While I believe we should live our lives with authenticity and never aim to be any sort of copy, in the realm of perfumery, Maison Margiela’s Replica fragrances have proven that Replicas can be absolutely divine! I love fragrance. Once again, I always try to create sensory experiences in my life that help me be mindful and beautiful smells–whether from candles or cooking or nature or perfume–make me feel alive. The truth is: I don’t really wear perfume for others. I wear it for me. During the pandemic, while at home all the time, I find moments of joy choosing different fragrances to wear throughout the long days. Really, I LOVE a good perfume. And, different seasons call for different smells. Today, I am sharing my favorites from the French luxury fashion house, Maison Margiela. Maison Margiela’s Replica fragrances are “reproductions of familiar scents and moments of varying locations and periods.” We all know that the power of scent is strong and can carry us through time and evoke important memories and experiences. This line of fragrances does just that. The following scents are all ones I would recommend you check out, and depending on your fragrance preferences, there is definitely at least one for everyone that would make a perfect gift for a loved one (or for yourself) during this upcoming holiday season!
Jazz Club is the first fragrance from this line I purchased, and it was the beginning of my love affair. You should know I often find myself drawn to what would be considered male or unisex fragrances. The smoky, sexy, leathery scents are some of my favorite~especially during the colder months. This one is all of that: Smoky, sexy, & leathery with a spicy, boozy flair to it as well! According to frantica.com the top notes are pink pepper, lemon, and neroli; middle notes are rum, clary sage, and vetiver oil; base notes are tobacco leaf, vanilla bean, and styrax. Sephora.com says, “this perfume brims with sweet notes of opened cigar boxes, old leather bar stools, and fine aged liquor.” I would agree. If you are missing going to Jazz Clubs during the pandemic, pick up this perfume and it will immediately transport you. https://rb.gy/00cobh
By the Fireplace is another slightly smokey unisex scent, but imagine the sweet smell of roasting marshmallows while you sit by the crackling fireplace with your loved ones & that is the replica experience of this scent. Top notes are pink pepper, orange blossoms, & cloves; middle notes are chestnut, guaiac wood & juniper; base notes are vanilla, peru balsam and cashmeran. Sephora.com says, “the comfort of wood crackling in the fireplace while snow falls outside is evoked…” and I would agree. There is a definite sweetness to this one, though, that balances out the smoky, woodiness, and makes me crave s’mores. https://rb.gy/iazty1
If you want a total change of pace from the two perfumes above, Beach Walk just might be your choice. This one replicates all the smells of the beach~salty, aquatic air, and light citrus & florals. The perfume opens with bergamot & lemon, and develops with pink pepper, ylang ylang, coconut milk, musk, and heliotrope. Sephora.com says, “the scent of salt air, the perfume of sunscreen, the glow of sunkissed skin…Replica Beach Walk Women’s fragrance evokes the memory of endless summer days…” While there is a definite sunscreen smell to this perfume (which I actually appreciate), if Bobbi Brown’s iconic Beach perfume is way too much for your nose (think Coppertone sunscreen), this one is a much lighter, more florally option. It is truly beautiful and the next best thing to a beach vacay.
Music Festival is another unisex fragrance that one might say is much more like the real thing than the fyre music festival was. This one is a replica of Woodstock, 1969. While it may not be for everyone, on the right spring or summer day, when I want to smell an earthy, yet sweet forest party scent lingering around my body, I love reaching for it. Top notes are violet leaf, red apple, & cannibis ; middle notes are patchouli, incense & tobacco; base notes are cypress, leather, & cedar. The Maison Margiela website says this about the fragrance, “recall a hypnotic daydream, lulled by the musics vibrations.” We may not be going to music festivals anytime soon, so in the meantime, check out this fragrance. https://rb.gy/j5xlkn
My collection of these fragrances was started many, many years ago. My most recent purchase from the line was at the start of the lockdown for the pandemic this past spring. I do not consider myself a fan of scents with a lot of citrus; however, I received a sample of Under the Lemon Trees and was oddly drawn to it. It was obvious that life as I knew it was shifting greatly, and somehow, this very different scent than my normal go-to felt comforting. Top notes are lime, petitgrain, & cardamom; middle notes are coriander, mate, & green tea; and bottom notes are cedar, rock rose, and white musk. Sephora.com describes this one as evoking “la dolce vita with the signature scent of the Southern Italian countryside.” Through all the worry, disappointment, and sadness as a result of the pandemic, there is something about this perfume that is a comforting reminder to me that through it all life is still so very sweet .
Replica At the Barber’s is not a scent I wear~as a big fan of unisex fragrances and as someone who will even wear some fragrances that are marketed towards men, this is not one of those. I bought this scent for my husband for Christmas a few years ago. I generally pick out all of J’s scents, and this one was different than anything else he had. The only way I can describe this scent is the smell of a sexy man~a clean shaven, freshly groomed, sexy man. Top notes are bitter orange, basil, & black pepper; middle notes lavender, geranium, & rosemary; base notes are tonka bean, leather, moss, and white musk. If you are looking for a Christmas gift for the man in your life, check this one out. It is yummy! https://rb.gy/aeiumm
This wraps up my Maison Margiela Replica collection. I own a lot of perfumes and all of these are ones I reach for often. While these scents are not cheap, in this case, you definitely get what you pay for. The bottles are large and the longevity and sillage are top notch. I do not like paying for perfumes that I cannot smell shortly after applying them. Out of all the scents, I would say Under the Lemon Tree is the only one that I find I have to reapply during the day to continue smelling it. Other Replica scents I have smelled and chosen not to purchase are Lipstick On (takes me right back to playing in my great grandmother’s powder room and the smell of her lipstick), Coffee Break (thought I would love this one, but I actually wanted to smell more of a coffee scent) & Whispers in the Library (this one is on my wish list).
So, live authentically but if you’re in the market for a good perfume, don’t hesitate to check out Maison Margiela Replica.
***All the lists of notes for the fragrances came from Frantica.com. This is a favorite website of mine to check out when looking for fragrance reviews.***
***I am not sponsored by or affiliated with any of the companies mentioned in this post, but I wish I were!***
Leslie Kersha Living 