Marienbad

Prada - Marienbad It's romantic how amber, leather, animalic and medicinal notes create such impression. It's cynical, in contrast. Such quality provided like a sardonic laughter from all the great satirists. I mention to some dear friends how leather was always a nemesis to my small nose. Rosendo Mateu No. 5 taught me the hard way and imprint a bold "we never ever getting back together" idea on me towards those beautiful guys (minus the animalic and medicinal smell because it doesn't have it). Marienbad came like a boon companion to my resentful mind towards the said notes. She is a friend. She has skeletons on her closet; an homage to a will with a convivial atmosphere. I've tried it last night and upon writing this, I still pay attention and sniff the juice from a little black cap on the top of tall vial to get the majestic whiff—a rich journey that later penetrates to my system. Marienbad opened with a strong medicinal—almost spicy—notes, dancing and tingling my olfactory porch like a lover coming; knocking on your door like an SO with voluptuous manner... and it's only 7 PM. Yum. Fragrantica generously listed the notes and there it is: bergamot at the top layer of this perfume, revealing a clash of what would my nose had smelled. I sense a cold, if not, balsamic kind of scent. A cold scent, I saw the color brown and the sound of a busy city—a cold, rainy city with reflective cobblestones from the rain. I didn't really smell any bergamot at the opening as if she would hide it on her luxury purse, like a little delight to her big secret; she won't share it at all. Moving on, I sense my favorite thing, rose. The rose gave her a big white fur to protect her from a cold night in the town. Had I forgot to mention that the plum comes with it like an accesory; reminds me—pretty much—of Nuance by Brooksfield. Oh, nostalgic. She's coming from a limo, telling us that she'll attend a party—a ball or anything that will do with her fashion. Marienbad is pretty much a quiet woman as she always is. She took vanilla and incense with her upon stepping her heels to the base layer. Dancing slowly with leather and oud. It's like an ode to an old furniture: there is an old wooden chair in a fancy, big room. I have a complicated history with oud; it's running here and there in my thoughts, one of them is telling me "this is a nice end to a puzzling scent, a luxury to add." Marienbad doesn't abandon any notes, the vanilla is hanging from her lips, there's a slight chance that she will say it—but in the end, she didn't do it. There she is, swaying around with (now) her leather jacket and what appears to be—OH! AMBER! From when she enters my porch to knock my door, hold my hands to enter her limo, the little chat with her inside the ride, and all: she always carry the amber. The amber that is the whole of her. A little gem that she carry around the whole time; the entirety of her. Forget the bottled water or little amenities on your purse if you ever carry one—she doesn't do it. At the very base of the perfume, she finally hymn loudly to the amber that she carry all night, showing her pensive self. The spirit of her meets the persistent determination of how the night should be. She walks away, leaving a beautiful trail of a rich and deep scent. Oh, that is so her. 🧡

Named for the 1961 cult French new wave film Last Year at Marienbad, this selection from Prada's exclusive Olfactories collection is the definite standout and while I still need to watch the film, I can see from a review of its synopsis that this may very well fit its mood. However, this one conjures up a personal scent memory. It is one of the more positive flashbacks from my high school and early college years. Marienbad opens with a gorgeous sultry, medicinal leather fanfare punctuated with civet and bergamot, similar in vein to that of Bal a Versailles, but no sooner than I'm greeted with this exhilarating flash of greatness am I instantly transported to my past. More specifically, this is the exact smell of the head shop/bookshop that would permeate through the second floor of the Garage in Harvard Sq, Cambridge, MA. I recall the frequent visits with friends to shop for CDs at Newbury Comics, get a slice or two at Formaggio's or a wrap at Stuff-It, be dragged into Allston Beat to browse the hopelessly hip clothing of the 90s. Yes, of course this fortysomething will recall simpler times, but also far more challenging ones. It's a challenge to describe exactly what it smells like, but involves a medley of various incense, amber, sandalwood, churchy frankincense, nag champa, musks, powder, soap, rose—definitely rose. But on a very personal level, it smells of badges and pins on backpacks, Manic Panic dye successes and failures, listening to Low on cold nights, discovering my sexuality and unrequited crushes, my first time dancing in a club and hearing "The Bomb" by the Bucketheads. It is learning to find myself while processing family trauma. It is the precipice of being a grown up and all its anticipation and fear. It's my own Proustian madeleine, but never expected it to be quite like this. It's me, hugging my 17 year old self, reassuring him that he will be okay. This bittersweet swirl is stimulating but also comforting, and has easily become a favorite amber due to its ability to reconcile and feel compassion towards the younger me. You see, perfume does have that power, and will reveal itself when it's least expected.

This is what HIGH END fragrance should be and should do. This is C L A S S in a bottle; no ifs ands or buts about it. Bright, strobelight bergamot streaks across the opening two minutes, the brightness then fades quickly into a warm, rich plum that is closer to freshly peeled than dry. This is the opening sequence but as the cymbal like bergamot and brass horns that are the warm plum begin their jazzy serenade, here comes a lush rose that sweeps across the dance floor in a six to seven minute flourish. She leaves a downright ready to risk it all for a one night affair trail and the heart is now ending. The drydown is a fantastic combination of dry, smooth oud and rich buttery leather that engulfs a satin like vanilla that does a wonderfully slow and sensual dance with civet and incense- this part as it nears the full drydown is JUST HEARTBREAKING. You haven't smelled anything like this transition into a smoke tinged amber. This is when the REAL magic happens.. remember that satin like vanilla? Oh yeah, it never left the dancefloor..it now comes gliding back as the silky musk of civet and now shimmering remnant of smooth oud retreats...the vanilla now kisses the just appeared patchouli and gives the labdanum, ascending from the darkness out of seemingly nowhere, a huge bear hug. These are the three scents that form to create this amber..and this amber is FUCKING SHOWSTOPPING!! I have quite a few posh ambers in my collection because...I DIG AMBER, BABY!!! And, NOTHING I have smells quite like this. It's pure class. Think box seats at the Met on opening night of the opera. The absolute crowning moment is saved for last: the tolu balsam waltzes in and pairs up with this now astonishing amber and it's just....it will make you cry with appreciation and happiness...nothing I've ever smelled comes close to this. It's deceptively subtle while being flamboyantly chic... it's just pure class. Bravo, BRAVO, BRAVO, Prada... Exquisite!!! bon chance

Fragrance 9.5/10 Longevity 10/10 Price 6/10 I admire fragrance companies when they make something new, different, and interesting. It has been soooo much copying it's just so exhausting. I don't even know who is copying what but our current market is flooded with winners and wanna-be copies. Now speaking of Marienbad it is very different of fragrances flooded our markers today. Marinebad it is super sweet, sensual, warm, rich, and super exquisite fragrance. We "normal folks" may never have a situation to wear such perfume, I mean a Rolls-Royce parked outside my mansion waiting to drive me to a royal jubilee gala in London. With this fragrance you are a king of your own, you make your own evening the way you want it, and the experience Marienbad brings you will be no less of the royal gala posture meeting... You can create a royal prince of yourself by spraying Marienbad, instantly all of the aromas will bring you up to hidden quirks only wealthy and highly important people get. This fragrance will make you feel as if you are a Welsh Prince from 18 century, sitting on a throne in your own castle full of burning candles and incense. I love Marienbad for what it is, I hope many more brands would get a spine and follow Prada's way of coming up with something risque and less ordinary.

#1282 in my "Tour de Fragrance" Got this as a decant. This is a very likeable fragrance, but how could something that's a 95% copy of Serge Lutens "Cuir Mauresque" be other than likeable? Kinda a cross between Prada "Amber Pour Homme Intense" and Amouage "Interlude Black Iris." All I would say is if you have one you really don't need the other two, and being an iris addict I would of course opt for the Interlude Black Iris if I had to choose. If I had purchased the Amouage before buying the Amber intense I probably would not have bothered with the Amber Intense just based on the far more profound affect the Interlude had on the women who smelled it on me. But I would say this scent is more unisex than the Interlude Black Iris or the Amber Intense, though truthfully, the women I know would be just fine wearing any of the three. On me this is a moderate performer. More relaxed than the Interlude, and completely inoffensive and workable in any setting. But not so different from the Amber intense. If you had one getting the other would seem like you wasted your money. What would be the deciding factor for me in choosing is really a matter of price. I can get a 100ml bottle of Black Iris for $175 and that stuff always gets noticed in a verry satisfying way, for me anyway.