Donna Karan’s Black Cashmere among the best

Seven years ago during New York Fashion Week, Donna Karan invited me to her showroom on Manhattan’s Upper East Side for the unveiling of her newest scent, Black Cashmere. As I settled into a comfortable chair, two lovely young women described the fragrance as they massaged my hands with the scented lotion. I couldn’t discern whether the warm, sensual, Oriental aroma - housed in a flacon shaped like a smooth black stone - was for men or women. I was told that it was blended so that anyone could wear it. Given the buying habits of the American consumer, it was no surprise that women would be targeted in advertising and promotion. I still have some of the eau de parfum and body wash they gave me that September day. I use them rarely and sparingly, and receive compliments each time I do. It’s hard to believe that the prodicts have lost none of their original quality. But then again, that should be the nature of any scent worth its salt.