Purple Label

I remember, when I lived in Seattle, walking through Volunteer Park in late summer and picking blackberries right off the brambles. I carried a small bowl along in my backpack and just filled it with the dark, ripe fruit, then found the perfect place to sit and sunbathe by the “doughnut” sculpture near the public reservoir. There, with a view of the meadow peaking through ancient evergreens, I soaked up the late afternoon sun and listened to the spray of the fountain in the reservoir and ate blackberries nearly every Saturday. (Summertime in the Northwest is a most beloved and brief season.) I felt like I was on top of the world, high above the city, with the Space Needle and the Seattle skyline glittering far below the steep inclines of this lovely Arcadia. I remained there until the long shadows of the trees began to fall around me and the faint whistle of the dinner train pulling into the station at Pier 69 echoed from afar into the cool, darkening skies of early evening, my signal to pack up my blanket, bowl and books and return home. The crisp and bright blackberry accord of Ralph Lauren Purple Label reminds me so much of this happy time in my life when all was carefree and the world was before me in so many ways. I almost have a sentimental feeling for this fragrance. While it is true that it seems to want to be a mature and formal attar, there is undeniably an optimistic, cheerful component present in its evolution on the skin. I really think of summer, old friends, and the places I used to haunt when I wear this. RLPL’s structure of tart fruit with smoky tobacco flower (which smells animalistic and quite different from tobacco leaf) seems to surface discreetly through a pomander of piquant herbal notes made even more luxurious by the well-bred embrace of oakmoss and mahogany. Later, the blackberry seems to vacillate within and without the nebulous, musky dry down, but never disappears completely, making this an excellent choice if you like the idea of an expensive aroma lingering discreetly on, say, a cotton shirt. The composition is rich, but also has a kind of outdoor feeling that makes one think of relaxed, halcyon scenes like the one I described from memory with lots of majestic trees, rolling meadows, and fruiting and flowering shrubbery. I think the best fragrances do this kind of romantic magic. Among its many affirmative qualities, RLPL projects that sartorial perfection associated with the top drawer of the Ralph Lauren family (and which its pinstriped packaging implies). The Swiss company, Firmenich, is the nose behind this fragrance and the creator of one of my all time favorite fragrances: Krizia Uomo (the vintage 1984 release), so I had no problem blind buying this on the Ralph Lauren website and no regrets afterward. I think if you like a fragrance with dimension that casts an aura of prestige with something gentlemanly and slightly dandified in the mix, you can’t miss with this gem of a sleeper.

I have to admit, I don't understand all the hatred over this frag. It IS a very fresh and very clean scent, perhaps a bit soapy, but sophisticated nonetheless. It can be a bit pricey, but most big design house frags aren't cheap (and if they are, its for a reason). All this talk about synthetic air freshener are just a bunch of blowhards who want to be heard. Why else would you post multiple negative reviews, one after the other, yet without any real thought or substance in them? Ahh well, back to the frag... I recently acquired some samples of this Purple label and was very pleased with the scent construction- it definitely smells purple, but slight and not cloying in its sweetness. I detect the green coriander, a light floral scent and slight orange in the top. This top combination seems to be what gives it the clean feel. After a few moments, this gives way to the middle notes of a bit of tabacco surrounded by herbal aromatics of thyme and a little sage as well. These top and middle notes are what define this scent for me, as the only base notes i seem to detect is a slight peppery-ness about 45min later. However, There are some notes i detect- lemon, violet flower or lavender perhaps, and later, pepper- that aren't in the pyramid, just as there are notes in the pyramid that i wish were noticable- blueberry and musk. I'm sure this could just be how my skin reacts to the scent as I've seen reviews that those less noticable notes were detected more by others. Overall though, I'd say this is a nice, fresh, slightly crisp and very clean scent but the downside definitely comes with the sillage and longevity. It stays close to the skin, and is unoffensive- being the distinguished gent this frag is- so its good nobody is going to smell this across the room, but rather they must come close to appreciate it. So, the only Real downside to this (IMO) is the longevity- after 10-15 min i can barely smell it even with my nose pressed against the skin. And it also seems to have a gap in the notes, from the time the middle ends (15 min maybe), there is not a noticable smell for a good ten minutes or so then you get a fleeting peppery smell perhaps with a whisper of musk. However I must add that it is winter and very dry, so i will be updating in the warmer months, and I have my fingers crossed that it will last longer then. Alas, I can see this being a very nice everyday cologne for work or play, unoffensive for the office, but nice and slightly unique for intimate setting. This is semi-addictive and very fresh smelling. *Also, I agree that the right woman could pull this off nicely

Wearing this one again for the first time in months. It is finally spring, that magical time of the year when it feels like sunshine and air conditioning outside at the same time. Dressed in a tan linen jacket (sport coat/blazer) on top of a white and blue Ralph Lauren dress shirt, some classic gold Ray-Ban Aviators, a gold ring with a blue stone, a brown leather Ralph Lauren belt with a gold belt buckle, some dressier Ralph Lauren blue jeans, and some dark brown Tecovas' caiman belly leather exotic cowboy boots (the Dillons in Mahagony which they don't officially make anymore unfortunately). A fun business casual outfit for a beautiful day. I woke up this morning and decided that Purple Label by Ralph Lauren had to be the play. I have been wearing classics recently and had just worn Green Irish Tweed by Creed the day before. I had been letting this one sit after I had purchased it towards the beginning of fall last year. I thought it was classy, and I actually felt it had similarities to Creed Aventus in structure despite predating Aventus (it does by the way, not in scent, but in structure), but I just didn't find it particularly compelling. Or, at least, not compelling enough to make me spray it instead of one of my safer fragrances (like blue fragrances during the warm weather and sweet fragrances during the short but strong bursts of cold weather). I like it even more today. It has that fresh blackberry and mandarin, and then quickly becomes a dry woody mahogany/oakmoss and musk. The fragrance does last all day, HOWEVER, it is very important you spray a decent amount. This isn't some "overspray-er" propaganda I promise you. The truth is, this fragrance has one of THE WORST atomizers on the entire market for some reason. You genuinely need to spray 4 (four) sprays in order to get the same amount of liquid out as your average cheap fragrance atomizer like a Cremo fragrance or Drakkar fragrance. So try spraying double the amount you usually would and THEN tell me it doesn't perform (because it will if you actually spray it properly). Very classy, traditional, 1980s-style oakmoss and wood with some fruit mixed in to "modernize" it. I will be wearing this way more often this spring. I think it is perfectly sandwiched between fragrances in my lineup this week, as I will be wearing Drakkar Noir tomorrow.

I obtained my bottle of this from the Ralph Lauren's website a few months back. I like it decently. I have never smelled Bleecker Street, but I will say this: I am surprised that youtube reviewers don't speak about the similarities between this and Creed Aventus. This came out long before Aventus, and it is built comparably. Unique fruit note in the top, a floral/herbal mid, built upon a base of a unique wood and oakmoss/musk. Replace the actual ingredients but keep the formula's structure and boom, you have Aventus. With that being said, this is a different fragrance and doesn't have that compliment getting "it factor" that the more modern and mass appealing Aventus DNA possess. Purple Label is classy, dry, woody, and musky. The projection and longevity are moderate all around, and could hardly be accused of being offensive and/or loud, nor could it be accused of being weak or too light. I would call this a classic gentlemanly fragrance. Not particularly youthful nor particularly old, just traditional and clean. Truly, think of something like Mont Blanc Explorer, but replace the sweet fruits with dry black berries, and a heavy dose of what I believe to be oak moss, musk, and that mahogany. Actually, in that sense, it reminds me of Drakkar Noir as well, but classier. I like it and look forward to wearing it. The atomizer is absolute garbage though, I would love for them to completely overhaul the bottle. Make the bottle glass and metal, make the cap metal and magnetic, and update the atomizer at least to the quality of Ralphs Club. It is strange that their Purple Label fragrance, which is supposed to be the fragrance and bottle that represents those who wear clothing from their Purple Label (extremely expensive compared to the rest of their clothing), is packaged in such a cheap tacky bottle. None of that detracts from my positive feelings about the juice itself though, just a complaint about one of my favorite clothing brands. Good stuff, worth the price at retail, and nice to wear dressed up.

Ralph Lauren Purple Label: Elegance in a Bottle, Confirmed by a Candle I own a lot of fragrances, but only a few feel like home. Purple Label by Ralph Lauren is one of them. It’s the olfactory equivalent of a tailored cashmere blazer—luxurious, effortless, and timeless. The kind of scent that doesn’t need to shout to make an impression. And yet, it does something rare: it lingers in the memory of others, in the best way possible. Here’s proof. My girlfriend traveled for four weeks, hopping between cities, collecting little finds along the way. She returned with a candle from an obscure niche brand overseas—something artisanal, hand-poured, infused with “the essence of sophistication” (or so the label claimed). She lit it, took one breath, turned to me, and said: You smell like my candle. And guess what? The candle smelled like Purple Label. This scent is an exercise in understated opulence. Lavender and sage give it an aromatic crispness, but then the suede, honey, and tobacco arrive, wrapping everything in a warm, velvety richness. The cedarwood and mahogany in the base whisper quiet authority—no synthetics screaming for attention, just pure, seamless blending. It’s Ralph Lauren at its peak: a fragrance for those who appreciate craftsmanship over trends. Performance? Fantastic. While many modern scents tap out after lunch, Purple Label settles in for the long haul, aging like a fine Bordeaux. It’s the perfect balance of refined and relaxed, with a dry-down that feels like the lingering scent of a well-worn leather chair in an old-money library. Purple Label isn’t just a fragrance. It’s a signature. It’s the kind of scent you wear without realizing its impact—until someone comes back from four weeks away and tells you you smell like her luxury candle. And honestly? I’ll take that as the highest possible compliment.

I’d first encountered RL Purple in 2004 when I’d also discovered Lauren’s Purple Label line of men’s clothing. I still have some of my shirts and ties from that period, all of them of very superior Italian make and quality. The fragrance matched the style very well. The contrasts of leather, fruits, herbs and tobacco flower were delightful and interesting to smell, even if it was something that tended to lack as much sillage as I’d prefer. It opens with green coriander, blackberry and lemon. The heart notes include tobacco blossom, sage, hedion and thyme. Base notes end with oak moss, suede, mahogany and musk. This wasn’t a bad combination, and the combination of tobacco blossom, blackberry and suede were the very definition of those notes I so enjoyed. It worked just as well for casual wear as it did for a formal affair, and was just as comfortable in the office as the weekend. Longevity and silage, however, are issues with the fragrance. The dry-down was fleeting and the base would begin to fade by the 6 hour mark. Not unrealistic for an eau de toilette, though I simply wished that the sillage wouldn’t simply vanish within 2 hours and the entire fragrance by 6. It’s single 125ml size isn't something you could carry in your back pocket easily for a refresh, and there is no travel size unless you emptied a portion into a small atomizer. Nearly everything else, however...flawlessly executed. This is a scent I would highly recommend, and I honestly would contend that the right woman could just as easily pull this off as well. It's one of trusty stalwart fragrances, despite its scarce distribution -- I only wish Ralph Lauren would do more with this.

This is a compliment getter and very handsome scent. Smells right with a suit, which is what I wear most days of the week. It's mature, without being old man. It's fresh, but not synthetic and aqua-y. Smell is fresh, but not aquatic, suave, and addictive. It's still worth a bottle, but be warned that you are going to really need to spray down if you want to get something that'll almost get you through the workday! This used to be my favorite fragrance in the world. It's still a favorite, but not as much due to this: I think this has been reformulated. It's basically the same, but a bottle I bought in Jan 2018 direct from Ralph Lauren did NOT last even half as long as the bottle that I had bought around 2011 or so. It's a lot lighter not, and you have to douse yourself to really have something worth bothering with. Bleecker Street is similar, but lacks the irresistible qualities that this one oozes. Purple Label is supposed to be Ralph's finest, creme la creme line--no expense spared. So, why are they just making this in EDT? It should be EDP; that would solve a lot of problems I imagine. Resellers are selling these higher than retail for some reason. Ralph Lauren usually has them in stock themselves, so you can get a new, fresh bottle for $102, which it's defintiely worth. I'll keep it in my collection always, despite complaining. 10/10 scent, 5/10 (generous score) longevity. Older bottles may last longer. Edit: I'm the only other person to mention this, but it smells slightly reminiscent of Creed Aventus. I like this better, but Aventus is way stronger.

I have been looking forward to picking this up, regardless the price due to its exclusive availability on Ralph Lauren's website. This is obviously not discontinued as they keep restocking on the site, which quickly gets purchased and I felt one of the lucky ones just recently. Interestingly, I read some comments on here as well that this kind of resembles Creed's Aventus, which I can definitely vouch for, but they are clearly not the same thing, just slight reminisence of it, basically close to that category of fragrance. The smell itself is definitely unique and you pick up different facets of it, smelling up close to me it comes off smokier, woodsier but when it lingers in the air i get a hint of sweet fruitiness. As many have pointed out before, unfortunately it does suffer from severe performance and projection issues. I have got a relatively small collection of fragrances, but by far this is the only one I literally have to spray twice as much of, even then I feel like it completely fades to a faint skin scent. I am convinced this would be high on top of the fragrance popularity list if it wasn't for the exclusivity (more dept. stores and online retailers would have it) and its detriment due to shameful performance, which is why I was led to believe the only reason it's only available as 125 ml bottle, as you need to apply 6+ sprays at the very least, then having to reapply again 3 or so hours later.

RL Purple label is certainly a MUST HAVE cologne if you can find, it's worth it and I can understand why! I love the top notes to be tobacco blossom, musk and a woodsy scent (Mahogany) with green notes amazing. Without a doubt, the note of leather helps to give this cologne a sophisticated and masculine aroma. The mid tones of Sage and Oakmoss certainly helps to give this cologne a earthy scent. The only thing I'm not sure about is the note of Thyme, and how it effects the others notes. I have to consider myself VERY LUCKY to find this cologne because I wasn't looking for it when I was shopping for a unique fragrance. The owner said it well when he showed the cologne. He asked me if I was interested in buying it? I asked him what is so special about it, as he put it "your buying liquid gold my friend" and that caught my attention. I was so glad I bought, and I never knew RL made this cologne to start with. Overall, this cologne is a classy fragrance. The aroma is a stunner which coming through when you first spray it. Longevity is excellent...well past 9 hour's Sillage is very good with a 2-3 feet distance you can pick up the aroma. I hope RL will consider doing a re-launch, excellent for both day/evening wear and best during the fall/winter time. Two words sum up this cologne...Liquid gold, it's absolutely worth every ounce. 10/10. One third the price of Bleecker St.

This to me is the most under the radar fragrance there is ! Such a classic fragrance that no one knows about This to me smells the same throughout and is linear for sure with the exception of the lemon fades a little after 5 mins. But the smell is my second favorite next to Creeds Aventus. Its very classy,elegant,slightly lemony and soapy but made smooth and sophisticated with the suede. This is EASILY the best scent from the Ralph Lauren line and that says a lot coming from me because I LOVE Polo Black,Double Black and POLO Red. The performance on this is really good on this as well. A lot of people are complaining about Longevity but I have been complimented on this 6 hours later and it lasts on me 6-10 hours. Projection on this is weird. On me it stays at projecting a foot off my body for the entire fragrance so it doesnt project out a whole lot but it leaves a fairly heavy scent trail. All in id rate this a 9 out of 10 ! Great scent,good longevity and decent projection VERY CLASSY SCENT ! (Sidenote) This and Creed Aventus are my go-to's for going out. In a situation where I want to be more outgoing I go for Aventus but when I want to be more laid back and not as loud I go for Purple Label

This is one of Ralph Lauren's best, maybe second best after the OG Polo. The blackberry and mahogany and suede leather (suede is no longer listed on this page but it is on the Ralph Lauren site. There is no doubt that there is a prominent suede leather accord. ) together is a winning combination. The notes listed originally are more than here in Fragrantica. And I like and wore Safari yesterday but the performance is lacking. It's good to have a better performing Ralph Lauren. I'll have to swap Safari and Purple Label in my "favorites" collection due to performance. I think Purple Label may be a better performer than the ratings here on Fragrantica suggest. And yes, there is a resemblance to Creed Aventus is significant ways. Some people simplistically suggest that "Purple Label does not have pineapple so it's nothing like Aventus". Lol. The resemblance is in the structure and drydown. Swap the Pineapple for blackberry, and the mahogany/suede and aromatics give a vibe similar to Aventus' smoky birch tar in the drydown. Don't agree? Fine, noses and brains are different. But myself and many others get the similarities.

Drydown, that's why you are buying this one. The opening is OK and reminds you of Bond's Bleecker Street. But once it's dry and the initial blackberry, herbal and orange notes get supplemented by tobacco flower (yes, Fragrantica has notes wrong), hedione, mahaogany wood, musk and oakmoss - that's where the real beauty begins!!! Very refined and exquisite scent. Lightly masculine (more than Bleecker Street) and much more pleasant. Compliment monster! Performance is average for EDT with projection being very soft and longevity pushes past 8 hours as skin scent on me. Very versatile scent, perhaps a little more useful for dressing smart or preppy. Love in the cooler days but summer and winter is fine too. Prefer for evenings or office. Great bottle (even though resembles XS Paco Robanne style a bit)! This is, sort of, Creed Aventus made with Blackberry, herbs, tobacco flower. mahogany wood and suede at the base on top of the traditional cologne backbone. Worth blind buy if you like the above accent notes!!!

One of my most beloved fragrances. Yes, many people compare it to Bond No. 9's "Bleecker Street," but just for the record, Purple Label came out two years before Bleecker, and to me, Purple is the superior of the two. They do indeed open very similar, but Bleecker developes at a much higher pitch and takes a sweeter, slightly feminine turn during its middle and drydown, while Purple retains a very masculine, zesty and dark blackberry for its duration. Other than a couple of minutes similarity with Bleecker, there's not another fragrance on this earth that smells like Purple Label. I currently own over 400 bottles of cologne but Purple Label is one of my most complimented fragrance ever ! Is that why I wear Purple Label a lot ? Nope. I wear it because I think it's one of the most perfect colognes ever created for a man. It's a shame that Ralph Lauren has kept this such an exclusive cologne ... but then again, maybe not. Scent - 10 Longevity - 6 Sillage - 6

Opens really fresh and fruity with a woody backbone from the get-go. In the opening, the fruity burst does not smell like blackberry to me, it's a lot more tart with barely any sweetness. After a few minutes the scent darkens a little and the blackberry emerges more and smells faintly syrupy. Some more time passes and this fragrance becomes greener with a very beautiful slightly smoky touch. To me it settles like a mild smoke-dried tea with a beautiful woody background. I can't say I got any suede or tobacco but when I read the notes I thought "oh, that could make sense!". This works very well in pretty much any occasion and any weather. It's mild so perfect for office use. If you mainly enjoy orientals or niche stuff from Xerjoff and the like, you may want to skip this. If you like wearable, fresh and handsome scents, try this out! My only complaint is performance. If this performed well, it would be unbeatable for me.

Just picked up the 4oz PL from the RL store this past weekend....love Love love the frag. The blackberry opening to the smoky tobacco middle to the woody dry down. BUT...am I the only one who thinks its a bit weak and doesn't last long? Went to Saks during lunch and am currently sampling Bleeker on my wrist. The similarities are indeed very real. Was hoping for a stronger version of purple, BUT Bleeker isn't that much stronger or projecting. RLPL is definitely more masculine on the dry down turning much more woody while Bleeker turns flowery (to my nose almost like some of the Hermes unisexes) Maybe my nose is spoiled from polo red extreme, blue edp, and some of the TF's I've been RLPL is actually normal but compared to the ones I just mentioned would appear to be weak??? Anyway...highly, highly recommend RLPL if you don't mind spraying a few extra squirts....

If this had performance, it would be in my top 5 and up there with a bottle of Aventus that has a few years under its belt. I layer this with molecule 01 to try to extend it a bit, but it just doesn’t perform past 3 hours max. It has L’artisan’s Mûre et Musc Extrême vibes but honestly considering the retail prices of both frags, I’d take the bottle of Purple Label. Judged purely by scent alone, however, it’s really frickin’ fantastic. Blackberry, musc, oakmoss, coriander, and a presence of a birchy but sweet tobacco accord à la Versace Dreamer, gtfoh. And to save you time I think in terms of retail sale availability, you have to buy it through Ralph Lauren’s website. Also I can tell that my juice has gotten punchier the longer I’ve owned and used it. And even with that said, the performance is still near abysmal. Not a total catastrophe, but really not great.

There's just something about Purple Label that I truly enjoy. The suede, the mahogany and blackberry work so fine together and create such a classy understated impression that leaves me wanting to come back for more. Not only is this one of the best designers out there, it also performs exceptionally well, roughly around 12 hours on me. What people fail to understand is that suede is not meant to project 10 feet out, and create massive sillage trails. Suede is meant to sit close to the skin while subtly maintaining its elegance to those around you. I don't get the Bleeker St. comparison, like at all. But this one is far better not to mention a lot classier. It has synthetic elements but its just done so well and I applaud RL for bringing this beauty back into the spotlight. This time, I'll be sure to pick up a backup just in case.

This bad boy has been out for 13 years and is still available, I say that because I just got a box shipped to me directly from Ralph Lauren for $90.00. Now, does it smell like bleecker st? Yes. I'd it slightly different? Yes, I find they are both of extreeme quality for a citrus base scent but PL has a little more citrus where BS has like a hidden note that makes it smell so good. I say buying both would be a redundant purchase so pick one, me, I picked PL because you get 125ml for $90 straight from the source. This I'd not discontinued but it may be soon so get it now while you can before people throw a 300$ tag on it. I hate that. Scent 8.5/10 Longevity 8/10 Projection 9/10 Overall this is a sleeper masterpiece and is a signature scent full bottle worthy 9 of a scent

Unique. Elegant. Classy. I really loved this fragrance from the moment I purchased it and sprayed it. You get nice hints of that blackberry, leathery suede and woodsy on the top notes. The dry down is just amazing with a woodsy, musky, mossy, leathery suede smell that’s really addicting. Only downside is what everyone mentions that it just doesn’t seem to last. I get about 2 through 2 1/2 hours on skin and about 3 hours on clothes depending on sprays. The most I’ve sprayed was once on wrist, once on neck and 3 on clothing which gave me those 2 hours on skin and 3 on clothing. It might last longer if you over spray but I have yet to try that. I will be in the near future on an outing. Fragrance smell 8.5/10 but longevity is 6/10

This one is really great. Brings really nice, juicy, sweet but dark vibes with a little freshness, and almost what comes off as leathery essence. I tend go for darker vibes, which is tricky with warmer weather scents as I feel many don't vibe with me, but this fits the bill nicely. Nice for all times/seasons. Yes, the sprayer is shit, feels worse quality than Drakkar Noir. What you think is overspraying with this one is actually a normal amount. But the scent is phenomenal and the bottle is pretty so all is forgiven. Also, why does everyone keep saying this is discontinued? It's available on their website, first google result.