What is there to be said about French couturier Jean Paul Gaultier that hasn't already been said? His head-turning fashions grace the catwalks of the world, and his perfumes sell hand-over-fist at stores around the planet. One might argue that the success of his perfume and cosmetics empire all started here: his first feminine fragrance Classique!

Classique (and her masculine counterpart Le Male) literally changed the topography of perfumery forever... not only was she presented as a striking corseted figure (one that would be reinvented as a limited edition wearing Gaultier's latest fashions from season to season), but she also held an enchanting elixir that simply won the world over. A floral oriental, Classique won its acclaim with its winning blend of orange blossom, star anise, ylang ylang, rose, iris and dewy fruit accords of plum and pear. A delectable saccharine composition, she represented the finest ingredients juxtaposed in precisely the right way to be both delicate and daring. Amber, vanilla, cinnamon and precious woods round the base, ensuring she lingers 8+ hours on skin.

The scent that inspired tens of flankers – there can be only one true “Classique”, and as her name suggests, she has already become a modern classic. Sexy, sophisticated and entirely enchanting, Classique has not lost an ounce of her magnetism and magic! Great for nights out in the evening.

Last year another striking scent created by Jean-Claude Ellena for Hermes,Eau de Narcisse Bleu took its place in the unisex “eaux de cologne” series, which holds 5 fragrances to date. This selection of eaux are formulated at a lower perfume concentration and are thus intended to be worn generously, making them perfect to apply anywhere, any time.

Eau de Narcisse Bleu – just as the name suggests - is an ode to the narcissus flower. If you can imagine walking through a green glade in the first days of spring... the ground is still damp and winter's cold is still hanging in the air. As the warm sun attempts to push through the grey mantle above, you find yourself surrounded by blooming narcissus flowers as their blossoms release their tender perfume on the air. Eau de Narcisse Bleu captures this olfactory snapshot in time... it is a curious balance of wet and dry, cold and hot. The perfume is composed of narcissus, galbanum, orange blossom and precious woods, the sum of which feels devoutly genderless.

As with all the Hermes eaux de colognes, this perfume is somewhat fleeting, but for those glorious minutes as the scent dances on skin, there is nothing better in this world! Eau de Narcisse Bleu  can be appreciated by by men and women as a refreshing signature tonic summer or winter, day or night. Versatile and memorable, this scent is a beauty!

Chances have it that at one time or another, you've seen a bottle of Estee Lauder's Youth Dew sitting atop mom's vanity or knocking around in her bathroom cupboard... proof that this feminine – first launched in 1953 – has been much loved over the decades.

Youth Dew is a spicy oriental fragrance, whose style is very much in keeping with the optimistic post-war outlook of the 1950's. An incredibly complex perfume, Youth Dew has an olfactory pyramid a mile long, but it is one that makes for a beautifully blended and arresting elixir. The opening is of aldehyde, zesty bergamot and peaches... these sparkle over a more considered core of florals and spices: narcissus, jasmine, orchid, ylang-ylang, rose, cloves and cinnamon. The trail is a musky, ambery style, with whiffs of patchouli, balsams, oakmoss and incense. When first applied to skin it feels uplifting and brisk... but as it dries, a profoundly captivating evolution unfolds, taking it far from it's sweet and chaste preamble towards a darker, more sensual direction. It lasts an impressive 6-8 hours.

Loved by mature women the world over, Youth Dew is making a comeback in the two-thousand-and-teens with the young modern woman who has an appreciation of the classics! Well worth revisiting.