The Unmentionable Subject: Dupes

Forgive me for my naivete, dear readers. I'm not sure if this is a forbidden subject, but it's one that I feel compelled to write about today. Whether we're trying to duplicate a long-discontinued scent, stumble upon a fragrance that bears more than a passing resemblance to another, or are actually seeking out a cheaper alternative, there is that unseemly, underground world of perfume 'dupes' that seems to be avoided as a topic altogether.

(Sesame Street's: One of These Things is Not Like The Other, courtesy of youtube :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueZ6tvqhk8U

In my early perfumista days, I sought out cheaper alternatives to fragrances I was not able to get my hands on. My fragrance obsession ironically reached it's height as soon as I moved from the big city back to my hometown. Unfortunately for me, 'niche' is unheard of here, the most one can hope to sniff is the vast array of new celebrity scent releases. Dig a bit further, and there are perhaps one or two Chanel or Guerlain sources (that would be the bare minimum, no 'Exclusifs' to be found).

When I returned to my hometown, I opted to take advantage of etailers who offered wares that were 'inspired' by other scents. Admittedly, some of these purchases were very misguided. In my attempt to find a 'deal', I had spent way too much on alot of scents, rather than just invest in a bottle of the actual fragrance.

One positive that came out of this experiment was the fact that I was introduced to many scents that gave me a very cohesive idea of what the original is meant to smell like. In some instances, the 'dupe' would be virtually indistinguishable from the original.

image taken from www.fragrantica.com

Unintentional duplications are scents that due to coincidence, (or something else entirely) resemble one another. I'm sure there are many, but the one pair that instantly comes to mind is the (long-discontinued and rare) Gloria by Cacharel and Guerlain's Spirituese Double Vanille. Another is Dior's Miss Dior Cherie, and Soap and Glory's Girligo Body Mist.

Ironically, the scents we're desperate to duplicate the most, the long-discontinued are often un-dupable. One of the many cruelties of life and fragrance appreciation.

What say you, fellow perfume addicts? Is the 'dupe' subject untouchable, or dare you contribute your two cents?