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Gala Loewe 1991

Version from 1991

7.9 / 10 42 Ratings

A popular perfume by Loewe for women, released in 1991. The scent is floral-animal. Projection and longevity are above-average. It was last marketed by LVMH.
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Main accords

Floral

Animal

Spicy

Woody

Oriental

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes

Green notes

Rosewood

Aldehydes

Bergamot

Lemon

Heart Notes

Carnation

Jasmine

Lily of the valley Rose

Rose

Ylang-ylang

Base Notes

Castoreum

Civet

Labdanum

Patchouli

Sandalwood Amber

Amber

Benzoin

Vanilla

Perfumer

Jean-Pierre Béthouart

Ratings

Scent

7.942 Ratings

Longevity

8.433 Ratings

Sillage

8.131 Ratings

Bottle

8.753 Ratings

Submitted by DonVanVliet, last update on 07/19/2025.

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Reviews

4 in-depth fragrance descriptions

04/28/2021

8Scent 10Sillage

Rossiniopera
38 Reviews

Rossiniopera

Helpful Review 4

The dark, forgotten beauty

The first time I tried Gala - I think it was a sample that a kind person sent to me, many years ago - I was completely floored. A wonderful, huge blast of soft aldehydes, sweet, very realistic jasmine, creamy sandalwood and loads and loads of dark, animalic castoreum... I had never smelled anything like it. It was like a huge piece of beautiful cloth, a blanket, a cape, a shawl, I am not sure exactly what, it was soft and heavy at the same time, it was dark velvet and airy lace, and I just wanted to wrap myself in it and breath in the beautiful scent forever. I knew I had to have it, and ordered a bottle immediately.

Strangely enough, I hardly ever wore it. I suppose I found it a little difficult to wear in public, I was worried that its heavy animalic trail would scare people away. Vintage perfumes sometimes have that effect on those who are not used to them. I love animalic perfumes myself, but yes, I admit that with some of them, people might sometimes wonder if perhaps you didn't wash for a while.

So Gala stayed in my closet, unused for years. I tested it again recently, and found that I am not as enchanted by it as I was all those years ago. I feel that the castoreum floats on top like a much too heavy lid, it doesn't blend in with the rest in the way that I remember, and I keep wishing for it to go away.

It makes me a bit sad, because when you remember something as being very beautiful, you want it to stay that way. But maybe it's just me - getting older, no longer able to carry that gorgeous velvet-lacy cape with the natural grace that it requires.

Gala will remain with me as a bitter-sweet memory in a beautiful bottle. And perhaps a reminder to wear what you love, while you are able to...

05/25/2014

10Scent 10Longevity 10Sillage

Kugeldistel
1 Review

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Kugeldistel

Very helpful Review 16

Spanish Statement

For a long time, I had been searching for an evening and night fragrance that would provide a counterpoint to my green-dominated collection. That it would ultimately be a floral-animalic-balsamic scent with a smoky amber note, and moreover from the creative kitchen of a Spanish perfume house known primarily for its fresh, lightly floral, and herbal women's creations, did surprise me. If Gala were a piece of clothing, it would be a fitted dress with a seductive back neckline - meaning it is an overtly elegant, balsamic-floral, and yet not sweet fragrance, whose subtle animalic component adds a touch of sexiness and wonderfully rounds off the opulent scent.
Gala starts off zesty with citrus fruits, green notes, and aldehydes, while the unsweetened flowers of the heart note, especially the clove, lend elegance to Gala and make the fragrance shine. After about an hour, the civet and beaver make a brief appearance. However, both little creatures behave very decorously and add spice, warmth, and depth to Gala alongside patchouli, sandalwood, resins, and amber, as well as a hint of eroticism. In the green-woody, ambered base, spices mix in that are not listed in the pyramid, which I attribute to a consistently noticeable clove.
Gala is a floriental that definitely shows presence, radiance, and a strong sillage, yet it is not a loud fragrance and certainly not a blockbuster. Nevertheless, in my opinion, it is not a scent for days with early summer and midsummer temperatures. It simply develops much more beautifully on cooler days. Especially women whose perfume socialization took place in the 80s and before will love Gala or at least appreciate it. Younger women may find it too intense, strong, and too much a child of the early 90s.

10/14/2012

9Scent 10Longevity 7.5Sillage

Michelangela
89 Reviews

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Michelangela

Top Review 8

In the Glow of the Chandelier

The large double door opens and I walk through the wide entrance to the crystal-lit hall.
My gown is made of dark violet silk taffeta, and the train, adorned with gold embellishments, sways with each step. A blossomed rose, also in dark violet, is nestled in my elegantly styled hair.
My cavalier approaches and offers me his arm. We stride to the center of the hall, and at the moment the light from the oversized crystal chandelier captures us, the orchestra begins to play a waltz. Lightheartedly, we take off and dance across the expansive ballroom floor. The opening is floral-green and immediately captures full attention. We spin faster, following the rhythmic melodies. The rich bouquet leaves no room for contingencies, demanding its tribute right away. The orchestra plays with full passion. Then, after what feels like an eternity, the moment arrives when the heart of Gala opens, and pure nobility is in the air! The strong rhythms fade, and the tempo adjusts. We join the other dancers and glide elegantly, almost weightlessly.
Now everything seems to blur-the sparkling light, the dancing couples, the intoxicating colors of the elegant evening gowns, and this enchanting scent of the grand, opulent floral arrangements around us.
Wonderfully finely woven floral accords come together. Not as soft and delicate as silk, but rather like a noble silk taffeta, slightly strengthened yet so wonderful to see and touch. A radiant floral cream, like a symphony, smooths the surface.
I spin and spin and spin, dancing through the night of grand fairy tales and float away until the spicy amber base note accompanies me home on a velvet green carpet late at night. I can still vaguely perceive the scent of my rose in my hair the next morning....
~
A celebration like one out of a storybook, a grand entrance in a magnificent gown on a very special evening-Gala is a must!
~
Conclusion:
I count Gala by Loewe among the fragrances that should not be worn "just like that," but rather deserve a truly grand entrance.
My first thought when I encountered Gala was of a ball, a gala-a major event-where such a magnificent scent cannot be missed. And indeed, Gala is a magnificent fragrance!
Just the bottle alone exudes opulence and splendor. In satin-finished dark violet glass, it presents itself beautifully with a golden, embellished collar at the base, and fittingly, it has a matching lid, also adorned with a collar of decorated gold. The overall appearance reminds me a bit of a lady with a hat (...in a gown with a wide crinoline and a delicate waist).
Nevertheless, this appearance benefits the fragrance, as this beautiful fullness is reflected in the scent itself.
Some ladies may feel overwhelmed by the endless top note and flee in fright. Strong (olfactory) nerves are required here. Some perfumers would describe this opening as "boom."
Even as it unfolds, Gala shows no weakness; it remains opulent and grand. This is not a terrifying blast that robs the dear surroundings of breath, but rather a strong, well-composed fragrance with expression!
Therefore, it should not be worn in everyday situations and certainly not during meals. This scent demands its own personal show and will undoubtedly be the grande diva among the other "fragrances" at many festivities.
A grand spectacle, as Chanel described, a big entrance-for a grand evening.... or should I write: for the grand night!
~
And now let’s pop the corks: So glad you exist, Gala! You are the reason to celebrate big once again!
Thanks to "DeKant" for this wonderful gift!

07/07/2011

10Scent 10Longevity

Chanelle
752 Reviews

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Chanelle

Very helpful Review 13

When the Roses Bloom in Malaga....

First, I must quickly clarify that I am not a fan of German pop music, nor of Cindy + Bert (does anyone here know them?). Unfortunately, my ex-mother-in-law was a big fan, and especially enjoyed playing this song during visits. If she hadn't served such delightful Alsatian dishes, I would have stayed away. So I just tuned out. Even after the divorce, we had a good relationship, which is apparently quite rare, but she was a wonderful person. Last year, she sadly passed away, and my children and I miss her very much, and now I even miss the Flammkuchen with Cindy + Bert. When I used Gala this morning, the song and the whole sad story came back to me.
I got to know Gala by Loewe in Fuengirola near Malaga when I was on a mini-vacation there with a friend, as I often did in the mid/late 90s. We were both born on the same day, only she was about 20 years older and had more money. But the remarkable thing about our friendship was - we both collected bottles back then and had the same taste. This even led to occasional little competitions, but we always handled them fairly and maturely. When it came to fragrances, however, our tastes completely diverged!! Everything I loved back then, she found unbearable, and vice versa.
I loved Fendi Asja, which gave her a headache. She often wore Eau de Soir, which I found unpleasant.
We strolled past a perfumery that had Gala on display. "Great bottle," we said in unison, and went inside. Since she had the lead this time, she asked if the large factice was for sale. The saleswoman consulted in Spanish with another person, then called someone, and then came to the conclusion: Yes, the factice is for sale, but only with the others standing there, and it costs 15,000 pesetas. My friend had no interest in the 2 small factices and wanted to negotiate the price down, but no luck. She bought the "set" anyway; otherwise, I would have done it, and she gave me the two supposed small factices. Upon closer inspection, however, it turned out that one of them was a tester. I sprayed the fragrance. Ka-Boom. A soccer ball-sized orange jumped at me without warning. Whether something is mentioned in the pyramid or not, I don't care at all, because the top note is orange in syrup with Grand Marnier. My friend gasped and said, "It's awful, don't you think?" I did not think so.
The heart note is so beautifully creamy-balsamic-floral that I wore the fragrance on many occasions thereafter, even though it was actually too heavy for warm weather, especially under the southern sun.
The base is amber, green-woody, animalic, and veeeery spicy.
Super long-lasting, the sillage is a big show.
An unusual Spanish fragrance. Hombre, hombre, hombre!
It always brings to mind an image of the Alhambra for me, as this Spaniard is more of an oriental, as if the Moors had a hand in it.
For me, full of memories, and even without these, it would be my favorite Spaniard.