Michelle

Such a beautiful beautiful perfume. I have a vintage spray bottle that looks exactly like the photo here in Fragrantica in a glass bottle with gold looking stopper. This is a sweet floral chypre. It stands out among other chypres of it's time (released in the late 70s or early 80s) because it has a coconut top note. The coconut is so there can't miss it. Milky smooth creamy but not too much of it to fall into gourmand category. It's a sweet smooth coconut milk that is also surrounded by soft aldehydes. The aldehydes give this aroma a soapy and powdery vibe. Imagine smelling a coconut and white floral hand made soap without harsh chemicals. It's delicious and comforting, relaxing. Not tropical. Just white floral. The gardenia is coming through, a little tuberose, carnation and ylang ylang plus iris. The iris and aldehyde pairing of course gives it a big powdery vibe. That kind of soft spicy carnation kick is nice too. And floral powder. Beautiful powder. The coconut never leaves the aroma either. Eventually as it dries it is soft and warm-spicy. It becomes those kind of perfumes that don't smell like perfumes but a well-made luxury skin cream or body lotion. This is your skin but better. The woodsy note of sandalwood comes through with a cinnamon spiciness. There may be amber and a soft warm vanilla. I'm also detecting very soft green edges like a vetiver or a jasmine green leaf. The lack of citrus notes give it more a white effect white powdery silky effect as opposed to a fresh citrusy effect. A smokier and spicier finish dry down. Maybe a little bit of white musk. Some cinnamon and vanilla. The scent is long lasting over 7 hours and yet the projection/sillage is soft and can only be detected by the person closest to you. This seems to have come right before the release of Giorgio Beverly Hills. This is like that but softer and more friendly, less intimidating, less 'go big or go home' and more like it's kid sister. This is a youthful fragrance. I picture a very classy young teen girl or just turned 18 girl or 18 through 20, starting off in life but starting off right. She is simple, lady-like, loves to wear dresses usually white dresses, pearls and earrings, little make up, Mary Jane shoes. She is innocent but grown up at the same time. Blonde or light brown hair. Peaceful eyes and peaceful spirit. A sophisticated sweet white floral aroma. I love it so much. I like to spray it in the air over my bed to get me to sleep. Bottom line if you want a tamer softer Giorgio Beverly Hills or a softer toned-down Jovan Island Gardenia this is for you. It's also giving me Elizabeth Taylor White Diamonds vibe but a lot softer far more youth-friendly and toned down. This scent works best in the autumn and winter but can also be worn sparingly in the spring time. It's formal and semi formal and if you spray minimally it is ok for office and work places. Wishing everyone a happy new year.

Michelle! The mother and father of Carnal Flower and even Tubereuse Criminelle, it sways differently from the other tuberoses of the era, even though there are common elements with Chloe, launched a bit earlier. Michelle isn't in the same ballpark as Poison, Giorgio or Ysatis. There's an ethereal feel, just like in Chloe, that echoes the last days of the 70's, moving from greener floral chypres, to the 'Hey, I'm here' gorgeous 80's powerhouses, but it also has some guts. The main notes that hold Michelle together is coconut and a camphorous tuberose, with the other notes playing along. The coconut gives the creamy/buttery feel and the tuberose shows it's wintergreen aspect. Both enhance/balance each other, in a hot and cold interplay that recalls Chloe. But the difference is the lack of softness. Michelle has a bite from the carnation, the Iris isn't extremely powdery and the oakmoss is more prominent as it dries down. There's more creaminess from the ylang ylang at the heart and drydown and something more that has been described as cinnamon but that I can't pinpoint. The musk also feels warmer, more animalic, civet adds a primitive touch and the vetiver gives it a dryness that helps ground the sweetness. Is it a chypre? An oriental? Just beautiful! Michelle feels expensive, well made, and joyous. Like I said there's a certain feel that evokes the end of an era and the beginning of an other. I can picture it on someone early morning in spring walking in Manhattan in a suit and later going to dinner in a shoulder padded dress. It's not extremely powerful, but splash or spray generously and it can take you through an entire day. It's tuberose alright, but not so innocent anymore. And it needs spring and summer to be herself, when the warmth brings her to life. So if you enjoy tuberose and it's less delicate side, try Michelle. It's been discontinued but still available online and on eBay. Review based on original black box splash edt, with red stripes and gold semi circles.

Michelle could be considered a milestone on the timeline of modern perfumery. It's fascinating to experience it as the olfactory midpoint between the green, earthy chypres that were popular in the decade preceding its release, and the roaring, overflowing and sweet florals of the 80s. It begins with aldehydes and a dewy, verdant chord, soon growing ever more peach lactonic as gardenia quickly materializes. To my nose, the gardenia is most forward, with the tuberose a refined and mildly camphorous cohort to the gardenia's milky, thick blooms. There is buttery quality to this floral interior, and an inherent spiciness: clove, cinnamon. Soon, suggestions of grass, earth, and woods slowly advance over time. It is soon evident that a vetiver is imparting this through the floral heart. Growing more mossy and grassy, Michelle also sheds a corporeal glow, a musky swell from beneath the layers, sweetened with a layer of vanilla. It could very well be that Michelle was a predecessor to explorations in niche narcotic white florals of the 21st century. I pondered as to whether in a blind test, how even a seasoned nose would identify it. Would they assume it is something from Serge Lutens or Frederic Malle? It is this liminal approach by Francoise Caron that makes Michelle outstanding, as if it is an olfactory watermark of shifting tides. I find this often in certain perfumes, where they present a flux in technique and in trends. As a matter of fact, we can find this in a few of Caron's compositions—Choc de Cardin, R de Capucci, and the magnificent Le 3e Homme de Caron, her collaboration with Akiko Kamei. It would behoove a lover of gardenia and tuberose to get acquainted with Michelle.

I have a mini set that includes the pure parfum and the edt. This is beautiful. I don't smell the coconut at all, but I know that it is giving this scent a lovely creaminess and more than a hint of the tropics. The white florals are refined. No bubblegum or heavy butter here. I also love the hint of spice which I’m attributing to the carnation. Not overt, but you will know it's there. While this isn't a soapy fragrance it does remind me of the bars of soap that used to be sold in Henri Bendel's. It was a Tuberose and Jasmine French milled soap that smelled wonderful and almost identical to this perfume. Smelling this scent reminded me of that. I have been on a Tuberose crusade trying to find my perfect tuberose scent for some time now, and this one goes far to fit the bill. It's a delightfully creamy, full-bodied beachy predominantly tuberose scent tempered by the other notes from becoming too camphorous. I hate when some tuberose scents veer off into mothball or Vicks VapoRub territory. The dry down is very sedate and elegant. I'll have to decant the minis into an atomizer as dabbing it doesn't seem to give the coverage I would like. I'll definitely be keeping my eyes peeled in the future for a larger spray bottle. Edit - I purchased a 3.4oz. edt after finding that the edt seemed to work better than the pure parfum in silage, though the parfum is richer. Longevity is much better in spray form too.

This is one glam fragrance. This could be Carnal Flowers mother and Daughter to Jungle Gardenia. Its a earthy well done white flower scent. Aldehyde opening, then gardenia, green notes and coconut with a creamy sometimes camphorous tuberose is on display until the spicy carnation brings the realistic tuberose down again. It takes a long time to evolve thru her stages. Shes one of a kind, much more affordable than CF and more complex. Id say shes the most complex out of the three. Shes strong done in 80s fashion but not in an intrusive way like you think of when someone mentions Giorgio. Michelle is very high class. I remember a lot of very wealthy ladies I knew wear Michelle back in the 80s. Epitome of class and style. My significant other kept commenting on how beautiful I smelled. He rarely compliments. This is a stunner. Signature worthy.

Many thanks to the lovely Bajar for the most gracious swap to me of this beauty. Michelle is to me the most natural Tuberose based fragrance I've ever smelled. In my opinion Michelle leaves Fracas and others behind as Michelle is smoooooth, sophisticated and yet has a touch of innocence. The notes listed are distinguished easily. Michelle could be worn for almost any occasion, causing people around the wearer to feel happy through smelling the air. This is a feel GREAT fragrance. If you like Tuberose, you will love Michelle. If you don't like Tuberose, you will probably still love Michelle. After wearing this one for some time, I've come to realize that maybe the reason that it is SO good and why I love it so, is that it really has more Gardenia than Tuberose!

I happened upon michelle because of a frag "what is your name, what is your perfume" thread ages ago. I wondered what it was like, and I would probably have never known had it not been for a sample from the lovely smelling_gr8. I was never a great fan of tuberose.. the whole luau thing is just too happy for me. Michelle however is another thing, it's a powerful opening, the tuberose is doing a samba and I'm dancing. It dances all day and night, and in the morning she eats a breakfast with you too. Beautiful smooth coconut and flowers with a hint of spice, heaven in the drydown is the creamy best heart of it. It's love. I want to wear shoulder pads and call myself Alexis.

What is it with tuberose and gardenia scents that they exude a discrete allure? Unabashedly femme, firmly and doggedly carnal but somehow modest. There's a slight humane warmth underneath the benzoin and iris, playfully insinuating boudoir pieces. It's smooth and suggests a color unison between beige and rose. Oh, and that coconut perfectly seamless with the classic floral garni. Just perfect, even better than Germaine's Fracas. Grace poised and self-assured femininity.

Delicious. This is utterly beguiling. I love the sweet/sharp composition. Green, peppery almost fizzy. This is a gem of a perfume. If you fancy a cheaper in the same vein as Magie Noire/Envol/la Perla/paloma Picasso this is for you. It has all the power of the 1970/1980s office drama with some subtly that means it could also be perfect for a special date night. Delightful. I highly recommend this fabulous perfume.

Também amei este perfume, sou brasileira o comprei-o aqui em minha cidade (Americana-SP)... no entanto nunca mais o encontrei... sinto muita, muita saudade dele... maravilhoso, meu grande amor. Nunca vou esqueçe-lo.

The review below mine by @alphairone nailed it. I can't add anything more. Let's just say this is the most sophisticated beach fragrance I have ever smelled. Sophisticated tropical evenings filled with romance.

This is a new acquisition for me and I’ve worn it 4 days in a row because I’m obsessed with it and can’t quite get a handle on it yet!

After trying Michelle with a mini dab on bottle and liking it, I found and purchased a slightly used spray on in the bottle shown above. I really think it performs best in this manner, though if I had the pure Parfum I would dab on pulse points then spray and walk through. That is one of my favorite ways to wear any fragrance, though obviously it is not always, nor frequently possible. As it is, I am really enjoying my new bottle. It is easier to break down what I am actually smelling due to the diffusion. It is a rarity in that it's not a loud, screeching tuberose, not that I mind loud tuberose - it's a favorite note for me! It's soft and creamy, no doubt from the coconut but also from the ylang. It smells classic, not retro, and while some may dismiss it as too "mature", I think that it could be easily worn by women of all ages, as well as men if they are comfortable with something so floral. I own several vintage Balenciagas, including Le Dix and Quadrille, and this one is my favorite and the one I think is the most modern. Of course, it came out later than those two, so that might be it. I also see this is a blueprint for Rumba, which I also own and find much more challenging and less pleasurable to wear than Michelle. I am glad I have gotten to know the classics of this house better. They are quite chic! While others may lay claim to the title of "the best" the house has produced, this one is definitely my favorite and well worth trying by any lover of white florals and vintage fragrances. ====== Just purchased the pure Parfum. This is one fragrance where I know I am going to need back up bottles. I don't ever want to be without it, and given the size of my collection, that is just about the highest praise I can give! ====== After receiving and trying the vintage parfum, I have to say I prefer my EDT. EDT smells creamier, but parfum helps anchor the scent and adds to longevity. With all the solar floral, beachy scents floating around these days, I have to say that the dry down on this one is perfection, even if that was not the intention. I think I will put my bottles aside until summertime to see how it glows in the heat.

In a similar manner to @Hair2show below, I hadn't heard of Michelle before I bought a haul of vintage miniature perfumes on eBay. I am impressed with the underrated gems that make up Balenciaga's perfume back catalogue, and and Michelle is no exception. Like Madonna, I am partial to tuberose in perfume, and Michelle is an excellent vintage example. A heady floriental that is of its era without being dated, it is rich and just the right amount of sweet. There is a nice chypre-like mossiness to the base and some fruitiness to the opening. There is a lot going on, but it is beautifully composed and cohesive. It reminds me of other perfumes at times, notably Dior Poison, thanks to this also being a tuberose-led floriental, and, to a lesser extent, Cacharel LouLou. Michelle opens with sweet peach, joined presently by white florals, led by the dominant tuberose note. There is an airiness thanks to the aldehydes, which, alongside the dewy green notes, gives a lift to the intense white florals. I don't get much gardenia, but sweet ylang ylang and clean jasmine round out the creamy tuberose. Coconut enhances the creaminess and the tropical edge given by the ylang ylang. The white floral accord remains, becoming powdery as it develops thanks in part to the emergence of iris and rose that follow. I get a hint of clove-like spice thanks to the carnation here too. The sweet amber drydown complements the florals seamlessly as they fade, with vanilla adding creamy sweetness. The mossy, woody chypre accord in the background is beautiful. It is dense yet airy and really works well. The remnants of the peach from the opening alongside the chypre accord remind me of Frédéric Malle Le Parfum de Thérèse. It fades to a dry, mossy skin scent with powdery remnants of the white florals. Sillage is strong and longevity is long-lasting. It is best worn on autumn/winter evenings. An underrated tuberose scent, Michelle is vintage in style, but perhaps is a good modern alternative to Poison which, being a victim of its own success, is firmly stuck in the 1980s. A really nice composition in its own right, Michelle walked so that Poison could run. 4/5.

Testing today a mini original EDT. Lovely. White floral, and well done in my mind. This is a classic floral. Jasmine seems to be a main note. I smell gardenia, tuberose and rose also. It is quite realistic and quite sweet. Seems a fairly even and unilateral scent. The quality seems good and it is not cloying although somewhat sweet. It also does not project too much which is nice. To me, this is a good white floral blend. You can tell it is made of quality ingredients. This scent would be pleasing to most people. It is classic and has no odd edges. This would make a nice bridal perfume. The dry down is even nicer, much softer and without a heavy musk...slight... to soften but not heavy.

I used to wear it when I was a teenager in the 80’s. I definitely I would buy this fragrance if it was launched again. A perfectly balanced floral.

Sophie Zawistowski ( Meryl Streep ) in Sophie's Choice

Very strong and in-your-face type of fragrance. Topnotes are a blast of aldehydes and slightly unpleasant gardenia, which quickly turns into carnation (I've got a weird skin chemistry that usually amplifies carnation - too bad for me 'cos it isn't one of my favourite notes). There is one (rather long) stage when Michelle reminds me of Norell (1:1 practically). It dries down to a mossy, dirty earthiness with strong vetiver and tuberose accents and tropical flowers/fruits (I guess it might be a rain forest smell - although I haven't been in one;)Like with many older creations, I appreciate it but don't think I'd wear it...

Michelle is your older sister from the 80's! She was an adolescent between 1984 and 1987, while you were still just a kid playing with Barbie or My Little Ponies, coloring books and that fun and (for the time) expensive gift your daddy bought you, that the Power Wheels miniature car! You never wore perfume, couldn't stand the smell on your mother when she wore perfume, but your sister was already wearing fragrances, cosmetics, driving her own car, going out on dates, holding down a job, buying clothes that made her look more grown-up, and gearing up for Senior Prom. This is such a nostalgic treasure! It's from 1979 but I smelled it on 'older' girls in the 80's. The fragrance matches up with those very adult business formal blazer jackets, flower print blouses with long sleeves and skirts worn by Shannon Doherty and Wynona Ryder in the movie HEATHERS. Michelle is a popular high school Senior with the pick of any boyfriend and with big hair, and 'adult perfume' to match up with the adult look she sports. Opens with aldehydes which provides this fragrance with a terribly old fashioned flair. Quite grown up. The aldehydes are quite cold and fresh, and they are immediately followed by green and floral notes. I don't get fruit out of the opening though a peach and coconut note are supposed to be in it. At times I get a little bit of coconut but it's coconut milk or water with a sweet slightly tropical summery quality. This is designed to get attention in the day time in the summer. As the aldehydes settle down, the florals develop, a bouquet of beautiful flowers. I get a distinct gardenia and carnation, tuberose, ylang, orchid and jasmine, and lastly, a rose. This is a tad on the soapy floral side but not like weak or fleeting floral toilet water scents. It has staying power and becomes powdery but the kind of powder that lingers and begins to blend with your skin. Cleanly floral. Finally the dry down is warmer, huskier, with a green moss and vetiver which become the dominant aroma. It's like a green garden scent, graphic, big and mossy, grassy. The more I smell the dry notes in the end the more I keep getting visions of walking around a garden, spacious enough to throw a party in, with lovely flowers and rosebushes, jasmine bushes, and people, beautifully dressed people, are having a dinner party. In this way it does fit with the 80's as a soiree summer elegant perfume for a young woman who is just starting off her life. She is Michelle and she's already making quite the impression at her debutante party. The aromatized sandalwood is distinctively woodsy with a polish and a touch of vanilla and musk conclude the performance of this luxurious and rich perfume. Michelle is a real winner, a vintage that unfortunately is underrated and doesn't get much attention but will get you attention if you wear it. I can't compare it to any other fragrance but it is very classic in it's composition and quite sophisticated and lady-like, expensive old money in it's aura, and glamorous without being over the top or extravagant. This has a European and French or Spanish air. The Balenciaga line is Spanish-European so it totally makes sense. Michelle is not an American teenager from Chicago or even Manhattan. She is the daughter of Ambassadors and Prime Ministers in Europe who has the highest education, the finest clothes, the best of everything. And she knows it too. This perfume has been missing from my life and I embrace it whole heartedly. I am so in love with it and I feel it matches up with who I am today. This is going to be my new signature!

This is one of those perfumes where I smelled a fabulous perfume trail and then asked "what are you wearing"? (And this was over 10 years ago). The fragrance was so memorable that I made a mental note of the name of this and began researching this perfume when I started my COVID fragrance mission. This is an elegant floral chypre in the lower alto/tenor range - similar to the depths of Knowing, First, Jil Sanders No. 4, and Quintessential Dare. This has some of my favorite fragrance notes, the ones that consecutively bring the most compliments in other fragrances that I have worn... Coconut, Gardenia, Carnation, Tuberose, Peach, Rose, Sandalwood, Musk, Oak Moss, Vanilla, Vetiver. Yes, this is more "vintage" - but it is a classic, this is Ageless and Timeless. After smelling this on, this is probably the perfume that would be the predecessor for such perfumes as Knowing, Jil Sanders No. 4, and Victoria's Secrets Rapture. (The notes in the base of the chord smell similar to these three perfumes that I just mentioned). I am sampling the Eau de Toilette and this begins ever bit as strong as most EDP's. Upon first spraying this, you could definitely say that this leans heavy and dark when first sprayed...it takes about 30-40 minutes before this starts to emit the beauty of the notes within the chord. After this wears about 30 minutes, the fragrance notes seem to have a chemical response which is like the base of Johnson's Baby Shampoo... this is subtle, it isn't going to be something that immediately leaps out at you -- but there is something here that reminds me of the notes within the chord of JBS. I'm still testing this one, I'm not sure that this is a great blend with my chemistry - but I do remember how great this was when I asked "what are you wearing"? Powering through the first 30 minutes of wear is somewhat of an endurance test. As with other stronger perfumes, this is an acquired taste. I think that this perfume is a classic and there's something to be said for a perfume that I still remember over 10 years. If I were in the perfume industry, I would be creating variations on this theme. There is more to explore within the ingredients of this perfume. There are many ways to bake a cake - and there are many ways to combine the ingredients to arrive at some other fabulous variations on this theme that may have a more modern twist. The longer this wears, the more it unfolds and the notes lift from the skin. This is more introverted and has less silage than some of my other perfume favorites, however - there is something about this perfume which has a lot of charm. This is a "like" for me. I will have to wear this longer to see how this behaves throughout the day. ---------- Verdict: This was much better on the girl that was wearing this than with my own chemistry. Perfumes are like that for good reason. We all eat different things, have different hormones, and our foods will effect our chemistry in different ways. So it just makes sense that what may smell good on one person may not work for another person. However, this smelled so good that I remembered the fragrance by name, 10 years later -- so it is certainly worth trying. Perhaps YOU have the right chemistry to wear this. (It is NOT mine).