Cio Cio San

Picture a stage set with paper lanterns and parasols, the rustling of silk kimonos, and trees bursting with cherry blossoms – the heightened, glowing version of a far-off place that you might see at the opera. Here you will find the endearing and ever-hopeful Cio Cio San, whom you might know better as Madame Butterfly. Forget, for a moment, her tragic ending and think instead of the heroine who lives in a happy bubble of memory, a confection of young love and nostalgia that is as lovely and fragile as her namesake. This scent evokes Cio Cio San's happiest days, opening with an exhilarating splash of yuzu, limette and ginger that is joined by a profusion of flowers. The first impression is that of walking into a garden in full bloom, but the heady peonies and cherry blossoms quickly become light and sheer as the exquisite sweetness at the heart of the fragrance appears. Lychee is an incredibly distinctive note that blends delectable juicy fruit with a soft, rose-like quality--it is both instantly familiar and impossible to place, like a candy eaten in a dream. A watercolor wash of oolong tea adds to this wistful nostalgia, creating an ethereal finish that is both clean and vibrant. Like a haiku that can conjure up an entire scene with a few well-chosen details, Cio Cio San is a serene meditation that evokes the springtime and romance of old Japan with heart-twisting clarity.