Hi Posse. How do I not know about Voyageur by Jean Kerleo for Jean Patou? Released in 1995, I was living in London and often frequented the hallowed perfume halls of Selfridge & Co, Harvey Nix and Harrods. So strange to me that it completely passed me by. Back then the squirt bitches (of both sexes) were giving away minis like it was Xmas every day. Anyway, trawling FragranceNet the other week and buying some Sira des Indes for gifts I noticed it in the Patou section. A 5ml mini for about US$5 with the boat, throw it in.
I’m still very bitter that LVMH bought Patou and killed the perfumes. Currently hoarding them all and gifting as many as I can to keep the memory alive. Not just among perfumistas.
Voyageur by Jean Patou 1995
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Orange, Grapefruit
Heart: Sage, Lavender
Base: Oakmoss, Cedar, Sandalwood
Ahhhh! Voyageur has that 1990s vibe of citrus woody aromatic dressed up as water, as purveyed by Issey Miyake in the L’Eau d’Issey range but done so much smoother. Also it feels like an amalgamation of that vibe with traditional menswear. A lot less pungent too. Here we have a fragrance that is so delightfully under the radar that it might not have performed well in the perfume halls of the 1990s. Everyone was saying they were over the power perfumes but they were just as brutally obnoxious, from a different direction.
The heart is soft focus herbaceousness underpinned by woods and the citrus maintains a very faint presence a long ways into dry down. Considering how quiet the fragrance is the longevity is excellent. I can seriously imagine Voyageur being a huge hit in the Asian countries that find loud perfumes rude and obnoxious.
Though definitely aimed at the blokes anyone could wear Voyageur. Projection is very small, introverted perfume, longevity is all day. I swiped some on the the evening and could still smell soft whispers this morning.
Having a look around the internet there aren’t even that many second hand bottles for sale and nothing over US$300, even for full 100ml BNIC. I’m wondering if it wasn’t around for long. Some of the full sized bottles also come with the ship. SO COOL! No I didn’t go purchasing. I’m having a couple of tooth implants done so all discretionary spending money is being filtered towards that.
I loved this piece where Tom reminisces about Patou’s Joy!
Did you ever see or smell Voyageur?
Portia xx
As a mere youngling in the world (90s baby) I’m not familiar with Jean Patou, but that bottle is pretty neat and the scent notes do sound quite nice, in summer when it gets super humid, I am a sucker for anything in the citrus or aquatic. On the teeth part, best of luck, dentist stuff is no fun.
Thanks KayKay,
Yeah, teeth are so important and SO expensive, even with full health cover.
Welcome to the scent craving.
Portia xx
The only Patou perfume I am familiar with and have is Joy. It’s a lovely spring/summer scent.
We are seeing the last of the Patou Joy in our discount drug stores now Eldarwen22. I’ve got a bunch of the vintage but am thinking to grab just one modern before they all disappear.
Portia xx
Gosh! No memory of Voyageur, not even memories of its advertisements in print like magazines or such. That ship bottle is wild. So glad you unearthed this.
Thanks DinaC,
Me too.
Portia xx
That is so cool-looking! I’d never heard of it either. (It does sound nice though.) And the fun of having some random thing you’ve not sniffed arrive in the mail … will it be great? Terrible? I just scrolled back up and looked at that bottle again, what a hoot. You’re right though hon, teeth are important too.
Heya March,
At this price point it was cheaper than buying a decant of something. Perfect low cost addable to Xmas gifts too.
Portia xx
Portia, I’m sad about Patou fragrances as well. I don’t know Voyageur and since it looks like I’ll never find it, please tell me your thoughts on Sira des Indes — should I grab some of that? (I did buy Fendi Furiosa after you wrote about it and love it!)
Hey there SpringPansy,
OK Sira des Indes is a spicy tropical market day, full of resins, bananas and milky chai undercut by sandalwood/vanilla. Don’t expect something that will announce your presence 10 meters ahead, it’s fragrant but not rambunctious.
So glad you love Furiosa, another sadly DCd beauty.
Portia xx
Sounds wonderful. Thank you!
Good luck. X
I think Proctor and Gamble started the end of Jean Patou and LVMH finished the job. Greed is not good.
I had never heard of Voyageur but have sampled Normandie which was created in honor of the first transatlantic voyage of the SS Normandie. The perfume is often presented as part of a ship. It’s a beautiful fragrance. I love the carnation note in many of the old Patou perfumes.
OOOHHH! I didn’t know about Normandie!
Thanks Maya,
Portia xx
I have not…but ‘squirt bitches’?!! Lol! I nearly choked on my coffee. I will however look up the Sira des Indes.
Dental work. Sigh. Good luck!
When I used to work in the industry that’s what we called ourselves JenniferS, We were so naughty. There were gorilla spritzing competitions and many other bursts of ridiculousness.
Sira des Indes is beautiful.
Portia xx
I’ve never sampled Voyageur; however, I adore Jean Patou fragrances and am also sad about the discontinued or reformulations. My long-term fave is Sublime and I have some stashed away as well. I have a few of the Heritage Collection versions, Chaldea, L’Heure Attendue, and Vacances. I’ve sampled Sira des Indes and may look for a small bottle before it disappears, it is lovely. xoxo
Yeah Kathleen,
The LVMH behemoth is a destroyer. Hopefully if they can get the fashion house running again they’ll bring back some of the frags.
Yeah, Sira des Indes is a low key beauty. Everyone I’ve given it to smells so good in it.
Portia xx
I have this idea I tried this back in the day but it definitely wasn’t in boat form. Who thinks these things up? Sometimes they are great. The jury is out on this. Good wishes on the teeth stuff.
Cinnamon,
I bought a bunch and am adding them as present fillers to some perfumistas that I think will like them. The boat is HEAVEN!
Even the frag smells good, so very happy.
Portia xx
I honestly don’t remember it but you are forcing me to get some..
HA! Sorry Tom