Dahlia by Arlene Dahl (Parfums Dahlia): launched in 1976. Created by Bud Lindsay of Roure Bertrand Dupont.
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Arlene Dahl went on 2.5 month tour visiting 16 american cities to promote her perfume.
So what does it smell like? It is classified as a floral woody fragrance for women. It begins with a citrusy top, followed by a rich floral heart accented with spices, resting on a warm, woody base punctuated with green grasses. Made up of 131 ingredients.
The hand‐cut crystal natural spray decanter, 3¾ ounces, originally retailed for $250. The Dahlia‐filled matching crystal purse‐flacon spray, ¼ ounce, sold for $22.50, the one ounce for $75.
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Dahl, declared bankruptcy in 1980 after her perfume business foundered.
Dahl explained to People Magazine in 1985, that after the successful launch of Dahlia, “A year later I was in debt for a million dollars over a perfume that was selling well,” she says. “My husband had left me with a pile of debts, then I found myself with no contract, no title to the fragrance and a business partner who had run off. Everything was gone, including my 14-room apartment.”
Fragrance Composition:
So what does it smell like? It is classified as a floral woody fragrance for women. It begins with a citrusy top, followed by a rich floral heart accented with spices, resting on a warm, woody base punctuated with green grasses. Made up of 131 ingredients.
- Top notes: citrus, hyacinth, bergamot, herbs
- Middle notes: cloves, jasmine, rose, geranium, other spices
- Base notes: grasses, vetiver, sandalwood, musk, amber, oakmoss
Bottle:
Marc Rosen, who was working at Revlon during the time, was introduced to Dahl, designed the bottle and packaging for the Dahlia perfume. The round bottle features "a raised diamond pattern that suggests the petals of a dahlia blossom in an abstract way. Rosen and Dahl subsequently became great friends and have been happily married for over 30 years.The hand‐cut crystal natural spray decanter, 3¾ ounces, originally retailed for $250. The Dahlia‐filled matching crystal purse‐flacon spray, ¼ ounce, sold for $22.50, the one ounce for $75.
Fate of the Fragrance:
Dahl, declared bankruptcy in 1980 after her perfume business foundered.
Dahl explained to People Magazine in 1985, that after the successful launch of Dahlia, “A year later I was in debt for a million dollars over a perfume that was selling well,” she says. “My husband had left me with a pile of debts, then I found myself with no contract, no title to the fragrance and a business partner who had run off. Everything was gone, including my 14-room apartment.”