Why did I buy Roja Diaghilev?

[@DaveNYC]

Congrats, Ryan. Emotional connection is usually the only reason I buy a new perfume, so no need to justify! I have of course heard tons about Diaghilev over the years, but I have never smelled it (I know!), partially because I don't care for Mitsouko in a way that would ever lead me to buy it, But your description was unlike any other I have ever heard: dark, mysterious, bitter green, leather... And I do like chypres in general. Now I definitely have to sample it. Seems like good time to say thank you for a great year of videos. Always nice to find a new one in my feed. Happy holidays!

[@thetrueconnoisseur]

Cheers, Dave!

[@Nichefan]

I love your analysis. I love your channel.

[@thetrueconnoisseur]

Thank you, Matthew!

[@Nichefan]

@thetrueconnoisseur You should try Boucheron Ambre de Alexandrie. Truly a heavenly Ambre.

[@NoseBehindScent]

Excellent analysis, more precisely a chronological analysis with a conclusion of events and processes on how a genre (Niche) becomes luxurious. It’s more available and accessible than ever before, more known than ever before, or average luxury that is unattainable for the middle class with average incomes, who also enjoy (or wish enjoy), olfactory exploration, sniffing, and consuming them. Roja certainly knows what he's doing because he has experience from previous work. I love everything you said and explained, but you chose an excellent example of a luxury brand that packages it at a really high level. But I won’t stop here and be superficial; I’ll gladly join the debate because sometimes it's important to know who stands behind a particular perfume/brand. Roja may design his lavish kitsch, suggest ideas, and propose, I repeat, he designs the look, the story, and other elements. But the perfume is created by someone else. He has help, anonymous help from the top. Why is this so? Because he has access to high-quality ingredients that an ordinary newbie niche brand doesn’t. He has the money, and with that money, he plays however he wants. I’ll take into account a very crystal-clear example of Arabic perfume brands, which also have beautiful perfume bottles, wonderful glass design, caps, and the overall presentation of the perfume, but the juice inside costs a stretched 80 dollars. And the perfume is sold roughly at a price range of 80 to 150 dollars. No more. The reason for packaging quality raw material in beautified glass is simple. Luxury that isn’t really luxury. Let’s take the North Face brand, which offers only the name but not the functionality of their products, as they state on the label. There is a very interesting KZbin channel where a person analyzes shoes down to the smallest detail and reviews them. A great recommendation, and the video is called: Proof The North Face is selling you hot $hit from the Rose Anvil channel. This is exactly what we can see here through this glamorous presentation that’s pleasing to the eye, a fragrant juice that is lavish but yet another attempt to clone a long-established path. You made an excellent video, I really like it. From a technical side, you chose a great example of a brand/bottle/presentation/and price tag. But if I dive deeper, which brand are you talking about? You’re holding the completely wrong choice in your hands.

[@pilotwjf]

Nicely done. Great analysis. Definitely took me a few wearings to understand it. Once it clicks though, Diaghilev stands on its own as an elevated, but wearable Chypre.

[@TheTopNote]

Ryan, I bought a partial bottle years ago and I truly do love it. I wear it sparingly because I will never be able to afford a FB but it’s a stunner and it really takes me on a nostalgic journey.

[@thetrueconnoisseur]

It's worth savoring.

[@justNiles]

THIS is an excellent video. Its hard to articulate zeitgeist and you did it well. Spot on. Who are you and why am I just running across you now?

[@nathansmith-nd9nq]

Thank you for a fantastic post . A wonderful reflection and story. Glad to see you upload a new vid . 👏🏻

[@thetrueconnoisseur]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Ilovelove111]

Thank you for your effort, Ryan! I always like to hear you talk about perfume and really wish you'd post more often. Regarding Diaghilev, I really like wearing my decant, but not enough to justify the price for a full bottle. But I agree with you. When a perfume clicks emotionally, it's worth it...

[@thetrueconnoisseur]

The heart wants what it wants...

Same here. My 5ml decant of Diaghilev seems more than enough for me at this moment, considering I collect perfumes and usually don’t repeat much my scent of the day within every 3-4 weeks. It’s a gorgeous perfume indeed, but cannot justify the price tag…

[@jimr880]

Enjoyed hearing your thoughts on this purchase, Ryan. Cheers!

[@thetrueconnoisseur]

Cheers, Jim.

[@McAmeron089III]

Well done, sir! What a great score. Smart to buy something so glorious while you can. I'm quite a novice but a few years back got a ROJA sample set with Enigma,Vetiver,Danger,Scandal(?)...that's all I can remember. It was fun wearing all the samples. As I recall the Enigma had that cola-esque smell that I really enjoyed. I think I liked that best of all. I learned that I don't really care for fougere scents/lavender/oakmoss etc. I have EDT and EDP of Guerlain Heritage;they remind me of old-man smell. L'Instant suits me a little better. I hope to be able to sample Diaghilev soon. It does sound lovely. Your descriptions and emotional connection were quite enjoyable to hear. Thank you for the video!

[@thetrueconnoisseur]

Thank you for your thoughtful response! Heritage definitely plays into tropes of 1980s scents (it's kind of Guerlain's version of Davidoff Zino), so it's very much "of its time." L'Instant feels more up-to-date, aside from the citrusy opening which feels very 2000s-y.

[@antoniohopson5287]

Because It Is AMAZING

[@thetrueconnoisseur]

It's very good, to be sure.

[@michael_galicia]

Congratulations! It's a lovey fragrance that I don't own but really enjoy. Maybe one day.

[@thetrueconnoisseur]

Thank you!

[@stevenweix4330]

I love your video and agree with much of what you said. I am 49 and MOSTLY collect and use vintage perfumes but I DO own two Rojas: Chypre Extraordinaire and Diaghilev.... Both vintage style and both Chypre... Both overpriced (I also didn't pay retail)... I totally agree that they are GORGEOUS and played a hat trick on most people by bringing vintage into modern relevancy.... One other (I can't say BRAND but) fragrance that did it is French Bouquet by BDK parfums... I own two bottles of this as I'm in LOVE with it even though it smells like it was created in 1970.... I hope you enjoy every drop of your Diaghilev... I have zero regrets!

[@thetrueconnoisseur]

I need to try that BDK!

[@brenlynch4811]

Cheers Ryan , I was never one to fall into the Roja rabbit hole , I only sprung for 2 , Oligarch edp and the second my most favorite perfume I possess, of course its Diaghilev I really did after getting a free travel decant with my Oligarch, totally connect and fall for it , I only got a 100 ml this year for a good price all things considered. I totally get your message and reasoning on this in my opinion a masterpiece pulling from The greats that combined to become the most exceptional fragrance of my era , Diaghilev is indeed Roja’s opus magnum, terrific review brother 🙏👍💪👊🤛

[@thetrueconnoisseur]

Cheers, Bren. I've never sampled Oligarch!

[@brenlynch4811]

@ edp discontinued Ryan actually they released a parfum version of it then ,way more expensive of course but lost its original vibe and structure then released it under a new non Russian affiliation name Isola blue lol 😝 anyways it leans towards a niche version of Terre de Hermes in a nutshell , have a terrific weekend buddy 🙏👍

[@nathanielmoody3656]

While there are several perfume guides in this space whom I respect and look to(like yourself), I’ve avoided Roja for all the reasons you hinted at. As for the chypre structure, several have resonated with me, having just picked up the very affordable, very retro(and so perhaps not for most) Chypre-Siam from Rogue Perfumery. Chypre Palatin is lovely and a crowd pleaser(so has a place on the shelf when that is wanted), but lacks a sharpness that I crave. Papillon’s Salome is the absolute pinnacle of Chypre to me. Challenging but so incredibly magnetic. It’s like pure pheromones in a bottle!

[@thetrueconnoisseur]

I couldn't get along with Salome! It was too much for me.

[@McAmeron089III]

Salome is truly inspirational. I love it but have to take extra blood pressure medication if I smell it. It is so naughty.

[@itanamullik]

If you avoid rojas you avoid the best... they are the most expensive yes but the best scent profile in my opinion. Luxury, but not too niech, most people will still like them even though they are so different than other fragrances

[@Indecencealicia]

Thanks so Much for sharing

[@thetrueconnoisseur]

You are so welcome

[@VitaminBeez]

This one never clicked for me, which is a shame because I love fruity chypres like Mitsouko and Rochas Femme. After a pretty bombastic (and enjoyable) opening, it rapidly got a bit too modernly synthetic for my taste. I love how much enjoyment it gives other people, however. Always fun to watch videos about it.

[@thetrueconnoisseur]

It does get a bit modern feeling, though I think that animalic element is very, very well done.

[@TeaCup1940]

I wonder how much it cost to manufacture the bottle and the perfume itself and how high the profit margins are...

[@drlibra100]

Hi , I’m new to your Chanel and can’t agree more on what you discussed here ; Roja has very good perfumes but the marketing and price tags is putting people off , i enjoy diaglive and his older perfumes and it seems there is a new direction as they are going into gourmands and lately they did put the old perfumes on very good discount at their website! Not sure as this isn’t typical maybe new styling or directions but it is a chance for those who love the modern vintage flare that he brings to grab them while it’s available

[@thetrueconnoisseur]

Thanks for your comment. There's definitely a change in the wind over at Roja.

[@shallbee.]

Have you tried vtg Crepe de Chine by F. Millot? To my nose Diaghilev is a lot closer to that one rather than to Mitsouko.

[@thetrueconnoisseur]

No! I must say that I've never even heard of it.

[@shallbee.]

Have a sniff one day. It's blended by Jean Desprez himself and is one of the iconic chypres that have defined the genre in its early days.

[@Alex-Nine-Tails]

I love Roja and Diaghilev. I also have an emotional attachment with it, but at the moment it's difficult to wear it. For me, all his reinterpretation are better than the originals in all aspects. But lately, his creations are underwhelming

[@thetrueconnoisseur]

I haven't done a lot of side-by-sides with Roja scents and their inspirations. But, personally, I prefer Héritage to Danger (in making it a lavender-centric fougere, I think Danger misses what was great about the spiced sandalwood of Héritage).

[@Indecencealicia]

Please post more if you can 😊

[@thetrueconnoisseur]

I will do my best! I'm pretty busy these days.

[@Indecencealicia]

@@thetrueconnoisseurunderstood

[@gregorybrowne5432]

I own all three, IMHO Roja Fetish and Hermes Bel Ami (vintage) are far superior! 200 niche bottles in the proverbial rabbit hole - Nothing beats Fetish.

[@thetrueconnoisseur]

Fetish is nice!

[@Tarek0189]

I like your analysis of the status of the niche perfume market collapse and how it is becoming not so niche. However, this is the constant evolution of consumerism when it meets exceptionalism. I have to disagree about Roja and I will borrow your own term of “GAUDY” when it comes to Roja. Like all Rojas in my opinion, they are over priced, loud, nouveau-riche products with overstuffed notes. Besides the rumors of using ghost perfumers and falsely claiming he created them, it is hard pass for me for the entire brand. It’s your money and of course you should spend it the way you want, especially when you find an emotional connection. Chypre is my favourite genre. However I would take Chypre Palatine even in its current formulation as the reference, not Roja and I would stick to the vanguards like Frederic Malle or the new pioneers like Les Indemodables in general.

[@villanyid]

Hi, where did you hear about the changes about to take place at Roja? I cannot find anything.

[@thetrueconnoisseur]

en.vogue.me/beauty/roja-parfums-announces-new-nose-antoine-cotton-london-celebration/

[@CanadianBeautyBlog]

I love Diaghilev… must find a bottle in 2025… great video.

[@thetrueconnoisseur]

It's just darn good perfume.

[@CanadianBeautyBlog]

@ I have the same relationship with Chypre Palatin…. I couldn’t get enough of it and it’s the right Chypre for me.

[@thetrueconnoisseur]

@@CanadianBeautyBlog That's a really great perfume, too.

[@deluxelex9056]

Out of my downsized, now at 173 bottle perfume collection, Roja occupies the most space, I have 40 different Roja's. There is something about the Roja's house DNA and "old money" / "old world" style that resonates with me on a subconscious level. Diaghilev is one of my proud possessions.

[@thetrueconnoisseur]

My wallet aches just thinking about 40 bottles of Roja, but you undoubtedly smell very good!

[@tefmuzik]

I really like it but i don't get the hype behind it. To me, Creation R pour homme is king of roja scents.

[@thetrueconnoisseur]

Wasn't that discontinued?

[@tefmuzik]

@thetrueconnoisseur unfortunately yes it was

[@Oakmosslover]

You look like someone put a snapchat filter on you, nice review tho

[@thetrueconnoisseur]

I don't usually record in the lighting conditions I did here, wonder if that threw things off

[@davidthomas7912]

This fragrance smells like an elderly person who pissed themselves. Come on folks I can name 20 plus fragrances off the top of my head better by far and cheaper. A lot of Roja is strictly marketing and honestly the prices are a joke.

[@thetrueconnoisseur]

Charming! Thanks for stopping by

[@joaopaulostasiu1091]

Nah bro you just didn’t mature your nose enough to apreciate this masterpiece.

[@onewontdo]

I don't think you have any understanding of what chypre fragrances are. I don't like Roja fragrances too but Diaghilev is objectively one of the finest chypre ever created, up there with vintage Mitsuoko.

[@ivantrudeau8974]

​@@joaopaulostasiu1091To each his own.

[@Damian-wm5yb]

Ok soo name ONE better fragrance🙏