From Asia Minor via Adriatic, Alps, Old Amsterdam, Atlantic, Old New Amsterdam and trans-continental railroad he has arrived to seek his silver screen stardom in the golden sun shining state.
He has brought with him the bare essentials: the shirt on his back, two more in his bag, dancing shoes and feet, a way with women and smouldering good looks.
His arrival is announced with something, and some things, of the souk.
His shirts, though small in number are fine Egyptian cotton and laundered in the French style with flower scented water.
Meals, though frugal, are spiced with the savour of the Levant. Wholesome pulses and nutty grains come with cinnamon, coriander and cardamom: all conceived to convey the Arabian sub-continent.
His words, though few in English, are chosen exquisitely: notes in a minimal symphony.
Movement is tiny too and exact.
Here is a man who can turn walking across a room into a three act tragedy.
Oh, and the eyes.
Eyes, in first glance ordinary, that are in the gaze sublimely glowing orbs in pools of the heavy dark dust they call kohl.
The dust of three thousand years weighs heavy as settled incense on his every limb and make him languorous to the point of inspiring near universal lust.
That this reality: this exotic, erotic, feeling man should be loved by the camera and women in equal measure is, the producer will years later remark, “the greatest coincidence of the early cinema”.
On set, unaware of his own ambiguous attractiveness to practically all, he sips rose tea sweetened with honey and waits patiently for artistry to occur.
It inevitably does.
If a perfume ever felt it had a divine right to be considered beautiful it could be Mitzah from La Collection Couturier Parfumeur by Dior.
Formed with the easy precision of a skilled pattern cutter’s hand, it is an apparently simple composition that only assumes its true form when worn.
From the start it is mainly smoke in the couturiers’ mirrors. Billowing clouds of incense take their time to clear. Clouds that come from cones heavily flavoured with coriander, cinnamon and cardamom, rich and spiced in their swirling.
When the dust does finally settle our newly dressed gentleman lacks only one thing: a floral buttonhole. A mistake rectified with the quick provision of a rose, one that continues to emanate its Damascene scent the rest of the day.
Only one element now remains: a sweetness to add humour to this show of the dark arts.
Here come the bees in their honeyed hoards to bring a sepia tint to the scene.
An icon is an icon and exudes sexuality rather merely having a sex.
Mitzah is a fragrant icon of the silent olfactory screen.
Yours ever
The Perfumed Dandy.
The Perfumed Dandy. 
Dear Mr Dandy
You do get your mitts on some amazing fragrances! I’ve never even heard of this, but I am, after all merely a passionate amateur. Your description will have me looking for it. It sounds divine.
Your friend
IScent
Dearest Iscent
Mitzah is one of Chanel’s ‘les exclusifs’ range… do make sure to give it a blast when next you’re in the ‘The Big Smoke’ I’ve a feeling they don;t have it elsewhere, though occasionally odd vials become available on online auctions for those keen to try.
They seem intent on discontinuing it at some point, so if this tickles your fancy (and how could it not) it may by opportune to try sooner rather than later.
Yours ever
The Perfumed Dandy
Fabulous review!!! I adore Mitzah – it’s my favourite from that Collection. I am lucky to have been given 2 very generous samples. This is the kind of fragrance I wish they would do in a smaller size to make it a little more affordable. One day I shall treat myself to an fb and glory in it! Dior’s assistant, woman it was named after, must have been extraordinary! What a wonderful way to be remembered.
Well! That’s a review to give us heart flutters, Mr. D. 🙂 I’ve never smelled Mitzah, but I certainly hope I have the opportunity some time. It sounds gorgeous.
*semi-swoons and fans herself*
There are several old framed photographs of Rudy in my living room, and you dear Dandy have made my day…again. Many thanks for a lovely review, and for the introduction to a scent I knew nothing about.
The Clooney of his day, wasn’t he a looker! I’m enjoying these spicy perfume descriptions Sir Dandy, it’s amazing how the change of season makes you crave something to suit. This sounds lovely, again. I have ordered a mini of Theorema, and also DSH perfumes Cimabue, can’t wait for their arrival!
I hope your blog updating troubles are resolved soon, so annoying isn’t it?!
Alert the media! I actually know what this smells like, as I have a little gift of it from the delightful Lanier. Spice and smoke and chypre (sp?) and beautiful and poised too, just like your story/description.
I am so happy you like it! It is discontinued in the USA sadly. So there we have an excuse to go to Paris or at the very least London to visit the Dandy and pick you up a bottle. I wear it at least once a week.
The “eyes” have it! Loved the review almost as much as I love Mitzah.
It’s late now. In my inbox two e-mails are one next to the other. The first one is from bois de Jasmin about the draw on her blog. I went there and answered the question of which one perfume I would buy if I could do it today. My answer was Chic Shaik No 30. So the first second I glanced at the subject of the second e-mail – yours – I thought I was dreaming.
Love Mitzah and don’t understand why Dior had to take it off their “regular” line-up of exclusive perfumes.
Wow: you can be sure that the next time I am in Harrods I am going to linger over this one a lot longer. I always find I am in a rush and last time I saw the Diors I just sniffed them and didn’t loiter. This sounds gorgeous.