The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
In 2012, Los Angeles fashion designer Jane Booke turned her attention to scent. Known for bespoke clothing worn by Hollywood clients, Booke approaches fragrance the way she approaches fashion, as something personal, not formulaic. She wanted vanilla done her way. Luxurious, yes. Sultry, absolutely. But also intimate. The result was Taken, launched that year in collaboration with actress Rosanna Arquette, with proceeds supporting Give Love. It wasn't designed to compete with celebrity fragrance lines or major houses. It was designed for the person who wants something that feels like hers, no announcement required.
The brief was simple: vanilla at its best, but not the usual approach. Most gourmand vanillas open sweet and stay sweet. Taken does something different, it starts with a frothy bergamot and peach opening that reads almost effervescent, like a tropical cocktail before dinner. A hint of dark cacao keeps the citrus from feeling too bright. Then the heart deepens. Jasmine and muguet give it femininity without going powdery. The florals don't shout, they hover, soft and deliberate. And underneath, patchouli waits. Not the patchouli of the 1960s, something smoother, earthier, the thing that keeps the vanilla from cloying. It's the structural choice that makes the rest work. The final piece is mango.
The evolution
Bergamot hits first, crisp, clean, briefly citrusy. The first 30 minutes are the fragrance at its brightest, peach and mango lifting the top notes into something that smells like the idea of a tropical morning. Then the florals arrive. Jasmine and lily of the valley take over around the 30-minute mark. The citrus fades but doesn't disappear entirely, it becomes a memory, a warmth underneath the cream. The vanilla begins its slow emergence, sweeter now, as the heart fully establishes itself. By hour two, patchouli enters. The drydown isn't dramatic, it's the quiet part. Vanilla deepens, patchouli grounds it, and the whole composition settles into something warm and close. Most wearers get 6-8 hours from this. Some report the drydown lasts even longer, particularly on fabric. The next morning, there's sometimes a faint trace on a sweater or pillowcase. Not projection, intimacy. The vanilla has done its work overnight, becoming something private.
Cultural impact
Taken arrived in 2012 as a departure from the louder, more aggressively projected celebrity fragrances dominating that era. Rather than competing at department store counters, the line operated through smaller channels, appealing to wearers who preferred something that felt discovered rather than announced. The 2012 launch, in collaboration with actress Rosanna Arquette, reflected Booke's Hollywood creative network rather than mainstream celebrity culture.
