Aviance by Prince Matchabelli (1975)

 

 

“I’ve been sweet, and I’ve been good/I’ve had a whole, full day of motherhood/But I’m gonna have an Aviance night!

(Male voiceover) Prince Matchabelli brings you Aviance, a radiant new perfume…that LASTS…through the night. And what a way to start it…

 …Yes, I’m gonna have an Aviance night! (Male voice singing) Oh, yeah…we’re gonna have an Aviance night…”

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The idea that pheromones could be bottled up and put in perfume so that people would inexplicably lust after you was pretty big in the 70s. Aviance by Prince Matchabelli missed an opportunity to make that dubious claim, because it certainly has had, for me, the Pheromone Effect. For several days now, I've been having a straight-up, punch-drunk mad affair with this beauty. I didn’t know what Huffing was until I met Aviance.

It is so beautiful, so weird, and so right, I can't believe there’s hardly any information out there on it. Part of this makes me worry that perhaps it’s just a really cruddy perfume I happen to like. (We know there’s at least one in a perfumaniac’s perfume wardrobe!) If that’s the case, I’ll let it be Aviance. But I doubt it; I think this one’s an overlooked beauty.

Aviance is characterized by my Haarmann & Reimer guide as an aldehydic floral, but it is so much spicier and headier than that. (It’s more like Tabu or Dioressence in character, made for a sexy Tarot card-reading gypsy type. Its deployment of musk and cinnamon notes reminds me, in its effect anyway, of Frederic Malle’s Musc Ravageur, even though it’s intensely floral, too.)

Aviance starts off aldehydic and leafy green, and combined with lily-of-the-valley, for a moment it feels fresh and light. Radiant rose and jasmine benefit from the delicate touch of the top notes’ freshness, but its spicy, animalic, and disturbingly rich base casts a spell of erotic mystery over its initial floral lightness.

I’m not sure where the animalic, dirty part of this perfume comes from. The musk? That would make sense, because the last time I smelled this kind of fatty, erotic richness, I was sniffing vintage Chanel No. 5 extrait’s powerful nitromusks. Maybe it’s from what the H&R guide calls Aviance’s “aldehyde complex,” since some aldehydes are described as smelling like “snuffed candles.” The Pheromone Effect could also come from the Tonka bean note. (Tonka beans are the seeds of the Dipteryx Oderata, a legume tree. They’re sometimes described as an earthier vanilla scent — skanky and animalic.) In Aviance, tonka’s almondy, vanillic, clove-and-cinnamon-like facets definitely take the floral brightness to a seedier part of town.

Green, floral, spicy-woody, and dirty-rich, Aviance definitely smells perfume-y and vintage, but I love how forward it is. The priceless television ad above tells us everything we need to know about its personality. Like the 70s woman who was just getting permission to like sex rather than just see it as a chore (as the 50s woman was supposed to do), Aviance has been sweet and good (conventional florals, innocent and transparent notes of green and lily-of-the-valley) but she’s ready for an Aviance night. Presumably, that means hot, sweaty sex from her leering husband who nods in approval of her kitchen striptease.

And the ad’s not wrong: Aviance sure does LAST a long time. Nudge nudge, wink wink. (But seriously, if I put this on at night, the next morning, there’s a gorgeous, lightly floral and sandalwood spice veil on my skin.)

If Charlie was for the liberated woman who didn’t need a man (hey, she practically WAS a man named Charlie), Aviance was for the liberated gal who was still home-makin’ and takin’ care of babies — but don’t think the sexual revolution passed her by. (And is Aviance not the best stage name ever? The next time some weird dude talks to me and asks my name, I'm going to whisper, "Aviance. The name's Aviance.")

So after Charlie and Aviance, who’s next? Why, the Enjoli woman who brings home the bacon, of course. Stay tuned…

Comments

[Queen Cupcake]

Ha! I loved this post! And I remember the TV commercial for Aviance (Enjoli, too!). I recently located a vintage bottle of Aviance but haven't given it much of a chance to shine, just sampled it a little bit. And no, it's not cruddy, it IS an overlooked beauty. So I'll spray it on myself more liberally tonight and we'll see...(know wotImean, know wotImean) ;-)

[Perfumaniac]

Oh, my Queen Cupcake. Do report back on Aviance's truth in advertising! Haha. Glad you like it! Maybe describe your impressions, specifically? Is it kind of disturbing to you, too? Thanks!

[kjanicki]

Wow! I love hearing about an overlooked beauty. I hope I get to smell this someday, it sounds gorgeous.

[Perfumaniac]

It's so cheap on eBay, kjanicki. Wait for the tiny perfume mini to come back around. I got mine for 4.99, I'm not kidding!

[Meliscents]

There's a HUGE bottle at one of my local Antique Malls that has been giving me the "stink eye" when I walk by the cabinet. Maybe I'll treat myself to a little gift. And don't cheap gifts give such a thrill?
Besides, how can I pass up something that may result in a memorable evening? (giggle, giggle)

[Perfumaniac]

Grab it, Meliscents! And come back and tell me what you thought! Whether or not you end up having an "Aviance Night" is up to you to disclose. But yeah, I'll lend my ear for that info, too. ;-) (As I'm sure other prurient readers would.) Also? I love the term "stink eye" and try to use it as often as possible. Makes sense, given how I'm led by the nose...

[breathe31]

You might also want to try Aviance Night Musk. It was a scent that I wore secretly in the 80s ( secretly because it was a drugstore fragrance but I loved it so!).

[50_Roses]

I remember the ads for Aviance so well, but I never wore it, as I was too young for it at the time. Your review piqued my curiosity, though, and I just ordered a sample lot on eBay that has Aviance and some others. I do think perfume ads in the past were much better than most of them are now.

[Perfumaniac]

breathe31: I totally want to try Aviance Night Musk, vintage of course. It's on my list!

50_Roses: I hope you got vintage Aviance! I can't vouch for the new stuff. Definitely come back and let me know what you thought.

[Meliscents]

I have a little of Scoundrel Musk. Now that is some funky, can't stop smellin my wrist, sex juice!!
They don't make them like that anymore!! And I'll be happy to comment on how well the Aviance
worked out for me. Smell & otherwise. Wink, wink, nod, nod! :-)

[Perfumaniac]

Oh, I've been curious about Scoundrel, Meliscents. I'm searchin' on eBay right now!

[Vinery]

This post gave me an earworm! :-) I've been having an Aviance day and night since reading it. By the way, I am wearing Fidji today, as recommended by you in the new astrology charts post, and it really is beautiful. Thanks for the suggestion.

[Perfumaniac]

Vinery, I've been singing it everywhere, accompanied by her little striptease dance, epic perfume spray, and hair-toss. My friends were amused the first few times. The tenth? Not so much. ;-)

[Perfumaniac]

Vinery - Oh, and I'm so glad you're enjoying Fidji. It's great that people took those recommendations seriously and actually tried the perfumes I recommended based on their "new" signs. I love it!

[Anne]

I'm really looking forward to your Enjoli review. I'm so glad you make comparisons with like fragrances, and review the in series. Makes a lot of sense. Taken together, Enjoli, Aviance and Charlie! say some interesting things about feminism in that era. Occasionally I spritz a tester of Charlie! but it seems harsh to me. Reformulated? I suppose so.

Prince M. did Wind Song and although I don't recall ever smelling it, that ad for Wind Song hangs around in my head like a 30 year old ear worm ('Your Wind Song stays on my mind ....'. It sure does.) So I have never been able to go near another Prince M. But thanks fro the review!

[Perfumaniac]

The vintage Charlie is pretty nice, Anne. I imagine you did sniff the reformulation if it smelled harsh to you. The marketing for that feminist trio — Charlie, Aviance, Enjoli — is an historical goldmine, not to mention ridiculously entertaining! "Your Wind Song stays on my miiiiind!" That's an understatement!

[Angie]

Yo quiero que alguien vuelva a hacer el perfume Aviance, era una delicia!!! por que dejaran de fabricarlos??? será que alguien sabe el correo de prince Matchabelli para solicitarlo!!!

[TJ]

Do you (or any other readers) have any of the print ads for Aviance from the late 70' and early 80's? I recall some very interesting ones, but have been looking for them off and on for years with out any luck.
One in particular, that I'm pretty sure was Aviance was a two page ad with a woman, prim and proper on a couch, putting on the fragrance. The text said "A promise made." The next page showed the same woman in dishabille, draped over the couch with bits of stray clothing on the floor. The text for that page said, "A promise delivered."
If anyone has it, or even knows for sure whether it is Aviance, I'd love to know.

[Perfumaniac]

Hi TJ. I love those racy 70s ads. I've never seen the one you're describing. But I have one with images of a woman who's clearly just come from the office, and in each subsequent picture of her, she's getting more comfortable, taking off her glasses, putting down her hair. You know — getting ready for an Aviance night!

[Charlotte DiLucia]

I would like any samples of Nuiance and Aviance Colognes available rsvp as I would like you to send them to me at a certain address. Thank you [email protected]

[Perfumaniac]

Charlotte: Sorry, I don't understand your request.

[Jermaine Mack]

I remember that commercial back in the 80's was Aviance Perfume when I saw this commercial back in 1981 !

[Jermaine Mack]

I would love to see that 1981 Aviance Perfume Commercial about a woman who is taking off her glasses ,then she's putting down her hair, then the man try's to get in the car, then she take her clothes off in the bathroom trying to take a bath, then the car drives, then she put on Aviance Perfume on her neck, then she put the perfume back on top, then the car drives again to pick her up, then she put on her clothes to have an Aviance Night, then the man came to see her and finally she fall in love with him and I would love to see this ad from 1981!

[Perfumaniac]

Hi Jermaine, Sometimes they're on youtube! But the Aviance ad I originally posted was taken down. Too bad!

[Sally Cameron]

Thanks for this post. This was my favorite commercial back in the 70's! Do you know who the man in this ad was?

[Jermaine Mack]

I found the Aviance Perfume Ad from 1980 which is the slogan A Touch of Tenderness and I remember that commercial when this perfume came out!

[Perfumaniac]

Jermaine, I havent seen that ad but the commercial is seared into my memory!

Sent from my iPhone

[sandy]

Can't believe that Aviance Night Musk is off the market. I tried "Scentmakers" who were supposed to capture the Night Musk fragrance, but it didn't come any where close. Please, please bring the Night Musk back!

[Pam]

I just bought a vintage bottle of this cologne at a local thrift store for $1.50, and am pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoy this scent. Your review is one of the very few online that I can find. I don't know much about picking out individual notes, so I just go by smells good/ doesn't smell good. I kind of feel like the marketing on this was the problem. Really nice scent. Need to figure out if I am actually going to fess up and tell people what I am wearing if asked, being reluctant to relive the heavy sexual innuendo commercials of the 70s. LOL!

[Blonde_ism]

Please tell me you've reviewed Matchabelli's vintage Cachet! I found 1/4 oz of the vintage perfume and I am in love with it. I am curious to experience Aviance now after reading this.