Fame Eau de Parfum Gift Set

Presentation is only half the reason anybody chooses the Rabanne Fame Eau de Parfum Gift Set over a bottle on its own.

The other half is that it settles a question. Fragrance is the one present where the recipient's opinion counts for more than the giver's judgement, and a set at least arrives looking like it was planned rather than picked up in a hurry on the way over. What is inside is six materials. Mango leads, ripe and juicy with a faint resinous quality to it. Bergamot cuts across the fruit with bitter citrus. Jasmine and incense share the heart, the first broad and heady, the second dry and smoky, and that pairing is the whole character of the scent. Sandalwood and vanilla finish it, creamy and sweet, and the warmth they bring is where the fragrance spends most of its day.

The eau de parfum concentration means it has to be worn with some thought. There is real carry for an hour or two and then a long, close stay on skin and on clothing, so one or two sprays is right and a third is a decision you make for an occasion.

It is a cold weather fragrance for evenings and it very plainly wants to be noticed. Anyone buying it for somebody quiet should think twice, and anyone buying it for a woman who already likes a scent with presence can stop deliberating. Dora Baghriche, Marie Salamagne, Alberto Morillas and Fabrice Pellegrin are the four perfumers credited with it.

Rabanne is a French house that began in fashion, with a first collection shown in 1966. Its perfume division was created in 1968 by Puig, the Spanish group that bought the brand outright in 1987 and now trades it under the surname alone.