Jolie Madame

I hope to wear it in the wind of the late autumn sunset. What a delicate violet leather! Germaine cellier fragrances are hard to come by. This perfectly balanced piece is rare and I love it so much. Everything about Jolie Madame is so incredible. Its appearance is more than just beautiful. Jolie Madame has the most beautiful soul. Its coldness is indifference, and a look that "has nothing to do with me" is still moving. Emerald-green eyes, light-brown long hair that resembles golden hair, made into an exaggerated wavy shape. She loves to wear an iris pin. Black floor-length dress, black wide-brimmed hat. A hanging veil, clasped with purple gems. "Her black web-like veil is attached to an emerald spider, and when the sun shines, it flickers on and off, like a tear that is about to fall when it is bright, and like a blue mole on her face when it is dark." Unpredictable, sexy and restrained lady. Balmain's clothing and jewelry series, Jolie Madame, is a derivative of the perfume's best-selling products. From a clothing point of view, I have always liked Mr. Balmain's design style very much, and Jolie Madame was very attractive to me. Also, I would like to know about germaine cellier, Jolie Madame is relatively easy to buy. Sharp green bitters, metallic sheen, jagged violet leaves, and then... methyl ionone, remember several variants, I think Jolie Madame did a mix. At least the methyl ionone and violet-themed perfumes I have smelled are not the same. Powdered orris root and violet contrast dry, smooth, aged leather. Jolie Madame has a matte finish for a more prominent texture. Herbal spice elements - coriander, as a garnish, narcissus solitary, soft and feminine tuberose. Orange blossoms and roses, both here, on a base of isobutylquinoline and moss (Mousse de Saxe?) In the dark, these elements operate in an orderly manner, arranged in order. It changes quietly and is peaceful. Patchouli root is a blend of animal ingredients (civet), slightly salty and slightly medicinal. The filthy nature of musk doesn't take away from Jolie Madame's charm. Odors such as falling soot are short-lived. In modern perfumes, you may still find a scent similar to Jolie Madame (I don't currently have one), but in terms of complexity, it is impossible to surpass Jolie Madame, in other words, irreplaceable. It has a wonderful connection with Cabochard and N°19. Cabochard is dyed the color of N°19, what will happen? Its structure is chypre wood (leather), bergamot-floral-leather oakmoss. I'm pretty sure the most beautiful work germaine cellier has ever done, it's not shocking in itself. But it can make me think again and again and taste it carefully. I guess Jolie Madame will not be Germaine cellier most satisfying work, compared with other Balmain fragrances, it is relatively regular. Jolie Madame is my ideal fragrance, understated and elegant. Purple, green, brown... cool leather. It's probably just that, lacking the potency unique to Germaine cellier. People don't always think of Jolie as Cellier's best creation (they often answer Bandit, but not Miss Balmain), most likely because Jolie isn't bold enough to be wild and too gentle. They admire pioneers like Fracas and Bandit, and they are impressed, but Jolie is very skilled.

I've got the new formula, will get the original vintage when I find at a decent price. I do think this is a lovely fragrance that would be nice in a more humid climate to bring out some of the notes I can't quite catch. Will try next time I'm visiting Houston, hometown. Colorado is very dry and doesn't do justice for some perfumes. Jolie Madame reminds me a bit of a couple of other perfumes I have. At beginning, Chanel N°19 without the Iris, also Madame Rocha's. Maybe it's just the era but they all 3 seem a bit similar. Love them all. Not great at picking out all of the notes in any perfume. I can smell somsomething dominant in opening, thinking it's the bergamot. I can usually smell that one. The notes seem to be fleeting and down to base within 20-30 minutes tops. In the base I can definitely smell the leather, a pleasant leather not burnt rubber. Then there's something else, thinking it's the musk and a tiny bit of cedar, another one I can usually detect. The dry down is beautiful, lasts maybe 3 hours on me. Definitely a skin scent. This formula is clear so you can spray onto your clothing and will last longer. Also, spray your hair a few time that really helps hold the fragrance and provide better sillage. When you turn head or catch a breeze you'll get a pretty whiff of this. I do like this very much and look forward to Spring and a bit more humidity and see how this works then. Regardless, it's beautiful. Learned a little tip years ago, apply a tiny bit of petroleum jelly onto areas you'll be wearing perfume, i.e., wrists, behind ears, etc. this will help the scent last longer. One more "tip" if not already known, never rub wrists together after applying perfume, it will mess with the integrity of the composition, order of notes. Heard the term will "bruise" the scent as well. Lastly, this does NOT resemble Fracas in the least bit, just my opinion. I've worn Fracas for over 30 years as my signature so if you purchase expecting Fracas, try to get a sample first. I wouldn't want anyone to shell out the money and be so disappointed.

I love the image of a surly Cellier with a gauloises hanging out of her mouth muttering French swears at an industry dominated by men. It’s through the interaction with Cellierphiles that I have this impression of her, could be inaccurate though. I mean I’m not the biggest fan of Bandit but I can appreciate it, I love another she did for Balmain Vent Vert and have a reasonably old 60’s vintage which is still fantastic and twangs with greenery. So I was told I should try this and was very kindly supplied with another pretty ancient vintage to try and boy oh boy this a brilliant perfume. It smells like the wafted beauty of violet, kindly powdery but definitely has colder qualities of violet leaf, which is a really strange smell in truth. A complex green, dry mixture of irone and ionone. This is all against a completely not pretty, not buttery and totally not elegant leather. It’s almost modern in a weird way and yet this perfume proabably smelled as dated today as it does when it came out. I mean dated in a good way, aged but not lacking a certain vibrancy. Yeah it’s a kind of powdery, enigmatic statement, warm, and just the right amount of everything going on for me, musks and all of a sudden all that dryness is some how epically punctuated by lush, floral Narcissus or more a purple feel, maybe bluebells or nearly to the point of hyacinth. I’m completely smitten with it. The topnotes which I could tell were citrus had lost a little of their lustre but when you’re in your twilight years you don’t expect everything to work perfectly right? Another thing that really prompted me to try this classic perfume was Miguel Matos and his tribute to Cellier, Germaine. Which I have to say smells very different to this. I still enjoyed Germaine and you could say Citrus, violet, violet leaf, leather how different could it be? Well quite different is the answer but a jolly good nod in the direction of this perfume. I completely adore Jolie Madame and it’s about as suitable for a man you could hope for, especially as a perfume with Madame in the title.

After falling in love with the original 1940s Vent Vert, I was keen to discover more creations by the genius that was Germaine Cellier, especially when I learned that she was the nose behind the legendary Fracas. Jolie Madame was my next port of call, and I wasn't disappointed - it is an excellent green-violet-leather scent; favourite notes of mine. I have a very old vintage miniature EDT from the 1960s, and it is just excellent. Jolie Madame opens with a violet note - green, powdery perfection. It is bolstered by aromatic, herbal green notes, notably green petitgrain and bittersweet artemisia. Some soft citrus notes, led by neroli, provide a counterpoint, while some peppery spice gives it a lift. A retro-style floral heart develops, powdery and rich, yet soft and well-rounded. Powdery rose blooms on my skin, while orris root enhances the powdery violet. A soft white floral accord emerges, powdery and sweet. Polleny lilac is also present, and narcissus rounds it out, adding floral smokiness. The floral heart is somehow mysterious and dark, despite being a bouquet made up of typical floral notes. Such was the wizardry of Mme. Cellier. As it dries down, the fabled leather accord emerges, intertwined with the floral notes. The violet gives way to a suede-like leather note, enhanced to perfection by a smoky animalic accord. Mossy, woody and earthy, it becomes a beautiful leather chypre, thanks to the oakmoss and patchouli notes. It fades to a musky, slightly animalic suede accord. Sillage and longevity are moderate. A complex and cohesive scent, JM is a exceptional leather scent, while managing to be unusual. Different to the likes of Cabochard (of which I am a fan), JM marries florals and leather perfectly, almost in a classic-meets-modern manner. Unisex despite the name, this one is a work of art that must be worn with confidence. I must compare it to Bandit. More than just jolie - this is exceptional. 5/5.

OMG the extrait is divine! A beautiful airy springtime in a bottle of clear powdery florals, soft kid leather and a touch of herbs and spices. There is something about this that makes it so svelte and sophisticated, and though I still haven't determined what that is, I swear I feel 2" taller and stand up straighter when wearing it. And wow, that violet! I'm surprised it states violet leaf in the notes because I am not getting that. Violet flowers are what I smell and even though I normally don’t care for that note, they are just beautiful here. The more I wear this the more Chanel’s Misia comes to mind. If you told me that O. Polge was influenced by this fragrance I wouldn't be a bit surprised, because I think they share more than a passing resemblance. But there is something about this, maybe that slight vintage feel, or maybe that earthy, delectable oak moss, or maybe just how well rounded, smooth, and beautifully crafted this is, that makes me love it more. I adore Misia, but if I was forced to choose, it would be no contest – Jolie Madame would win hands down. I love it so much I even purchased a vintage edt so I can wear it with the extrait. I'm ecstatic to find the edt is just as wonderful as the extrait with fantastic silage and longevity whereas the parfum is more intimate, but deeper and much more floral. I can't praise this fragrance enough. All the positive adjectives used by reviewers here to describe this fragrance are true for me too. It really is a fabulous perfume.

The first time I breathed in Jolie Madame was from dark 1960's perfume. I inhaled it from the neck of the bottle (a splash) and it inflamed my sinuses so much it took 3 weeks of careful treatment before I could resume my perfume habit. But that one, glorious inhalation is the most exquisite perfume I've ever inhaled. It's beauty moved me as much as the pain it caused. I now have another full bottle ~ this time an EDT from the 1990's ~ which is hugely powerful but isn't scorching my innards. I wish I could find a way of taming the violent Djin which wafted up from my vintage bottle, but I daren't release it ever again. Whichever version I smell, this perfume is everything I desire in a scent. It's so potent one little spray radiates upwards and surrounds me in it's molecular net, creating an aura I don't have to seek. The scent is complex. There must be Galbanum rocket-fuel (although it's not listed in the notes) in the opening, carrying Artemisia, Coriander and Petitgrain along with a heady floral which turns out to be a Violet-Jasmine hybrid - a glam, self-assured, strutting sex bomb of a siren leaving behind a trail of lilac-infused powder. The dry-down reveals an animalic woodiness which gives character and depth to the powdery florals, accentuating the green notes until the end. Even the end is not really the end; this is a perfume I think about often. It's a wonder and a masterpiece. Distillation: glamorous perfume green-violet and jasmine fused leather-clad siren

Why on earth was this gutsy little number given the name Jolie Madame (Pretty Lady)? It's more like Femme Torride (Raunchy Woman)! The vintage parfum version is taunting me, stopping me doing my work because I just have to keep lowering my head to the crook of my arm to get yet another olfactory fix of this seductive beauty. On my skin this opens with a short-lived - almost blink-of-an-eye - mustiness which very soon develops into a distinct violet note. Unmistakable. I'm not one who normally thinks in colour, but when I detect Jolie Madame's top notes all I 'see' is purple. For me there are no white flowers in this floral arrangement. After about an hour the violets shrink to almost non-existence and, in their place, come the ... what is that?? Animal? Civet? Barnyard? I can't quite place it but to me the violets are replaced by a slightly dirty yet pleasant odour. Finally, the leather and smoke. Warm, enveloping and blissfully satisfying. Maybe this 'Madame' is a particular type. The perfectly made-up one who's been around the block quite a few times, who watches her 'girls' and takes men's money. First impression is all-woman and floral, then the animal takes over, and finally the smoking of the traditional cigarette. Let's not think about where the leather comes in ... Femme Torride indeed!

My review is for the vintage EDT. This is the most joyful violet I have ever smelled! This one doesn’t have a lick of melancholy or introspection — let Apres L’Ondee wallow in her gauzy sentimental dreams. Jolie Madame is the fast-paced click of heels on wet pavement after a sun-shower, impatient to get to wherever she is going, breathless to be doing something exciting. The leather is extremely smooth, and melds so beautifully with the violet that you wonder why this combination doesn’t appear together more often. The violet is green, and makes the leather glisten and shine -- the leather cracks its whip to keep the violet dirty enough to keep from becoming dowdily Victorian. The dry-down is slightly sweet and powery but has a bit of spice to add a sultry violet sheen to the skin. A delicately framed girl with sparkling eyes and nerves of steel, Jolie Madame is a very urban violet. The vintage ad from the 50s with the laughing woman with a shock of black hair really epitomizes this fragrance! The young women of the fifties must have been gloriously fierce!

Jolie Madame (Review on August 31, 2025) I have been riding a wild ride lately. Is it old or is it new, doesn't really matter to me. But as I visit the perfume captured in old time. All I can say is fragrance never really age. Form adapts from one to another. But man-made product remains. As a trace of behavior as aroma. I never found a person who create Fragrance dynamic like Germaine Cellier. She's strong almost condense. But in a same time, Gentle and warping. A cut between bitter IBQ with white floral. And those earthy damp note. Harmonize. Fulfilling. I wish your guy, a venturer. Discover this, live with this. Day or Night. And you perhaps Crystalize. There is no Niche, no Vintage, no Indy. It's just a perfume. And my friend, go for 15cc. bottle. I insist. ==== (4ml, parfum) I have nothing much to say. But in every single way, every single how possible. If you have the nose, you must sniff Jolie Madame. Parfum please, Parfum. P.S. go for 15cc. bottle.

I just got my bottle of Jolie Madame the other day and have been wearing it several times. It is not quite what I expected, very soft and feminine and yet complex. It starts out very fresh and energizing. Are there no violets in this? I could swear I smell violets. I think I like the beginning the best, so beautiful and unusual. In a few minutes I can smell the leather and flowers,the gardenia is soft and sweet and the others compliment it well. It smells like an expensive kid leather glove with a floral perfume spilled on it. Sometimes I smell something sour on my skin,maybe the coriander, but it does't last very long and some days I don't smell it at all. The dry down is soft and powdery yet a little soapy. It smells like some expensive french milled soap that I bought for my guest bath,which I love. I do wish it lasted longer. I can't smell it after about 3 hours, but the price is so affordable I can and will buy it often.

I love this fragrance as my Mother introduced me to it in the 1980s. I bought the pure perfume and loved it so much. I now savour the EDT as it has the same notes, but not the depth and opulence of the Parfum. I wonder if Jolie Madame is discontinued as it is not so available now ? What with the demise of Rochas perfumes being dumped forever by Proctor and Gamble, I am getting the feeling that something tragic has also happened to Balmain Fragrances. My Mother died in 1999 and this fragrance is a comfort as I wear it when I am hurting and longing for just one more day with her. I also agree that the trend for gourmand fragrances has killed many classic works of Art. If Balmain fragrances are discontinued, I hope and pray that they can be rescued as I still hope and pray that someone will realise what a treasure Rochas fragrances are and save them from extinction.

Candied violets and the impression of leather. What could be more fun? This perfume lifts me to another level. The older bottles with rounded edges (of cap) have perfect projection and strength and lasting power. Truly perfect. I have the angular bottle pictured above as well and that one has a strong green note in the top (galbanum? edit: artemisia? i don't see galbanum listed). I find the green note in this version detracts from the effortless elegance of the older version. I feel like every Hollywood glamour myth surrounds me when wearing this...with the carnal, "decaying" aspect of the leather alluding to the construction of mystery. The powdery candied violets aspect is life affirming, somehow natural and edible at the same time. There is a white flowers aspect to the older version which seems to lift and enhance the rest.

Sadly, it seems, Jolie Madame has been totally discontinued by the powers that be who own the licence to Parfums Balmain. I am so devastated to learn of this as Jolie Madame was introduced to me by my dear Mother in the 1980s. I had the pure parfum (pre reformulation) and adored it. I followed trends in fragrance, moving on to the new fruity florals and forgot about my dear JM and by the time i came to my senses and wanted JM in pure parfum, she had already been pared down to EDT. I wish perfume houses had not disbanded and sold licences to big corporations etc. Nothing is sacred anymore. My dear mother passed away 2nd February 1999, along with my heart and soul; now i have to say goodbye to another part of me... RIP Jolie Madame, along with another love, Rochas Femme :(

I got today from discount shop Jolie Madame and also fund in the same shop CABOCHARD! What a find! It was the only 2 perfumes sold in this shop and as I knew before that both this perfumes are leather scents I only wanted to buy Jolie Madame, I thought that this two are similar, but NO not at all, nothing even close! If you like leather you have to own BOTH!!! I bought both and I'm in love with this to perfumes!!! Jolie Madame appear to be much lighter and more wearable then I thought it would be when I was reading reviews, although someone mentioned that it can be a unisex scent, I would say it is VERY FEMININE!!! Starts very powdery Violet plus Orris root on me. It becomes leathery in 30 minutes and last a long time. What a GORGEOUS scent! In my top 10!!!

I couldn't agree with Bandit more. Yes, feminine today most of the time means smelling like fruit, candies, cookies. I am extremely puzzled when I read that Jolie Madame, Cabochard, Balmain de Balmain are masculine. I could not think of more feminine scents than these. And Piguet's Bandit of course :-) I have been wearing and loving them through the years and the years have not faded my love for them. Never ever would I wear Mugler's Angel or other gourmand scents. They make me feel dizzy. There are so many scents today that one can certainly find what he or she likes. And I am happy to like and continue liking Jolie Madame. Yes, I am on my way to my first 50, that's why maybe.

My Mother introduced me to Jolie Madame and I have been in love with JM ever since. Why oh Why is it discontinued. It is a stand alone, outrageously unique perfume and deserves to be reinstated. I have found nothing to replace it. I have Bandit, Cabochard, Ciara, Shalimar, but there is nothing even remotely similar for me. It makes me so sad as my Mum died in 1999 and it seems that JM followed soon after. Surely I am not in the minority as a lover of this classic beauty ? We should bombard whichever corporation handles Balmain Fragrances as culling JM was a bad decision as it deserves its place to stand alongside Rochas Femme, and Chanel No 5 and Guerlain Shalimar.

I don’t know how old my bottle is, it has a cute bow, name is in handwritten font (unlike the one pictured here), liquid is dark amber, and the scent is ...well...stuff of legends. I get an overdose of iris and tuberose, in a warm, herbal and woody chypre context, with violets floating above it all. But it’s during its later phase when things become the stuff of legends for adults. When the Madame turns Jolie for totally different reasons (than her floral and beautiful looks) When she is all carnal and creamy, wild and wet. It’s irresistible, and is one of the best leather/animalic perfumes I have smelled. It’s a search-no-more type of a scent. A legend. *****

If I had to choose a perfume to wear every day of my life, and on into oblivion, it would be Jolie Madame. If I were wealthy again, or homeless, as I was after I left Sudan, I would beg for a bottle or even a sniff, just for that green-deep purple vision I see when my nose and brain are in the presence of this masterpiece. First wore it as a teenager and knew it was the one. Now that I'm nearly a crone, it still is. Others have intrigued me over the years and I long for them, when I'm in a covetous mood. Patou and vintage Guerlain are happy distractions. But Jolie Madame is like a Fortuny dress I'd wear forever in the Elysian fields.

Balmain's best. Bitchy smoky flowery leather. Only the vintage, but that's no news for you, I suppose. Vintage in a bottle. Some reviewed it as "masculine" and found themselves confused by it. Let me say: Don't be! That's the vintage point of view on femininty. Habanita, No.5, No.22, Cabochard, Tabac Blond, Nuit de Noel, Arpege etc. are all meant to be worn by women! Jolie Madame is one of the most masculine of them, only outplayed by vintage Cabochard, imho. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind, if todays women think they should smell like a dessert. To each their own, but the smell of a dessert doesn't define me as a woman.

Balmain Jolie Madame (1953) - Leather Violets - #germainecellier starts the perfume mixing spices, citrus notes and herbal accords. Then, it transitions to a triumph of florals - not light, but deep and dark. Tobacco-like Narcissus, dry and powdery Iris, indolic Jasmine & Tuberose and lightened up with cucumber-like Violet leaf. The mixture reminds me of #bandit and #azurée where the florals are intertwined with suede-like Leather. The drydown retains most of the tobacco-leather accord combined with Civet musk, Oakmoss, and woods. Get over it’s called “madame”, find a bottle and enjoy this work of perfume art.

I agree with Henriette - the current craze for gourmand and fruits-berries and candy perfumes is beyond me. I suppose they reflect the current zietgiest. I loved Madame Jolie and never realized it was a leather scent. When I wanted a sweet perfume, I would reach for Madame. She stayed sweet to the drydown and never harsh or overbearing. Also, I have difficulty understanding why so many fragrances that have no projection are so popular. Are we afraid of offending people? Or are people trying classic fragrances for the first time spraying on as much as they do of the light fragrances just to smell them?

I feel like this is Bandit's more girly, responsible sister. The leather is still there, but whereas Bandit was a leather jacket in the bar, getting friendly with the bikers, Jolie Madame is a leather briefcase in the corporate world, rubbing shoulder with CEOs. I think the floral notes come out making it feel softer and more womanly, the rose in particular stands out on me. I smell violets too, as other have noted. Don't get me wrong though, Jolie Madame is restrained, confident, and just a bit ruthless, but she's still a little naughty. Underneath that pencil skirt, she's got her sexy lingerie on.

I am not too sure there is a place for such a scent in our world anymore. A beautfiul, spectacular and complex fragrance that will take you on a journey around the world to every exotic and exciting city. I am reminded of Casablanca, Egypt, India, old James Bond movies. A slice of the old world without feeling *old*. This is what a classy sophicated French beauty of the 50-60's would of worn. (and I am sure they did) Not it any way modern if you like bubblegum scents of today. A true masterpiece to which I am addicted.

I am utterly bewitched. Someone sent me a tiny decant to try and it’s not at all what I expected. I didn’t know I’d fall instantly into this deep infatuation. It’s not at all my fragrance “type” but here I am, under her spell. I get loads of purplish violets, and they are sugary sweet. And green, lots of green something- fresh and mossy. White florals dance around these green purple violets and a gorgeous skanky leather pulls it from the stars right back to earth. This is some kind of magical elixir.

I absolutely love this, I bought the bottle about 10 years ago so it's probably a newer version, but the bottle and the colour are identical to the picture here on Fragrantica. This is a woody, leathery, musky floral chypre that many of us who adored them in the '60s and '70s will remember. Longevity is about 10 hours, discreet but heady sillage, overall a power house of a fragrance, don't let the meek name put you off. Cousin to the original Miss Dior in my humble opinion.

I treasure this masterpiece as my favourite vintage perfume ever (along with "Vol de Nuit" extrait, "Y" pdt, and "Mitsouko" edp) This one has "Cellier" written all over it: the crisp gardenia, luscious, soapy violet, a kick of leather in bold, sophisticated Bandit-Style and a whiff of tobacco. Nothing like it has been created ever since La Cellier composed this timeless fragrance. Perfection in a bottle.

Soft florals and creamy leather on a mossy base. I don't smell a true leather note in Jolie Madame but more of a supple creaminess. The violet and Iris florals are soft and understated. The mossy base lends a bit of earthiness. This is a lovely scent for spring. Although it has been reformulated it still has a vintage feel. Love this scent!

Love it. I tried the vintage first and it had a sourness to the narcissus that I couldn't enjoy. This (current version like picture) is perfectly fresh while still being fairly complex, quite oak mossy, and very very leathery. This is my new bravery perfume. Pretty, complex, long lasting, and no-nonsense.

This reminds me of one of my favorites :> unfortunatley i can't find it listed here :< It's from Houbigant - Quelques Violettes I just love this fragrance! And now I stumbled over a new found love! Jolie Madame :> This has just joined my collection and its a keeper.

Help! Is my nose tricking me???? All I can smell nowadays in Jolie Madame is Weil Kipling for gents. Do not get me wrong I love Jolie Madame a lot, but one of my co-sniffer pointed out that the dry down is very masculine, and I have to agree. (vintage of course)

This is simply the most sophisticated, beautiful violet/leather scent out there. Gorgeous, grownup, multi-faceted. This is one Grande Dame. I can see the great Marlene Dietrich wearing this...especially in one of her tuxedoes and fedoras. Ah yes, such class...

All the complexity of this perfume is sadly lost on me. I don't smell leather, just a soft green ...shampoo. Maybe I should try it again in warmer weather. Hope it'll work better. Edit: I just remembered, it was birch-based shampoo: guess that makes sense.

On me, this opens a pissed off rose and dries down into an animalic leather. Jolie Madame is a dominatrix who makes you earn your pleasure, takes what she needs, then rolls over and smokes a cigarette. I love this gal.

Really sad as this was a fragrance my Mother introduced me to. I love it; it is so different and now discontinued. I wish Balmain would bring it back or I could find a dupe as nothing is similar.

Sophisticated, seducing perfume. Following the tradition of Bourjois' "Soir de Paris" - a perfume for a grand night out, beautiful.With leather notes and violet, timeless perfection.

Very animal musky, very smoky, very dry, totally gorgeous and completely alluring. Kinda dirty, really divine.

No it is not similar to Miss Balmain. But both are VERY good perfumes, you can't go wrong with both of them.

Have a mini, and tha hunt began for an OLD BIG BOTTLE!!! It is maturity in a vial.

The official notes for Jolie Madame online are a mess and clearly incorrect, so these are limited to what I actually smell. Jolie Madame is a violet-leather fragrance; any notes list that doesn’t include violets is unreliable. Perfumer Germaine Cellier’s style is bold, legible perfumes with strong personalities: Vent Vert was Big Green, Bandit was Big Leather, and Fracas was Big Tuberose. All of them are perfect exemplars of type, in my mind: the coldest, freshest, sharpest possible green floral, the perfect pitch-black badass leather chypre, and the canonical hot-pink high-femme tuberose. Jolie Madame is similarly a pure archetype: dark-purple, bitchy-cute violets and leather. Tania Sanchez describes it as like a “patent leather Mary Jane”, which is exactly right; it’s precisely that aesthetic of girlish-meets-tough. Violets have a cool, dark tonality that intersects neatly with the blackness of leather. It feels like something a goth chick would wear. Jolie Madame is a more traditional sort of violet than Bois de Violette; it doesn’t transform the flower, it still plays up the old-fashioned lipstick and violet-flavored candy connotations that I find unpleasant, and sets them atop a powdery, makeup-y iris base. But it’s not overdone, and the leather gives it enough edge to make it tolerable for me. There’s definitely galbanum in the top, cool and sharp and fresh, and a tender dewy rose; possibly some other spring flowers. This is a *cold* scent; the only hint of warmth is from a little bit of savory castoreum in the base. Jolie Madame feels like the distillation of feminine bitchiness — the cutting remark, the contemptuous look, coming from one who is perfectly assured that her behavior is impeccably appropriate and it’s *you* who are way out of line. I’ve never really been that person and I feel uncomfortable around those tactics, but I know they work for some people. If you’re into the whole “exquisite feminine rage” aesthetic, add some Jolie Madame along with the eyeliner sharp enough to kill a man.

Jolie Madame is a very easy going and light floral leather. Due to floral addition it lacks the claw which can be found in Miss Balmain or Cabochard, but thanks to this, it is also very wearable on a day to day basis. The florals are a tad sweet to my taste, therefore for a short while I get the unpleasant impression similar to the one that the terrible fruity chypre Patou For Ever gives me. Luckily, this lasts no longer than a couple of seconds, so I can ignore it and then I get the lovely soft and fresh dry down, the scent keeps close to the skin and does not scream about, although I am still able to smell it on me, which is great. There is a hint of a slightly rubbery aroma, and it may not suit everyone. It is not my favorite leather (I'm more into the dark and mysterious ones), but overall a good one and I enjoy wearing it to the office or when I am more into elegant style. Definitely worth every penny, because it gives a unique olfactory experience, so rarely found in contemporary fragrances. UPDATE: I am getting more and more allured by this little gem. What's more, it turns out to be quite long lasting in spring! Still not my favorite leather, but an excellent product!

I've never been much of a leather fan, but I like Jolie Madame very much. My bottle of edt is not the current version (a very attractive, tailored bottle, and one I find more congruent with the scent than the round-shouldered bottle with gilded-plastic top I own), so please bear that in mind while reading this review. I'm a little puzzled by the notes listed above: no violet? I smell tons of violet. Narcissus, jasmine, iris - they're all there too, along with a restrained leather note that brings to mind my suede-lined leather briefcase. When I wear JM, I get wafts of leather through the air when I move, but close to the skin the florals are sweet and prominent. I like to wear this on days that I need some extra backbone; it's great for helping me muster the strength to deal with unpleasant tasks. I also own two small bottles of vintage parfum: one has a great deal of leather, and the other, my favorite, is nearly all gorgeous florals, with just a hint of leather. (Of course it would be the tiny 2ml bottle, and not the bigger one!) If I wasn't sure I'd never find its like again, I'd wear that one all the time. It's simply stunning.

I am currently in a battle of wills with Jolie Madame (EDT reissue). We are circling one another warily, greasy eyeball to greasy eyeball. As my first full on leather perfume encounter I was initially charmed and delighted with the novelty of a slightly rough leather base for the ladylike florals. It was strange and genteel, like a ladies handbag, filled with 'liberated' floral samples from the botanic garden and handkerchiefs sprinkled with perfume water. On my second application I found the florals to be heavy, sickly and sulky. The accompanying musty leather made me feel quite sick to my stomach. And yet, I found myself drawn to it, loving its wild nature, while it sat in a corner hissing & spitting at me. Which brings me to today's testing. Where did this violent leather scrub beast come from? I feel like I have been sandpapered with bark, rubbed down in coriander and whipped with a filthy leather cat 'o' nine tails. Nary a flower in sight to shed tears for my suffering. Jolie Madame: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. One or the other of us is going to be tamed. I am not entirely certain which of us it will be.

I just don't know what to make of this! I recently purchased what I believe is a vintage EDT. The bottle looks like it is designed to be a refill for a case of some sort - anyone know if and when this might have been available? I also purchased 2 small bottles of what I know is the vintage perfume. On paper, this seems like something I would adore, but there is something, some aspect of the fragrance, that is holding me back. The violet note is much stronger than I had anticipated, but that might be because I have been looking more for the leather - a note I fell in love with after trying and purchasing Cabochard. Nevertheless, I still find Jolie Madame to be intriguing, and I keep trying and sniffing and liking, but not being blown away like I hoped I would be. I am not about to give up though, as I am convinced that under the right circumstances, this could be a love. I do think it is very sophisticated and elegant though. Time will tell if I can learn to understand this classic.

To my nose, JOLIE MADAME is all about violets and leather, and I do not detect even a smidgeon of civet. Pierre Balmain.com offers these notes for the new JOLIE MADAME: Notes de Tête Petitgrain, Girofle, Néroli Notes de Cœur Absolue Jasmin, Fleur d’Oranger, Feuille de Violette, Absolue Tubéreuse, Lilas Notes de Fond Mousse de Chêne, Essence de Patchouli, Tabac, Cèdre So it seems that JOLIE MADAME has really changed her demeanor! I like her this way--a lot! She is a smooth powdery quasilinear with tender leather and fine violets. Great sillage--in fact, so great, that I advise against applying JOLIE MADAME immediately before dining, as I once did, and found myself swallowing violets and leather. I really appreciate this fragrance: simple and consistent yet somehow very satisfying. When I crave violets and leather--which as odd as it may sound, I do sometimes now--I know where to turn!

I thought I have to get some classic fragrances to educate myself a bit and that is how Jolie Madame came to my house. So, made myself ready for the big adventure and, oh boy, the first sniff knocked me down - what is it? I don't get this fragrance! But hey, I thought Shalimar is not nice at all the first time I tried it. So I'm learning the scent each time a little and started to like it. I can distinguish some notes already! after gardenia-citrus blast it gets a bit sweetish of jasmine-orris root. Rose wave for a while and then leather starts to dominate with some musk and patchouli. I'm not familiar with leather fragrances and still have to learn a lot, but I like this one already - very special! a month later: definitely, an extraordinary fragrance for a big night out, not something you can smell around. Very special.

I like violets. They grew in gardens when I was a little girl. My grandmother would point them out to me. She was quite fond of these tiny purple flowers that had such a potent scent. I have a vintage bottle of Jolie Madame, cylinder shaped with little ribbon. Falls in the same category of old school perfumes as Azzuree by EL, Paloma Picasso, Knowing by EL and Bandit. But obviously here with a violet spin. For sweet ethereal violet I have Apres L'Ondee. For more substance perhaps Insolence. I reach for Jolie Madame when I want something vintage that I have not worn in a while. I don't reach for it often enough but I am glad to have it. It is quite dry, so perfect on a hot day.

No. males need to stick to men's cologne. There are some unisex out there but anything with the word "femme", "Miss", or LIKE THIS "Madame" in the title isn't one of them. You wish though! Yes :-) This is a Green Leather. To that, I attest! I like it better than Vente Vert but it's really weak - 10 sprays and then it goes away - I got the E.D.T. REVISIT fall 2017 autumn:) I have worn this beauty for everyday for the past 4 days and it’s FABULOUS. Granted it don’t last for shi* yet oddly I now find that to be part of the charm:)

Leather, oakmoss, narciss and vetiver - this notes make up the serious part of Jolie Madamme, giving it some masculine character. But between them there are some white flowers and roses, which take the softer part of this fragrance. JM is actually soft leathery scent when dries down. And yes, can easilly be unisex. To me, this is serious and formal perfume. But still, depends on who and when wears it! Very special scent with much more character than some new fashion perfumes. Good lasting power.

I have 3 vintage bottles and am a little frustrated because they all smell different. From all of these bottles I get a heavy base of vetiver, leather, oakmoss, but from the one bottle that is most fragrant I also smell orris root, cloves and coriander along with some violet, jasmine and tobacco in the background. I wish I had more to say but the different smells from the bottles is a disappointment to me. Such a classic perfume and I'm not sure what it really smells like.

The Opening starts with i can detect Lily Rose jasmine neroli and it dries down to the dark underworld of woods and Leather It's like the Greek Legend Persephone. when she was the maiden Kore and she picked Sweet crisp flowers Represent the upperworld Until the ground beneath her Opened up And she was snached and aducted By the master of the Underworld HADES! Represents The Leatherly Aspect of this Perfume this is what this perfume reminds me of Persephone's Decent.