Rumba Ted Lapidus for women

I don't know where to start. She’s badly good! i don't bother you by describing the scent because it’s extremely complex and unique to my nose. All i can say is this is a very good fragrance and it’s very inexpensive. If you enjoy classic fragrances, do yourself a favor and grab a bottle. It’s easily 10/10 for me. Jean-Claude Ellena and Ron Winnegrad knows how to do it right.
Extremely sensual-sexual-very romantic-passionat-sad inside, happy outside- very very complex-deep-full of contrasts-balanced-thoughtful-meaningful
It’s create a very clean and clear picture in my mind with all the details, but it gets too long for share.
Don't fool by notes and main accords, you should experience it. And it’s chypre. Performance is excellent.

( beware is not for everyone )

Why theire is no perfume projection like this one nowadays ?

Que DELICIA de manjericão!, nossa, ele brilha na minha pele e combina perfeitamente com essas frutas gordas e esse mel (que parece explodir em mim desde a saída ), em seguida o festival de flores desabrocham e os cravos e tuberosas estão em peso nessa festa saudando o mel, as frutas carnudas e os seres verdes, este perfume parece ser algo divino, ritualístico, para atrair fartura e prazer, sabe?
É maximalista e nunca imaginei que algo assim pudesse ser tão elegante e sedutor, imagino que quem contribui fortemente é a nota de couro e com toda certeza é um dos perfumes com construção mais prazerosa que senti na vida. Perfume de mulher pagã que cultua a natureza. ✵✯✶⚝✧٭*

Smoky and honied plum and peaches, becomes a heavy cacophany of spicy florals, settles into a lovely oakmoss & leather base with more smoky plum reemerging.
Major powerhouse, hits you over the head and doesn't stop as it settles on the skin. Projects around the entire body and leaves a very noticeable trail.
Best in cool weather, because this only requires body heat to bloom and shine as intended.

Perfectly blended ! Strong in the beginning but in a good way, sensual as a real woman should smell. However it makes me think about Dior poison I think is the tuberose, plum, the fruits mixed with the spicy notes! Really enjoyable for a confondent woman! PS: personally I am not agree that’s it’s a vintage from another generation or some sort for grandmas!

This and Creation are my personal perfumery nightmare. Well, at least now I know.

Another piece of nostalgia for me. As far I can remember its performance was nuclear. One spray was enough. Overspraying will definitely choke you. My my it was strong. The scent is definitely vintage, smelt pleasant with moderations. If you overspray the animalic notes in it will choke you. I have experienced the stinky horror caused by overspraying so I am warning everyone. For current demographic it's not a safe blind buy unless you love strong animalic vintage scents.It always surprises me how potent the perfumes used to be in the past, now a days most of the fragrances are watered down in comparison.

Just finished my first bottle today and thankfully I have a backup ready to go. This is the perfect cold weather scent. The wafts in clouds with utter extreme boujee vibes. Sweet, ambery, raspberry, honey, 80's lipstick in a New York tower wearing chic couture. Up close, it's dirty, animalic, smokey and offensive. I love both sides of this fragrance, but it's the wafting clouds that makes this such a rich, complex, old money "Pretty Lady" frag. 10/10.

The best way to describe this fragrance from my point of view is the one that follows: I like it and I also hate it.

Let me explain:
Firstly, I get a spa vibe from it. It's a vintage herbal fragrance with a honey base. That's also floral, I get the marigold note very well, actually this reminds me of marigold cream somehow. I also can smell something bitter, and I think that's the leather note. I would've love the leather to smell like suede here.
I like the frag, but I need to be very confident to wear this outside.

The downside is the drydown. I hate it. It smells like bad breath, I think that's from the civet note, I guess? That's why I fell this duality towards Rumba.

It's sensual, clean and dirty at the same time. Very vintage. I saw it has some votes that it is similar with Dior Poison. Although I can see some reseblance, I would say I like Rumba better haha. It doesn't have the quality of ingredients like Poison, but I like the blending options for this one better.

The performance is incredible, idk if I have any fragrance to last this long.
Wish the drydown didn't smell like bad breath though, it ruins the fragrance :(

Scent: 6/10
Sillage: 10/10
Longevity: 10/10
Bottle: 8/10

Sadly, my first experience after opening the package was not a happy one.
After 2 short sprays, one on the inside of each wrist, there was no fruit or flower whatsoever, only bitter and harsh notes which lasted for at least 5 hours.
The drydown was a pissy musk, smokiness and a whiff of vanilla.
I know that scents need to rest after being in transit. So I will let Rumba rest and mature for a while, in the hope that all the wonderful notes described by the lucky users below, will come to life on my skin as well.
It sure is a strong and long lasting fragrance, and a very unusual one.
Wish me luck ;)
Update July 8: It does smell a bit differently this time, but because there are so many notes, it is quite difficult to identify them. I get some fruits and flowers, but also the same strong smokiness I detected the first time.
This is definitely not a mainstream fragrance, but a very interesting one.
Amazing longevity for an EDT, more than 14 hours, although I washed my hand/arm several times since I first applied it.
If you like unusual and strong scents like Magie Noire, Obsession, LouLou, Opium, then you'll like Rumba. I got it for around 20 euro.
Update October 31: still very strong smokiness, bitterness and woodiness, no fruits, maybe a little bit of flowers (I don't know how marigold is supposed to smell like). Great longevity but I am sorry to say that Rumba and I will part ways very soon.

Just like the mesmerizing Talisman Balenciaga, this one is an exceptional underrated fragrance.


This is the way.

SO many ingredients listed for this one! I only thought it opened up with notes that some people call “dirty”. I believe it’ll suit people who appreciate LouLou by Cacharel and The Red Door by Elizabeth Arden. The bottle appears to be of very good quality, especially given how inexpensive it is. I later noticed that the bottle was an exact copy of Rumba by Balenciaga, which blew my brain. I didn’t realise one could sell a perfume to another house just like that - lock, stock, and barrel.

PS: I tested it once again just because the next-day dry-down on the paper strip was pleasant, evoking a slightly smoky sour-sweet plum (and plum is indeed listed among the base notes). But to get to this fairly pleasant destination, one has to endure the very confronting and off-putting wafts of the first day. One must enjoy the smell of those Indian burning incense sticks to appreciate this fragrance. Go figure why many reviewers should be so enamoured of this one.

This is the way.

Ted Lapidus/ Balenciaga Rumba (1989) - chypre bouquet - Before his streamlined style, #jeanclaudeellena made this bombastic powerhouse of a scent for Balenciaga that they later sold to Ted Lapidus. I will not dare dissect individual notes as it’s far too complex to do so. I get an indolic and sultry Tuberose-Jasmine mixed by a wild assortment of floral components. Dark and fleshy stone-fruits and herbal aromatics. Animalic tanned leather hides, Amber accords amidst a chypre backbone. Not for the faint of heart who like clean & more modern scents, but those that enjoy chypre, orientals and complex florals - a definite buy.

I ordered the Balenciaga version, but got Ted-Lapidus instead...was not happy about that. Scent wise, its core is very, very similar to Ysatis, which I absolutely LOVE. The only difference is the top fruity notes and the touch of leather in the dry down of Rumba. If you love Ysatis, you will love Rumba. I've ordered an older version of the Balenciaga, so I will come back and compare the 2 once I've received it, and tried both on my skin.

The Dancer by Gustav Klimt 1907

When I want to go back to a time when perfumes had a soul, I wear this perfume.
It's the only JC Elena I admire.
It's a perfume that also goes well on a man, I have no problem with that.
A classic to keep in a collection.

A triumphant hymn to femininity, a fragrance with an extraordinary, kaleidoscopic olfactory pyramid. Rumba by Ted Lapidus first Balenciaga, a masterful fragrance created by the great master Jean-Claude Ellena. The historic feminine fragrances are magical, mystical, full of surprising, wonderful shades, difficult to understand if you don't love them deeply. Rumba is an exciting symphony orchestra of chords and notes: amber, animalic, boises, fruity, floral, with an immense heart of palpable honey, which is the vibrant soul that holds the entire blend together in its sparkling beauty. Rumba is the fragrance that represents femininity par excellence. Masterpiece

I had this in my collection. Twice. Briefly.

It's a fantastic, old school fragrance, big bold and leaves a wonderful trail. Full of notes that I love and has the strength and longevity that I search for. So why was it only briefly in my collection?

My first bottle was stolen by my husband and the second by my son! In fairness, it does smell damn good on them! I'll repurchase but it will be for my son, as he's now made the scent his own and I'm glad that he has good taste 😊

Absolutely fantastic CREATION.! True piece of olfactory art. I love all creation made by Jean -Claude Ellena.
This perfume is sooo rich in different notes,all together consist of 28 different notes!.in Balenciaga version ,and 29 notes in Ted Lapidus version.
The difference between the two is how perfumers juggle the notes. In Balenciaga version is lack of rose note and ambergris in Lapidus version is change for amber tone in Balenciaga. And this is the reason why both versions smell different. Balenciaga version is made by two perfumers:Jean Claude Ellena and Ron Winnegrad, and Lapidus version is made exclusively by Ellena. Both old-school,very vintage ,dry, rich fragrance.
Not easy, so not for everybody.

looking for a blind buy. Like the stronger ones. Looks like Balenciaga Rumba and Ted Lapidus Rumba are the same bottle design, same notes. Is it difference only in the price? How these 2 are connected?

Well wasn't this a delightful surprise! A delicious amberesque escape vehicle from a cold dark winter's day. I bought this warm day in a bottle to up my cart in order to recieve free shipping and I am so glad I did! I think I might even like it more than the bottle of Kenzo Jungle which accompanied it. It's so well blended that you can barely discern one note from the next and yet it is so warm and inviting. I just can't stop sniffing it, which is easy given that this beast RADIATES like a monster with a will to do harm! Don't estimate the power of an 80s throwback, give it a try, because it is dirt cheap and outbeasts many fragrances of its elite callibre.

First off, this smells nothing like Montana Parfum de Peau. PdP is aloof and elegant, dry as a bone and keeps her flirty side well hidden, she wears fierce, severe tailoring and leather. Rumba is flirty and playful, she has a sweet side and likes to party in a puffball dress and polka dot tights. The 80s perfume I was reminded of at first sniff was Oleg Cassini.

It has a chypre structure, but obviously there is not enough oak moss these days. The dominant note for me is peach, but it is a well blended perfume without anything obviously jarring. I can imagine a vintage version of this being beautiful, but we aren't allowed nice things anymore.

Overall, it's a great cheap entry level purchase to experience the 80s style of perfume, good quality and very fun. But if you're a hardcore 80s chypre fan you may be a bit disappointed.

Fabulous, extraordinary perfume makes you go wow! So rich and intoxicating. This is on fire, so hot! It radiates a warm happy glow. A symphony of fragrance notes in perfect harmony. Wave after wave of luscious perfume dancing the Rumba! Great value. Attractive bottle, shame cap is plastic, crystal would be more pleasant.

This perfume always brings to mind the song by K.T. Oslin "Eighties Ladies" Sometimes you don't have the words for how a perfume smells, but these lyrics are how I "see" this scent.
Respect to all of you ladies who wear it and rock it.

"We were three little girls from school.
One was pretty, one was smart
And one was a borderline fool.
Well she's still good lookin'
That woman hadn't slipped a bit.
The smart one used her head
She made her fortune.
And me, I cross the border every chance I get.
We were the girls of the 50's.
Stoned rock and rollers in the 60's.
And more than our names got changed
As the 70's slipped on by.
Now we're 80's ladies.
There ain't been much these ladies ain't tried.
We've been educated.
We got liberated.
And had complicating matters with men.
Oh, we've said "I do"
And we've signed "I don't"
And we've sworn we'd never do that again.
Oh, we burned our bras,
And we burned our dinners
And we burned our candles at both ends.
And we've had some children
Who look just like the way we did back then.
Oh, but we're all grown up now.
All grown up,
But none of us could tell you quite how.
We were the girls of the 50's.
Stoned rock and rollers in the 60's.
Hunny, more than our names got changed,
As the 70's slipped on by.
Now we're 80's ladies.
There ain't been much these ladies ain't tried."

I so wanted to like this. But it's really too much for me. Someone described it as too "perfumey". And it really is. In a very old school way, and usually I love old school. I keep giving Rumba another try, because I bought a full bottle of it. At least it didn't cost much.

All I can say is that it doesn't smell as bad in cold weather. And I'm someone who thinks the vast majority of fragrances smell good, even the ones that simply aren't to my personal taste. But Rumba is really on the borderline of being downright unpleasant.

This is really beautiful. It's definitely got a vintage feel from the carnation, marigold and heliotrope. But the honey and vanilla smooth this juice out and the raspberry and plum add a fruity complexity. The ambergris is subtle and brings such a nice richness. It's Very lush and deep and complex. This is one of those that's gets better the older it gets. We need to make vintage perfumes vogue again.

I don't know, it's so.... perfumey. I do get a hit of oakmoss early in, but that disappears back into the jumbled mix, smelling of everything and nothing specific all at the same time. I guess it's just not for me, Rumba smells like too-sweet perfume and the ladies washroom on my skin. Maybe I need to try it when it's much colder.

EDIT: This perfume NEEDS the cold for it to work on me. The colder the better. The sweetness cuts through the air and the oakmoss base (that I wish was stronger) helps add a bit of volume.

This smells like YSL Rive Gauche! There is this sharp something that I hadn't expected. It's not bad,but not nearly as good as Création.

It starts medicinal and herbal, similar to an after-shave, then mellows into decadent indolic flowers and waxy honey.

I got this as a blind buy for the tuberose, but jasmine is the most prominent flower to my nose.

Strangely, patchouli is a top note here. It screams at you at the first spritz, but it fades out gently.

The incense and the wax make this scent devotional, reminiscent of a gothic church. I get no rumba, no sexy, sweaty brunette in a black dress dancing the night away.

No, this is a woman who sneaks out at night to engage in secret, kinky actitivies then buttons herself up in black lace and goes to church the next Sunday morning like it never happened.

A perfect scent for the female main character of My Cousin Rachel, by Daphne du Maurier, a widow who is passionate about gardening and concocting herbal remedies, goes to church regularly, and when no one is looking seduces gullible men.

I must’ve burned off everything but the sandalwood, tonka, and vanilla. At first, I couldn’t believe how good this was. Like everything but the kitchen sink good, all harmonizing wonderfully, taking turns across the stage, never letting you get tired of one or the other. Kinda waxy and leathery and suede and floral and still grounded and deep. Oh my, was that short-lived. I ended up with cheap, super-sweet, vanilla and slightly floral candle. I think if this works on your skin, it is an absolute masterpiece at a bang-up price. But oof, I just can’t have a frag that only smells good for 15 minutes. I haven’t quite figured out what bases most work for me, but this is not the combo. Also a pity, as it’s not one that just disappears….. it actually has some staying power, well, if it doesn’t morph into cheap candle, anyway. I guess some of it had some staying power but not enough of it to work for me. 😬.

After all these "fragrance years"....I finally sniffed Rumba !! Then I HAD TO have a bottle.
Rumba is old school classic....ect.......
It is similar in "vibe" to quite a few other scents, IMO, like Montana Parfum de Peau, Sisley Eau de Soir, Animal, ect...Which I do own and like a lot. So, Rumba for me is "just another brick in the wall", and OH ! what a wall it is !! LOL
I love it !!
I need to try the vintage Balenciaga version some day....???....!!!

Rumba has surely/obviously been re-formulated....but it is still a powerhouse scent.

Welcome Rumba, let's dance !!!

This formulation has got to be the Heinz 57 of the perfume world, and undoubtedly, few could follow all 29 ingredients. Having now seen the sheer number, I almost wish they would have added just one more thing to make an even thirty. But no! Jean-Claude Ellena reached one shy, tossed down his blotter, and proclaimed completion. Surely someone else at that table felt the same way I do. Seems like such an opportunity wasted. As usual, I digress.
I couldn't possibly begin to pull specific compounds, in a discussion of the merits of this fragrance, without confusing all of us. In recipe alone, this is a sensational, muddling mess. So, we will pull the lens out a bit, take a wider look, and peer at the composition in its intended entirety. I think the first thing that strikes me is the battle within the confines of scent and space. Men might envision a war scene; two armies pushing each other along an imaginary line, bent on concrete dominance and complete destruction. I think more of a dancing pair, each symbiotic movement establishing a passionate pivot point. The fluidity of power, transferred from one to the other, rhythmically and in-step. Strong floral notes resisting fresh aromatics. Sticky chords of unctuous fruits, ambered with honey, pulling at the pungent, living earth; expressing the presence of oakmoss and patchouli. Sturdy and sound woods, grab onto delicately ethereal, powdery whispers of heliotrope and vanilla. The tangy, animalic fragrance of leather, styrax, and ambergris growl against the characteristic peppery sting of marigold and carnation. All of this motion atop a floor of pleasing, soapiness. Lily of the Valley and orange blossom shine with the silvery sheen of freshly polished wax. This isn't the Rumba to me, this is the Tango! Tenderly erotic and unabashedly direct. Much on the lines of other potent concoctions, like Poison or Amarige, this darling must be decanted on the warmth of skin, for a solid thirty minutes prior to sharing it with the world. Roaming innocents and possible encounters deserve to face the tamed effects of Rumba's heart or dry-down. Restraint of spray, and application on the skin, will certainly gain you points within the community. Personally, I'm not quite sure how long it will stay in my collection, but what I do know, is that I haven't been challenged like this in a very long time. It deserves consideration for sure, maybe even a good deal of admiration. I'll let you be the judge of that.

I love the honey/sweet and salty/sour notes in Ted Lapidus Rumba! It's a really rich and interesting fragrance, opening with what seems like a blast of citrus, developing into a sweet & sour, underlying rich note that borders on rotting fruits, rich, smoky, and leathery, but still winds up being gorgeous, all around. I think the mirabelle plum -- also found in Chloe Nomade -- may give Rumba that awesome funk; something about mirabelle plum is sour and almost citrusy, if that is, in fact, the note I'm smelling in both (they both boast oakmoss, too). But while Nomade verges on the masculinity and cheapness of an Axe body spray, and to me has a grudging and depressed mien, Rumba stays spicy, enthusiastic, outgoing, and fun. Even though its mood is totally different, its closest relative to Rumba that I know of is Rochas Femme, with its leathery, salty/cumin, dark plum. But where Femme is dark, brooding, mature and a little world-weary, Rumba is ready to go out for the sunny day and dance late into the starry night... However, it may be necessary to reapply because I'm not sure its longevity is as great as its sillage. I love Rumba and will definitely enjoy it for years to come. <3

I feel like I'm wrapped in Golden silk threads, in a cocoon of vintage 80s/90s era glamour just encompassing my being. I can't get enough of this perfume. It's vintage but classy, a powerhouse but in the best way possible. Great sillage. I am just in love with this floral bomb. On my skin it almost smells like deodorant and not in a bad way (lol).

Few years ago one of my work colleagues was wearing this and I remember every day I was sniffing on her, I wanted to get it for myself but for some reason I forgot about it...until recently when I accidentally found it online and decided to give it a try. Rumba is what I imagine a goddess of nature smelling like...earthy, floral, a bit spicy, somehow sweet, somehow bitter...this is the type of perfume that you can wear only when you are in the mood for it, otherwise she is going to wear you and can be a bit overwhelming. A bit on the masculine side, my nose picks up on a bitter note...don't know which one might be...strong, heady and pungent. I also get a bit of grandma perfume vibe...i think that is what is stoping me to love this one 100%. Very good price, very persistant, I dislike the bottle. Don't know if I will buy it again...we will see how we get along on the long run.

I LOVE THIS. A blind buy that knocked my socks off. On first spritz I said out loud to myself, "I was not ready." Heady, constantly changing, full of personality, warmth, and strength. Under the tremendous, almost sharp bright florals, citrus and basil there is a deep, plummy balsamic warmth that melds into a leathery, almost wine cellar/humidor base. All wrapped in a sweet and powdery cloud that keeps it from getting turgid. I don't usually go for powdery scents but it works perfectly here. Can't overstate how it changes over time in such interesting ways. The drydown on me is very leathery, almost masculine. Think badass, powerful woman with smoky eyeliner, a motorcycle in a sophisticated, wine-colored wool dress. She's charming, a bit mysterious, and doesn't care what anyone thinks of her. A great scent and extremely affordable, but not for anyone who is looking for clean white florals. A little goes a long way.

A ravishing powerhouse, that's all I can say about it. @Nursemike defines it perfectly, its ever changing incarnations are just BEYOND. Can't believe how cheap it is and why it took me so long to buy it.

Complex and rich, just not my cup of tea.

Would like to swap for something else, please private message me.

@ CarmenTudor,very often perfumes last longer on clothes, personally I do not do it because I like to change perfume every day, therefore they allow me to rediscover them after a certain time when I put it back on, moreover wearing a scented item of clothing for a few days can become saturated,
this is sometimes the reason that people say they no longer smell their perfume, not that it is bad (or a poor outfit happens) but it prevents putting another perfume that would mix with that of the garment, yes the perfume is an art and wearing it too, for me at least.
I have this Rumba in my collection,
in fact its hold (on skin of course) is quite simple and linear, no devolution and disappears after 1 hour, here is just my feeling.

Okay, so I used to wear this one as a teenager and I wanted to give it a try again. I don't love it like I used to nor do I dislike it. It feels just different now. smells better on my clothes than on my skin. Does this happen to someone else? I'd love some responses...

Rumba is, whichever way you decide to approach her, a work of pure art. I remember owning a bottle of her perhaps five years ago, and now I own a new one, as I foolishly gave away the first one.
Back then, she was a fragrance that was as potent as they come, a fulgurating fury that seemed to smash a bottle of herself on everyone’s head around me, dousing them with her contents, just from the sillage I was carrying and emitting from several sprays to my body. Today, she is maybe a tad tamer, but still very, very strong. I wore her once before bed and, in the morning, she was still clearly detectable, if considerably faded.
The composition cannot be unsmelled or forgotten, she is that original. Honeyed plums, bunches of rustic flowers, dollops of oakmoss (even if my bottle omits to mention it), shiny, polished leather, all manner of goodness is inside, seamlessly blended and endlessly beautiful. I feel like this is the perfect fragrance for a romantic stroll through the city on an autumn Sunday, arm-in-arm with your stronger half, soaking up the last sunny rays and maybe venturing into a museum or art gallery - Rumba is pure romance.
Many strong fragrances come across as over-the-top excesses, leaving an impression of gaudy, immoderate taste. Somehow, Rumba avoids falling into the pitfall of corrupt power. She is strong and immaculate at the same time, an aristocrat among women’s perfumes.

Wow! There is a lot going on there! Its as if it morphs into a new incarnation every 15 minutes. It starts off like fruit in a forest but there is also wood, tonka,patchouli,smoke,leather and musk.It starts of very masculine in my opinion. A half hour later flowers, leather, musk tonka and patchouli.An hour later the fruit and flowers are withering and it softly smouldering. The whole scent rests on a heavy base Very nice.

To my inexpert nose this could be a 2nd cousin to Plum Japonais. I have not tried it on my skin yet. I sprayed this 2 or 3 times into the air about 5 hours ago. I came back to the area and wherever the spray fell around my sofa smells of Rumba. It has the potential to be beastly. I can only hope for a similar response on my skin. The smell evokes the words from a popular song.

Rumba is savage...ratchet, bougie, nasty.

EDIT: My taste in perfume runs towards the unusual. I love Rumba. My skin soaks up fragrance so I went in with six sprays (I'm at home today) and I don't regret it. It's magnificent. If there is such a thing as an oriental fruity floral I think this is it. It's going to go in with the fall and winter fragrances. It's long lasting and the sillage is heavy. Beware it may make you feel like putting on some Isley Brothers or Luther Vandross, wearing something low-cut with your best push up bra.

Oooh interesting.
Winter, skin test.

Righty-o.
I get bees wax or honey. Moss or woods, dried green... floral?

I'm on a testing spree as I'm sick of seeing candy in perfume.
This is beast mode. Dont need much.
Great value.

When viewing the notes you have to think you're smelling them through honeied moss or perhaps nice pot pourri or insense (minus the smoke). This is not what the type of scent you see being brought out today. It's abit kinder out ththe nozzle than some as in you get the insense honey warmth right up.

The animalic part is not skanky, but be careful, it nudges over kinda mid way but not dirty. It does not go sweaty either, so mainly bees waxy honey moss woods and fried floral type.

Excellent value, AND you could use as a base layer if you want a change from your usual scents.

Rumba sure says 1980's! This is in the same vein as Poison. If you're a fan of Poison or Lou Lou, you will probably like this. Sweet, syrupy, and boozy plum, intense leather, floral notes of marigold and tuberose, and earthy oakmoss. This has some serious staying power. You don't need much!

Lovers of syrupy sweet and fruity fragrances will hate this.
Rumba is a grown up mossy delight with lots of woody notes and a few florals to balance it out. It reminds me of the heavy hitters everyone wore in the ‘70’s and ‘80’s.
Aldehydic, persistent and aromatic. I love the bouquet this evokes upon spraying, you‘ll enjoy it on your skin for a good 6 hours and you’ll get compliments but mainly from men...some of the ladies at work are walking LVEB dispensers.

For anyone who needs an inexpensive oakmoss fix, this is your juice. A wonderfully rich scent which you can grab for a steal.

The first thing I get is... salt (maybe ambergris or leather). Salty spicy honey. Or even sweet pickles, maybe cornichons. I don't mean that this perfume smells _like_ pickles, but the combination of salty, spicy and sweet notes in the opening evokes this association.
It is very, very strong, so that I cannot wear it inside, even with half a spray. But outside, in the warm breeze, it has enough space to develop. In the middle notes, it becomes spicy honey with a salty undertone. The salt reminds me of bodily fluids, if you know what I mean, but in a good although indecent way. It is interesting to follow this scent's development, even if it's not easy to wear.
Overall it's a heavy 80s perfume with a lot of tuberose. For me, tuberose is a bit problematic which is why I don't think I will be wearing Rumba a lot, it's not really my style. I don't recommend buying it blind (although I did).

I got this as another addition to my vintage foray.On a whim and for a song. So glad I got it!!

I love it, very 80's in feel. Strongly reminds me of Mackie, which I also have.

strong floral with sweetness, balsamy warm notes. Like a warm hug that stays all day.

I can see how this would not be for everyone, and then not maybe an everyday scent. But a masterful creation.
Recommend.

Tested it some years ago,and what i can say:a bomb!!Women's eros liquefied!I would meet a daring girl wearing something like this!

This is another blind buy gone wrong after reading all the positive reviews. On me it is nothing but overpowering moss and wood. After 3 hours I had to scrub it off and its still lingering on me. There are no florals or sweet and balsamic notes which are combinations I love. Fragrances work differently on everyone so while I appreciate how it works for others this is a toss for me.

Not worth spraying in the bathrooms

This is a typical 80s powerhouse bomb with loud floral opening almost repulsive, for a second there I was afraid if it’s too overpowering and offends my family. But the dry down is so beautifully earthy. This could be Boucheron older sister, but it is infused with a dash of earthy vetiver of dioressence. It’s impressive given the cheap price tag. As I am writing this and sniffing my arm, I’m already thinking of stocking up on this one.

This fragrance is absolutely gorgeous. Upon first spray, it is immensely heady and glamorous, if not slightly overpowering. A little goes a long way...2-3 sprays do the trick and it lasts for 10 plus hours on my skin. I did not look at the notes, but It smells waxy, like red lipstick or candles, spicy, rich and sweet. It reminds me of Chinatown By Bond no 9 because it smells vintage like, like a movie stars dressing table...dark wood, white flowers...cosmetics. I am wearing it now, despite the heat just because I love it. Rumba is definitely a more mature scent, reminiscent of the 80's and early nineties, so be prepared for that. You simply cannot beat the price...so if you blind buy it, as I did, your investment will be small. Love it!

I bought this beautiful fragrance this week. Love it. My first foray into Ted Lapidus fragrances.
It's different to anything I've ever worn, though there is for me a tiny similarity to knowing in the woody quality, though for me that's where it ends. I get less of the sweetness. It only lasts for a short while.
I get spice and leather. Absolutely love it. My "knock them dead" fragrance for fall and winter and for greater effect, alternated with all my other fall and winter beauties, Mitsoukou, Opium, Angel Crystal Noir. Looking forward to pair it with a black jeans and a black leather jacket and a royal red top and killer boot on the way to a jazz show, a rendezvous with a friend, or well who knows as fancy and rhythm dictates? Would be careful with a black knit dress and high over-the-knee boot. That could be a dangerous pairing in the contextual boldness of this fragrance.

Not sure if I'd actually wear this in SA summer. Wore it yesterday on a warm autumn day 26 degrees in SA, received a compliment. Though somehow I think it's suited for autumn/fall or winter.

I have read the reviews here with interest. Have just ordered my bottle and paid. Cannot wait! /Will be sure to report back to Fragranticians.>smile>

Sweettttt incense,fruity, floral,spicy . well blended and mature.my brother adores it and my frnds tell me how lovely i smell.the longevity is amazing 24 hours straight on skin and more Dan dat on cloths and when it comes to its sillage it's a monster.

I used it great fragrance masculine woody fragrance. I like the smell of rumba long time on sniff nose.

OMG, this is a powerhouse! Starts chemical on me, but after awhile notes reveal one by one. Marigold and carnation are strong in Rumba. Actually, I am surprised how earthy and animalic this is. And juicy at the same time. I can't feel it as a sunny scent, I associate it with something fatal. Maybe because of that leathery tuberose. The only happy note that is prominent on me is peach. Rumba reminds me of LouLou, it's like a younger sister of hers.

I wanted it for years and finally got it in a swap. I am a Lapidus fan in general and this one didn't disappoint.
Strong, great longevity, old school perfume. Very 1980s in a good way. It has heavy sweetness with leather on the background. Very bright on a dark and cloudy day like today. Great for fall and winter. i don't know about the summer or spring. I am smelling it on me and it reminds me of Cabochard vaguely... What's not to love?

This perfume landed on my radar because I love sweet scents, and I'm obsessed with honey notes.
So I blind bought this for a good price. (I also wanted Rumba Passion, but this was cheaper)

Well.... I'm a smoker and I thought my test on paper was ruined because it was in my purse (the purse of a smoker). It did smell like a sweet church scent, but it reeked of cigs.

So I redid the napkin test and let dry on my desk, no where near my smoky self.

Anddd... it still smells like stale cigarettes.
I'm already a gross smoker, I don't need to smell like an old ashtray. Besides that, I just get florals. Nothing sweet-like. There are so many notes, it's hard for me to tell what isn't working.

I'll give this a shot on my skin, but it's not really for me.

So, on my skin I get an intense incense/church and very strong original TIDE detergent. Nothing sweet or appealing to me at all.
But two squirts on my skin had impressive sillage/potency!

This fragrance is just fun. Splash yourself with fruit salad and honey and have a blast. Wear this on a cruise. It really rumbas.

On my skin this is an earthy earthy mess, an all soil smell. Wanted to love it, 12-hour longevity, great sillage but, on ME, terrible scent.

This is a steamy, leathery, sweet floral, kind of sweaty embrace. I'm loving the humidity this gives off.

Ok, I'm thoroughly confused. There is a page for Rumba by Ted Lapidus, and one for Rumba by Balenciaga. Both have the same package and bottle. Ingredients are also very similar.

What's the difference?

Somebody please clarify this for me. Thanks.

Rumba is sexy and religous at the same time. Smells like burning candles. A bit too sweet, but worth the effort.It is too much really, but it is an experience. Really fantastic, although I know that not everyone likes this perfume and that does not really surprise me. I think only a person who is really into fragrance will appreciate this one. It does have and unconscious uplifting and emotional effect on me, and for that reason alone I do love it. If I want to wear something I find really special to set me in the mood for the night, like a drug to which I am addicted, intoxicating, I will wear Rumba and, believe it or not, it does bring about good things, maybe because of the special aura in which it envelopes me. It is intense, and the scent is really really special, not like any other oriental fragrance. Also, I find it extremely comforting, maybe for the resemblance to church smell, burning candles, although I am not religious and rarely have set foot in a church. But that might be the reason why the resemblance to church smell might comfort me. From a nonreligious person's viewpoint, it might be seen as a quiet, intimate, tranquility inspiring place. And, by no means nearly as important, I love the name and the bottle. A smashing fragrance. Also love what they say and totally agree: the perfume of a woman (or a man) who wants to be unforgettable.

This stuff is really amazing. Dark, Haunted, Ghostly and mysterious. Totally my type of..

Thanks for ewanhoozarmy and Ptilda, for sharing your thought. Now m gonna indeed get this. I am a Man and love this elegant, comnplex and full of 80s spark. It reminds my childhood , when i was too young. So many memories stuck. A true 80s masterpiece.

As a female fan of this gorgeous scent, and in answer to the previous two posts, this can absolutely be worn by a man without even a slight question as to whether he is wearing "women's perfume". This is deep and mature and perfect for classy people.

As a man, I wear this. I have over fifty frags currently, approximately 50/50 'male' and 'female'. I think a man can easily wear this. Well at least, a man who is comfortable with himself. It does have that 80s vibe people talk about. Complex and excessive, mirroring the philosophy of the decade itself. Personally, I like to distinguish myself from the pack and wearing a scent which is typically marketed at women helps me do that. There are definite florals in this. And sweetness reminiscent of Spring, rather than summer. But that isn't automatically synonymous with femininity in my opinion. My motto is: 'If you like it, wear it!' Surprise yourself!

Need Help please....
I wanna try this fabulous 80s masterpiece. But it is marketed for Women and thats why i am stepping back . But contrary to that , this one is also closer to Ted Lapidus pour homme which is ultra Masculine deal, and i totally love that.
Can Some tell me, If a Man can use it. No indication on packaging either its for man or woman.

Thanks

I love fragrances with epic over 10 notes in the formula! I can enjoy it for hours and hours, like a long movie. This one has 29 notes. Not a modest fragrance. This is an amazing and powerful fruity floral chypre. It's similar to Balenciaga's Rumba but I prefer this one because it's not as loud. It's more like an echo that repeats the same sound. This smells intoxicating and sweet, a bit like Femme by Rochas so if you like that scent you'll love this one. Fruity, floral, spicy, woodsy. This has a lot going on and I get lost in the fragrance smelling all the different notes that it throws up: Mirabelle, plum, peach, jasmine, gardenia, carnation, heliotrope, magnolia, orchid, honey, oak moss, leather patchouli and vanilla. This thing has incredible longevity. Wear it for 3 days straight after spritzing it one time. It's an evening perfume but it's also got the fruitiness and sweetness associated with spring and summer day time scents. Fantastic fragrance.

Same story: the vintage one by Balenciaga was better.

But are ages I don’t smell it and the comparison is just a matter of memory that can be contaminated.

Into the Lapidus ones I suspect there is a low quality of rose (and of all maybe), anyway the first Rumba was a rich complex rose surrounded by dark fruits, but luminescent an explosions of golden flowers bees spice girls etc etc..
Well? What to say? Have you seen the notes? There is the entire world of essences inside. Rumors says J.C. Hellena has work on it. And yes it was a dance of fat flowers luminous honey rich cream and red and blue berries. Opulent & Gentle. Masterpiece.
The new version is similar but more flat and too zesty, especially the first 15 minutes, then it calms down and become a joy. It is even green and glossy citrusy someway.

An episode.
I remember I gave this to a friend of mine for Christmas (1989), she was a fan of sexy strong enveloping perfumes (Giorgio Beverly Hills, Boucheron, First). Balenciaga was not so famous anymore in the end of 80s as brand and even the fragrances were difficult to find, and was funny because after Christmas she call me and says “oh my god, everybody is asking me what a gorgeous perfume am I wearing and I do not know what answer to them!” I replied “Jesus only say Rumba by Balenciaga!” “Sure but if I say so they make strange faces and ask me what is it and where to find it! What Should I say?”.
Sometimes to wear well known perfumes can save your time. I discovered.
And she feel safer wearing famous brand probably... like those that loves to show GG D&G LV YSL FF on their clothes and bags. Don't ask me anything. Read.

My son told me I smelt like the inside of a Mystic New Age shop...

Yep that about sums up the description of this fragrance.

There are so many notes it's hard to tell what is going on.

It's absolutely gorgeous but you need to be one hell of a woman to pull it off.

Meek little me will secretly keep to wearing this at home.

What's going on here??? This is a Balenciaga perfume. When did this happen?

Did they sell the rights of the composition to Lapidus ditching it cause it didn't match the New-minima-cool style of the house? Ahhh, what a shame.

Let me check what they've done with Le Dix.

This is good, I detect leather, plum and honey. Reminds me of frags avon used to do, this isnt an expensive smell, but if you like spicy and sweet, give it a try

From the moment I sniffed the bottle, she called me inside to a time when life was much less simple. A time when women did not yet know how to exercise their independence, because they were still fighting for it. A time when smelling like flowers and cigarettes and skank and a little bit of demure sweetness was the closest thing you got to walking out on "your place."

Perfumes in the 1980s were a time of self discovery and self expression. Big hair, big shoulder-pads, and big scents compensated for insecurity of what tomorrow would being. For just a moment this scent grounds me in that time.

This is a gorgeous blend. It reminds me a lot of Caesar's World Women (I'm sure many will disagree). The leather is present but does not assault the nose. A successful blind buy!

On me I get leather, more leather, tonka bean oakmoss and just the tiniest hint of fruit. It’s an almost masculine fragrance, and I quite like that about it. It’s dark, and mysterious and is quite reminiscent of the fluid sensuality of the dance for which it is named. Its androgynous sexuality makes it quite an interesting fragrance, reminiscent in character to E’tat Libre D’Orange’s Delicious Closet Queen. I can imagine a fragrance like this on a young David Bowie, with his Lauren Bacall hairdo and sinful ethereal beauty, and if that’s not glamorous I don’t know what is.

I have both the Rumba Balenciaga and Rumba Ted Lapidus versions. They are both the EDT versions and I noticed that the Balenciaga version is a darker color and a little more potent/pungent or stronger. They are both pretty great but the Ted version seems just a tiny bit lighter and sweeter both in color and on the skin. This stuff has enormous silage so either one lasts all day and leaves a trailing scent behind. If you are looking for the really heady stuff, I would recommend the Balenciaga....think Opium, Mitsouko or Diva strong otherwise the Ted version is just a bit tamer (not much).

This is really a fantastic fragrance to me. Far Better than expensive generic smells thes days. I found it bit masculine ,and really wanna give it a try. I am a man, but dont know if i can pull this off. But really like this hhaunting, ghost kind of a smell.

What a great description from Odenir De Faria! Think a great 80's fragrance that is not afraid to show up. This one reminds of dance clubs, "Bad Girls" music from Donna Summer or even Lady Marmalade struttin her stuff. Rumba almost sounds too calm for this one....more like Hot Salsa club or even the paso doble or tango dance. Wow!

this is very strong incense on my skin.my sister loves it but i prefer rumba passion.

This is one of the most perfect vagabond-whore type fragrances ever!

Surreal.
Fantastic.
Savage.
Pungent.
Narcotic.
Poisonous.
Bitchy.
Sensual.

Wear it to kill!

I think everyone who loves Rumba hates it a little bit deep inside, like me, but keeps loving it.

I think that a lot of people will be pleased that there is now a separate page for the current Rumba, as opposed to the vintage. THANK YOU, Fragrantica!!!!