It seems that no two bottles of Zibeline by Weil, or its sister, Secret de Venus body & bath oil, smell exactly alike. I have two of each, mostly from the 1960s, and that's definitely case. They are all good, rich, fascinating, and dirty in the best possible way. Some are slightly more floral, while in others the sweet beast of civet is dominant. I love them with equal parts passion and shame, since I can't ignore the basic fact that Weil is not just Parfums Weil but first and foremost Fourrures Weil, and Zibeline has started its long career as a product to scent sable coats. I don't do furs, so why do I love Zibeline so much?
The answer is in the skank and all that surrounds it.
 |
| Assorted Weil ads from 1928 to 1948 |
I've long believed that the main justification for muguet is when it accompanies civet. Zibeline, and even more so Secret de Venus oil, offer a glorious and lush floral bouquet surrounded by leaves and stems, which acts as a canopy above an equally thick base of civet and musk. The depth of the composition in all its forms captures my imagination as much as it dazzles the senses. Fifty years after these bottles were produced (I can only try to imagine what Zibeline in its truly original form from the late 1920s and 1930s was like) they are crawling with life like a jungle at nighttime. Flora and fauna surround you from all directions, pawing gently, not clawing at you, but dangerous nevertheless.
Zibeline more than Secret de Venus also has a honey-steeped wood in its core. Honey notes at their best are as animalic as civet can be. The sweetness of both presents a temptation, an illicit warmth that you're not sure you want to know where exactly it's been before it engulfed your skin with so much care and softness. Secret de Venus, at least the bottles I have, feels cleaner at first, thanks to more greenery, a spicy and crisp peppery carnation that jolts you awake. It is a fantastic after-bath treat, and it layers beautifully with Zibeline, probably adding to the more vintage perfume a touch of the top notes it had lost over the decades.
Both Zibeline and Secret de Venus have a long and convoluted history. I first read about them on The Scented Salamander back in 2006, which started my quest for vintage Parfums Weil. Elena from Perfume Shrine added more information about Weil's history, and Angela's review on NST of both Zibeline and Secret de Venus has perfectly nailed both. I'm with her: I wish I could travel back in time and hoard gallons of this stuff.
Photo by Virginia Thoren, 1960. Coat by Fourrures Weil, crocodile handbag by Hermès,
Photo by Virginia Thoren, 1960. Coat by Fourrures Weil, crocodile handbag by Hermès,
COPYRIGHT ©2006-2016 GAIA FISHLER WWW.THENONBLONDE.COM, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
CONTENT POACHING IS BOTH ILLEGAL AND UGLY.
Copier, C'est Voler.
