Showing posts with label la petite robe noire model 2. Show all posts
Showing posts with label la petite robe noire model 2. Show all posts

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Guerlain La Petite Robe Noire no.2: fragrance review

Sharing the news a while ago on a second "model" of La Petite Robe Noire, a previous Guerlain fragrance that divided perfume enthusiasts, was a double-edged sword: On the one hand, one wants to like a new Guerlain, possibly because of the heritage and the luxe French factor. On the other hand, Guerlain lately have been reviving the brand in ways which have left a bitter taste in the mouth of hard-core fans, even though it garnered them new audiences and certainly a lot money in Swiss banks. La Petite Robe Noire no.2 has a problematic name to begin with, but that's not all.

Just imagine having to answer someone asking what perfume you're wearing; that affix of "2" in the end sounds fake and ridiculous to me. I realise that copyrighting names isn't easy, but if anyone could, Guerlain is the one who could recycle hundreds of names from their rich archives to spare this embarrassment. Olfactorily, La Petite Robe Noire model 2 leaves something to be desired and I can't say it has won me over, although arguably it's rather easier and less tooth-achingly fruity-sweet than the previous first installment which scared me with its insolent intrusion into my personal space when I had placed a blotter atop my book on Minoan pottery I was consulting at the time.

To its detriment La Petite Robe Noire no. 2 still features the gimauve accord (that's the marshmallow "note"), this time garlanded by orange blossom and dusted with powdery-dry notes that are oscillating between face makeup and white suede. The opening of La Petite Robe Noire model 2, clean, scrubbed and bright, is still revealing a light gourmand character with a vanillic interlay that veers into almond nuances; but it's smoother, cuter and thankfully less berry-rich than the previous effort. The cuddly quality and the dry musky suede feel are not without some charm, better expressed on a blotter or fabric than on skin (Is this also an effort to grab the consumer into the first instances of testing?).

Still, these "hip" fragrant launches, destined by their shelf placement for the connoisseur circuit of people shopping for fragrance (and Guerlain fragrance at that!) at the eponymous boutiques or the Bergdorf Goodman "corner", pose a question: Why are they becoming a central focus requiring ample time off in-house Thierry Wasser's busy schedule instead of having these powers directed at working on a smashing new mainstream release or a beautiful classy exclusive instead (like Tonka Impériale before)? Unless teenager gamines shop regularly at the above mentioned places and are cognizant of the Guerlain brand apart from their makeup line and the Terracotta range (which still drives a huge percentage of the company sales), I'm at a loss to understand the positioning of those fragrances, just like I was perplexed by the romantic thinking behind Idylle as advertised on US soil.


Apparently Sylvaine Delacourte, art director chez Guerlain, says the first La Petite Robe Noire sold well and we do know from the US launch ahead that the American audience was (oddly?) targeted mainly: The latter isn't anything new, even as far back as Chanel No.5 and Coty's bestsellers America has been the greatest luxury devouring market on the planet and justifiably a marketer's wet dream. Often they underestimate that market.
Still La Petite Robe Noire and La Petite Robe Noire 2 occupy that middle ground that is hesitant between donning a full on couture gown for special occasions or just everyday wear with hip accents for that party and end up smelling like they don't know what they're doing, raising their cocktail glass like the nouveau rich amidst family guests at a chateau in the Loire valley.

The bottle, still in the iconic inverted heart design that houses Mitsouko and L'Heure Bleue, is now reprised in dark rose and the black dress on it is strappy with a lacy hem; more like a negligee, really, but in good fun.

Notes for Guerlain La Petite Robe Noire no.2:
Head notes: Bergamot, Lemon, Galbanum
Heart notes: Orange Blossom, Marshmallow, Iris
Base notes: Leather, White Musk


bottle pic via placevendome.be

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Guerlain La Petite Robe Noire model 2, Aqua Allegoria Jasminora & Elixir Charnel Floral Romantique : new fragrances

Guerlain has set up its sights high again this spring with several releases vying for perfume enthusiasts' attention: some are meant for the exclusive boutique circuit, some are for wider distribution. Let's see them in detail.



La Petite Robe Noire - Model 2 (set to launch widely on Valentine's Day 2011 and already circulating in Guerlain boutiques and espaces at Bergdorf Goodman's and Harrod's). This is version 2.0 of the previous contrarian opus La Petite Robe Noire which had Guerlain fans up in arms back in 2009 ("sacrilege! cartoon of a nighty! what's Chanel doing chez Guerlain?"). The new version in Eau de Parfum, created by Thierry Wasser, will be less fruity-tangy and more powdery-floral with an orange blossom note and accents of iris and...marshmallow, "infinitely delicate and perfectly sweet" (all right, the first edition wasn't the paragon of mature sophistication either!). At least the new one has an intriguing note of leather (!) and is promised to be powdery which is unusual to say the least for a fragrance aimed at the quite young.

Head notes: Bergamot, Lemon, Galbanum
Heart notes: Orange Blossom, Marshmallow, Iris
Base notes: Leather, White Musk

ETA: We have updated with a full review on this link.




Elixir Charnel Floral Romantique: It launches on May 1st, i.e. one day exactly after the exclusive -and supremely ephemeral, one day only- distribution of Guerlain Muguet which we announced a few days ago and have now supplemented with an official pic of the special bottle. Elixir Charnel Floral Romantique is another fragrance for the Guerlain boutique circuit and not for wide distribution.
The fifth chapter in the notoriously bad-copied line of Elixir Charnels (Carnal Elixirs) ,after Boisé Torride, should see the line-up completed, as it tackles the one fragrance family that was lacking: the floral.

Composed as an Eau de Parfum (in 75ml bottles) by Thierry Wasser, Guerlain Carnal Elixir Floral Romantique includes fresh top notes of mandarin and orange, heart notes of jasmine, ylang-ylang and tiare, with accents of lily and carnation and a woody base of cedar combined with smoked tea, chestnut, ambrette and mate tea.
The fragrance will make its debut in early June 2011.


Aqua Allegoria Jasminora: It launches in May 2011 in the familiar Aqua Allegoria line in the revamped packaging we got to know last year from Flora Nymphea and the travel exclusive Bouquet No.1. Jasminora will be part of the big department stores fare although the name is a nostalgic throw-back to glamorous eras of Guerlain history.
Head notes: Bergamot, Cyclamen, Galbanum
Heart notes: Jasmine, Freesia, Lily of the Valley
Base notes: Musks, Amber

Edit to add: We have updated with a full review of Jasminora on this link

Everything is coming up floral for Guerlain this spring it seems! What gives?

Related reading on Perfume Shrine: Upcoming releases from Hermes, or Guerlain, et al.

pic via tunisiefemme.com and Skin Care Beauty Product blog

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