Robert Piguet Baghari Review – Francis Fabron; 1950

It’s a sin that Piguet seems to have slipped off our collective radar. As I wrote a little while ago, I plan to address this deficiency before too long, but today, I’d like to devote a few lines to the member of the brand’s classic portfolio that tends to be overshadowed by those powerhouse Germaine Cellier creations (ie Fracas and Bandit). I’m referring to Baghari, originally released in 1950 as a composition by Francis Fabron (L’Air Du Temps, L’Interdit) and then no doubt reformulated by various hands (two of which were probably Aurelien Guichard’s, but I’ve yet to confirm this).

I’ve never had the good fortune to smell the original (here’s hoping) but the current version displays all the subtleties and contrasts we associate with the best work of the 40s and 50s. Dry-aldehydic at the top, woody in the base, and bewitchingly floral in the heart, it possesses a verticality that makes you long for the days when every fragrance told a story that was both complete and cohesive: a clear progression from one step to the next.

Here, angels’ wings brush against the dark locks of witches plotting in the undergrowth, as though the sparkle of Chanel No. 5 has merged with the nocturnal mystery of Rochas Femme via the metallic petals of Lutens La Fille De Berlin. A scent that straddles several worlds and appears to feel comfortable in all of them. Do seek it out. 

Persolaise

[Review based on a sample provided by the brand in 2021.]

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