# Imaginary Authors — Telegrama > Telegrama is a soft, powdery lavender-vanilla fougere - a modern, clean-comfortable reimagining of mid-to-late-1960s masculine barbershop scents, built on talc, lavender absolute, black pepper, teak, ## Essence Telegrama is a soft, powdery lavender-vanilla fougere - a modern, clean-comfortable reimagining of mid-to-late-1960s masculine barbershop scents, built on talc, lavender absolute, black pepper, teak, amyris, and vanilla powder. It was one of Josh Meyer's more accessible and versatile Imaginary Authors compositions, and it is now discontinued, which has turned a once-affordable everyday scent into a sought-after grail for its fans. It was notably the only Imaginary Authors fragrance formulated at a lower 16% concentration, versus the line's usual 18-22%. ## Scent Profile The opening divides sharply by skin chemistry. For most wearers, it's a plush, bright lavender dusted with talc - clean and aromatic, with black pepper adding a tingling, slightly medicinal lift. A minority get a rougher start, with a few describing something closer to melted plastic or an electrical smell, though that talc-heavy opening reliably fades within seconds to minutes for nearly everyone. The heart is where the fragrance earns its reputation: powdery lavender absolute married to a soft, chalky talc, black pepper staying aromatic rather than sharp, and teak providing a smooth, rich woody backbone, with amyris adding a gentle creamy-woody sweetness. This is where the fragrance's signature "freshly laundered sheets" and clean-linen imagery comes from - many wearers describe it as evoking sheets that carry a lover's scent, or the feeling of a towel after a shower and shave. The drydown settles into a soft vanilla-powder-and-woods finish. The vanilla here reads as restrained and powdery rather than sweet or gourmand, with a caramelized, brown-sugar quality that several wearers compare to a much less sweet version of Baccarat Rouge 540's burnt-sugar effect. Development is relatively linear, as is typical for this house, with the main shift being black pepper fading around the three-hour mark and leaving a powdery lavender-vanilla warmth behind. The signature accord throughout is powdery lavender plus talc plus soft vanilla - a barbershop scent reframed as plush and modern. ## Performance Performance reports are notably inconsistent, a recurring theme across this house's catalog and likely compounded here by the lower 16% concentration. Some wearers report excellent performance, over ten hours with strong initial projection settling to arm's length after several hours. Others find it fades within a couple of hours regardless of application. The most balanced accounts land at moderate projection with roughly seven to eight hours of longevity. It reads as cooler-weather-friendly but light enough for warm weather too; a generous application, including on clothing, helps maximize its performance. ## Wearing Context This was marketed as a versatile, year-round daytime scent, and wearers used it that way - many wore it daily through winter while also finding it worked well in spring and fall. Its clean, powdery, comforting profile makes it strongly office- and formal-appropriate, while remaining cozy enough for casual wear too. It's one of the rarer Imaginary Authors releases frequently called a true unisex fragrance, though its 1960s-masculine inspiration gives it a slight masculine lean. This reads as refined and comfortable rather than seductive or attention-grabbing. ## Comparisons & DNA The clearest lineage here is the lavender-vanilla comfort fougere. Caron's Pour Un Homme is the most frequently invoked reference for the lavender-vanilla accord, with Telegrama distinguished by a talc note that pushes it toward a "freshly laundered sheets" character. Burberry's Goddess and Bond No. 9's New Haarlem are other named comparisons - Telegrama reads spicier than the former thanks to its pepper, and softer and less syrupy than the latter thanks to its talc. Within the house's own catalog, it's been tied to Saint Julep through a shared "sugar" accord, though Saint Julep's reads white and minty while Telegrama's reads caramelized and brown, and Telegrama generally performs a notch below the house's stronger releases like Cape Heartache. ## Reception This was well-loved within the house's fanbase, with the usual caveats that come with the brand. Praise centers on its blending and mood - reviewers consistently describe it as a masterful, soft, clean, and intimate execution that feels emotionally evocative rather than merely pleasant. It's frequently cited as one of the better-executed comfort or powdery scents in its category. Criticism centers on three things: inconsistent performance and longevity (the dominant, house-wide knock), a talc-forward opening that a subset of wearers find screechy or off-putting, and a smaller group who simply find the whole profile too masculine or old-fashioned for their taste. When it was available, this was considered a safe blind buy for lovers of sweet, cozy, powdery scents at its accessible price point - a verdict now largely moot given its discontinuation. ## Versions & Reformulation Single composition with no reformulation, but now confirmed discontinued. It was the line's sole exception to the standard concentration range, formulated at 16% rather than the usual 18-22%, which likely contributed to its more inconsistent performance reports relative to some of the house's heavier releases. ## Acquisition Notes This fragrance is discontinued as of the mid-2020s, with the brand and its stockists selling through remaining bottles. Original retail pricing was $95 for 50 ml, $38 for a 14 ml travel size, and $6 for a 2 ml sample - considered excellent value for the house at the time. Post-discontinuation, remaining full bottles surface intermittently at a handful of niche boutiques, with decants offering the most realistic way to still experience it. Expect availability to keep shrinking and prices to rise as genuine stock disappears - buy from established, reputable boutiques rather than unverified sellers while it's still available. ## Notable Facts & Lore - The fragrance's fictional backstory follows two lovers separated as teenagers who stay connected through slow-arriving airmail letters before reuniting years later. - It draws directly on 1960s masculine barbershop fragrance conventions as a deliberate period homage. - It was the only Imaginary Authors release formulated at a 16% concentration rather than the house's standard 18-22% range. - Its two-color, retro sky-blue-and-cream bottle design was a departure from the house's usual single-color format, echoing its vintage airmail theme. - Its discontinuation has turned a once-affordable, everyday comfort scent into a minor collector's item among fans of the house.