This year, Yves Saint Laurent’s most iconic scent, Opium, turns 35.

For those of you who’ve been living under a rock  who’ve yet to sniff it, Opium’s a heady blend of bergamot, Chinese ginnger, white pepper and basil on a bed of cedar and oak moss. It’s possibly the world’s most famous oriental and has been represented by supermodels like Kate Moss and Linda Evangelista. In fact, Gisele Bundchen actually wears it on big nights out. 

Anyway, Opium now has a new spokeswoman, actress Emily Blunt.

While I adore Miss Blunt (how brill was she as the long suffering assistant in the Devil Wears Prada?!), I’ll be honest and say she doesn’t strike me as the best fit for the brand. To me, Opium’s always been this seriously sexy, slightly scandalous type of scent. It’s for the kind of girl who calls her bedroom a boudoir  and may or may not own crotchless panties. And while Emily’s certainly looks gorgeous in the ad, she just doesn’t have the kind of ‘in your face’ sexiness/retro glam factor that, to me, best expresses what Opium’s all about. 

In my opinion, these are Opium girls… not those who should neccessarily have been picked over Emily, but the type of woman who I could imagine wearing the scent: 

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Still, regardless of what I think, Opium’s going to continue to be sold by the gallon. It’s fans range from the women who first snapped it up in the late 70’s to a brand new wave of young ‘hipster girls’ who adore it for the fact that it’s ‘vintage’ yet exotic and sensual.

Now tell me, are you an Opium fan? And if not, what other sexy winter scents are blowing your hair back round about now?

Love, love

Leigh