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frÉdÉric
malle

PORTRAIT OF A LADY

A spicy fragrance that exudes the utmost confidence.

Written By JAYME CYK

THE STORY OF A SCENT

When Frédéric Malle launched his namesake perfumery in 2000, he wanted to put his perfumiers center stage. In a world where noses are most often expected to remain behind the scenes, he instead commisioned his fragrance connoisseurs to compose beautiful blends to be sold under their own names as well as his. It was a revolutionary concept—and one that has yielded equally revolutionary scents. When he commissioned the prolific nose Dominique Ropion, creator of iconic fragrances such as Frédéric Malle Carnal Flower and Thierry Mugler Alien, to concoct the spicy and decadant Portrait of a Lady, Malle was envisioning a man in the presence of a woman with an almost magnetic attraction. Ropion’s resulting creation has perhaps one of the strongest doses of both rose essence and patchouli heart, lending it a baroque and romantic yet modern base. To envision her scent and sensuous demeanor, just think of Faye Dunaway in Roman Polanski’s neo noir mystery Chinatown. 

THE PERFUME PROFILE

OLFACTIVE GROUP: Oriental

TOP NOTES: Turkish rose, blackcurrant, and raspberry

HEART NOTES: Patchouli, benzoin, cinnamon, and clove

BASE NOTES: White musk, frankincense, ambroxan, and sandalwood

WHERE TO WEAR

Spritz prior to making an entrance (no matter the occasion) or while donning all white and channeling Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct.

APPROVED 

July 14, 2016

FILED

March 4, 2016: Nikki Pennie’s Beauty Soundtrack

approved
by the
violet code

The VIOLET CODE is a process and set of standards by which VIOLET GREY’s committee of beauty industry experts and influencers separate hero products from the tens of thousands of options available to you on the market. The result is a curation that is truly the best in beauty from those who know best.