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Donna Karan DKNY 1992 Eau de Parfum

8.2 / 10 74 Ratings

A popular perfume by DKNY for women, released in 1992. The scent is leathery-spicy. The production was apparently discontinued.
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Main accords

Leathery

Spicy

Floral

Fruity

Woody

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes

Bergamot

Green notes

Orange blossom

Osmanthus

Peach

Pineapple

Apricot

Heart Notes

Carnation

Chinese cassia

Heliotrope Jasmine

Jasmine

Lily

Ylang-ylang Orchid

Orchid

Rose

Base Notes

Suede

Benzoin

Cedar

Frankincense Musk

Musk

Sandalwood

Tonka bean Vanilla

Vanilla

Amber

Citrus fruits

Patchouli

Vetiver

Perfumer

IFF (International Flavors & Fragrances)

Ratings

Scent

8.274 Ratings

Longevity

7.960 Ratings

Sillage

7.559 Ratings

Bottle

8.073 Ratings

Submitted by DonVanVliet, last update on 01/18/2025.

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to

Donna Karan Parfum

Miss Balmain Eau de Toilette

Reviews

10 in-depth fragrance descriptions

03/28/2012

7Scent 7.5Longevity 7.5Sillage

Missk
1357 Reviews

Missk

Helpful Review 2

Subtle fruits and smoked woods

Donna Karan must really love her dark woodsy scents. Donna Karan, the re-released version in a tall, black cylindrical bottle, while it isn't as popular or as bold as Black Cashmere and Chaos, it is a remarkable scent on its own.

Donna Karan opens with a surprisingly soft, almost soapy blend of fruits and flowers. The fruits are so mild in this composition that it comes nowhere near the fruity concoctions produced in the DKNY range.

As the fragrance settles, Donna Karan develops into a rather heady and warm blend of dark florals, earthy patchouli, thick resins and smokey woods. I believe if it wasn't for the sugary vanilla note in the heart and drydown, this fragrance would smell quite masculine and thick.

This fragrance is sexy, but in a rather subtle fashion. The scent speaks confidence, power and maturity. From what I've experienced from both Donna Karan's fragrance range and DKNY's releases, real women wear Donna Karan and young girls, DKNY.

Despite it's dominant woodsiness and complexity, Donna Karan is rather clean smelling too. It is very unlike Black Cashmere and Chaos which tend to be very animalistic and dirty in a sense. This is the kind of fragrance I would wear to an office in Winter, that is, if I worked in an inclosed atmosphere.

The lasting power is very good and the sillage is average to moderately strong. In all honesty I do prefer Donna Karan's stronger blends, however Donna Karan Signature is just as worthy of being re-released as all the others.

03/28/2015

10Scent 7.5Longevity 7.5Sillage

Briarthorn
91 Reviews

Briarthorn

2

Delicate girl in a leather jacket

This review is for the 1992 release of the Swan Bottle.

It opens with the leathery bite of an old cracked bikers jacket. It reminds me of the leather that is used in Whips and Roses by Kerosene. The leather is touched with a bit of Frankincense. There is also a good sized dose of cassis that adds an almost phenolic green sweetness. It's not often that I find a scent that showcases cassis as well as this one does. It really gives that leathery incense combo the "something" that it needs. After a few moments a sweetness pops out with a loud "pop". It's a beautiful pineapple/peachy zing with a floral tail (ylang-ylang and rose). This new combination punches it's way over the leather brightening everything up and breathing some life and youth into the old, cracked leather. The soft floral accord is almost a whisper. It's really beautiful.

The heart is more floral than the opening and the cassis has faded. There is a sharp ylang-ylang bite with a spicy (carnation?) rose touched lily. It's a really nice, girly contrast that breathes life into the weathered and more masculine leather. There is also a touch of sweetness on the skin (benzoin perhaps?).

The dry down is mostly a sweetish amber and tonka with a clean musky zing. There are still some light florals (rose, lily, ylang-ylang) lazing around. The leather is also much softer, almost a memory. This is a really beautiful dry down. The florals blend so beautifully with the amber/musk/Tonka cpombo that it all becomes one lazy and lovely song.

Overall this is a fantastic scent. The longevity isn't the best but You'll get a good 7-9 hours out of it and it doesn't become a skin scent until well after 4-5 hours. There is something just so wonderful about the play of the very feminine florals and the heavily masculine leather. She's a tough girl that loves butterflies but takes no crap from anyone.

08/17/2019

9.5Scent 8Longevity 8Sillage

Can777
257 Reviews

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Can777

Top Review 40

The Black Swan

The black swan. This is still what connoisseurs call the perfume by Donna Karan. A bottle that certainly catches the eye just by its design language. For the design, her second husband and greatest love, Stephen Weiss, who was a gifted sculptor, was responsible. He also designed the legendary DK Men and all the associated collectible bottles, among others. Many of her bottles are made of plastic and may not be luxurious enough for some, as they are not made of heavy glass and do not have massive and ornate decorative caps. But in this case, design wins over material. Not to mention the content! Donna Karan is undoubtedly one of the most awarded designers in America. She made the bodysuit suitable for evening wear and invented the "Seven Easy Pieces" collection. Seven casual pieces that quickly transformed a business outfit into an evening outfit. Very high-quality materials like cashmere, mohair, and the finest fabrics characterized her work. But also a lot of elastane and spandex, so her fashion always sat very feminine and body-hugging, but never too tight. Her primary color was mostly black, and she tailored to the sizes of an average woman, which quickly made her successful. In 1992, she launched her first fragrance that bore her name. Donna Karan-New York.

The scent
Donna Karan is a very sensitive and warm-spicy fragrance that impresses with its subtle depth and sensuality. Fine notes of osmanthus and peach blend with citrus-soft accords of orange blossom and apricot in the top note. The perfume does not radiate direct freshness at the beginning. It feels more like a warm fruit compote in the first minutes. Soon, a subtle warmth becomes noticeable on the skin. Spicy cinnamon bark and gentle waves of marzipan, or rather heliotrope, mix in and provide sweetness without being directly sweet. Some other floral notes also float along but are not recognizable due to their complexity. The concept is too tightly woven together for one to identify them individually. All transitions to the individual notes are very fluid and softly drawn. A bright, almost crystalline patchouli drifts in, accompanied by a whole armada of resinous-spicy notes and accords. Frankincense and also smoky benzoin traverse Donna Karan and unite with a warm vanilla and amber accord for the final end, which concludes in a harmoniously and softly pulsating fruity wild leather note. A perfume that embodies calm, harmony, and warmth of the heart.

Conclusion
In my opinion, Donna Karan has truly captured herself in her first work. There are people you only need to see briefly to know they are good. That they are warm-hearted and soft in their soul. People who may not embody dazzling beauty but rather a rugged beauty. Those who are present yet remain humble. People who, with a single gentle and heart-melting smile, say more than a thousand words. People who are surrounded by something sensually warm that you want to touch and caress like a tender cheek. That is how Donna Karan has always appeared to me. And so is her first fragrance. She was the perfume, and her husband Stephen, who passed away in 2001, was the vessel that guarded it. That was the plan of the two, and that is how it ultimately turned out. A beautiful story behind it and a very, very beautiful perfume.
Still!

It's about finding calm in chaos!
-Donna Karan-

And with Donna Karan-New York, she created it!

05/23/2022

10Scent 10Longevity 9Sillage

Medusa00
843 Reviews

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Medusa00

Very helpful Review 21

You should rather not hang around here!

The following story is not suitable for readers under 16 years of age; no suggestive or indecent passages are present, but it contains sections that may teach sensitive souls to shudder and could lead to the avoidance of forests, parks, abandoned and decaying houses located in such areas, which could positively affect the flora and fauna there. Additionally, a "ring" surveillance system is certainly being considered, which will be installed in the closet and under the bed.
In a dense, dark forest stands a dilapidated little castle. Parts of the walls, the roof structure, and the chimney are still intact. There are no window panes left, and the hollow eyes of the windows stare into the dark forest. Trees and underbrush grow in the former salon. An apricot tree still bears fruit. The peach tree in front of the ruin is half frozen. Only 2 brave fruits hang high up in the branches. On a marble table, there is still a bucket with the remnants of a fruit punch, made with 54% rum, which the youthful vandals left behind last night. During the day, the castle has a morbid charm. Dormice and bats inhabit the roof beams. Next door in the swamp, a midwife toad chirps, and frogs croak bubbles. But every night, a horde of youths descends. The girls who sometimes join have woven wreaths of flowers into their hair, which still bloom in the overgrown garden. Recently, things have gotten out of hand. Walls are being sprayed. On one wall, it says: “Nancy tomorrow I... with you”
Now she has had enough! She is the guardian of the forest, of the night, the protector of the animals. In a black robe and with glowing eyes, she floats forward. Somehow, she resembles Maleficent. She appears in a cloud of cinnamon, spicy with nutmeg. Swinging the sandalwood staff, the seven-striped leather whip at the ready.
All the nocturnal creatures of the forest rush to help. The night is pitch black. Humidity spreads. Eyes glow from all the fir trees. All the night beings have already been disturbed and annoyed by the gang of vandals down in the dilapidated hall.
Screams ring out, branches crack, a wolf howls at the moon.
When the horde throws stones at Mrs. Owl, it’s finally over. SHE grabs the leader. His ears are adorned with huge wheel nuts, and his nose has a ring that would make any ox envious. While the nocturnal animals pelt the ruffians with greenery, all the spices of the forest, and flowers from the meadows, she stakes the leader by his nose ring in the courtyard. A fox passes by, lifts its leg, a badger passes by, lifts its leg.... The rest of the gang has long since disappeared. At dawn, an old sow takes pity on the down-and-out top bully. The horde was never seen again. This beautiful scent, unfortunately, was not seen again either.

06/08/2022

8.5Scent

Amadea70
102 Reviews

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Amadea70

Top Review 19

Of course, that's a swan and not a chicken..........

......the lovely saleswoman of this fragrance wrote to me: "Donna Karan's husband was supposedly inspired by the back of his wife." Of course, the bottle must represent a beautiful swan. He can't say his wife looks like a chicken........

I was immediately fascinated by the bottle; the perfume and even the miniatures have a somewhat phallic symbol quality. But that doesn't matter, as long as it smells good, and it does. Years ago, I had some amazing black lace-up boots from Donna Karan, with the label's initials in black and accented with blue leather at the heel. They were not only incredibly comfortable but also extremely chic.

I love these fragrances from that time. This one is opulent, the fruity notes (I even imagine I smell pineapple) combined with the floral ones are simply delightful. The heliotrope gives the impression that someone is sprinkling marzipan powder over me, and all in all, this fragrance is wonderfully creamy. On my skin, I perceive the leather notes only very subtly, which is very pleasant. The scent envelops me and truly lifts my spirits. I find the fragrance cozy and keep sniffing my wrist.

Whether chicken or swan, if this was Donna Karan's signature scent, I would definitely have found it pleasant. I really like the fragrance and will now not only think of my beautiful boots but also hope that the designer of the Jungle bottle didn't think of his wife either.

More reviews

Statements

9 short views on the fragrance

Floyd

4 years ago

7.5Scent 8Longevity 8Sillage

38

33

The black swan
Draws green ribbons
Through flower petals
On lakes of soap
Tonka waves
Cinnamon-brown bubbles
Sweet earth at its feet

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Gold

3 years ago

8.5Scent 9Longevity 8Sillage

18

12

Already 30 years old and still surprisingly modern. Warm, spicy, complex, strong. Plus, a dream bottle.
It's a shame it's no longer available.

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Can777

7 years ago

9.5Scent 8Longevity 8Sillage

16

4

Opulent art of the 90s in scent and design. A symbiosis of warm skin and spicy-fruity suede. A wearable dream even today!

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Morpheus1

6 years ago

8.5Scent 8Longevity 7Sillage

10

4

A vintage dream scent: leathery, spicy, floral, opulent. A unique fragrance. Today I happily acquired the Black Swan in 100ml OF.

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Amadea70

3 years ago

8.5Scent

10

9

The chicken
glides in the fruit fluff
has leather feathers in its plumage
marzipan dust falls from the sky
It dreams of flying like a swan

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Alexandrea

7 years ago

8.5Scent 7Longevity 8Sillage

8

3

Fruits-flowers-spices-leather, no sugary sweetness, just warmth in the base. Complex: sometimes fruits are at the forefront, sometimes spices or flowers - unisex.

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Jumi

7 years ago

8.5Scent 9Longevity 8Sillage

8

3

A call of leather drum skins, the eternally green elegy, exotic & familiar at the same time.
The flowers hum softly & lure into the softly herbaceous sandalwood bed.

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