Fracas by Robert Piguet c1945

Fracas by Robert Piguet: launched in 1945, in USA by 1948. Created by Germaine Cellier. The name is pronounced "fruh-CAH" in French.

The classic fragrance was said to have a bevy of devotees: Madonna, Carolina Herrera, Kim Basinger, Princess Caroline of Monaco, Martha Stewart, Courtney Love...

Original Fragrance Composition:

So what does it smell like? It is classified as an intense white floral fragrance for women. It starts with a top of sparkling aldehydes, fresh citrus, hyacinth and fruity peach, followed by a brilliant bouquet of white flowers with notes of Grasse jasmine, narcissus, rose, gardenia, Indian tuberose, and Tunisian orange blossom, resting over a woody, powdery base of vetiver, oakmoss, Ethiopian civet, Italian orris butter, opoponax, patchouli, Tibetan musk and sandalwood.

• Top notes: hyacinth, C18 aldehyde, bergamot, mandarin, peach, leafy green note, hyacinth, Tunisian orange blossom absolute and lilac
• Middle notes: lily, coriander, rose, jonquil, Indian tuberose absolute, carnation, Grasse jasmine absolute, white narcissus, gardenia, lily of the valley, white iris, rose geranium, osmanthus and violet root
• Base notes: patchouli, opoponax, sandalwood, benzoin, Tolu balsam, amber, Ethiopian civet, cedar, Italian orris butter, vetiver, oakmoss and Tibetan musk

 

Bottles:

The pure parfum (extrait) was originally housed in cube shaped opaque black or clear glass bottles, topped with slim, octagonal faceted, clear crystal stoppers.

These crystal parfum bottles were made by Pochet et du Courval in France:

• 1/8 oz Purse size mini
• 1/4 oz bottle stands 2.25"tall
• 1/2 oz - bottle stands 2.5" tall  
• 1 oz - bottle stands  3 3/8” tall 
• 2 oz bottle stands 4.25" tall
• 4 oz
• 8 oz

Other Fracas products:

• 2 oz Eau de Toilette Splash
• 4 oz Eau de Toilette Splash
• 8 oz Eau de Toilette Splash
• 16 oz Eau de Toilette Splash
• 3.3 oz Eau de Toilette Natural Spray (Ref. #4403)
• Fracas Bath Oil (released in 1964)

Boxes for these items are a pale pink with black band. The paper labels and boxes use the original lowercased 'fracas' font. 

Fate of the Fragrance:

Discontinued, date unknown.


The Robert Piguet fragrances were owned by Alfin (Irwin Alfin/Adrien Arpel, Inc.) from 1982-1997. In 1985, the company formed a subdivision, Orinter Geneva Switzerland, to handle the Parfums Robert Piguet. The Company owned the exclusive worldwide manufacturing, distribution and licensing rights for Fracas, Bandit, Cravache, and Musk Blanc. The company also initiated mass marketing of other popular Robert Piguet fragrances. The Robert Piguet fragrances were now sold in upscale department stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale's, Lord & Taylor, Bergdorf Goodman, Bullock's, David Jones, Holt Renfrew and more.

It was at this time that they reformulated and relaunched these fragrances, and unfortunately, these versions are the worst according to online reviews.  The Fracas fragrance product line consisted of parfum, eau de toilette, bath oil and body lotion. These early bottles are clear glass with black serigraphy of a weird font in capital letters, and topped with both octagonal and non-octagonal black caps. You may find the mini bottles of parfum, they are small clear glass cubes with square black caps. 

Available items were:

• 0.13 oz Parfum (Ref. No. 9723)
• 0.5 oz Parfum Splash (Ref No. 9530), in a clear, square flacon with crystal stopper.
• 1.67 oz Eau de Toilette Natural Spray, in a clear bottle with black cap
• 3.5 oz Eau de Toilette Natural Spray, in a clear bottle with black cap
• 6.75 oz Eau de Toilette Natural Spray, in a clear bottle with black cap 
• 3.3 oz Eau de Toilette Splash 
• 1.5 oz Bath Oil (Ref. #9033)

The boxes used during this period are black with accents of black and pale pink stripes, very 1980s. An original hangtag with the bath oil reads: We are pleased to introduce the new package design for Parfums Robert Piguet. It is a more contemporary look, yet it retains the spirit of the original. However, the richness of raw materials which made the originality of the fragrances formulas have been maintained in order to offer you the quality and tradition of a great perfume."

The boxes from 1982-1985 should be marked with: 

Parfums ROBERT PIGUET 

2 Avenue Jeanne 92600 ASNIERES

Made in France

EMB. 92004 C.

CONTAINS:

Alcohol-Perfume-Water

Other boxes starting in 1985-1990 should be marked:

Parfums ROBERT PIGUET

Made in France 

For Orinter Geneva

Switzerland

The Parfum boxes will be listed as "CONTAINS: Alcohol-Fragrance."

The Eau de Toilette boxes will be listed as "CONTAINS: Alcohol-Fragrance-Water

The later fragrances were housed in the opaque black glass bottles, topped with both octagonal and non-octagonal black caps. These items were presented in the black boxes, emblazoned with the familiar Fracas lowercase lettered logo in the pink square.

The company also released the noxious stench known as Fracas for Men, a complete flop, which according to many people, has no relation to Fracas, and is not even in the same league as other Robert Piguet fragrances. I have only found it in one size: 3.4 oz Eau de Cologne Natural Spray (Ref. #9208). Boxes for this item should be marked:

COMPOSANTS: 

SD alcool 39

eau demineralisee

parfum

INGREDIENTS:

SD alcohol 39C

demineralized water

fragrance

Dist. by Alfin Inc.

720 Fifth Ave

New York, NY 10019

Made in U.S.A.

Fracas and the Robert Piguet fragrances were discontinued in 1994.

Then the Robert Piguet brand was acquired by Fashion Fragrances and Cosmetics, Ltd. (FF&C). The company had Givaudan reformulate Fracas to closely resemble the original version and relaunched it in 1996-1997.  

• Top notes: bergamot, mandarin, hyacinth, greens
• Middle notes: tuberose, jasmine, orange blossom, lily of the valley, white iris, violet, jonquil, carnation, coriander, peach, osmanthus, pink geranium
• Base notes: musk, sandalwood, orris, vetiver, tolu balsam

This version is found in the opaque black glass bottles with the octagonal and non-octagonal black caps (with gold bands) and clear cut crystal stoppers. These items were presented in the black boxes, emblazoned with the familiar Fracas logo in the pink square. The fragrance was periodically discontinued and reissued in limited quantities. Press materials for the fragrance say it has been kept "purposely scarce to maintain its mystery." Items available during this time were:

• 0.25 oz Parfum Splash (Ref. No. 91021)
• 1 oz Parfum Splash
• 1.7 oz Eau de Parfum Spray
• 3.4 oz Eau de Parfum Spray
• 4 oz Silkening Body Lotion
• 8.5 oz Silkening Body Lotion
• Solid Perfume

Below are certifications from the presidents of Givaudan who were in charge of the reformulations. On the left is the first one, signed by Errol GW. Stafford, who was president until 2004. The one on the right is signed by Michael Carlos who succeeded Stafford.

Fracas was reformulated again in 2006 to exclude the oakmoss per IFRA regulations. This is the current version seen on the Robert Piguet Parfums website. It was still being distributed by Fashion Fragrances & Cosmetics, Ltd. In 2006, Fracas was inducted into the Hall of Fame at the Fragrance Foundation's 36th annual FiFi Awards.

Since 2006, Fracas has been available in the following forms:

• 0.13 oz Parfum Spray Miniature
• 0.13 oz Parfum Splash Miniature (stands 2.25" tall)
• 0.25 oz Parfum (clear bottle, stands 2.25" tall)
• 0.5 oz Parfum (clear bottle, stands 2.5" tall)
• 1 oz Parfum (clear bottle, stands 3.5" tall - black bottle stands 3.75" tall)
• 2 oz Parfum
• 0.33 oz Eau de Parfum Roll On (Ref. #94016)
• 1 oz Eau de Parfum Spray
• 1.7 oz Eau de Parfum Spray
• 3.4 oz Eau de Parfum Spray
• Solid Perfume
• 8.4 oz Silkening Body Wash
• 8.4 oz Silkening Shower Creme 
• 8.4 oz  Silkening Body Lotion
• 6.7 oz Silkening Body Crème (Ref. #95111)
• 2.5 oz Silkening Body Powder (Ref. #95061)
• 5 oz Silkening Body Powder (Ref. # 95361)
• 2.5 oz Perfumed Candle

In 2008, Parfums Robert Piguet released a 60th Anniversary Flacon, retailing for $525.. Only 500 of the limited edition flacons were available, each complete with a certificate of authenticity marked with the anniversary seal. The signature black glass bottle is topped with a cut crystal stopper, and presented in the top drawer of a black lacquer box. The bottom drawer holds a refillable purse bottle and two refill bottles with 7.5 ml parfum. It was available exclusively at Ogilvy.

In 2012, a limited edition of Fracas was released, in collaboration with French actress, Isabelle Huppert, who was approached by the company after she publicly stated she liked the perfume. The Pierre Dinand designed bottle was created to coincide with the 160th anniversary of the popular Parisian high end department store, Le Bon Marché. Each of the 100ml Eau de Parfum bottles are etched with the actress' initials "IH" on the back. The bottles are individually numbered and limited to only 80 flacons.

Also in 2012, a limited edition for Fracas Parfum was released. The 60ml black crystal bottle is studded with Swarovski crystals along each of its truncated corners.

In 2013, a glamourous limited edition flacon for Fracas was issued. Each facet of the bottle and the stopper are studded with Swarovski Elements Crystals. The large 1 litre bottle retailed for $13,500. A second limited edition flacon was issued, elegantly presented in a sleek black piano box to complete the lavish presentation. The 60ml eau de parfum retailed for $1100.00 in 2013.

 

The Robert Piguet brand is pleased to present the Limited Edition Fracas de Robert Piguet Parfum with Swarovski Elements Crystals. Opulence and splendor spotlight this special edition. The flacons are elegantly embellished with delicate Swarovski crystals along each facet of the bottle as well as topped with a crystallized stopper. The parfum flacon is elegantly presented in a sleek black piano box to complete the lavish presentation. The 60ml eau de parfum retailed for $1100.00 in 2013.