformulations; however paradoxical it may be, it wasn’t special enough to escape them. I remember it much drier, leathery, and smokier than the soapy sensation I have today, akin to a solid bar of barber soap. Perhaps the balance of notes changed, favouring the floral aspects like hyacinth and jasmine, which were more acidic in their day, leaving behind the leather, oakmoss, and incense that I recall as a dry, smoky hit that gave it mysterious audacity (juhuahaha) and removed the soapy quality. In any case, Paradoxe was created for women, but never, then nor now, has it smelled remotely feminine. So I venture to recommend it to men without fear, especially now that people wear things that don’t go with them at all, such as Chanel No. 5. One must admit that it improves as it dries, or at least gains complexity. More smoke, less soap. However, I feel compelled to say that at this stage, I find nothing particularly special about it. That said, I have the immense satisfaction of having tried it and of having a bottle that hasn’t changed its appearance in so many years, which brings me memories of past times just by holding it. It’s like a piece of happy history. Recommended for people with unusual tastes, such as… ‘I want to smell (on me or on someone else) like the Dr. Schmeckler shaving soap bar when Churchill was a corporal and there was nothing else’. In that case, it’s ideal and essential. Go for it!