Opium

1977

The original power oriental — a spiced, resinous manifesto of 1970s excess that rewrote the rules of mainstream femininity.

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Sensory Profile

Composition

Concentration Eau de Toilette

Style Classical

Notable Ingredients

mandarin clove jasmine myrrh benzoin sandalwood vanilla

Olfactory Structure

Family Oriental

Evolution Dramatic

Sillage 8/10

Character

Moods

opulent intoxicating powerful mysterious

Season

Autumn Winter

Occasion

Evening

Thematic Territory

A velvet-curtained theatre of spice and resin, Opium channels the Western fascination with Eastern mystique into a perfume that remains one of the most unapologetically maximalist compositions in mainstream perfumery.

Era & Context

Classical

Launched amid controversy over its name, Opium became the definitive power fragrance of the late 1970s and a symbol of the era's hedonism. Jean-Louis Sieuzac and Jean Amic created a spiced oriental that set the template for an entire decade of opulent perfumery.