Tuesday, 3 March 2015

KOUROS: The Scent of Gods (2/2)




This is second and last part, and you will find:
-Kouros Party in Paris (February 20th, 1981)
-Flankers (1986-2014)
-Body Line
-Special Bottles
-Gift Sets & Accessories
-Miniatures
-Advertising
-Miscellaneous

the first part is HERE



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The KOUROS Party
-----------------------

On February 20th, 1981, a great party was held in Paris for the launch of "KOUROS". World famous dancer Rudolph Nureyev performed three ballets at the "Opera Comique" for the invited guests, then a dinner at "Maxim's" followed.
The party for "the most expensive male scent ever produced" (as for 1981) had a cost of nearly 200.000 dollars.


Yves Saint Laurent and Zizi Jeanmaire during 
the KOUROS Gala in Paris 
(Feb. 20, 1981)

From Getty Images Archives:
Zizi Jeanmaire and Yves Saint Laurent attending at the Opera

Yves Saint Laurent, Zizi Jeanmaire, and Rudolf Nureyev 
at the Opera.

From Getty Images Archives:
Zizi Jeanmaire, Yves Saint Laurent,
Yvette Chauvire and Rudolf Nueyev

From Getty Images Archives: 
Zizi Jeanmaire and Yves Saint Laurent congratulating 
with Rudolf Nureyev


(from Getty Image Archives) 


Rudolf Nureyev (left), Zizi Jeanmaire,
Yves Saint Laurent, and Paloma Picasso (right) at Maxim's
Note the factice bottles on the right (rhmiller.com)


Yves Saint Laurent and Bob Miller 
(Charles of the Ritz) (rhmiller.com)

From Corbis Archives:
Zizi Jeanmaire, Rudolf Nureyev, and Yves Saint Laurent 

From Getty Images Archives.

Yves Saint Laurent with two friends and Paloma Picasso (right) 



What the press said....
(from Basenotes) "Kouros debut lacked sweet smell of success...."



----------------------
Flankers
----------------------
During years, Kouros had several "flankers" (i.e. different versions, or special editions). 
In 1986, at the beginning of "Parfums Corp." Era, Yves Saint Laurent launched the first flanker. A gentle, refined, more "classy" and less "brutal" version of Kouros, naming it "Eau de Sport" (and later simply "Sport").
Then, in 1993, a second flanker arrived, named "Fraicheur", a lighter, more citric and elegant version. Both are very rare and hard to find nowadays, gaining a "cult" status.
Anyway, there are major complaints about a lot of the following versions (appeared since 2002) because appear very similar to each other. 
In details:

"Eau de Sport", or
"Eau Sport" (1986-1993)
picture by Ericrico, (from Basenotes)
picture by Ericrico, (from Basenotes)

picture by Ericrico, (from Basenotes)

picture by Ericrico, (from Basenotes)

pictures from Parfumo.net (above and below)

(pictures below provided by Jason Newton,
www.uneasynostalgia.com)
Kouros Eau de Sport, Batch 8068, year 1988
interesting picture, because the box is an old-type
"Charles of the Ritz" Era (used until 1986)


 Early "Eau de Sport" bottle

A late bottle (year 1992), simply renamed "Kouros Sport"

batch PA23241PP = equivalent to 2324 = year 1992
You can see the "Parfums Corp." label here

from the web, unknown author

Early (1988, on right) and late (1992, on left
Kouros Eau de Sport bottles
(www.uneasynostalgia.com, by Jason Newton)



-----------------------------
Fraicheur (first box, 1993-1998)
from the web, unknown author

(photos by Jason Newton

note the label "Parfums Corp." 



Fraicheur (second box, 1999-2001)
(same fragrance, different packaging)

thanks to MDCLX, Basenotes.net 

------------------------------------------
Eau d'Ete (2002)
Kouros Eau d'Été (2002) von Yves Saint Laurent

-------------------------------
Cologne Sport (2003)



---------------------------------------
Eau d'Ete Cologne Sport Summer Fragrance (2004)
Kouros Summer 2004 cologne for Men by Yves Saint Laurent
Bottled in a sort of "dive suit" instead of a traditional box.



Thanks to Andrew "The Cologne Guy" on Basenotes.net,
flankers years 2003 (right) and 2004 (left)


--------------------------------------------------
Eau d'Ete Summer Fragrance (2005)

-----------------------------------------------------
Eau d'Ete (2006)


------------------------------------------------------
Tattoo (2007)

---------------------------
"Tonique Energizing EDT" (2008)
Kouros By Yves Saint Laurent For Men. Energizing Eau De Toilette Spray 3.3-Ounce

Thanks to Andrew "The Cologne Guy" on Basenotes.net,
left to right: flankers years 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008

-------------------------------------------------------
"Tonique Energizing EDT" (2010)


----------------------------------------------------------------------
"Tonique Energizing EDT" (2013)


----------------------------------------------------------------------
"Tonique Energizing EDT" (2014)
Thanks to Rivegauche, from Parfumo.net.
-------------------------------------------------------------
"Kouros Silver" (2015)




------------------------
BODY LINE
-------------------
Three different body lines were launched: "Formule Sport" (1986), "Formule Soin" (1987), and "En Plein Air" (1991).

KOUROS Formule Sport (1986)

Cooling Body Lotion

Tinted Face Emulsion

-------------------------------------------------------
KOUROS Formule Soin (1987) 
Shaving foam

-----------------------------------------------------
KOUROS En Plein Air (1991) 


Soothing balm (from Basenotes.net)

Face moisturizer

-----------------------------------------
SPECIAL BOTTLES
-----------------------------------------

Sometimes a few "special bottles" appears on popular auction sites.
A few of these "rare" bottle are fakes
Still waiting to get authentic bottles for a photo shoot.


Traveller Edition
during year 2002 YSL edited a limited edition 
2x25 ml "Travel spray bottles".
It's probably the rarest twin-bottle ever.













---------------------------------------------------------------
GIFT SETS 
-----------------------------------------------




100ml Spray + Shower Gel
(Sanofi, 1990s)

100ml Spray + Deo Stick
(PPR-Gucci, 2000s)

100ml Spray + Shover Gel
(L'Oreal, 2010s)





























------------------------
 ACCESSORIES
------------------------




Shaving Foam



Hair and Body Wash


Deodorant stick

Roll-on deodorant


Cologne Sport Face Care (year 2003)

Perfumed Deodorant Spray

---------------------------
MINIATURES
---------------------------


 


5 ml - 0.17 oz.


15 ml / 0.5 oz.



15ml  / 0.5 oz mini 

15ml. / 0.5 oz Cologne Sport (year 2003)


---------------------------
ADVERTISING
-------------------------

YEARS 1981-1982


YEARS 1983-1984



YEAR 1985


YEAR 1986


YEARS 1986-1988

YEAR 1986


YEARS 1986-1987

YEAR 1987

YEAR 1992

YEAR 1996


YEAR 1995-1999

YEAR 2001


YEAR 2002

YEAR 2006

YEAR 2008


Adverisement after year 2005




--------------------------------
MISCELLANEOUS
-----------------------------


 YEAR 1981 brochures


KOUROS Racing Team
Sauber Mercedes C8 (year 1986)
Sauber Mercedes C9 (year 1987)
C8, year 1986
C9,  year 1987



Poster
Kouros Racing Team, year 1986: Pescarolo-Nielsen.

Advertisement year 1986

Volkswagen KOUROS, Paris-Dakar, year 1987, pilot H.Auriol


FACTICES 

Factice giant bottle, for exposition only.

SAMPLE


KOUROS Watch
Sticker Year 1987

Kouros Bag / Sac de Voyage

RARE-PINS-PINS-BATEAU-BOAT-VOILIER-VOILE-PARFUM-PERFUME-KOUROS-88-4C

A marvelous Artwork: seven KOUROS bottles
set inside a mirror

(first part here)

(I am grateful to all my friends and buddies from Fragrantica and Basenotes 
for helping me with a lot of useful insights)


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