La Petite Robe Noire

This is the fragrance that started it all. I know that a lot of fellow Guerlain fans strongly dislike La Petite Robe Noire, but it has a very special place in my heart. It kickstarted my interest in Guerlain fragrances (perhaps the intention of the company...serving as an introduction to the brand for the young generation?) This led to a redefining of my tastes in perfume. I went from loving fragrances such as Viva La Juicy to classics like Vol de Nuit and discovering perfume beyond the mainstream world. I learned how to pick out notes in perfumery and identified my favorite ones. And I honed in on my absolute favorite type of fragrance: sweet and powdery. What sold me on LPRN was its complexity, the very distinct stages of development it undergoes, and most importantly, the soft, powdery vanillic base, which I realized after trying L'Heure Bleue, Vol de Nuit, and Shalimar Parfum Initial, that this was the famous Guerlinade. Never have I used a sample up so quickly, and never did I crave and desire a perfume as much as I did with LPRN...I was so desperate to have it, I bought my first bottle at Sephora, full price! LPRN quickly replaced my former all-time favorite perfume, D&G The One, which I ended up totally disliking (the peach note was sickly sweet and incredibly artificial, overwhelming the warm vanilla base to my nose, sadly!) This is the only perfume I have ever finished a bottle of. Since LPRN I have acquired and/or tested perfumes that come so close to my idea of the perfect perfume for myself (powdery, cosmetic inspired, floral, and sweet with a modern-meets-retro feel and containing most of my favorite notes): Terry de Gunzberg Ombre Mercure, Love, Chloe Eau Intense, Frederic Malle Lipstick Rose, and Chanel Misia. But they are not Guerlains. And LPRN remains my signature, even though it doesn’t fit the bill. And it doesn’t matter to me. Why? I’ll explain: My mom is always taking full advantage of my “large” perfume collection (she only owns just one bottle of perfume at a time). She’ll grab any bottle off my vanity, almost everything in perfumery smells good to her. But she *never* touches LPRN because she knows it’s my “favorite”, as much as she adores the scent. Even my baby brother and my friends have said that my car smells like LPRN, even though I wear different perfumes daily! Also, I apply just a couple spritzes of perfume on my arms every day, so it’s very rare for me to get comments but LPRN is one of the very few that seems to get noticed and complimented on (and the most often too!) by coworkers. So it truly is a fragrance that people associate with me. LPRN opens with a blast of cherry and red berries. Not sickeningly sweet or medicinal whatsoever to my nose (trust me, I work in a pharmacy!) Bergamot adds freshness, the almonds contribute powder, the vanilla and tonka some sweetness, the licorice and anise a slight spicy nuance, the roses a floral touch. Very complex and layered, with distinct stages of development. At the final stage, the drydown, is the signature luscious, powdery sweet, almost gourmand Guerlinade. You can still get whiffs of the opening every now and then though. It lasts all day on my skin, and I can smell the heavenly drydown into the next day. One of the best perfumes in terms of longevity that I’ve ever tried. Good sillage too, I can easily smell it on myself throughout the day. Although LPRN is marketed towards young women, I feel it is ageless. I am in Guerlain’s target demographic for the fragrance but I can see myself wearing it 20 years from now and beyond. And as mainstream as it seems (a fruity floral with patchouli, a dime a dozen at your local department store), the composition’s “long-term freshness” (which Luca Turin notes is a characteristic that Thierry Wasser excels at) juxtaposed with the fruity sweetness and most importantly, the heavy dose of Guerlinade, separates it from everything else in that category. Plus, LPRN is so versatile to me- I can wear it anytime, anywhere. Day or night, hot or cold, no matter what I’m wearing. Is it the first perfume that comes to mind when choosing a perfume to wear with a little black dress (or anything fancy)? Honestly, I’d consider Guerlain classics such as Shalimar, L’Heure Bleue, Vol de Nuit, Nahema, or Chamade first, or even the very recent (and also highly underrated) Insolence. Nevertheless, I have worn it at night and/or for special occasions, even layering it with L’Heure Bleue quite a few times (gasp!) The name and bottle panders to the target demographic. The bottle is the classic heart-shaped stopper bottle used for two legendary Guerlains, Mitsouko and L’Heure Bleue, but given a makeover with a purple/mauve ombre, cute LBD motif, and a pink ribbon with the brand’s name on the neck. It bolsters LPRN’s modern-meets-retro aesthetic. But Guerlain could’ve dumped the juice into the ugliest bottle in history and named it anything else but I know it wouldn’t affect or change my perception of this perfume. In summary, La Petite Robe Noire is for the woman who adores vintage glamour, but doesn’t (or can’t) go full-on Dita Von Teese every day. Jeans are one of her favorite things to wear (unlike Dita who doesn’t own any), but no matter what, she is always polished and well-groomed. She greatly admires and embraces retro beauty and fashion, but incorporates modern ideas and trends into her aesthetic as well. Her style is chic and sophisticated, but a little quirky too. That describes me to the T. COMPARISONS: Vs. Lolita Lempicka: LPRN is often compared to Lolita Lempicka because they share cherry, licorice, almond, and anise yet they are still so different from each other. Lolita Lempicka is a lot more gourmand and linear from start to finish. It doesn’t read as very fresh either, plus it lacks one of the definitive characteristics of LPRN: Guerlinade. Vs. Chantal Thomass EDP: This is a lot closer to LPRN because it contains cherries AND red berries, which I realized play a bigger role in LPRN than I thought before trying CT. CT has heliotrope though, and smells a lot fruitier, and of course it too lacks Guerlinade and Thierry Wasser’s signature lasting freshness. Vs. EDT and flankers: EDT smells identical to EDP. Couture and Eau Fraiche smell incredibly similar as well but Couture seems to have more patchouli while Eau Fraiche seems to be even more, well, fresh. I need to retest to confirm that it is nuttier. Guerlain Recommendations: Other sweet and powdery modern Guerlains to look into are Shalimar Parfum Initial (recently discontinued), Insolence, My Insolence, French Kiss, L’Instant Magic (also recently D/C), L’Heure de Nuit, and Guet Apens/Attrape Coeur/Vol de Nuit Evasion (all 3 sadly VHTF).

When I look at the way I used to dress ten years ago, and the way I dress now, or the way I used to carry myself back then and the way I carry myself now, all that comes to my mind is how much more confident I am now. While I stared longingly at young me’s thin waist and flat tummy and that sharp jawline, I also felt like reaching out to her and saying, “Chin up, baby. Speak louder. Walk taller. Take up space.” The young me wouldn’t have dared to wear a rep lipstick. Or worn a perfume that invited attention. I believe that’s a thing, isn’t it? It’s easy to wear crowd pleasing perfumes, the pastel florals and yellow citruses. Maybe even the watered down fruity perfumes once in a while. It’s easy to wear them because you know they won’t offend anyone, and most importantly, won’t make people notice you. So if you’re a person who doesn’t want to invite attention, you would gravitate towards such perfumes. I’d know – I used to be one of them. My brother-in-law – who I believe has the best taste in perfumes AND clothes – is the other kind. If perfumes are our calling cards, his is a billboard with neon lights that announces his arrival wherever he goes. It’s not just his perfume though. That man has a personality to match. He’s the life of the party, the guy telling the funniest jokes, the one around whom everyone’s seated, hanging on to each word he says. I am not that person, at all. In fact, throw me in a room full of people, and I will find a nook and try to make myself invisible. But strangely enough, when it comes to the way I dress, I have started to believe that I’m not overdressed, everyone else is simply underdressed. My red lipstick shines bright like a siren, and my perfumes? Well, I am finally warming up to the idea of wearing my personality on my wrist. And other pulse points. La Petite Robe Noire is predominantly a sour cherry perfume. At first sniff, it smells almost spicy to me, even though there are no spice notes listed for the perfume. The sour cherry and the black currant lends this perfume a dramatic and almost rich overtone. The EDP is apparently a richer version of it, and this one’s a lighter affair that fares better in summer days, but to me, this is not your everyday wear-to-work or even brunch perfume. I find myself reaching for this perfume whenever I make the extra effort to dress up, when I know I am going to wear heels, for instance (I’m a flats woman through and through) or wear foundation and blush (I usually wear lipstick and mascara and call it a day) This is definitely a sexy, date-night scent. I’m talking glossy silks and swishing satins, fiery red lipstick and sky high heels, velvety wine and decadent chocolate desserts. And when the night is over, long after you reach home, the gorgeous wisps of cherry lingering on your skin will remind you of the best parts of the evening – the intimate conversations, the stolen kisses, and the walk to the cab, your finger intertwined.

I've been meaning to try this for so long as I was attracted to the licorice and anise notes along with sour cherry. I picked up the cute little refillable heart flaçon (20ml) as a generous sample, which is really pretty and travel friendly. I am also not a fan of the black dress design as someone mentioned below- it'd be lovely if they did a large heart bottle incidentally. I was quite blown away by how very pleasant this is, but it's not at all what I was expecting. The sour cherry is realistic and very fruity, not at all medicinal or cough syrupy to me. Just pure sour cherry. There is also a light citrus zing ,like a crushed lemon leaf being proffered under your nose, I suppose it is the bergamot but this is not at all the juicy, wet fruit fragrance I had imagined. It comes across as quite a warm, slightly woody, dry scent with powder from the iris , the rose feels like dried rose petals and the licorice is not the chewy candy, nor a herbal infusion but a natural, dry, brown licorice stick, the twig type we used to have as kids from the health food shop that I was never quite sure if I liked or not but they were strangely addictive. I don't sense the anise as much, nor almond. The tea is also dry and aromatic, imagine a pink tin from Whittards with dried black leaves , a light Lapsang Souchong and shreds of dried sour cherry and a few anise seeds sprinkled in. I really do like it but it's quite subtle, not an overpowering fruitchouli, it's soft, elegant and beautifully blended. It reminds me of the comforting sort of scent that would emanate from your mother's best handbag at a formal afternoon event, borderline leathery at times. Dry, chic, a little sweet, a little sour, something papery, a little pot pourri and the promise of pot-brewed tea in a cup and saucer. I find it somehow nostalgic yet something new to my nose. Guerlain are really just great at what they do. I'd say this is all season friendly, a good signature that you could wear in many situations but the licorice won't be for everyone. It's quite moderate in all the ranking aspects. It's an atypical cherry fragrance but well worth a try. It ever so slightly reminds me of Jardins de Misfah by Une Nuit Nomade. I would certainly consider a FB to refill the adorable heart. 💝

When this came out I couldn't deal with the sweet and gourmand facets, and basically ignored it. Now that I've found an-almost full 50 ml bottle in a thrift shop, it's interesting to re-assess LPRN since all the fuss has died down. Reading through the often dismissive reviews on the major blogs back in the early 2010s, I see it was compared unfavourably to Lolita Lempicka. Or that the 'little black dress' concept belonged to Chanel, so what was Guerlain thinking? Or that Avon already had a fragrance called 'The little black dress' (now d/c) so again, what was Guerlain thinking? Of course what Guerlain was thinking was to make as much money as possible, and there followed a bewildering parade of flankers, variants and LEs (backed up by a bunch of adorably animated video ads using Nancy Sinatra's 'Boots' as the soundtrack). There was a LPRN for every time and occasion, one your hair, for your lingerie, and they might have done a version for your dog had not they decided at last to turn to Mon Guerlain as the next cash cow. Having smelled a lot of perfume in the last decade and shed some of my own snooty views (I hope), and now that most of the flankers are gone, I can at last appreciate this, the 2012 EDP. The opening is joyful, and although the cherry berry sweetness still bothers me a little, I can smell through it to the many other notes and accords. I get most of them including a teasing little plastic accord somewhere in there, and superb patchouli at the end. This is a sophisticated, multi-faceted fragrance which unfolds slowly and leaves a fantastic trail. There is much that is interesting to smell, even if I don't love it all. This not a cheap or cynical effort, this is Guerlain maintaining its tradition of classical perfumery. I find that obvious now that I've smelled so much mediocrity in the last 10 years. Finally - this stuff is powerful. A couple of sprays last all day on me and I don't have to hunt for it on my skin after an hour. Walking through a mist of this is heavenly.

I go back and forth on whether I like this or not. When first applied, it is so strong I can't determine which scent note is blasting my nose the way Violet usually does. I think maybe it's the licorice & anise. It comes off as sharp and old lady like at first (maybe I over sprayed?). Then around the 20 min mark, it mellows a bit and becomes this "elegant" scent. My favorite part is the dry down when smells a little more earthy. LPN EDP is mixed so beautifully, all the notes seem to meld nicely & smells balanced to my nose. It lasts forever on me & any fabric it touches as I kept getting soft whiffs of it on my furry comforter a WEEK after I used it! The bottle is gorgeous and I love how the sprayer works, but idk if it fits my personality. Regardless, its a beautiful perfume and I'm glad I purchased it. On another note, I was so confused trying to find the perfume I bought here on Fragantica bc the dress on the bottle l purchased look like the ones pictured for the Absolue, Intense, EDT and other flankers. On the box of my purchase it says "Eau De Parfum" but here, the dress shows the original 2012 bottle. I checked the batch code for my perfume and the year produced was 2023. I just find their marketing very confusing lol. Also...when I smelled this at the store, it was SO light I don't think the sales lady could smell it on my wrist bc she looked at me like I was crazy when I declared, "I think I actully like this! It could be my everyday perfume." To be fair, I had the faintest traces of my morning fragrance still on my wrist when this was sprayed on my wrist and maybe it had a canceling out effect, idk.