English Promenade 19 Krigler 1919

When the FedEx courier delivered my Krigler package from Berlin with the wonderful Extraordinaire Camelia 209, there was also a sample of English Promenade 19 included. This one not only reads seductively from the notes but also smells that way. And just like my enchanting camellia lady, it transports me back to the 1990s. The original was launched back in 1919 and was presumably carefully composed by Albert Krigler over several years.

I don't know how this treasure smelled back then. Probably a bit different from the current formula, which I assume is a revision by Ben Krigler. Why do I think of the 1990s with this one too? Well, there was a perfume that smelled very, very similar. Oilily Femmes. Launched in 1996 and following Oilily Flowers (the very first perfume from the clothing brand with the colorful flowers), which was originally designed for girls, a perfume for women.

At that time, Oilily Femmes was almost a bit too floral for me. I remember intense floral notes that came off almost a bit harsh at the start. Orange blossom? Jasmine? Yes. That could actually be it. My love for these flowers also began around that time with JPG Classique, but I found the access to Classique easier back then, as it had a very warm, ambered, and also rather sweet base. Oilily Femmes did become softer and gentler in the dry down, but it required a bit of patience. I owned a tiny plastic sample from a magazine that I treasured like a gem. Because there were days when I was exactly in the mood for that perfume. I could already feel it, my love for orange blossoms and some other white flowers.

I didn't have to think long while sniffing English Promenade. Yes, it does smell quite similar to Oilily Femmes back then. A white floral scent, very feminine, very airy, and yet a bit sharp at first. Gradually, the musk warms it up a bit, but that edge remains clearly present, even when the base notes come in. Ylang-ylang adds a tiny touch of tropical feeling. Fortunately, the grapefruit in the top note doesn't bother me here. I often find grapefruit to be a bit sweaty, which is why I unfortunately can't wear fragrances like Aqua Allegoria Pamplelune, loved by so many. Here, everything is wonderfully fresh. Flower-fresh. Yes, the image of a young, fine lady from England in 1919 could indeed fit.

The orange blossom in English Promenade 19 is very close to that in JPG Classique and Safanad by Parfums de Marly, by the way. I have, of course, compared it with the finest orange blossoms in my collection. And lovers of Aurelien by Carine Roitfeld might also enjoy this fine Krigler.

Oh yes! It is also damn beautiful. However, not 100 percent mine, just as Oilily Femmes wasn't. But I can tell. With this brand, I really have to be careful. Mr. Krigler seems to know what purple chickens like to sniff. The only fragrance in my package didn't appeal to me at all. A hint of Baccarat Rouge 540 with predominantly floral notes. No. If that is also a perfume from the brand, then at least there is one Krigler scent that I don't find beautiful at all.