KL

This is another review of one of my favorite fragrances of all time. I see they have introduced some new KL scents, for her and him...this is the real KL...„The Secret behind the fan....” Yesterday I had such a craving to wear this wonderful fragrance again. I have a very little bit, left in the bottle, so decided I would wear it, and really enjoy it, as I did years ago. Oh how I loved wearing this gem! It's extremely well put together. It opens with a smooth, bright orange, which combined with the bergamot and spices just grabs your attention from the very start. The spices play a huge part in this fragrance, and they are very vibrant. The cinnamon is deep, almost like it has just been purchased at the African spice market, and the same goes for the cloves. They aren't weak, by any means, but they don't override the other fabulous notes. The rose and jasmine shine through, and the pepper and ylang-ylang play their parts just right. But the biggest secret is the dry down. It just seems to drift into the dry down, ever so discreetly. The warm amber..patchouli and vanilla, with the touch of civet. This fragrance lasts and lasts. It needs to applied with a bit of caution, as even the EDT is strong. I have heard people describe this as very similar to Opium. In my opinion, it isn't. I wore Opium for years, so I can compare them. Both are spicy, yes..but they have a completely different vibe. And the dry downs differ. I purchased my last bottle of this fragrance in the late nineties, duty free). I could never find it again, after that. I had the shower gel at one stage, and it was astounding! I have never had such a potent shower gel. I loved wearing this perfume..it was such a striking, and vibrant scent. Maybe that's perhaps I'm a Tauer fan) His no.12 for example..Eau D'Epices). The wonders of the fragrances from these times..the longevity. Oh, how I long for that wonderful staying power, on today's perfumes! This was not a super expensive purchase in the eighties, but the prices have soared! Never mind, I loved it when I wore it, and the secret behind the fan is still safe with me!

This was my very favorite fragrance in the 80's! I was a big fan. When I found out it was discontinued I was so disapointed I lost interest in fragrances for a while. It used to be my signature scent and now I was without one. I allready knew what would be a great replacement; Coco by Chanel. Coco and KL were in a way similar. They were released in the same era en both start of citrussy and spicy, kind of sweet and oriental. But it took me years to let another fragrance take KL's place. (stuck in the 80's right?) At last indeed it was Coco by Chanel that became my signature scent. Another similar scent is "8me jour" (Huitieme jour) by Yves Rocher. (also discontinued) In this internet era it is not that hard to find a vintage bottle of KL. (not cheap though) I purchased an EDT and a pure perfume on Ebay. They still smell great and I am so happy I have acces to that fragrance again. But honestly, I have to admit that Coco is a bit more balanced than KL. The 80's are over and I am much older now and Coco is now my signature scent. (Although I own so many fragrances now that I don't really have a signature scent anymore) KL was the perfume that started my fragrance obsession and it will allways be part of my collection. Oh and I have to add that the design of the bottle and advertisement were so great at the time. The combination of grey with a touch of pink, the oriental fan design. In those days that was so creative en trendy! Nowadays when I wear KL I allways get compliments. For me it is also a comforting scent that I wear when I am at home. I guess that is only because of all memories that are connected to this fragrance.

I am wearing some of this beautiful perfume today as I have been on a nostalgia lick. This is from my 80's stash of the 60 ml spray, and also I have a 120 ml splash that is hardly used-thanking Heaven I kept them both! KL was my obsession after the original Opium. My husband, then boyfriend, LOVED it and bought this for me every Christmas for several years. I had it coming out my ears! This, right along with original Galanos at the time, were my signatures and was saved for nights out, then became my scent every day until I burned myself out. Everything I owned wafted of KL. It's still just as strong and beautiful today, a spicy soft, deep floriental that bursts with orange. Yes, it IS in the vein of Opium but much, much more refined! Original Opium was a masterpiece as well, but please don't think KL is a dupe or less than Opium; they're cousins from a long lost era of greatness. I sprayed with abandon those days and wish I'd have known the great ones would vanish-I would have been a little more frugal maybe?....na! if you can ever find a bottle please grab it; you will not be disappointed! The "only" thing I might not like is in KL, if your chemistry on some days is off the civet will come out too strong and goes straight to a, sort of musty, day-old laundry, needs to be washed dirtiness"...but on most occasions it's just glorious. PLEASE, Karl, bring it back!!

Oncle Serge you devil! Thank you for reinventing this beauty in Bapteme de Feu! I went in rummaging through my sample stash and hell no couldn't find my decant of Bapteme....but if the incendiary spicey overcooked marmalade chord in yours isn't a riff on this stunning beauty I'll eat my hat as we say Downunder.... Anyway it stopped me procrastinating on a bottle of Bapteme at horrendous Aussie prices before the 50mls are all gone... Ah but I digress. And join with those weeping over this stunner. It had a warmth and sweetness that Opium avoided in its take no prisoners sourish biting perfumey dryness and fiery synthetic carnation spice emphasis. I bought this beauty instead of Opium and I still prefer it. Nay, I love it and have hunted it down on eBay expense be damned. It's just so richly beautiful. Laughingly it was another one I wore to work! Millions may have dropped from allergies around me but I have emerged unscathed and am still hosing down with all of these magnificent beasts! And people love it, I will often get a compliment from youngsters...

Interesting how differently our noses can perceive fragrances. To me this smells nothing like Opium. It doesn't have Opium's heavy carnation, and it's also much more subtle than vintage Opium. I mainly get a lot of citrus, especially the orange, and the cinnamon and clove. It smells like one of those clove-studded oranges that you make at Christmas dusted with cinnamon. But I also seem to get a lot more of the florals than other reviewers mentioned. If I hold my nose closely to my wrist and sniff, I get a lot of orchid and rose and ylang. I have the EDT, and now that I've worn it, I do get the civet in it. In fact, it's a pretty dominant note on the drydown. At first I couldn't detect it, but it takes awhile to show up in the wearing. A very intriguing fragrance. It's delicious as it develops. I think it works with skin chemistry and can smell differently depending on the person. I also thought it might be something like vintage Coco, but again, smells nothing like it. This smells much more tropical to me, a spicy tropical. Beautiful!

I’m happy to have tested this one. Sadly, I only have a generous decant. It shares the same theme with Coco and Opium: the grandiose clove-laden and smoked florals. All are wonderful and are not repetitions of each other. KL is a touch sweeter than the two whereas Opium is smokier and Coco is more balsamic and smoother. I don’t mean smoother as in of an inferior quality but in a sense of component ratio. In KL, the orchid provides a wonderful feminine quality to it. And also may I mention that there’s a somewhat green whiff running underneath to which I can’t point out. It’s not acrid but there’s a sappy feel to it. Overall, there’s wonderful sweet and playful quality to KL which the two doesn’t have. Drydown-wise, Coco’s the only one who doesn’t maintain personality. Meaning, it becomes a nondescript musk and vetiver combo. Please take note that my reviews are based on vintages. I’m really sad to know production has been stopped...

I have been wearing this fragrance for 30 years. And for most of that time I would say it was my signature fragrance.. My husband bought my last edp for me on Amazon for an outrageous price about 4 years ago. That's when I started looking for a new perfume to call my favorite, ordering samples from the Perfumed Court. Now I am hooked on several and have collected several. But my yearning for KL continues all the time. Recently I bought 1/2 oz (splash) of KL extract on eBay and I think it will be the last.. Right out of the bottle it's not bad, just not wonderful. But, after about 2-3 hours it's delicately sweet and vaguely like I remembered. And now I wonder if anyone else has found the same thing after buying an "old" bottle of a favorite. I've decided that it will be my "going to bed" fragrance - something I can wear every night,with a gentle memory of what it used to be.. A bit sad.

What an amazing fragrance. Heady, seductive but not overly sweet or cloying. I first found KL when I was living in Germany in the early '80's. It remained my favorite through my life in Germany and Italy and Washington DC; through my terrible divorce and incredibly wonderful remarriage of 23 years. Such treasured memories it brings up. Upon learning that it was being discontinued I bought enough to wear everyday for about 50 years. I've moved on now in years and lifestyle. I've sold some of the unopened packages but still have a few left including body powder and perfume creme. If anyone is interested in this have used but thoroughly still useable items, just let me know. I'm looking at getting them to someone who would still enjoy them.

Spicy, powdery, vanillic, ambery, incensey, lush and warm... gorgeous. Most certainly cooler weather friendly, and it's a tad too heavy for hot summer days, unless applied with the lightest touch... but on a balmy summer night, it is downright sexy. The lasting power is all day and the next on my eat-em-up skin, and the sillage is far and wide. Harder and harder to find, so naturally it's getting pricier and pricier to acquire in alignment. It is in the Opium vicinity, which I love, but because The Big O cranks up the funky-sour-musk-volume full f'in blast with my chemistry, I sadly cannot adorn. KL more than satisfies my craving to visit that scent neighborhood without having to worry about the perfume police issuing me a ticket.

I finally found a bottle of KL eau de toilette on Ebay. I think if Opium original and Cinnabar original had a love child, KL would be it! I smell orange, cloves and spices during the initial dry down-very much like the original Cinnabar but after a few hours the scent smooths out into a beautiful warm essence.. really indescribable, very soft, warm and beautiful. My hubby absolutely loves KL so have purchased another bottle. I must say, it is hard to find and I really had to search for quite awhile but worth the search. For lovers of spicy, warm, cozy scents. Strangely enough though I cannot stand Youth Dew and ditto to the KL for men which was a gift to my dad from his then girlfriend. i guess the nose knows what is loves!

This is best when it's hot out, spicy heavy what I thought the exotic East would smell like (doesn't) loved the fan bottle. Many years ago someone asked 'who is wearing patchouli' like it was a crime. Similar to Opium, Valentino & Boucheron heady and strong but not often smelt these days. Big, Big, Big, you will be completely out of fashion in this syrupy spicy powerhouse that used to be available online at a reasonable price but sadly no longer. Old fashioned smoky but a lovely clean almost Nag Champa haze not tobacco. No fruit, white sugar or grocery items & if can get again will as wearing this at home would be bliss. Would be fun to return to that hipster bar on Gertrude St (Fitzroy, Vic Aust) doused in it.

I bought KL the year it debuted. An unusual fragrance, it was sophisticated and quite pricey. I loved it and used it up to the very last drop in that iconic bottle with the fan top. Then KL slipped my mind until last week. A quick check showed it was discontinued - like many fragrances I like. What little is out there is expensive, but I paid a steep price for a micro mini bottle. KL is worth it, there's nothing like it. Thankfully it hasn't been reformulated! The scent is in a category of its own, but I get a sweetness from it, and some intense spices. Since I haven't worn it in so long I'll have to experiment a little with the scent - something to look forward to.

I have so many perfumes that I own but this one is the first review I’m writing about, and it isn’t even my own perfume. Recently Karl Lagerfeld died and I remembered that I haven’t got rid of my mum’s favourite perfume ever. Unfortunately she loved this perfume so much she couldn’t even finish it so here I am with half of the bottle full and my mom’s gone for 2 years. I was a 90’s kid who liked this perfume to smell on my mom which she only wore on special occasions and it lasted so long with full corridor Sillage. So I’m honouring her just by smelling the cap. Maybe one day I will try it on myself in my way to visit her...

I agree - this is not a chypre by any definition. It is a Fresh Soft Oriental though I note Michael Edwards further subclassifies it as a citrus fruity in the soft oriental category. I myself don't register anything citrusy or fruity about it. It is lighter and softer than Opium, Salvador Dali or Youth Dew yet still conjures images of the spicy orient. It is long lasting and great for the Office as it makes a statement and can be worn easily during the day whereas Opium and Youth Dew would be too overpowering. One of my favourites and almost impossible to find in Australia these days.

Karl Lagerfeld KL was my first great love! I got a bottle of it from my aunt in the late 80's, and it was love at first sniff. The clove and the cinnamon makes it rich and warm, but it still has some icy-cold, almost ruthless undertones - definitely a bold 80's power scent! It's intriguing, sexy and multi-layered, but easily overdosed - more than a few droplets, and it becomes as subtle as a mallet. Apparently it's been discontinued in most countries, but I managed to stumble across it in a mall in Milton Keynes (of all places!) and was delighted to add it to my wardrobe once again.

My absolutely favorite scent of ALL TIME... but with one caveat: I first tried the L'eau de Toilette and LOVED it...then bought the perfume, and it was similar but I found it too strong . The Eau De Toilette lasted all day and into the night and in fact did linger on my clothes which I liked.... I found I didn't need to buy it stronger. Oh how I wish they brought it back. I still have some in my fridge "cooling" for special occasions and hope that it will last me.... it is SO sexy... but still ok for day. what more could you ask for?

(a single tear rolls down my cheek) When I think of all the KL I wore with abandon in the '80s and early '90s! Perfume, EDT, shower gel, body lotion... heaven in a bottle readily available at any department store counter. Alas, those days are gone and now I pay twice the price for a quarter-ounce in a capless bottle. This is the best fragrance I have ever owned. The spiced citrus opening, the mellow amber finish, the lingering whispers... ((sigh)) I would encourage all oriental lovers to try this but I want it all for myself.

I always assumed there was some Tuberose in this due to a slight bubblegum note - not bad bubblegum but just enough to take the edge off some of the heavier notes. This was a departure for me in the 80s. I was normally a floral type or aldehyde. This was warm spice with a bit of fruit...but not todays sicky sweet fruit. So wish I had known it was to be discontinued. I still have about 1/8 of my 2nd original version left and I only spray once a year. Lovely spitfire of a scent.

I am renaming this one Spice Queen. It didn't blow me away but I love Orientals so this one is a keeper for me. I believe it is the Benzoin that keeps trying to break through the spice to soften it a bit but the spice is still winning. I could wear this on a cold winter's day when the skies are cloudy and overcast. This will be used as a pick me up fragrance for sure as it has a kick that won't let go. My Kenzo Elephant has finally met its match in the spice department!

If only KL could be brought back to life! It was so much of its time and yet so timeless. The design, an 80's nod to the 1920's, with the fan shape and the grey and dusty rose, and then the scent! That swirly, almost boozy amber and vanilla, with a hint of bedtime fun... I used to own a full bottle and the gorgeous atomizer. I'm so nostalgic for this perfume! I pray to all the muses that I can douse myself in this beauty once again. Bring KL back please!

This was my first fragrance...the first one I chose myself and paid for it with my own money...and this was even before my studies at the university...It was the first time I recognized a perfume note, that of orange...I am very sad that some of my youth favorite fragrances are discontinued, such as KL and Barynia by Helena Rubinstein...KL was a unique scent, nothing like the chemistry of contemporary perfumery.

Beautiful KL and Galanos my favorite scents Oriental Spices N Sultry Oranges oh my Goodness! KL will go down in history as one of the most Intoxicating and Sensual Fragrance of its time..unfortunately discontinued and Expensive, thank god I have 3 Bottles that I bought in Puerto Rico back in the hay days and will last me a very long time! Good Luck to those still searching for this Beautifully Made Masterpiece!

This reminds me soooo much of everything about my teens! The grey and orange fan were the epitome of 80's sophistication..which was exactly what I wanted to be at 16.. KL was sweet and spicy and sexy...again everything I wanted to be!! Not as heavy as Opium or Cinnabar, just soft and warm and lovely, like wrapping yourself in a beautiful cashmere sweater.... how I wish they'd bring it back...

Losing you has been like knowing a friendship has ended. The times we shared, how it felt with you around. Teenage self loved the way you demanded attention were not subtle with your heavy hippie shop smell. Similar to Opium but not as clean and like Tabu but cleaner. Syrupy, thick, spicy and only your price keeps us apart. KL I miss you, fan shaped bottle or not do come back.

My sister bought KL at Mallorca airport in -85, I bought PR Calandre. Later on, I envyd my sister a lot, because KL was nowhere to be found in Norway.. Now, I'm at my mothers cottage at the countryside, and she gave me all of her very old perfumes, including my sisters old KL.. 10 ml left in the bottle, and it still smells absolutely FANTALASTISK after all these years!

I used to wear this in the 80's and loved it. I loved the spicy orange top notes and the sexy warm cinnamon spice that stayed on my skin all night. I was heartbroken when it was discontinued. 10ml minatures have been popping up for sale on ebay (not sure if they're genuine) and I have bought a couple. I am back in heaven. I LOVE THIS PERFUME.

Opium and Cinnabar never worked on me, but KL was a perfect fit and was my signature scent for several years in the mid 80s. LOVED it and I think it smelled amazing on me. :) My head was turned by other trends in fragrance later in the 80s, but on reflection, I should have stuck with KL instead of some of the others I tried.

Love it♥️. It's a heavy oriental. Sweet, warm and long lasting. Indeed in the line of vintage Coco but the coco is stronger, more sweet and more heavy. KL is a very nice scent but not worth the price they dare to ask nowadays. I would rather go for a vintage Coco eau de parfum. But beautiful vintage Oriënt for sure.

Ah, college days.. and nights. KL was me. I do miss the 80s. Sometimes that is. This was such a beautiful scent. I didn't know anyone else at the time who wore this so for me, it was a unique personal scent. Which of course is why it was discontinued, but alas, the memories.

I had a bottle of this in the 80s & it reminded me of Opium a lot! A gorgeous, strong stunner, bold & an epitome of 80s fragrances. I am baffled at how it is classed here as a chypre. Where is Oakmoss? It seems to me it is more an oriental spicy.

I owned this as a child - a splash bottle without a vaporizer, if I remember correctly. It was a stunner: intoxicating, with very strong cinnamon and cloves. I loved it and would love to own it again, but I read that it does not age well.

This was the first perfume I was obsessed with. I cannot remember how it got it. I kept the bottle long after it was gone because it smelled so good. I hardly remember it now. Just that it got better as the day went on and I loved it.

I really loved this scent years ago when i wore it alll the time. Haven't been able to buy it for years, as where i live they never have it in stock anymore. But always had nice compliments on this one!

Legendary visionaire Karl Lagerfeld has died may he RIP! Today I'm wearing KL in remembrance to this elegant man, thank you for KL and all the fond memories I have wearing this fragrance!

Delicious and sexy! Reminds me of the first Salvador Dalì ... A scent that gets even better when it's cold outside. One of my favourites! Like spicy orange ...

Yes, R.I.P. Carl, you was the best! I have always enjoyed watching your wonderful clothes, and I love to sniff your beautiful perfumes :D

I loved KL, it was amazing the amount of people that asked what I was wearing.Can you still purchase it and if so where from

Is anyone wanting to swap their bottle ?? Please message me! I neeeed some please!! Thank you!

What a wonderful, sexy scent!!!!!! It is dark and sultry! Love it!

This is my all time favorite. Very spicy and delicious.

Am I late? Yes, but it’s never too late to reflect on a discontinued fragrance. KL was gifted to me when I was 14, and from the moment I smelled it, I had an aversion to its notes. Before then, I’d caught the scent of Opium on a family friend, who, assuming I liked it, gifted me KL for Christmas. The result? A splitting headache and a miserable Christmas Eve, where I felt sick and queasy. Fast forward 12 years. One day, my assistant arrived at work wearing a warm, spicy scent she called her signature fragrance—KL. That night, curious, I dug out the old flacon from my bathroom cabinet. The juice had turned a syrupy red, reminiscent of Bordeaux, yet it was unmistakably KL. Surprisingly, this time, there was no headache—just the comforting, warm spiciness of cinnamon and clove. It felt like stepping back into an era of luxury: fur coats, stiletto heels, permed hair, chandelier earrings, and chilly nights wrapped in the warmth of KL or Opium. The similarity to Opium is striking, almost as if they shared a perfumer (do they?). KL could pass as Opium’s mysterious twin or even its ultimate dupe. It opens with a sharpness, a fierce blend of orange, spices, amber, and civet. Benzoin gives it weight, while patchouli, styrax wood, and clove pack a punch—it's as if the scent strikes with the intensity of a jealous, angry lover. KL is a statement fragrance; it wears you, not the other way around. It demands boldness to carry it off today. Come Christmas, I’ll sometimes carefully unscrew the half-full bottle and take in the rich, potent aroma. It’s like mulled wine without the sweetness, piercingly sharp and unapologetically bold. This was how perfumes were once crafted: uncompromising, intense, and unforgettable.

È molto simile ad altri profumi degli anni 80 che erano in voga in quel periodo. Opium, cinnabar, hashish veejaga, Cafe, teatro alla scala, youth dew, coco chanel, molto avvolgenti e sensuali. Lo stile orientale di spezie, ambra grigia,zibetto e castoreum,benzoino patchouli e storace creavano questo alone di erotismo sulla pelle che seduceva veramente,in modo subcosciente a volte ma di sicuro effetto. Kl diciamo che dopo i primi 15 minuti resta abbastanza modesto sulla pelle, liscio e tiepido. Opium per esempio era più graffiante,piccante e anche piu persistente, chi lo indossava veniva percepito a metri di distanza. Kl resta sulla pelle,piu dolce e morbido.

i found a small bottle at a thrift store. it's spicy and warm-lots of amber, myrrh, benzoin and cloves. it reminds me a bit of tabu at first, then it gets spicier and more citrussy. i get some citrus and a bit of civet which makes it interesting. this is softer than opium for me. and i haven't smelled cinnabar since i was a child so i don't remember it clearly (it's on my list to try.) overall it's clovey spicy oranges with myrrh. really lovely in cool weather.

I agree that this is a spicy oriental fragrance. It does remind me of Opium, Cinnibar and others that are certainly not 'shy' perfumes. One of my personal favorites especially in cold weather. I don't know why more people don't wear this fragrance-maybe it is just too strong for a lot of people. But it really is a beautiful perfume. I don't get a lot of orange in the top notes-on my skin it is all cloves, vanilla and spice. Love it.

I remember wearing this spicy beast in the mid to late 80s at about 18-19 years old if you can believe that. I had “graduated “ to it from Lauren, Anais Anais and my mom’s White Shoulders. Also Sand and Sable for the drugstore choice. Anyway, I was a bit of a little punk rocker and felt very sophisticated and rebellious in this since I knew everyone within about a mile could smell me. Different times for sure.

I rediscovered my bottle when we moved last year. It's almost full! I worked in the cosmetics department of a store in the mid to late eighties and it was one of the perfumes I couldn't bear to part with, even though I didn't wear it often. Warm, wonderful spice but I think it doesn't overpower as much as some of the eighties scents could. Great Willard, though.

This isn't any chypre, this is fullbodied spicy oriental fragrance. Very close to Opium, more rounded and sweet from the start, hihgly spicy but still creamy, warm and sexy. Excellent for cold, rainy days and hot, steamy nights ;)...

Another great Coca Cola. I have pure parfum version and live it. Rich with no holes, very happy perfume

Youth Dew will have to stand in for me, and I'm ok with that 😁

I typed "great sillage" but was auto corrected! Oops.