When I first saw the promotional images for La Petite Robe Noire EdT, Guerlain’s newest fragrance, I was struck at how young it looked. Guerlain has always had a “womanly” vibe to it and this one channelled “girly”. This imagery was enhanced by that jaunty swing to the little black dress from which the fragrance takes its name.
This was further supplemented by the artistic drawing of the fashionable young Parisian girl that accompanies the fragrance. The promotional images will have this silhouette of a young lady traipsing all over Paris. You’ll see it in the cute little video I’ve included below. Its fun and jaunty and young.
So, when I first got whiff of the scent, it struck me : It is young. It is sweet. It is juicy. I’m not quite sure what I make of it!
The glass flacon that houses the light pink scent is quite stylized and brings to my mind an entrance to a boudoir, or a haute couture store. A stylized black dress imprinted on the back of the bottle further enhances this imagery. It is almost as if you are entering a room, with the dress as its highlight. I love the design of the bottle although I’m not too taken with the picture of the dress.
As part of the press kit, this bottle came housed in a box, fittingly hung on a hanger. This little black dress was not one to be hung in the closet! 😉 Because of the name, I thought this was a scent for the evening – perhaps something a little heavier, a little muskier, and something smooth and elegant.
However, when I eventually smelt the scent, it threw me for a loop. La Petite Robe Noire smells sweet. It brings to my mind a sweet scent of dark cherries blended with roses with a slightly fizzy note – like cherries dipped in champagne (which is most decadent, I can assure you!). It is quite heady and one which I’d wear in a cooler environment. In our tropical heat, it can almost feel oppressive if you spray on too much. However, my office has been quite cold lately, and the weather too feels cooler in the evenings than before, and I find that it performs better in that sort of cooler environment.
I will tell you that I wasn’t taken with it at first go. However, as the scent dried down, I found that it started smelling better on me and I quite liked it then. The sweet edge was taken off and on my skin, it started taking on a much smoother creamier note, smelling almost of smoky vanilla and creme brulee…. yet not so sweet as to make me feel ill. That delicate balance is one that isn’t the easiest to achieve to my picky nose but this one did it 😉
Interestingly, I could smell it on myself all throughout the day despite this being an EDT and I was afraid it was too strong, and that everyone around me would start dropping like flies. But in an enclosed car, I asked my friend if it was too strong and the answer surprised me because it was “I can’t really smell anything!” I was very surprised because I could smell it and the scent felt like it was enveloping me! It was good to know that I wasn’t suffocating anyone though and it lasted practically all day on me, getting lighter as the day progressed but quite subtly there.
La Petite Robe Noir is a young scent. It makes me feel young and flirty; and if I were younger, I might only wear this one for the evening, with my petite robe noire. As it stands however, I will instead wear this in the day as I have been doing, or even for the evening on a relaxed evening out. For me, this isn’t a sensual scent but its a pretty scent – like a jaunty flirty black dress; and I like it…. once it dries down, that is 🙂
Here’s the cute little video I promised you.
Perfumes are hard to talk about because they react differently on people, so the best way to experience a fragrance is to go and smell it for yourself 🙂 The EdT has been released in Asia first, while in Europe, the EdP was released earlier in the year with the EdT to follow later. I believe in Europe the EdT may be available only in the Guerlain store in Paris for now, but I stand to be corrected 🙂
Does the description of La Petite Robe Noire and the promotional images catch your fancy? Do you own any Guerlain fragrances?
My first Guerlain fragrance was Aqua Allegoria Bouquet Numero 2 which is a duty free exclusive. Its a light floral scent and one I was very taken with at the airport. I haven’t tried the others although I’ve been told to take a sniff at Shalimar and Idylle 🙂
Paris B
Guerlain La Petite Robe Noire EDT Price: RM181/30ml, RM248/50ml, RM366/100ml Body Lotion Price: RM179/200ml Shower Gel Price: RM144/200ml Availability: Guerlain counters
LeGeeque says
September 14, 2012 at 8:35 amShalimar is amazing! It’s very old-fashioned, old-schooled hence heavy and musky. I can’t bring myself to wear it because I keep thinking of good ol’ grandma each time I sniff it. As for this new one from Guerlain, I can’t wait to have a sniff of it when hit the shops tonight 😉
Ting says
September 14, 2012 at 11:20 amHello LeGeeque, have you tried Eau de Moiselle by Givenchy? It’s also old-fashioned sexy womanly. 🙂
But now… I might want something young and sweet like this new Guerlain one!! Thanks Paris! 😀
LeGeeque says
September 16, 2012 at 3:31 pmHi Ting,
I can’t bring myself to use any old-fashioned fragrances. And sexy is definitely not something I’d use to describe myself. Right now, I’m switching between Kelly Caleche and Miss Dior Cherie for cool days and on days that are a little warmer, I splash on Marc Jacobs Rain.
Paris B says
September 16, 2012 at 11:16 pmI still haven’t tried sniffing Sharlimar but I did think it might be the old fashioned sort of scent. This one is quite pretty if you like that sort but I think it might be a bit too commercial for you 😉
Juan says
September 14, 2012 at 8:38 amI regret not buying it when I was in Paris. The smell is really nice. My vial almost finished already. Sigh.
Paris B says
September 16, 2012 at 11:17 pmAww… It would have been a lovely souvenir from Paris! Oh well, there’s duty free! 😉
Nikki says
September 14, 2012 at 10:15 amThe bottle is to die for! I want to collect it for the bottle! But guess what? At the moment, I’m not a perfume wearer, it irritates me! LOL! I hope after 3 months I’ll be fine 😀
Ting says
September 14, 2012 at 11:16 amHello Nikki! Sounds like you are having a bun in the oven! 🙂 If you are, then congratulations! 🙂 When I was pregnant, I too could not tolerate any smell (even my own favourite perfume… how sad!) and I forbid my husband to wear his… hahaha… Hope that things are turning better for your sensitive nose soon! 🙂
Paris B says
September 16, 2012 at 11:17 pmHaha I’m not surprised, Nikki! I’m sure you’ll be ok again once this period is past 😉
jean says
September 14, 2012 at 10:56 amso pretty!!! love the illustrate black dress!
Paris B says
September 16, 2012 at 11:18 pmHaha I love the bottle but not the dress! Still I guess it made sense seeing that it’s the name 🙂
Patricia says
September 14, 2012 at 3:30 pmI have tried La Petit Robe Noir, altough I like perfumes this is the first one I have fallen in love with, it is almost perfect for me. My only con is that at the end of the day it has vanished from my skin, there is not remain of it at all. This does not happen to me when I use Chanel. It is a pitty, that is the only reason I has putted me of buying it for the time being. I might get a small bottle, but the smell….. oh my goodness, it is the best! I am not sure if it is available in other european countries but it is for sure in Spain in department stores.
Paris B says
September 16, 2012 at 11:23 pmHi Patricia, it’s a pity the scent doesn’t last for you. That’s what makes perfumes so different on everyone right? It lasts almost all day for me. Glad to know you like it too!
Sunny says
September 14, 2012 at 3:30 pmSame story here! I’ve sniffed this one a couple of times but wasn’t impressed. When I went to the press event I was given this little scarf sprayed with it, and I found out that once it dries down it’s perfectly adorable! I haven’t tried it on myself yet, but that should happen soon.
The bottle I have says Eau de Parfum on it though. Is there also an EDT version?
Paris B says
September 14, 2012 at 3:39 pmHey Sunny, Europe gets the parfum first with the edt to come. I’m told the edp is too strong for us in Asia so we get the edt first with edp later 🙂 its very pretty but am not sure if both edp and edt smell the same 😉
Sunny says
September 14, 2012 at 3:42 pmThanks Paris! I had no idea about this (usually the EDP comes out before EDT)! It’s true that the EDP is pretty strong though. I wouldn’t want to wear it in Taiwan 🙂 Curious about how the EDT smells!
Catherine says
September 14, 2012 at 6:41 pmI got cute miniature of this in french glossybox and Ill admit I like girly scents, sweet ones too. I think its younger but also more ‘commercial’ parfume for a brand like Guerlain. Its one of these sweet, florally, fruity scents who will appeal to a lot of women- I think. I like it but I wouldnt buy bigger bottle thought commercial, decorations and cute blotters- like a label from a dress- are very appealing 😀
Paris B says
September 16, 2012 at 11:24 pmI think you’re right Catherine. This is a more commercial scent but perhaps in these times, its what the brand needs to attract the young ones 😉
Nancy says
September 14, 2012 at 10:43 pmCool… i like the little black flirty dress drawing on the bottle… A pure girlish experience!!
Paris B says
September 16, 2012 at 11:24 pmIt does look very flirty for sure!
Janessa says
September 15, 2012 at 1:43 pmI got a tiny sample of this (in those mini spritzers) and I wasn’t so sure I liked it but now that you’ve described it in such a lovely way, I find myself enjoying the scent!
I absolutely love the black dress and fashion sketch on the box.
Paris B says
September 16, 2012 at 11:25 pmHaha I wasn’t sure I liked it the first time I tried it too. It needed time to settle on my skin and I’m glad you now like it too! 😉
Rin says
September 15, 2012 at 3:12 pmhi paris ^^ I love perfumes. haven’t tried any of guerlain fragrances before. the bottle looks feminine 🙂 yes, i totally agree with u. perfumes react differently on people. almost everyone told me that marc jacobs daisy is really good but it doesn’t work on me. whenever i want to buy a perfume, i’ll spray it on my wrist & wait for it to settle on my skin. looks like i m tempted to try this new one from guerlain, hehe.
Paris B says
September 16, 2012 at 11:28 pmHi Rin, I do the same thing you do! I get it sprayed on my skin and tie it a while to settle. I once tried one Guerlain scent in Pamplemousse I think. It was a lovely grapefruit scent and I thought I really liked it. An hour later, it smelled of pee 😛 good job I didn’t cave in the first time round eh?