Balafre (Vintage)

Balafre is what Michel of Godard's À bout de souffle would've worn. Balafre is a chocolate brown wool suit; an engraved brass cigarette case containing Tareyton cigarettes. It's a worldly man on the verge of breaking free from the hegemony to live in a cabin in the woods, but just can't muster the courage to do it. Balafre stares at a floating Alexander Calder mobile and spaces out the colors. Balafre is a man advised by a guru to seek the anima within him, but would rather get lost in scotch and Scott Walker albums. Balafre has a Mattachine Review hidden in an issue of Gentleman's Quarterly. The sound it would make is incidental music played with a rhodes and celeste. It's a moody mossy number, flanked with resin-whipped lavender, dark green pines, and shady cedars. Herbal-musky, muted green and dusky. It's sonorous, but shows a gentle restraint. It feels like the relief of cool late September air after a long summer. It declares "it's just a glorious time to be alive!" It has that same distinguished man flair that Monsieur Rochas and Equipage have, however, the conifers are the centerpiece in Balafre. Unfortunately, it goes for a pretty penny nowadays, but if this captures your imagination, patiently await a modest 20ml vial like my own and apply judiciously.

Fantastic scent. I just want to get a hold of the original mix once again. It is so elegant and sporty for daytime use in the autumn, in the city or on the countryside among falling coloured leaves and fresh air. It is a sporty gentlemans perfume. I wonder why Lancome does not relaunch it. It is a classic by its own standards. Bad marketing management by the house.

Balafre is like Yatagan going to visit his parents in law. "Well, at least put on a clean sweater, and shoes on, you're not wearing those boots, and, remember to smile, honey." And Yatagan smiles, and actually feels quite good in this attire, at least for a weekend while. Truly a great perfume!

I know it's vintage and I'm heading that way myself but I find this fragrance so fresh and uplifting. Different to most of the modern popular mainstream scents which frankly are too sweet for me. Really love this fragrance it is so enjoyable to wear.

Why lancome discontinued this masterpiece? Please bring back balafre once again! Balafre is very close to Aramis & Bel Ami by Hermès❤️