A Wren Says

When you think Louis Vuitton, you likely think of the iconic monogram bag seen on the shoulders of women around the world. I would imagine you don’t think fragrances. But like so many other fashion brands, LV has their own line of fragrances. Though they had developed scents back in the 1920s, a fire totally destroyed that archive.

When they reintroduced fragrances in 2016, they did so by creating ingredients exclusive to the brand. There was the essence of Rose de Mai, extracted using a gentle cold extraction of fresh flowers. Then there was the leather extract developed using the scraps from their work shops. What they have now is a totally modern interpretation of the house as it exists now. I went into store to learn more about the fragrances. After a marathon of smelling as much as I could at the Louis Vuitton store at the Aventura Mall, I walked away with two samples: Attrapes-Reves and Sable de Roses.

Attrape- Reves, I was told, is their most popular feminine fragrance. But as I wear it, I can’t get myself into it. It feels floral and slightly sweet and not at all me. It’s a nice fragrance, but not one that I would by any means make my signature.

• Key notes: Cocoa, peony accord, litchi accord, patchouli heart, Turkish rose absolute, ginger, bergamot

Les Sables Roses, however, is of course a rose forward fragrance. Housed in a darker bottle, it is just as sultry as the packaging alludes. It is my favorite of the two. Am I sultry and alluring? No, but this one is definitely more me. It is floral and oud-y in a way that I enjoyed wearing. And I think I have to admit to myself that oud is the cheat code to get me to want to smell a fragrance. (Now, I think I might also need to try Rose Oud by Kilian. It seems like similar fragrance but at a fraction of the price.)

• Key notes: Centifolia rose absolute, Bulgarian rose essence, oud wood, ambergris, black pepper, saffron

However, as I think about all the fragrances I smelled on that initial day, there is one that I continue to think about: Coeur Battante. As I smelled the blotter, it made me smile instantly. It was what I didn’t know I wanted, the love you didn’t expect to find you. I sprayed a bit on my skin and returned to smell that spot throughout the day. I still think about that fragrance, and maybe I ought to go back for it or at least smell it one more time.

• Key notes: Pear accord, sambac jasmine, ylang-ylang, patchouli heart, ambrette

Les Parfums de Louis Vuitton range in price from $330 to $410 for the standard bottles. But should you want a work of art, exceptional creations, those begin at $610. All of the bottles are refillable in stores with fragrance fountains. Because of my own journey getting to know each of these fragrances, I recommend you head in store to smell the collection yourself.

By the way, I used this resource for some background on the line:

Molvar, K. (October 3, 2016). The Bottled Up History of Louis Vuitton Perfumes. Town & Country. https://www.townandcountrymag.com/style/beauty-products/a7768/louis-vuitton-perfume/