Launched in 1986, four years before the more popular (and just as discontinued) No. 4, Jil Sander Woman III was an elegant chypre, somewhat out of place in the age of Giorgio and Obsession. The notes: orange blossom, hyacinth, nutmeg, angelica, ylang ylang, sandalwood, patchouli, pepper, coriander, oakmoss, cedar, musk, tonka and vetiver, do not tell the entire story,but they hint of a refined air.
While No. 4 is much more femme and cleavagy, Woman III is greener. It can be equally at home in a pant suit as it is in black velvet. Some days it verges on soapy, but never really goes there, which I'm very happy about. However it was clean enough to wear in summer without overwhelming, even if chypres are more traditionally fall scents, probably because of their complexity and the richness rendered by oakmoss.
Despite the name, Jil Sander Woman III could probably be worn by men. It's well-blended and restrained enough to not be so bold and make the grand entrance of Paloma Picasso, another chypre from the same era that shares some of the notes (hyacinth, coriander, patchouli, oakmoss) but is all red lipstick and drama. I get quite a bit of peppery spice and very little, if any, of the floral heart. The drydown has enough bitter vetiver to satisfy me and give it a unisex kick.
Woman III has vanished from shelves and stores some years ago, probably because of the restrictions on oakmoss and the fact that the franchise of Jil Sander perfumes is now owned by Coty, a house that traded off its history and glory for Celine Dion, the Beckhams and Jennifer Lopez. I was extremely lucky to find a sealed bottle, still in its cellophane wrap, on eBay. It's an EDT with a great lasting power and considerable depth, which makes lust after the idea of an extrait, even if I don't even know that it was ever produced. If you search well enough, there are still some tester bottles online and the Perfumed Court has two regular new 100 ml bottles , if you're willing to part with $370.
Art: Moonlight by Pamela Sukhum from Vinings Gallery
Fashion: Jil Sander Fall 2008 Ready-to-Wear from Style.com
While No. 4 is much more femme and cleavagy, Woman III is greener. It can be equally at home in a pant suit as it is in black velvet. Some days it verges on soapy, but never really goes there, which I'm very happy about. However it was clean enough to wear in summer without overwhelming, even if chypres are more traditionally fall scents, probably because of their complexity and the richness rendered by oakmoss.
Despite the name, Jil Sander Woman III could probably be worn by men. It's well-blended and restrained enough to not be so bold and make the grand entrance of Paloma Picasso, another chypre from the same era that shares some of the notes (hyacinth, coriander, patchouli, oakmoss) but is all red lipstick and drama. I get quite a bit of peppery spice and very little, if any, of the floral heart. The drydown has enough bitter vetiver to satisfy me and give it a unisex kick.
Woman III has vanished from shelves and stores some years ago, probably because of the restrictions on oakmoss and the fact that the franchise of Jil Sander perfumes is now owned by Coty, a house that traded off its history and glory for Celine Dion, the Beckhams and Jennifer Lopez. I was extremely lucky to find a sealed bottle, still in its cellophane wrap, on eBay. It's an EDT with a great lasting power and considerable depth, which makes lust after the idea of an extrait, even if I don't even know that it was ever produced. If you search well enough, there are still some tester bottles online and the Perfumed Court has two regular new 100 ml bottles , if you're willing to part with $370.
Art: Moonlight by Pamela Sukhum from Vinings Gallery
Fashion: Jil Sander Fall 2008 Ready-to-Wear from Style.com
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